Sunday 19 January 2014

Murad Kazhlayev - sounds of Azerbaijan


While few people from the Western or Asian world could locate Azerbaijan with pinpoint accuracy, I have been fascinated by its music.  Little known composer from Azerbaijan Murad Kazhlayev (born in 1931) has only 2 previous recordings on small CD labels of this fantastic Romantic Sonatina in three movements, and perhaps even fewer performances. 
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I have been searching high and low for the whereabouts of Murad but nary a hair is found! Short of putting his face on milk cartons, if anyone has information leading to the finding of Murad Kazhlayev, please let me know immediately....  

This is considered an early work of Kazhlayev, and the style strikes somewhere in between Shostakovich and perhaps a little of Prokofiev.  I have performed this a few seasons ago, and also performed recorded his gorgeous Preludes in my CD "Far Side of the Road".  Who would have thought - music from Azerbaijan!  Here is a live recording filmed in 2011.

Kazhlayev is sometimes spelled Kazhlaev.  Lazar Berman also recorded 3 of his Preludes.




 


 

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