‘Shirvanshah’s Palace’, a new instrumental work from Sami Yusuf, features a 57-member orchestra and dazzling solos on oud, kamanche, tar and balaban. The musical narrative is majestic, powerful and intensely beautiful. This piece is performed in Shur mugham [Əbu Əta], evoking an ecstatic mood that echoes the Sufi ceremony of remembrance. Although the sub-mode Əbu Əta (Or Abū ’Atā) is seldom used in recent decades, it has been part of the Azerbaijani mugham system for centuries. The composer has chosen to honor this particular traditional expression here, and in doing so seeks to contribute to the revival of this complex musical language.

CREDITS

Musical Director & Composer: Sami Yusuf
Creative Producer & Director: Andrei Boltenko
Mixed & Mastered by Vishnu Rajan @ Andante Studios
Video editing and post-production by Omar Al-Balushi @ Andante Studios
Commissioned by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan

SOLOISTS

Mirjavad Jafarov (Oud)
Toghrul Asadullayev (Kemanche)
Shirzad Fataliyev (Balaban)
Sahib Pashazade (Tar)
Samira Aliyeva (Saz)
Kamran Karimov (Nagara)

PERFORMERS

Kanan Bayramli, Tayar Bayramov (Mugham singers)
Ali Aliyev, Amirulla Aliyev, Emin Eminli, Fuad Gadjiyev, Kamal Nuriyev, Sahib Pashazade, Seymur Mursalov, Tair Amrahov (Tar ensemble)
Fariz Guseynov, Oqtay Sharifov, Rauf Masimov, Toghrul Asadullayev (Kemancheh)
Samira Aliyeva. Hafiz Karimov, Nargiz Mammadzade, Nasib Gasanov, Zaur Taghiyev (Saz)
Mirjavad Jafarov, Mirjavid Jafarov (Oud)
Aysu Sadigova, Chinara Geydarova (Qanun)
Fazila Ragimova (Chang)
Fariz Dadashev, Gusameddin Azizov, Kamran Karimov, Siyavush Karimov, Vafadar Ramizzade, Vusal Bayramov (Percussion)
Ali Ibragimzade, Shamil Mammadov (Acoustic guitars)
Bahish Bunyatov, Emin Fataliyev, Shaig Asadov, Shirzad Fataliyev (Wind instruments)
Gulbaji Imanova, Aida Suleymanova, Emin Gamarlinsky, Humay Nuriyeva, Ismayil Panahov, Narmin Abdullayeva, Nigar Asgarova, Rufat Xalilov, Reza Xosrovzade (A Capella Choir)
Mehin Orujeva, Aydan Zeynalova, Emin Mammadov, Fidan Eyvazli, Laman Guseynzade, Leyla Agajanova, Leyla Gasanova, Nargiz Aliyeva, Nurdan Huseynzade, Roya Israfilova, Shafag Naghizade, Solmaz Zeynalova, Svetlana Aliyeva (Children’s choir)

Watch/Listen ‘Shirvanshah’s Palace’ now: https://sy.lnk.to/shirvanshah