A comparative analysis of Fikret Amirov's "Shur" symphonic mugam and the use of "Shur" mugam Azerbaijan folk melodies

At the suggestion of the esteemed Azerbaijani vocal artist Bulbul, Fikret Amirov composed the Shur Symphonic Mugam, which marked a groundbreaking development in Azerbaijani classical music and became an important model. In composing this piece, Amirov drew on the muğam knowledge of renowned tar player Gurban Pirimov and the traditional performance style of the Shur mugam, resulting in the creation of a new genre. As the first of three Symphonic Mugams written by Amirov, this work consists of five sections and, like his other Symphonic Mugam pieces, is structured based on the sub-genres (shobes) of the Shur Mugam. The purpose of this study is the comparison and analysis of F. Amirov's Shur Symphonic Mugam with the usage patterns of Şur Mugam in Azerbaijani folk melodies. By combining the cultural heritage of Azerbaijani mugam with the symphonic style, incorporating rengs, tesnifs and especially folk songs, Amirov has created one of the most important works contributing to Azerbaijani music. Using descriptive and document analysis methods, this study provides brief information on Azerbaijani mugams, with special focus on Shur, including its elements such as Reng, Tesnif, Zerbi-Mugam, and folk songs. Through these details, the similarities and differences between the Shur Symphonic Mugam and the folk songs "Ay Gadası" and "Evleri Var Hane Hane" included in the piece were explored. Folk melodies notated by Seid Rustamov in 1967 and the score of the Shur Symphonic Mugam published in Moscow in 1971 were used in the research. Terms such as Şöbe, Gushe, Zerbi-Mugam, Reng, and Tesnif are used in their original form to preserve the authenticity of the elements encompassed by the mugam. Relevant sections of the thesis provide more information about these elements. The sub-genres that Amirov includes in his work show some differences from the most recently systematized form of traditional Shur mugam performance. These differences were identified through the instrumental version of the Shur mugam performed by Gurban Pirimov from the archive of Prof. Assoc. Vamig Memmedeliyev, the solo performance of vocalist Zulfu Adigozelov shared on social platforms by Hamid Pirnebihah, and the score of the Shur symphonic mugam obtained from the Baku Music Academy. The study examines the positioning of folk songs as reng and tesnif within mugam performances, their association with sub-genres or sections based on their compatibility with musical scales, and their adaptation into a symphonic style, resulting in a new form after arrangement. The results were analyzed through comparisons using audio recordings, folk song notations, and the score of the Şur Symphonic Muğam to identify similarities and differences. The subject of this study highlights the significance of Amirov's contribution to Azerbaijani music by introducing traditional and cultural values to the world, emphasizing the importance of the combined use of these elements.