Oriented on making people closer

Many Turkmen artists, writers and musicians draw inspiration and spiritual strength from the creative heritage of the great poet and thinker of the East, Magtymguly Fragi. The ideas, thoughts and emotions of the classic poet resonate with new vigour in the works of composers, embodied in various formats - from short pieces to operas.

Thus, to mark the 225th anniversary of the poet's birth, Yuliy Meitus wrote the opera "Magtymguly". Through musical and expressive means, the composer succeeded in creating a convincing image of a fighter for the happiness of the people.

The poet's multifaceted world is most often reflected in romances and songs. Clear examples of this are the compositions of Danatar Ovezov ("Gözleriň", "Neýläýin", "Gözlär men"), Veli Mukhatov ("Bu derdi"), Adrian Shaposhnikov ("Meňli hanym"), Chary Artykov ("Gülgüzar oýnaşar"), Veli Ahmedov ("Dogrusy", "Bu gün", "Sil biläni"), Heinrich Drzhevski ("Näzli dildar"), Amandurdy Agajykov ("Aýryldym"), Chary Nurymov ("Armanym galdy"), and others.

The a'capella choirs of Veli Mukhatov "Halymga", Veli Ahmedov "Gözüm düşdi", "Ýüzüňden", Danatar Ovezov "Gitseň, bar aman", Nury Mukhatov "Aýryldym" have become very popular among the choral works on Magtymguly's poems. Special mention should be made of the works written in the years of independence, among them the ode on Magtymguly's poems "Türkmen binasy" for reciter, soloists, choir and symphony orchestra by Suhan Tuyliyev, the cantata on Magtymguly's and Mollanepes' poems "Täleý" by Meret Annamuradov.

The image of the poet and thinker was repeatedly worked out in the genre of film music. To this day, one can still hear popular melodies composed by Turkmen composers for films about Fragi: Nury Halmamedov for the film "Magtymguly" in 1968 and Rejep Rejepov for the documentary and feature films "Magtymguly" in 1983 and "Fragi - Separated from Happiness" in 1984, respectively.

There are not many large symphonic works dedicated to the work of Magtymguly, but the most significant ones can be singled out: Ashyr Kuliyev's poem "Magtymguly" from 1948 and Symphony No. 1 "In Memory of Magtymguly" composed by Veli Mukhatov in 1974.

If we talk about the musical image of the great poet in the symphonic genre, it is first revealed in Ashyr Kuliev's symphonic poem, which he wrote when he was studying at the Moscow Conservatory. Ashyr Kuliev had been addressing the poet's work even before this work: in his student years he wrote several songs on Magtymguly's poems. Among them we can mention the vocal composition for voice and piano "Gözel sen" ("Beauty"), as well as for choir and piano "Aýryldym" ("Nightingale") and "Depe nedir, düz nedir" ("All the same").

The symphonic poem "Magtymguly" was written for a large symphony orchestra. All the themes are characterised by expressiveness and melodiousness of sound: the introduction is a lyrical reflection, the main part is imbued with lively intonations and the side part is lyrical in character. According to the author's intention, it expressively reveals elements of national songs and melodies, in particular motive, metre and rhythm. As musicologist Gurbangul Mammedova writes in one of her articles, "The composer, together with expressive national textural features and with the help of means of orchestral expression, creates a work characterized by vivid lyricism and beauty".

Ashyr Kuliyev's poem is a one-movement program symphonic work written in the form of a sonata. The lyrical theme of the introduction is performed by the English horn, the sound of which is similar to the folk musical instrument tuyduk and is intended to transport the listener into the embrace of nature. It should be noted that its intonation is heard in all the themes in different tonalities and in different structural and timbre variants. As the introduction theme develops, a transition from lyrical to hymnic is observed.

The opening theme is not only an introduction to the expositional part of the sonata form, but also has the function of a prologue to the entire symphonic poem. It can be conceptualized as a theme of the people. The dynamic main part (allegro, C minor) of the exposition draws the image of the protagonist, Magtymguly, a fighter for the people's happiness. The theme is performed by string and woodwind instruments, later it is smoothly played by violins. The closeness or similarity of the motifs of the introduction and the main part indicates the monothematic nature of the symphonic work. The connecting part, which is based on the main part, leads to the lyrical side theme (in the key of F-sharp minor). The structure of the development section is based traditionally on the themes of the introduction and the main part. The poem culminates in a reprise in which the main part is performed in the tonality of C minor and the side part in E minor. Symphonic poem by Ashyr Kulyyev "Magtymguly" concludes with a solemn coda performed fortissimo.

The commonality of the intonations of the various themes of the poem indicates that it has a leitmotif technique of symphonic development of thematicism. The national flavour of the work is enhanced by the inclusion of elements of folk music, in particular the frequency of dimensional changes and the use of second, quartal and quintal sounds.

The great ideas expressed by the poet in his verses have found expression in the works of Turkmen composers, conveying ideals of humanism from the past into the present. The cherished dream of Magtymguly Fragi was to create a strong independent state, which was also reflected in his poetic lines. The works of our composers portray events from the life of the great poet, his exalted love, and the enduring universal values that remain relevant today.

Gulbahar Yazmamedova, Turkmen National Conservatory named after Maya Kuliyeva

Photo: orient.tm