Pedagogical approach and performance methods in Kamil Ahmadov’s mugham school

Abstract

This study was dedicated to the investigation of the unique characteristics and styles of the tar playing of Kamil Alisattar oglu Ahmadov, one of the artists who made exceptional contributions to the history of Azerbaijani mugham art in the 20th century, Honored cultural worker, tar player, and mugham connoisseur. The purpose of this study is to analyze preserving the traditions of Azerbaijani mugham performance, ensuring that the performance is easily perceived by the listener, leaving a deep emotional impact on them, and for this, delivering the elements and elements of artistic performance with technical mastery were among the tasks set by teacher Kamil during the teaching process. Kamil Ahmadov both restored sections called bardashts, which were performed at the beginning of the Azerbaijani mugham tradition, and composed new bardashts. This is one of the innovations he introduced to the instrumental performance of mugham. He also incorporated sections that had been forgotten and not performed in some mughams. In this article these sections are analyzed for the first time in musical notation. Furthermore, the study addresses the use of correct stroke and mizrab techniques in tar performance, which is characteristic of Kamil's teaching style, with the goal of making mugham performance more artistic and aesthetic. In this study, along with Kamil Ahmadov's work, the innovations he introduced to mugham performance were analyzed both theoretically and through documentary analysis. Examples of musical notation are included in the article. The development of a new mugham teaching program, the changes he made to the mugham teaching methods, as well as the organization of mugham performance according to the academic year and the inclusion of mugham percussion instruments in the performance are some of the innovations he brought to mugham performance.