Komponistinnen* für Gitarre

Franghiz Ali-Zadeh

Biography

Franghiz Ali-Zadeh (Firəngiz Əlıizadə) is a prominent Azerbaijani composer and pianist whose work uniquely combines Western and Eastern musical traditions. She was born on May 28, 1947, in Baku, Azerbaijan. There, she studied piano and composition at the Baku Conservatory from 1965 to 1972. She continued her academic and artistic studies with a doctorate in 1989 and a habilitation in 1997, focusing particularly on symphonic music.

The composer made her first appearance in the West in 1976 at a concert in Pesaro, Italy. This was followed by numerous performances at international music festivals in major cultural centers such as New York, Stockholm, and Berlin. Her compositional work is regularly honored with commissions for prestigious events, underscoring her international recognition.

In addition to her career as a composer and pianist, Ali-Zadeh is also a highly regarded teacher. Since 1990, she has been a professor at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory, where she teaches modern Western and Eastern composition techniques. From 1992 to 1996, she was also a choir director at the Mersin Opera House, where she had a lasting impact on the musical profile.

Her work comprises around 60 compositions in various genres, which have been published by Sikorski Music Publishers. These include works for ballet as well as compositions for important occasions, such as the 30th anniversary of the 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic. A special milestone in her career came in 1999, when she became the first woman to be appointed composer-in-residence at the Lucerne Festival.

Interview

Emma Baiguera from gitarre-gendern had the rare opportunity to interview Frangiz Ali-Zadeh. The composer provides insights into her relationship with the guitar and the creative process behind her Phantasie.

Franghiz Ali-Zadeh is a pianist and composer, she doesn´t play the guitar hereself and therefore she has never tried to play the Phantasie on the guitar. She composed the piece at the request of the Swiss guitarist and teacher Christoph Jäggin. He became the first performer of this piece in the city of Winterthur in 1994. In 1995 Phantasie was published in Switzerland by HUG. (Franghiz Ali-Zadeh PHANTASIE für Guitarre solo. Edition HUG 11618). Christoph Jaggin prepared this edition.

When preparing the premiere, Christoph Jäggin and Franghiz Ali-Zadeh worked closely together. She made her suggestions and amendments for a better presentation of the musical material, in phrasing and rhythmic features.

The composer’s style by that time (1994) had already developed, and before Phantasie she already had many works in different genres, for different instruments and lineups. She has never written for guitar before, and this is her first and so far only piece for this instrument. But she has written another Phantasie for organ, which she wrote in 1977, and it is often performed in different countries.