Khan Shushinski
Encyclopedia
Khan Shushinski born Isfandiyar Aslan oglu Javanshir (20 August 1901, Shusha
– 18 March 1979, Baku
), was an Azerbaijan
i khananda
(folk singer).
, his stage name derives from an episode in his adolescence. In 1918, he and his mugham
teacher Islam Abdullayev attended a wedding in the village of Novruzlu (presently in the Agdam Rayon of Azerbaijan), where guests were listened to a gramophone record
of the Iran
ian singer Abul Hasan Khan performing the Kurd Shahnaz variety of mugham. After the song, young Isfandiyar was emphatically asked to resing that song live. Despite the complicated nature of Kurd Shahnaz, his performance impressed the guests to the point of them comparing Isfandiyar to Abul Hasan Khan and saying: "Now, here's the real Khan."
Shushinski made his first appearance in Baku in 1923, at the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall
. He spent the next two decades touring cities of the South Caucasus
, gaining huge popularity for his incredible voice and being often mentioned in the local media, as well as in the poem Azerbaijan by Samad Vurgun. In 1944, a year after he became People's Artist
of Azerbaijan, he visited Tehran
(along with four other cities in Iran) and was invited to perform at a banquet
organized by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
.
Khan Shushinski became known as a talented composer after writing a number of songs, the most famous of them being Shushanin daghlari ("The Mountains of Shusha"), dedicated to his native city. He later taught vocal arts at the Zeynally College of Music in Baku.
Shusha
Shusha , also known as Shushi is a town in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus. It has been under the control of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic since its capture in 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
– 18 March 1979, Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
), was an Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i khananda
Khananda
A khananda is a name generally given to singers of mugham, an Azeri folk music genre. The word is of Persian origin and means "singer"...
(folk singer).
Life
Despite Shushinski's relation to the khans of KarabakhKarabakh khanate
The Karabakh khanate was a semi-independent khanate on the territories of modern Azerbaijan and Armenia established in about 1750 under Persian suzerainty in Karabakh and adjacent areas. The Karabakh khanate existed until 1805, when the Russian Empire gained control over it from Persia...
, his stage name derives from an episode in his adolescence. In 1918, he and his mugham
Mugham
Mugam also known as Azerbaijani Mugham is one of the many folk musical compositions from Azerbaijan, contrast with Tasnif, Ashugs. Mugam draws on Iranian-Arabic-Turkish Maqam....
teacher Islam Abdullayev attended a wedding in the village of Novruzlu (presently in the Agdam Rayon of Azerbaijan), where guests were listened to a gramophone record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
of the Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian singer Abul Hasan Khan performing the Kurd Shahnaz variety of mugham. After the song, young Isfandiyar was emphatically asked to resing that song live. Despite the complicated nature of Kurd Shahnaz, his performance impressed the guests to the point of them comparing Isfandiyar to Abul Hasan Khan and saying: "Now, here's the real Khan."
Shushinski made his first appearance in Baku in 1923, at the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall
Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall
The Magomayev Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall , located in Baku, is the main concert hall in Azerbaijan built in 1912.-History:...
. He spent the next two decades touring cities of the South Caucasus
South Caucasus
The South Caucasus is a geopolitical region located on the border of Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Trans-Caucasus...
, gaining huge popularity for his incredible voice and being often mentioned in the local media, as well as in the poem Azerbaijan by Samad Vurgun. In 1944, a year after he became People's Artist
People's Artist
People's Artist is a honorary title in the Soviet Union, Union republics, in some other Eastern bloc states , as well as in a number of post-Soviet states, modeled after the title of the People's Artist of the USSR....
of Azerbaijan, he visited Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
(along with four other cities in Iran) and was invited to perform at a banquet
Banquet
A banquet is a large meal or feast, complete with main courses and desserts. It usually serves a purpose such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or a celebration, and is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of someone....
organized by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
.
Khan Shushinski became known as a talented composer after writing a number of songs, the most famous of them being Shushanin daghlari ("The Mountains of Shusha"), dedicated to his native city. He later taught vocal arts at the Zeynally College of Music in Baku.
External links
- The Soaring Voice. El Jurnali. August 2003
- Listen to Khan Shushinski on Youtube