The work of Asaf Zeynalli, one of the prominent figures of Azerbaijani musical art, a skilled promoter of folk music, and a talented composer, forms valuable chapters in the treasury of our national musical culture.

Asaf Zeynalabdin oghlu Zeynalli was born on April 5, 1909 in Derbent. In the early 1920s, the Zeynalli family moved to Baku. From 1922 to 1926, he studied at the Baku Music College in trumpet, cello, and piano classes. In 1926, he enrolled in the orchestra faculty of the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire and later continued his education at the composition faculty. Asaf Zeynalli is the first Azerbaijani composer to receive professional education at the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire. Taking lessons from such distinguished composers as Uzeyir Hajibeyli, B. Karagichev, and L. Yablonko, Asaf Zeynalli composed most of his works during his studies.

Asaf Zeynalli, who lived only 23 years, created valuable works in various genres of music. The composer is outstanding in the history of Azerbaijani music as the founder of the national romance genre. His romances "Ölkəm" ("My Country"), "Sərhədçi" ("Border guard" ), "Çadra" ("Veil"), "Sual" ("Question"), "Seyran" ("Seyran") are the pearls of our national vocal music.

Asaf Zeynalli contributed exceptionally to the emergence of the first national pianoforte music works. His plays "Çahargah" ("Chahargah"),  "Muğamsayağı" ("Mugham-like"), "Uşaq süitası" ("Children's Suite"), 2 fugues, works for pianoforte and violin became examples for subsequent generations of our composers in the field of instrumental music.

The composer is also the author of the first examples of symphonic music. His "Fraqmentlər"  ("Fragments") is the first original work composed in this genre. The realization of the symphony "Bakı" ("Baku"), of which the composer wrote only some outlines, was prevented by his untimely death.

The composer also worked extensively in the field of theater music, leading the music department at the "Tənqid-Təbliğ" theatre (The State Theater of Independent Criticism and Entertainment ("Satiragit")). He created musical arrangements for J. Jabbarli's "Sevil" ("Sevil"), S. Rustam and H. Nazarli's "Yanğın" ("Fire"), J. Khandan's "Gizli əl" (“Hidden Hand”), A. Yanovsky's "Qəzəb" ("Fury") and other productions.

Asaf Zeynalli paid great attention to promoting Azerbaijani music. In 1931, he organized concerts featuring works by Azerbaijani composers in Moscow and Leningrad (St. Petersburg) and lectured on Azerbaijani music during the concerts.

Asaf Zeynalli made significant and valuable contributions to the collection, transcription, and processing of folklore samples, transcribing many folk songs into musical notation.

Asaf Zeynalli's contributions as an educator are also significant. He taught music theory at the music school under the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire since 1928 and compiled a textbook titled "İbditai not savadı" ("Beginning Notation Literacy"). His students included outstanding Azerbaijani composers, such as Gara Garayev, Jovdat Hajiyev, Tofig Guliyev, and Zakir Baghirov.

In 1932, Asaf Zeynalli was sent to Karabakh to collect folk music with Bulbul. During the trip, he fell seriously ill. The composer, who had contracted typhoid fever, returned to Baku for treatment. While in the hospital, he wrote his symphony on the wall of his room and asked his brother to copy it from the wall to paper. Unfortunately, no one fulfilled his last wish.

Armenian involvement is suspected in the death of Asaf Zeynalli. In his letter, he noted that Armenians labeled him a "chauvinist" and accused him of focusing more on Turkic, i.e. Azerbaijani, students - among whom were Tofig Guliyev and Gara Garayev - than on Armenian students while teaching. During his mission to Karabakh, Asaf Zeynalli was given a glass of water. He took a sip of the water and later said he didn't like the taste of it. However, someone nearby urged him to ignore the taste of the water. After drinking that water, his condition changed. Upon arrival in Baku, he was hospitalized. After he died in the hospital, his family was reported that he had died of typhoid fever, to avoid further rumors.

Asaf Zeynalli died of a serious illness on October 27, 1932, and was buried in the Chambarakand cemetery. Later his remains were transferred to the "Qurd qapısı" cemetery.

Recommended literature:

1. Hüseynov, Mirzə Məhəmməd oğlu. Asəf Zeynallı: musiqiyə həsr olunmuş ömür /M. Hüseynov; elmi rəhbər H. Mirzəyev ; ön söz E. Mansurov. - Bakı: Nur, 2011. - 133 s.
2. Azərbaycan musiqi tarixi / AMEA Memarlıq və İncəsənət İnstitutu ; red. heyəti K. Abdulla, red. heyəti F. S. Bədəlbəyli, red. heyəti F. Ə. Əlizadə, red. heyəti S. Ə. Kərimli, red. V. M. Məmmədəliyev, layihənin rəh., elmi red. Z. Y. Səfərova. II cild. - Bakı: Elm, 2017. - 582 s.
3. Меликов, Ханлар Гамидович. Асаф Зейналлы /Х. Меликов. - Баку: Азернешр, 1956. - 17 с.
4. Меликов, Ханлар Гамидович. Композитор Асаф Зейналлы: 1909-1932 /Х. Меликов. - Баку: Азернешр, 1969. - 29 с.