Author: Zemfira Abdullayeva.
Tofig Guliyev, was born on November 7th,
1917. His farther, Alekper Guliyev, was economist and engineer.
His mother, Yahshi Hanum received education from women's gymnasium
named after Tagiyev. Later she went to school of Saint Nina.
She was one of the first Azerbaijani Women serving as a Judge.
Tofig Guliyev started learning music when he was 12 years
old. In 1929 he entered a music college, and was in the class
of famous teacher S Turich. He wrote his first composition
in 1931. It was a song "About Schoolboy" the text was adopted
from the classic Azerbaijan Kid's poem written by Mirza Allakbar
Sabir.
In 1934 Tofig Guliyev entered two faculties at the same time:
piano and conductor in Azerbaijan State Conservatoire. Here
he studied polyphony, harmony, the musical form in the class
of R.M. Rudolf. In the class of the famous Uzeyir Hajibeyov
he, for the first time, was introduced to the beauty and brilliance
of the folk music and the art of mugham.
In 1934-35 Tofig Guliyev was involved in collection of folk
music, dances under leadership of Bul-Bul. In 1935 he recorded
mugham "Rast" and "Cegah Zabul" from the play of famous tar
player Mirza Mansur Mansurov.
His conductor's activity started in 1935, when he worked in
Azerbaijan State Drama Theater.
In 1936 Uzeir Hajibeyov initiated to send a group of talented
youth to learn in Moscow State Conservatoire, among them was
Tofig Guliyev, where he continues education as a conductor.
On his entering exam, Tofig impressed Heygauz with his piano
playing, and was invited to study in Heygauz's class.
While studying in Moscow, he got involved with Jazz and later
was playing piano in Alexander Zhfasman band. Within a short
period of time Tofig was acknowledged as the best musician
of the orchestra.
Staring form 1939 Tofig Guliyev wrote more than 30 compositions
for drama performances in Azerbaijan State Drama Theater,
Russian Drama Theater, Young Viewer Theater, Moscow Drama
Theater and etc.
He organized the first State Pops Orchestra together with
Niazi in 1939, and so became one of the founders of Azerbaijan
Jazz. On September 7th, 1941 the Orchester administered by
T. Guliyev performed the very first concert in Baki Philharmonic
and put a start to the jazz movement in Azerbaijan.
But very soon he had to interrupt the development of his orchestra.
From June 1941 most of the members of his Jazz orchestra had
to go to the war and there they were able to organize 402
Transcaucasian infantry division orchestra and were raising
fighting spirits of the soldieries in Rostov, Krasnodar, Mozdoks.
In 1941 he got involved in composing film music. His first
film "Sabuhi" was very successful and very soon composing
film music became his main activity as a composer and conductor.
During his life he created music for 40 Azerbaijan films.
From 1944 Tofig Gulev had built artistic relations with Eddi
Rozner, Tofig created numerous remixes for Rozner's orchestra.
Furthermore he created musical fantasizes by using melodies
from classic Indian film " Homeless", using themes from romance
"Black Eyes" as well as children songs.
During the period of 1946-47 Tofiq worked very closely with
Rashid Behbudov and wrote many of the songs that Rashid performed.
Together they created the unforgettable assemble. Their sensational
performances in many cities of former Soviet Union were the
best introduction into national culture.
Because of the II World War Tofig Guliyev had to interrupt
his education and in 1948 he continued his study in Moscow
State Conservatory. That time he entered both composition
in the class of Golubev and conducting faculty in the class
of Ginzburg. After graduation with honors he was recommended
to the post-graduate studies in the class of Gauk. After graduating
from post graduate studies in 1954 he returned to Baku and
continued his creative activity. This is when he started his
teaching activity. He led opera and orchestra classes at Azerbaijan
State Conservatoire.
From1958 till1959 he was the artistic administrator and in
1961 became a Director at the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic
Society named after Muslim Magomaev.
During the Soviet period, in 1958 Guliyev was named "Honored
Art Worker of Republic of Azerbaijan". And in 1959 awarded
the "Order of the Red Labor Banner of the USSR" and the "Medal
for Heroic Labor" during World War II.
In 1964 Tofig Guliyev was named People's Artist of Azerbaijan.
In 1966 he is taking part in the trip into Chehoslovaniya
to celebrate there "Azerbaijan Art Days". During his visit
to Chehoslavaniya he creates a "Song about Prague" and "Song
about Bratislava", which were very soon published in the country
and became very popular.
Interesting and productive can be called his trips as a member
of artistic delegation to Bulgaria, Poland, Italy.
In September 1968 he is leading a delegation of Azerbaijan
art people to Brussels to present Fine art of Azerbaijan Republic.
He served as the Secretary of the Composers' Union of Composers
from 1969, and later was elected to serve as a First Secretary
of the Union and held this position till 1979. During this
time he delivers a very profound work on rising young composers
generation. In 1974 at the World Cinema Festival the Tofig
Guliyev honored a State Premium for composing music for film
"Nasimi" script written by Seyidbeyli.
Later in 1990 he was elected as the Chairman of the Union
and served at this position till the end of his life. Following
Azerbaijan's independence, in 1998 he was awarded the Istiglal
(Independence) Order, the highest honor bestowed upon citizens
in the independent Republic. President Heydar Aliev personally
awarded him this Order.
On October 4th 2000, Tofig Guliyev passed
away.
On November 7th 2003, Ilham Aliev, President
of Azerbaijan Republic signed executed order "to commemorate
memory" of Tofig Guliyev. Following this order the Memorial
Board was put on the house where the famous composer lived
and created. It is located on Gusi Gadjiev street, 23.
The Ministry of Culture published autobiographic
book about Tofig Guliyev: "Fabulous Composer " author Zemfira
Abdullayeva. Music Shools No12 and one of the streets in Baku
city were named after Tofig Guliyev.
