Music Tools
Azerbaijan was home to a rich musical culture from as
long ago as the 10th century, when more than 60 string, wind and percussion
instruments were in widespread use. Descriptions of those instruments
are to be found in the works of a poet and philosopher Nizami Ganjavi
(12th century), poet Muhammad Fizuli (16th century), in the studies
of the Eastern musical theory by Sefaddin Wimevi (13th century) and
his 14th century disciple Abdul Kadyr Maraghi, and later in the works
of Mir Movsum Navvab of Karabakh.
Pictures on monuments found during archaeological researches makes in
possible to determine approximately the age of some instruments. Travellers
such as Adam Oleari, Engelbert Kempfer, Evliya Chelebi who made trips
to Azerbaijan inform us about some of our instruments in their memoirs.
Our ancient musical instruments are also described in the works of representatives
of medieval miniature artistic school of Tabriz.
It is no secret that musical instruments have great role in the development
of some branches of Azerbaijan culture. For example it is impossible
to imagine mugam profession - without tar, kamancha, qaval; ashyg -
ozan profession - without saz, qopuz, balaban; singing and dance profession
- without the national winds, percussion, stringed (bow, plectrum) instruments;
the meyxana without rhythm, percussion instruments. As Azerbaijan is
one of the most ancient (ancient people settled here two million years
ago) areas it is considered to be the oldest cultural center. The first
musical instruments created by the ancient people living
in this area were idiophonic. Though one of the most ancient words in
our language "chal" is used in several meanings (in the meaning
of "to nail", "to milk and halva", "to steal",
"dark color") essentially it's used in the meaning of playing
musical instruments. But as a matter of fact the word "chal"
means "to hit". This opinion confirms that idiophonic instruments
on the most ancient instruments on the territory of Azerbaijan.
As we know primitive men created the first primitive musical instruments
hitting and striking stones empty inside and pieces of wood to each
other. It seems that is why when we play instrument we apply like "dial"
that is to say "to hit", "to strike".
When different kinds of musical instruments were created they generally
were being called "chalghy aletleri". Though some instruments
created later on were played not by hitting but in other ways. For example
all wind instruments by blowing; stringed instruments by rubbing bow
to string and soon.
Today national masters using ancient traditions create fine samples
of national musical tools.
Handicraftsmen
create of musical tools