Khabil' Aliyev

Khabil' Aliyev was an Azerbaijani kamancheh player, that is, a performer of the kamancheh, a traditional bowed string instrument of Azerbaijan. He was born in Agdash on 28 May 1927, and his career belongs to the second half of the twentieth century, when the practice of the instrument in his country underwent a notable change.

His training began in 1934, when he was barely seven years old, at a music school in Agdash. Between 1941 and 1945 he studied at a conservatoire in the same town, while working as a kamancheh player in a local theatre. In 1952 he moved to Baku and, in the spring of 1953, joined the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic, where he became known both as a soloist and as an accompanist. From 1958 onwards he toured as a soloist through the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and southern and inland Asia.

His legacy lies in having marked a new stage in the history of the Azerbaijani kamancheh, with a remarkable command of timbre and a personal sound on the instrument. His original style influenced later generations of performers. He also composed numerous lyrical songs that achieved great popularity.