The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Belgium and Luxembourg, in collaboration with Azerbaijan’s National Commission for UNESCO, held a ceremony to donate traditional Azerbaijani musical instruments—the tar, kamancha, and gaval—to the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels.
During the event, Seymur Fataliyev, Secretary-General of Azerbaijan’s National Commission for UNESCO, expressed appreciation for the museum’s interest in Azerbaijani music and instruments. He emphasized the cultural significance of these instruments, central to the performance of Azerbaijani mugham, which UNESCO has recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The ceremony underscored mugham’s critical role in Azerbaijan’s rich cultural history, with the tar, kamancha, and gaval symbolizing the nation’s ancient musical traditions.
The tar, a stringed instrument synonymous with Azerbaijani music, is celebrated for its expressive depth. The kamancha, known for its emotive tone, is often referred to as “the voice of the Azerbaijani spirit.” The gaval, providing rhythmic accompaniment, embodies the heartbeat of mugham music.
The tar’s origins trace back to the 11th century, with its modern form developed around 200 years ago. The instrument presented to the Brussels museum was handcrafted in Baku, reflecting its enduring craftsmanship.
The gifted kamancha, crafted from mulberry and walnut wood, features a fine membrane made from sturgeon fish skin, exemplifying its unique construction.
Fataliyev highlighted the gaval’s role in the traditional mugham trio, noting that the vocalist often plays it while singing, creating rhythmic melodies integral to mugham performances. The gaval donated to the museum was handcrafted in Ganja, Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, and constructed with mulberry wood and a fish-skin membrane for distinctive resonance.
Belgian music experts expressed admiration for Azerbaijani mugham and its instruments. Gery Dumoulin, a musicologist and curator of the museum’s Western wind and percussion instruments collection, described the tar and kamancha as “enchanting instruments,” while noting mugham as “a vast musical universe.”
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