Mukhtar Ashrafi

Mukhtar Ashrafi (Russian: Мухтар Ашрафович Ашрафи, Uzbek: Muxtor Ashrafiy; 11 June [O.S. 29 May] 1912 in Bukhara – 10 December 1975 in Tashkent) was a Soviet Uzbek composer. He was named People's Artist of the USSR in 1951.[1] He became a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1941 was awarded the Stalin Prize in 1943 and 1952.[2] He is known as the author of the first Uzbek opera “Buran” (together with Sergei Vasilenko) and the first Uzbek symphony.[2]

Mukhtar Ashrafi
Born(1912-05-29)May 29, 1912
DiedDecember 10, 1975(1975-12-10) (aged 63)
Tashkent, Uzbek SSR
Occupationcomposer
AwardsStalin Prize, Order of Lenin (twice), Order of the Red Banner of Labor (twice), • Order of the Badge of Honor

His daughter Muqadamma was a noted medievalist.[3]

Early life and education

Mukhtar Ashrafi was born on 29 May (11 June) 1912 in Bukhara.[4] He grew up in the family of his father, a famous Bukhara singer and musician Ashrafzhan Hafiza.[5] At the age of seven, Ashrafi began to play Uzbek folk instruments improvising on the dutar.[2] In 1924, he entered Oriental Music School in Bukhara.[6] In 1928, Ashrafi graduated a dutar class in Bukhara and entered the Samarkand Institute of Music and Choreography.[2]

From 1934 to 1936, he studied in a composition class of Sergei Vasilenko at the Moscow Conservatory.[4] In 1934, Ashrafi wrote Komsomol and pioneer songs, and in 1935-1936, he wrote lyrical songs on the words of Ruzuli, working on his first opera at the same time.[5]

Together with his teacher, Sergei Vasilenko, Ashrafi wrote the first Uzbek opera “Buran” that was staged in 1939, starting the history of Uzbek Opera and Ballet Theater.[5]

In 1941-1944, Ashrafi studied composition at the Leningrad Conservatory.[7] In 1948, he graduated from the conducting faculty of the Leningrad Conservatory as an external student.[4]

Career

In 1942, Ashrafi created the first Uzbek heroic symphony.[8]

Сommemorative plaque, Mukhtar Ashrafi museum

From 1943 to 1947, Ashrafi was a director of Alisher Navoi Uzbek Opera and Ballet Theater.[6] Since 1944 Ashrafi was a teacher, and since 1953 - a professor at the Tashkent Conservatory.[4]

In 1964-66 he was a director, artistic director and chief conductor of the Samarkand Opera and Ballet Theater, and since 1966 - a director, artistic director and chief conductor of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of the Uzbek SSR in Tashkent.[7]

From 1971 to 1975, Ashrafi was a rector of the Tashkent Conservatory.[2]

Ashrafi is the author of the books "Indian Diaries" (in Russian and Uzbek), "Music in my life", numerous articles in magazines and periodicals.[6]

Mukhtar Ashrafi died on 15 December 1975 in Tashkent.[4] In 1976 Tashkent Conservatory was named after Ashrafi.[7]

Awards and honors

In 1937, Ashrafi was awarded a title of an Honored Artist of the Uzbek SSR.[6] The same year he received an Order of the Badge of Honor (1937).[6] In 1939 Ashrafi was awarded a title of the People’s Artist of Uzbek SSR, as well as his first Order of the Red Banner of Labor.[2]

In 1943, for the "Heroic Symphony" he was awarded the second Stalin Prize degree (50,000 rubles), which he donated to the Defense Fund for the creation of an air squadron and a tank column.[2]

In 1951, Ashrafi was awarded a title of the People’s Artist of the USSR.[2] The same year he received his first Order of Lenin.[4]

In 1952, he received Stalin Prize of the third degree for the cantata "Song about happiness".[7] In 1959, Ashrafi was awarded his second Order of the Red Banner of Labor.[2] His other awards include a Medal "In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin", a Medal "For valiant labor in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" and a State Prize of the Uzbek SSR named after Hamza (1970).[4]

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Ashrafi, on 11 June 1982, a museum was opened in the house where he lived and worked from 1967 to 1975.[8] In 2019, a memorial evening of Ashrafi was held in the assembly hall of the Union of Composers and Bastakors of Uzbekistan.[9]

Selected works

Operas
  • Buran (1939, with S. Vasilenko)[4]
  • Grand Canal (1941, with S. Vasilenko)
  • Dilaram (1958)
  • Heart of a Poet (1962)
Ballets
  • Love Amulet (1969)
  • Timur Malik (1970)
  • Stoikost' (1971)
  • Love and Dream (1973)
Orchestral works
  • Symphony No. 1 "Heroic" (1942; awarded Stalin Prize)
  • Symphony No. 2 "Glory to the Victors" (1944)
  • Kantatu o Schast'ye (1952; awarded Stalin Prize)
  • Oratorio Skazanie o Rustame (1974)
  • Music for theater, films, etc.

References

  1. Sultanova, Razia (2001). "Ashrafi, Muhtar". Grove Music Online (8th ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.45041. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0.
  2. "АШРАФИ МУХТАР АШРАФОВИЧ ( Композитор, дирижер)". tashkentpamyat.ru. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  3. Kamoludin Abdullaev; Shahram Akbarzaheh (27 April 2010). Historical Dictionary of Tajikistan. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7379-7.
  4. "Мухтар Ашрафи". Кино-Театр.РУ. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  5. "Мухтар Ашрафи и узбекская народная музыка". mus.academy. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  6. "Союз композиторов и бастакоров Узбекистана - АШРАФИ МУХТАР". www.commus.uz. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  7. "Мухтар Ашрафович Ашрафи (Mukhtar Ashrafi) | Belcanto.ru". www.belcanto.ru. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  8. "Неизвестный Ташкент: Мухтар Ашрафи и музыка на просторах музея". vot.uz. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  9. Насыбуллина, Гузель (2019-06-14). "Вечер памяти Мухтара Ашрафи состоялся в Ташкенте | Всемирный конгресс татар" (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-01-16.
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