Chuval-bakhshi - the legend and pride of Turkmen music
Fate can bestow each of us with some kind of talent. But the gift given to Magtymguly Garlyev is his unique and unforgettable life. The people called him Chuval-bakhshi. Chuval is a big bag that can hold a lot of stuff. It was the memory of the musician keeping a great number of melodies and songs that was compared with a chuval.
Magtymguly Garlyev was born in 1889 in the village of Onbegi, Kaahka district. Having a rare natural gift, he loved to play music from childhood, and he was learning it from his mentors such as Chary Chepbe bakhshi and Gylych, a famous bakhshi of Akhal. At the age of 15-20, Magtymguly begins to perform independently at weddings, and so people get to know the talented bakhshi from the Alili tribe.
The thirst for music does not leave Magtymguly alone. Forgetting everything, he leaves far away from his native places. Wandering around cities and villages, the bakhshi finds himself in the village of Yylanly of the Dashoguz Region. It was not easy for the musician to get used to a new place, where everything was new for him. But then he could achieve his cherished dream and made acquaintance with the famous musicians, including Atabay bakhshi, Saparbai Chomak, a bakhshi of the Chovdur tribe, and Nazar-baga. Then he begins to learn destans.
In addition to vocal skills and dexterity with the instrument, a destan performer must have artistic abilities that allow getting into every character, and an excellent memory, because every destan is a voluminous work consisting of many chapters.
During several years Magtymguly learned almost the entire repertoire of his mentors (halypa), and begins to appear independently, masterfully performing the destans “Shasenem and Garip”, “Hurlukga and Hemra”, parts of the epic “Gorogly”, “Bezirgen”, “Harmandyali”, “Salvation of Ovez”, “Yusup Ahmet” and others.
In addition to concert activity, Magtymguly also liked to compose. His music from the combined tunes of the musicians of Akhal, Mary and Dashoguz was popularly called “Alili bagshyn yoly” (the style of the Alili tribe bakhshi).
Magtymguly Garlyev spoke with gijak players Hayytkuli, Pirnazar and Agamurad. But the acquaintance in 1926 with Sapar Bekiev becomes fateful for him. Sapar became a true friend and soul mate for the bakhshi, and they simply could not be imagined separately. Performing together for almost 30 years, they equally shared both successes and failures.
There was a lot wrote about the contest between Magtymguly Garlyev and Chovdur-bakhshi, where he and his friend Sapar sang songs for three days and three nights, and not a single song was repeated twice. The repertoire of the legendary bakhshi had more than 500 songs and about 20 destans. Many of his songs were to the verses by Turkmen classics Magtymguly, Zelili, Kemine, Mollanepes, Seydi and Myataji.
By tradition, the Turkmen bakhis should have known their entire repertoire by heart, because then they practically didn’t use music notation. Indeed, destans have a complex interweaving of storylines, expressive heroes, and subtly noted emotional experiences of characters, folk wisdom and deep moral content... Their poetics contain a powerful life-affirming message, prompting a person to do righteous and good deeds.
In 1936, a large group of Turkmen musicians went to Moscow to a recording studio, where 14 songs of Magtymguly Garlyev were recorded on a disc. And in 1938 he received the title Honored Bakhshi of Turkmenistan.
In 1937, Magtymguly Garlyev began working at the Dashoguz Music and Drama Theater, where he organized an ensemble of Turkmen national instruments, with which he traveled all over the country. The talented bakhshi performed in all regions of Turkmenistan in the post-war period, gave unforgettable concerts in the Stavropol Territory and Karakalpakstan. His repertoire was wide and diverse.
There has been a law in the art of destan performers since ancient times, according to which the master must pass on his skill to the apprentice, and Magtymguly Garlyev had his followers, whom he was proud. They are Ilaman Annaev, Gurban Seyitmadov, Sulgun Meretgeldieva, Akjagul Muradova, Tuyli Otuzov and others, who worthily continued the work of their halypa.
The words of great bakhshi Sakhy Jepbarov: “Chuval-bakhshi is the true holder of his name”, testifies that Magtymguly Garlyev enjoyed very great respect among musicians.
Honored Bakhshi of Turkmenistan Magtymguly Garlyev passed away in 1957. He left an indelible mark in the Turkmen musical culture. He was not just an outstanding bakhshi, but also a happy person who achieved his main goal in life, making his main dream of serving music come true. Now the Dashoguz Special School of Arts is named after him.
