ÇALĞi aləTLƏRİ DÜnyani valeh ediR

HERALDING OF THE PEOPLE’S JOY 
AND VICTORIES
Among the wind instruments, the zourna is also referred to as the “gara 
zourna” (translates as “black zourna”) for the strength of its sound. This is 
explained by the color of its trunk which eventually turns black or the unusual 
strong sound. Some researchers indicate that the instrument derives its name 
from the word “sur” (joy, celebration) and “nay” (cane), i.e. an instrument 
that accompanies holidays, wedding ceremonies and rites. It is not ruled out 
that the name of the instrument is based on the word “zor-un”, which means a 
sound produced by force.
The zourna is mentioned in the “Book of Dede Korkut”, the verses of the 
medieval poets like Gazi Burhaneddin, Mustafa Zarir, Habibi, Fedai Tabrizi, 
Neymatullah Kishveri, Seyid Abulgasim Nabati, Mirza Mehdi Shukuhi and 
others.
It was to the tune of the zourna that the Azerbaijani people have sent their 
sons to defend the motherland. In the days of peace, there are no wedding 
parties, holidays, folk games, competitions, cock or ram fighting events 
without the zourna. The charming sound of the zourna has accompanied the 
processions of the groom’s family to the house of the bride. When the tune 
“Gelin atlandi” was played, the bride got on a horse and rode to the groom’s 
house, while the song “Seheri” (“Morning”) was played at the end of the 
wedding parties. The sounds of the zourna could be heard during the sport 
game “Zorkhana”, performances “Jidir”, “Kendirbaz” and “Kosa ve Gelin”. 
The people playing the instrument often featured at parody shows (masgara). 
The instrument was also played during the harvesting and haying seasons. The 
zourna was extensively used in the ritual and cult music. Together with the 
gaval, it was played in the mourning rites on the “Day of Ashura”. 

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The attitude to this instrument has manifested itself through various 
proverbs: the sound of the zourna is pleasant at a distance; if you don’t hold 
your girl firmly, she will marry either a nagara or a zourna player; he who 
comes with the dumbul (a type of drums) will leave with the zourna, and 
sayings: to play someone after putting him/her inside the zourna (which means 
putting someone to shame), if someone’s zourna is left for later (it means that 
the consequences of someone’s actions are still to come), to put the zourna in 
someone’s hands (means to give empty promises), to hang the zourna (means 
to gossip behind someone and slander), while to play the zourna (means to 
engage in senseless and empty talk [4].
Azerbaijan is known for a number of virtuoso zourna performers whose 
names are passed down from one generation to another: in Karabakh Najafgulu, 
Mamed, Tanriverdi, Mukhtar Maniyev, Akbar, Cherkez, Oruj, Balakishi, 
Hashim, Dadash, Garash Allahverdiyev, IbrahimT Iskenderov, Faraj Kalantarli, 
Keranali Rajab, Rustam, Suleyman Zumurkhach, Guloglu Beerchin, Abdulla; 
in Tovuz District - Ovlar; in Ganja, Tuttek Beylar; in Lachin - Bayramali; in 
Basarkechar, Majid Shikhaliyev; in the Guba-Khachmaz area, Garachi Aga, 
Gulbaba, Usta Alovsat; in Shirvan, Mansir Rustamov. Their skill of performance 
has been continued by Habibillah Jafarov, Alafsar Rahimov (Sheki), Heydar 
Agayev, Abbas Ismayilov, Akbar Hasanov (Tovuz), Mahammad Abbasov 
(Barda), Mahammad Mahammadov (Shamkir), Amrah Ojagov (Shabran) , 
Abish Abishov (Khachmaz), Ibad Ibrahimov (Ujar), Alish Muradov (Agdam), 
Agali Aliyev (Ganja), Abdulla Gasimov (Gazakh) and others.
It is noteworthy that when two US spacecraft Voyager were sent into space 
in 1977 in an effort to ascertain the existence of other civilizations, there was 
the record of the Azerbaijani folk melody performed on the zourna along with 
the compositions by Bach, Motsart, Beethoven, jazz composition of Louis 
Armstrong, Chuck Berry, etc.
Zourna is one of a handful musical instruments that can truly excite the 
audience. This is primarily due to the structural features of the instrument. 
The zourna consists of a body, a plug, a pin, a stick, a socket and a cap. 
The body (kotyuk, karkhana) is made from (the masters who make zourna 
called the process of making “zourna chekir”) conical shape of apricot, walnut, 
pear, alycha, cornel, boxwood trees, as well as from the unabi. But the advantage 
is given to an apricot tree, because it retains moisture for a long time. 
The tree with the diameter of 250-300 mm and the length of 370-400 mm 
is divided into four parts. After air drying, which lasts more than a month, the 
inner part of (except the middle part and the edge of the tree: the first cracks 

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and the second bends) the chopped wood, is used to make the body of the 
instrument by the length of 300-350 mm. First, the outer side of the tree is 
unevenly rasped: the top of the body is 20 mm and the lower part is 60-70 
mm in diameter. Then, the internal sound channel is opened by drilling, its 
diameter at the top is 13 mm, and gradually it becomes wider.        
On the front side of the body from the upper end, 8 (7 playing and one 
tuning - elave, nizamlayijy, sheytan) holes of 20-25 mm, are drilled with the 
diameter of 6-8-10 mm. The distance between the first seven holes is 24-27 
mm and between the seventh and eighth holes, is 46-50 mm. The last hole is 
sometimes located at the side of the barrel and during the performance, it is 
always open. This hole is drilled in order to accurately extract the note “D”. In 
its absence, a cone should be wider. On the back side of the body, another hole 
is drilled between the first and second holes. Then all the holes are cauterized.
The body of the instrument below the sixth hole (part – ayag), or ring 
called “kamar”, expands and forms a funnel of conical shape with a diameter 
of 90-100 mm. 
The body is sometimes decorated with the ornaments burned out and the 
incrustation of various parts from an azure, enamel, silver and other decorative 
details of metal.
Zourna is a wide mensura instrument and therefore, it is difficult to adjust 
it with the lips and fingers. 
To facilitate this process, the upper end of the body (bash, ser, kelle) is 
inserted the sleeve (masha, beche, jalag) resembling a fork with the length of 
120 mm, which can close the upper three holes by rotation. It is made of dry 
willow, walnut, hazel and wild alycha trees. The length of the head portion of 
the sleeve is in the size of 15-20-30 mm. The sleeve also serves to amplify the 
sound.
The pin (mil, milche) with the length of 50-60 mm is made of brass, silver, 
bronze or copper sheet. The tin is cut in the form of a truncated cone and is 
twisted in a circle extending slightly downward, where it reaches a diameter of 
7 mm. The connection is secured with silver tin or tin soldering. The lower end 
of the pin is wound with the thread and inserted into the sleeve.
A small double stick (dil, gamish) made of reeds growing in a dry place, 
is attached to the upper end of the pin with the thread. From inside, the reed 
with the length of 20 mm is cut, cleared of scale and debarked. One end of the 
reed is flattened at the heat of a mouth and the other end is compressed with a 
thread on the pin and fixed to the rod. Not to open the tab sticks, slightly sear 
it. The spare sticks are attached to the instrument with chain.

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Socket (tagalag, dayag, sini) has a slightly oval or circular form with the 
diameter of 30-40 mm. The thickness of the socket is 1-2 mm. The material 
available for it is the mother of pearl, bone, brass, plastic, aluminum and wood. 
It abuts a rounded shape which is soldered around the middle part of the pin. 
The socket supports the lips, wereby all the air passes through the barrel, and 
prevents the palate from injury because of floating of the petals of stick in his 
mouth.
The cap (agyzlyg, gapancha, sikhnag, kip, putgal, gysgaj) that protects 
the cane against damage, is made of a willow, a walnut tree and the vine. The 
socket and cap are attached to the pin with a thin chain (bronze, silver) or 
thread for not letting them disappear.
As it is seen, the high-pitched sound of the zourna is explained by the 
small diameter of the instrument and the presence of a pin and wide mensuration.
While playing, the performer holds the zourna in front of himself, 
slightly tilting it downwards. The lips of the player touch the socket  and the 
air passing through the stick, the pin (held in the mouth in upright position) 
and the plug, enters the trunk. The method of sound production is applied 
(the air is inhaled through the nose and exhaled through the mouth) to the 
zourna, enabling a long sustained and uninterrupted sound. Typically, while 
playing short melodic phrases, the performer breathes through the mouth, 
and when playing long compositions through the nose. The air passes 
through the lungs and the mouth cavity which play the role of a “reservoir” 
and gradually enters the sound channel of the instrument. Thanks to 
this  breathing technique, the zourna is capable of producing long melodic 
lines.
By closing and opening the slot openings with the fingers of the left and 
right hands, the performer makes sounds in different heights. 
The zourna compasses ranges from B-flat in the small octave to C of the-
thrice accented octave. But it can also produce C-sharp, D, E-flat, E, F, F-sharp, 
G of the-thrice-accented octave. The most skilled performers can produce C 
of the four-line octave. These sounds are known among musicians as “sefil 
sesler”. The 1
st
 upper and lower holes are covered and a strong stream of air is 
blown into the body for producing them. 
According to the senior Azerbaijani musicians, there were zournas with 
different trunk lengths in the past. Depending on this, they were called bash 
tavar (length of the trunk is 350-370 mm), orta tavar (300 mm, used today), 
jure (250 mm), orta jure (200 mm) and ayag jure (150 mm). The first sounded 
a semitone lower and the third a half step above the orta tavar zourna.

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The well-known wind instrumentsartist Alijavad Javadov has designed two 
types of the zourna: zil and bem zournas. Due to the strong sound produced 
by the instrument, professional musicians prefer to play the zourna outdoors.
The instrument is played as a part of the zourna ensamble, which includes 
the usta-master (who plays the melody) and the demkesh (who accompanies 
the master with unchangeable bourdon sounds). This is where the concepts of 
gosha zourna and zu(y) tutmag come from. This duo is accompanied by the 
percussion instrument naghara. In Shaki zone, the zourna duo is supplemented 
by two membrane instruments – the ana kos (large naghara) and the bala kos 
(small naghara).
Particularly, the popular ones are the zourna ensamble “Jangi” from Salyan 
(led by Manaf Mamedov) and “Chirag Gala” from Shabran (led by Nuraga 
Rahmanov). “Jangi” has seven zournas, a balaban and four nagharas.
In 1959, a zourna ensamble consisting of seven performers took part in 
a ten-day period of the Azerbaijani literature and art in Moscow. In 1962, a 
combined ensamble was organized under the leadership of Alafsar Rahimov. 
It included five masters, five demkeshes (two playing the zourna and three 
playing the balaban) and three naghara performers.
The zourna plays dance melodies, heroic tunes mainly associated with the 
name of the national hero Koroghlu, as well as marches and instrumental plays 
that are part of the traditional repertoire of the instrument.
The suites “Chaharzen Destgahi” from the repertoire of the zourna master Ali 
Karimov (1874-1962) are unique works. They includes the dance tunes such as 
Garabagi, Yumma Garabagi, Shahperde Garabagi, Bayati Garabagi, Qahramani, 
Mirzai, Bayazi [44], and “Destgah Koroghlu” performed by Habibullah Jafarov 
(1896-1987) and its following components: 1) Agir Koroghlu, 2) Sheki yallisi, 
3) Koroghlunun Sheki seferi, 4) Jangi Koroghlu, 5) Koroghlu gaytarmasi, 
6) Uchbarmag, 7) Deli Koroghlu [24].
Zourna is a part of the orchestra of folk instruments as a solo instrument.
It is also used in a symphony orchestra. Uzeyir Hajibeyli has extensively 
used the zourna in his classical opera “Koroghlu”. The instrument usually 
supports the heroic and dance scenes.
Javanshir Guliyev wrote a play for the zourna and symphony orchestra 
for the first time and Kamal Ahmedov composed “Jangi” for the zourna and 
orchestra of folk instruments. Elnara Dadashova wrote the composition – 
quintet “Diptych” for the zourna, balaban, ney, tutek and piano.
The orchestra of folk instruments highlights the technical and artistic 
proeprties of the zourna through such works as “Jangi” by Uzeir Hajibeyli, 

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“Gahramani” by Said Rustamov, “Jangi” by Adil Geray and “Jangi” by 
Suleyman Alasgarov.
Although the exact origin of the zourna has not been precisely established, 
it is known where it has been used. The area mainly covers the Turkic world, 
with individual development centers of the zourna such as Anatolian, South 
Turkic (covering Arab countries in the times of the Mamluk dynasty which 
descended from the Turks and peoples of the Caucasus), North Turkic 
(including Kazan, Chuvash and Balkan centers), Azerbaijani, Uzbek, Kazakh-
Kyrgyz and Eastern Turkestan (Moghol and Kalmyk centers). The zourna was 
borrowed by neighboring peoples from there. If there were various types of 
the zourna, including gaba, jura, asafi, sikhabi, arabi, ajami, bakhtiyari (which 
differed from each other mainly by the length of their trunks) in the western 
Turkic world, there were only large-size zournas (up to 400-450 mm) in the 
eastern Turkic world.
Nowadays, the zourna is also known under the same name in Turkey, Iran, 
Georgia, Adzharia, Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia, Greece, Macedonia 
and Arab countries besides Azerbaijan. In Dagestan, it is also called as zournay 
(by Kumiks), zournau (by Laks), zinrav (by Dargins), surmay (by Kubachins), 
nakyre or nakira in Kabardino-Balkaria [82]. The instruments resembling the 
zourna are popular in Afghanistan, 
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kara-Kalpak, where there are called surna. In 
Egypt, they are known as zamir and in Algeria as zorna and gaita. The Uigur 
call it sunay or sona, the Kalmyks refer to it as bichkur and Buryats know it 
as bishkur.
As it is seen, in large area, the analogous musical instruments have the 
same and similar names in most cases. 
THE AZERBAIJANI GARMON
 The history of the origin of keyboard and pneumatic musical  instrument 
–  garmon  is connected with the eastern world. Since the ancient times, its 
prototypes such as the Chinese shen (sheng), Afghani, Pakistani and Indian 
harmon or argan, Azerbaijani dzhibchig was known [56,58]. They got sounds 
with the help of air or by bellow into the body, where the strap slips with free 
reeds were located. The principle of getting the sound in this way became 

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known in Europe because of the trade relations and was used by the masters of 
the musical instruments [59].      
In 1821, the German master Christian Friedrich Buschmann made a lip 
harmonica and then single-row hand harmonicas with a bellow [58].   Later, 
in 1830, in Russian province Tula, they made a harmonic  (concertina) with 
7 keys on the right side and two bass valves on the left side, allowing playing 
primitive songs. It was made on the pattern of the primitive single-row German 
harmonics, which was for sale at the Nizhny Novgorod Fair, by Ivan Sizov, 
the gunsmith from Tula. In what follows, by the rule of thumb methods, they 
began to make harmonics with 8-10 and more keys and 2-4 bass buttons. In 
the early 40s, some home workshops turned nto a factory for the production 
of harmonics in Tula. A kind of two-row key of chromatic harmonics was 
created by L.A. Chulkov, a master from Tula by the design proposed by N.I. 
Beloborodov in 1878 [58]. 
The works on improvement of the instrument was performed in different 
provinces of Russia. The harmonics was significantly changed in construction. 
They differed by systems, range of sound, number of voices and registers, the 
presence or absence of the possibility of switching ready accords. Harmonics 
got the name of the place where they were created.  For example, Tula, 
Vyatka, Bologoevsk, Saratov, Kasimovsk, Eletsk and others. Both types of 
the instrument as diatonic and chromatic, due to portability, strong and bright 
sound, possibilities of performance, simplicity of mastering the techniques 
of the play, as well as their mass production in Tula and Vyatka, found very 
quickly their way among the other peoples of Russia (Tatars, Bashkir, Chuvash, 
Mari, Mordvinians), northern and southern parts of the Caucasus (Kabardians, 
Lezghins, Chechens, Adygeys, Ingush, Georgians, Ossetians, Ajarians et ct.) 
as the authentic folk instruments. 
Since the second half of XIX century, harmonics began to appear in 
Azerbaijan. As noted in “Ozan Garaveli” by Aqhahuseyn Daqhli, a great 
expert of folk rites and music, due to the trade route, that was laid through the 
Caspian Sea and the Volga, the sailors brought the first samples of harmonics 
to Azerbaijan. We could hear its sounds before construction of the railway 
in Azerbaijan (until 1880) [25]. It is an interesting fact that they were first 
sold as a toy by the traders engaged in the trade of trunks in the caravanserai 
and markets. The instruments with diatonic sound row, had 7, 12, 14, 16 and 
18 white keys. One of these instruments with 16 keys of round shape, was 
constructed by Akim Trofimov Vorontsov from Tula and is demonstrated in 
the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan. Meshadi Mansur (1833-1909), 

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the grandfather of the famous artist Bahram Mansurov, played an instrument 
with 7 keys. 
The talented tarist Shirin Akhundov (1878-1927) played the same 
instrument at the age of seven years. Then the chromatic harmonics appeared. 
But the preference was usually given to its variety of Kazan harmonic. One of the 
first persons who played this instrument was Chekmechi Huseyn, a shoemaker 
from Shusha city who was the father of the famous harmonic-player Kerbalai 
Latif (1876-1944) [73]. Then, women also began to play that instrument in 
the girls’ weddings in the rhythmic accompaniment of percussion instrument 
called gaval (tambourine). However, at the end of XIX century, Seid Hasan 
admirably played the harmonic and also preparied young musicians in the old 
Baku (Icheri Sheher) [20]. 
At the first half of XX century, Ahad Aliyev (1893-1942) who became blind 
in his childhood and became known as the Kor (Blind) Ahad among the people, 
gained great popularity. The people began to call him “Usta” (“A Master”), or 
“Qarmonchu Ahad” (qarmon-player Ahad) due to his extraordinary talent (he 
played the saz, tar, tutek and piano very well). At the end of the 20s, the harmonic 
of Saratov sample was improved by the Bakuvian master Arkhip Karpushkin 
according to Ahad Aliyev’s advice and recommendations. Then with the lapse 
of time, the instrument became known as “Azerbaijani garmon” because its 
scale and tone quality are different from “Tula”, “Saratov” or “Kazan” variety. 
It is also worth to mention that the harmonics used by women are also known 
as “nai” in Shirvan area and it is known as “mizgan” in Karabakh area. 
The body in the shape of a quadrangular box, a bellow, vocal parts and a key 
mechanism are the elements of the Azerbaijani garmon. The size of the body is 
360х268х195 mm. It consists from right and left wooden frames, and the other 
parts of the instrument are fixed on it. The bellow (koynek) which connects the 
frames plays the role of air reservoir and provides the air supply in variable 
volumes. It is made from corrugated cardboard pasted from both sides with a 
thin and strong cloth. The ends of the bellow are glued to the frames of body. 
The plank of fingerboard is fixed to the right side of the body where 
keyboard with 18 white and 12 black keys are located. In contrast to the Russian 
concertina, the Azerbaijani garmon does not have “composing” chords for the 
left hand. The buttons arranged into two rows (18 white and 12 black keys) on 
the body are used instead of them.  By pressing the buttons, they get the unison 
sounds or chords in 2-3 diapasons.  
The sound extracted by stretching and compressing of bellow with the 
left hand, is formed as a result of the vibrations of the slipping elastic tongues 

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(plates) of different length and thickness with an extended base and narrow 
vibrating part, fixed on both sides of the metal plates. The number of planks 
in the modern garmons is 5. They are fixed in a certain order to the wooden 
resonators with openings for the passage of an air in the walls, covered up by 
finger-buttons. The finger – buttons are connected by levers with keys on the 
fingerboard.  6 tongues are used for sounding of each white key, two tongues 
for sounding of high range and four for sounding of low range sounds. There 
are also 3 black keys (one is used for sounding of high range and two for 
sounding of low range sounds). 
Vibration of the tongues is carried out for the difference in the air pressure 
created with both sides of the tongue in stretching or compression of bellow. 
During the opening and closing of the bellows, as well as pressing of the 
key, the compressed air passes through the appropriate sound plate and the 
tongue vibrates in its opening aperture. Depending on the size of the vibrating 
plates, sounds in different ranges are extracted. During the play, fingers of the 
right hand - the index, middle, ring and little finger are playing the melody 
(when it is of gamma, arpeggios, chords, the thumb is used). The third or 
fourth fingers of the left hand are holding the pedal point on the corresponding 
mode. 
The diapason of the garmon covers the sounds of C in the small octave to 
the F in the twice-accented octave. The overall operation of the instrument has 
semitone below sounds in comparison with the piano.
The musician is sitting on the chair and holding the right part of the body 
on the knee of the right leg, the left hand is under the short belt and long belt 
is put on the right shoulder.  Stretching or compression of the bellow is carried 
out by the movement of the left hand. We can also play this instrument in a 
standing position. At this moment, stretching or compression of the bellow is 
carried out with the help of the belt put on the left shoulder. 
Because of the unique and beautiful sound, timbre, broad technical 
capabilities, as well as transportability, the garmon found its use in the everyday 
life of the Azerbaijani people very quickly.  It is not by chance that because 
of the popularity, artistic and technical possibilities of the instrument, Uzeir 
Hajibayli, the founder of the Azerbaijani professional music included the 
garmon in the musical orchestra of folk instruments established by him, where 
this instrument, as well as the tar and saz sounded half-tone lower than written. 
Ahad Aliyev was invited to play the melody of the dance called “Terekeme” 
with the garmon in the final wedding scene in the opeetta “Arshin Mal Alan” 
by Uzeyir Hajibayli.

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It is worth to tell that when writing dance melodies to the eopera “Shah 
Ismail” by Muslim Magomayev, the opera “Shahsenem” by Reinhold Gliere, 
and also the ballet “Maiden Tower” (Giz Galasy) by Afrasiab Badalbayli, the 
composers referred to the garmon players Kerbalai Latif and Ahad Aliyev [71].
The creation of the garmon ensemble, which included membrane 
instruments – two gaval, naghara and gosha-naghara by Teyyub Damirov in 
1938, is noteworthy.
All the peculiarities of the Azerbaijani music are best delivered by the 
advanced garmon instrument, which differs from the same types played by 
their predecessors, on the basis of the recommendations of the famous garmon-
players Ahad Aliyev, Teyyub Damirov and Mammadagha Agaev. Its sound 
system matches 17 step tone row of the Azerbaijani music.
The garmon is a solo and ensemble instrument. Previously, it was 
accompanied by such percussion instruments as gaval or naghara, or clarinet, 
naghara and such wind instrument as balaban. The instrumental groups were 
organized, where besides the garmon, clarinet, balaban, guitar, gosha-naghara 
and forteriano were used. But ensembles where musicians played the garmon, 
clarinet and naghara, were more popular and we can listen to them in our 
days. 
The garmon sounds are very good in solo performance of the dance melodies 
(“Mirzeyi”, “Terekeme”, “Innabi”, “Turaji”, “Geshengi”, “Azerbaijani”, 
“Enzeli” and others), in the songs (“Yadima dushdu” “Sevgilim”, “Seven 
Konul”, “Qurban adina”, “Yeri dam usta, yeri”, “Mugana jeyran” and others) 
and in instrumental mughams (especially in “Bayati-Gajar”,  “Zabul- Segah”,  
“Chahargyah”, “Humayun”). 
Suleyman Alaskarov composed “Lyric piece” and “Scherzo” especially 
for the garmon, Tofig Bakikhanov composed “Song Without Words” and 
“Perpetual Motion” for the garmon and piano, Aygun Samadzada composed 
“Daglı dance”. Zakir Mirzoev, the garmon-player, composed “Mugham and 
dance” for the garmon. 
If we look over the chronology of the popular garmon-players in Azerbaijan, 
the end of XIX and beginning of XX centuries can be linked with the names 
of Isi bay, Abish Bey, Kerbalai Latif, Meshadi Ali, Khadija Musakhanova, 
Abutalib Yusifov and Alakbar Nazarli. In 20-30 years of the last century, 
Tayyub Damirov, Yusif Yusifov, Fatma Safarova, Kamrabeyim Huseynova, 
and others musicians were also popular along with Akhad Aliyev [70]. 
50-80 years of the last century can be considered as the period of prosperity 
of the art of playing the garmon in Azerbaijan. Mammadagha Aghayev, 

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Abbas Abbasov, Gizkhanim Dadashova, Kubra Abilova, Hajibala Dadashov, 
Safarali Vazirov, Abutalib Sadigov, Teyyub Teyyub ogli, Badal Badalov, Sattar 
Huseynov, Firuz Eyvazov, Adil Huseynov, Vagif Sikhiyev, Turra Huseynova 
and Hamid Akhverdiyev were distinguished for their skills. 
The increased number of the talented singers and garmon players grew 
up in the regional centers of the Republic: Isfandiyar Joshgun, Matlab 
Abdullayev (Ganja), Rza Shikhlarov, Aflatun Aghayev, Sadiq Sadigov, Aslan 
Ilyasov (Salyan), Mahmoud Halaoghlu (Lankaran), Ali Guliyev, Yusif Yusifov, 
Yelmar Zeynalov (Aghdam), Beylar Ahmedov (Fizuli), Mehdi Velikhanov 
(Sabirabad), Isa Safarov (Irevan) and many others. 
Nowadays, such musicians as Aftandil Israfilov, Zakir Mirzayev, Govhar 
Rzayeva, Kamil Vazirov, Anvar Sadigov, Gulbahar Shukurlu, Gulbahar 
Mammadzada and others, made a significant contribution to the popularization 
of the popular instrument among the mass. Rahman Asadullakhi, the native of 
the South Azerbaijan, is also a very popular musician.
In Azerbaijan, the garmon has been considered as a borrowed instrument 
from Europe for a long time. Therefore, despite of the popularity of various 
musicians, they were ignored by the state structures. But then, justice has been 
done. Aftandil Israfilov, Kamil Vezirov and Anvar Sadikhov were awarded 
with the title of the People’s Artist of the Republic but Zakir Mirzoev, Govhar 
Rzayeva, Etibar Gasimbayli and Sarhan Abiyev with the title of the Honored 
Artists. The famous conductor and composer, the maestro Niyazi called Zakir 
Mirzayev “Paganini of the garmon” due to the virtuosity of his playing. 
And today, playing the garmon is very popular as before. Entrancing, 
charming and vibrant sound of the garmon can be heard in the entertainment 
events, weddings, festivals, during the performance of art and amateur groups, 
instrumental and vocal and instrumental ensembles, in all the ensembles 
working with the Azerbaijani folk musical instruments. They are often part 
of the ashig ensembles of Shirvan, Tovuz-Shamkir-Gazakh-Gadabay and 
Borchali areas. 
Garmon is the leading musical instrument in the State Song and Dance 
Ensemble named after Fikret Amirov.
The works of the professional composers are played in the players of the 
garmon very often. Zakir Mirzayev brilliantly played “The first concert”,   
“Segahsayagi” and “Rondo” for the three-part symphony orchestra of Tofiq 
Bakikhanov and he played the pieces of Wolfgang Mozart and Uzeyir Hajibayli 
at the concert dedicated to the opening of Uzeyir Hajibayli’s monument in 
Vienna. 

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It should be mentioned that most of the well known garmon-players are the 
authors of numerous dance melodies. For example, “Nazila” melody composed 
by Aftandil Israfilov, which is successfully used in the film “Birthday”. The 
garmon players Kubra Abilova starred in such a film as “Oddball” and Huseyn 
Hasanov in the films like “Before the door closed”, “Men’s word”, “Wedding 
ring” and “Ringleader”.
The performance of Anvar Sadikhov who first used jazz elements in 
his garmon performance of the Azerbaijani melodies, gives the brightest 
impression. 
The existence of the special classes on the performance of the garmon in 
the musical schools and colleges as well as teaching of “Garmon” specialty at 
the Azerbaijan University of Culture and Art, tell us about the popularity of 
this instrument.  
Some tutorials were published. For example, “School for garmon” (the 
authors Natig Rasulov, Sona Irzaguliyeva, Kheyrulla Dadashov, Jeyhun 
Gamarlinski, Ali Bayramov and Zakir Mirzayev), study guides for the musician 
specialty in the field of “Garmon” (Farahim Sadigov and Ogtay Rajabov), 
“10 rhythmic mughams” (Abdul Hashimov), “Mughams played with the 
qarmon” (Farahim Sadigov) and programs for the qarmon classes in music 
schools (Sona Irzaguliyeva, Khagani Samedov, Heyrulla Dadashov and Rauf 
Ismayilov) were published.
And 10 dance melodies performed by Mammadagha Agayev and in 
musical adaptation of the composer Tofig Guliyev, “Pieces for the qarmon and 
piano (Natig Rasulov, two collections) and “Azerbaijani folk dances” (Zaur 
Mustafayev) were set to music.
There is a special school of the garmon players in Azerbaijan. Badal 
Badalov, Heyrulla Dadashov, Alovsat Piriyev, Bakhshali Aliyev, Ahsan 
Rahmanli, Zakir Mirzayev and other educators-garmon players, played a 
major role in its formation. 
The works on improving of the instrument are still underway. Huseyn 
Hasanov created a garmon which allows for extracting of the quarter tones. By 
the advice of Anwar Sadikhov, three octave garmon in the “C” key was created 
by the master Zahir Dadashov. Zakir Mirzayev patented the garmon with the 
left-handed keyboard. 
Apparently, the garmon has strongly and organically taken root in the 
Azerbaijani musical culture and by already being improved for over one 
hundred years, ranks high in it.

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