Gara Abulfas oglu Garayev – a composer, teacher and public figure, professor, Hero of Socialist Labor, People’s Artist of the USSR, laureate of the Lenin Prize, and State Prize of the Azerbaijan SSR - was born on February 5, 1918 in Baku. After graduating from the elementary music school, he studied piano at the workers’ faculty of the Baku Conservatory (piano class G. G. Sharoyev) (1930-1935), from 1935 at the same conservatory, he studied on classes of composition under L. M. Rudolph and the basics lessons of the folk music under U. Hajibeyov. In 1946 he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory (class composition D. D. Shostakovich). Since 1946, Gara Garayev has been taught at the Baku Conservatory (in 1949-1952 as a rector, since 1959 - professor). Garayev combined composing activities with active participation in the musical life of Azerbaijan: he was an art director of the Baku Philharmonic Society (1941-1942), head of the music sector of the Institute of Arts of the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR (1948-1949). In 1937, Gara Garayev became a member of the Union of Composers of the Azerbaijan SSR.

In his student years, were written the cantata “Song of the Heart” (1938), two symphonies (1944, 1946), and together with J. Hajiyev, the opera “Veten” (“Motherland”, 1945). The golden fund of the musical art included the symphonic poem “Leyli and Mejnun”, written in 1947 based on the poems of Nizami, the great Azerbaijani humanist of the 12th century. The ballet “Seven Beauties” (1952), which brought a world fame to Garayev, also inspired by the poetic images of Nizami. The composer made significant contribution to music for theater and cinema: his works are known as “Don Quixote”, “The Tale about the Caspian Oilmen”, “Vietnam”, “Optimistic Tragedy”, “Lesson of History”, “Two from one quarter”, “Conquerors of the Sea”, “Golden Echelon”. In the ballet “The Path of Thunder” (1958), written after of the same name novel by P. Abrahams, Garayev addressed the topic of the struggle of peoples for freedom. A new stage in the work of Garayev was marked of the 3rd symphony for chamber orchestra (1965), a concert for violin and orchestra (1967) and the musical “Furious Gascon” based on the play “Cyrano de Bergerac” by E. Rostan. Since 1953 Gara Garayev was the chairman, first secretary of the Union of Composers of the Azerbaijan SSR, since 1962 a secretary of the Union of Composers of the USSR. Gara Garayev was elected as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 5-10th convocation and a deputy of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR of the 4th convocation. An Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR (since 1959). He was a member of the Presidium of the Republican Peace Committee. He was awarded the orders and medals. Gara Garayev died on May 13, 1982 in Moscow. He was buried in Baku on the I Alley of Honor.

Recommended literature:

1. Qara Qarayev : oçerklər / elmi red. G. A. Abdullazadə, tərt.-red. Ş. Mahmudova, G. Mahmudova. - Bakı : Çinar-Çap, 2003. - 280 s.
2. Qara Qarayev : həyat və yaradıcılığı Azərbaycan Musiqi Mədəniyyəti Dövlət Muzeyinin materiallarında = Gara Garayev : life and works in materials of the state museum of musical culture of Azerbaijan / Heydər Əliyev Fondu, Azərbaycan Respublikası Mədəniyyət və Turizm Nazirliyi, Azərbaycan Musiqi Mədəniyyəti Dövlət Muzeyi ; layihənin rəh., elmi red. A. H. Bayramova, ön sözün müəl. M. A. Əliyeva, tərt. A. Fyodorova, ing. dilinə tərc. N. Vahiberg. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2011. - 351 s.
3. Kazımova, Lalə. Qara Qarayev : həyat və yaradıcılığı haqqında qısa oçerk = Gara Garayev : a short essay on life and work = Кара Караев : краткий очерк о жизни и творчестве / L. Kazımova ; tərc.: L. Bağırova, P. Cəfərova ; elmi red. K. M. Tahirov ; red. Ə. İ. İsmayılova ; Azərbaycan Respublikası Mədəniyyət Nazirliyi, M.F. Axundov adına Azərbaycan Milli Kitabxanası. - Bakı : Zərdabi LTD MMC, 2018. - 240 s.