Azerbaijani Music

Azerbaijani music is the traditional and classical music of Azerbaijan, anchored by mugham, the modal art of improvised song and instrumental suite performed by the khananda singer with tar and kamancha; by the ashig bardic tradition of the saz; and by a composed school founded by *Uzeyir Hajibeyli*, who fused mugham with European opera and symphonic form. Its modes, the maye system, and its metres shape everything from Baku wedding bands to the jazz-mugham of *Vagif Mustafazadeh*. Singers such as *Alim Qasimov* have made mugham a world music emblem, and #UNESCO# inscribed Azerbaijani mugham in 2003.