Dangatar Ovezov has entered into history of the music art as unsurpassed master of vocal music though he also created the operas, oratorios, cantatas, choral compositions, which are topical even in our days.
… Parents named him Dangatar that means “born at the first light of sun”. And flourishing of his talent fell on thirties and forties of the last century in the period of dawn of the national composer's school. He became one of the three first Turkmen composers alongside with Ashir Kuliyev and Weli Muhatov.
D. Ovezov could not get full professional musical education. Initially, the study at Leningrad Conservatoire was interrupted by the war, when it was stopped the work at “Seydi” opera, which promised to become the first Turkmen opera. Then, he continued his education at Moscow Conservatoire. It seemed that everything gets right, but the fate introduced again the corrections into life of composer. Serious eye disease, which will haunt him whole life, did not allow completing the education.
At that, in spite of all vital obstacles, the love for music, talent, tireless work allowed the composer reaching the brilliant creative results. The forties became for composer a period of real creative flourishing. His best attainments of this time are connected with activity at the Turkmen State Theatre of Opera and Ballet named after Magtymguly. Two operas appeared one by one on destan stories – “Shasenem and Garip” (jointly with A. Shaposhnikov) and “Leyli and Mejnun” (jointly with Yu. Meytus), which entered into the golden fund of the Turkmen music art. Opera “Shasenem and Garip” had such great success that many decades it opened every season of Theatre of Opera and Ballet named after Magtymguly. In duet with A. Shaposhnikov, it was also appeared the opera “Ayna” – one of the first productions on modern topic.
Composer also successfully masters new for him cantata and oratorio genre. There were legends about his choral compositions. Turkmen musicologist F. Abukova told the following about this: “In Baltic in the eighties, it was held the composers’ forum devoted to choral music. Alongside with masterly productions of Baltic, Russian, Georgian composers brought up and educated in historically traditional for these nations rich choral culture, it was also sounded the choirs of Dangatar Ovezov – Turkmen composer whose people always sang only one-voice songs. I was surprised at the strongest influence which music of D. Ovezov had on sophisticated listeners – they cried…”
Among the best compositions of this period is the bright and optimistic cantata “Sounds of dutar”, glorifying the joy of labor, love for life. One of wonderful findings of composer in this production is unusually accurate recreation of sounding of dutar on piano. Many Turkmen composers of next generations will use more than once this texture. Alongside with “dutar” productions continuing the traditions of D. Ovezov, it is worth mentioning such widely known piano pieces as “Sounds of dutar” by N. Khalmamedov and based on original Turkmen dutar melodies “Toccata” by B. Khudainazarov.
D. Ovezov has been cut off in its bloom. He was 55 year old. He died and could not finish his last opus – heroic opera “Gorogly”. D. Ovezov left a bright trace in the Turkmen art. It will be not overstatement to say that all next generations of the Turkmen composers experienced the influence of unrepeatable by beauty and expressiveness the melodic language of Dangatar Ovezov, his composition discoveries, style of choral and operatic script.
Dangatar Ovezov justified his name by creative path. He always was in avant-garde, having laid the foundations of the Turkmen composer’s school and become the first Turkmen opera conductor. He mastered new musical genres and combined the attainments of world musical culture and color of the national music. Music of composer goes on to live in our days as well.
“Shasenem and Garip” became the first opera marked the revival of the national operatic art. Première of renewed staging in 2009 opened not only new theatrical season but also new page in development of musical culture of the Turkmen people. Dream of composer about opera “Gorogly” also came true. The plot of ancient Turkmen epic was enveloped in music by our contemporaries – the composers R. Rejepov and H. Amangeldiyev. Traditions of great master found their worthy continuation in this musical production.
… Parents named him Dangatar that means “born at the first light of sun”. And flourishing of his talent fell on thirties and forties of the last century in the period of dawn of the national composer's school. He became one of the three first Turkmen composers alongside with Ashir Kuliyev and Weli Muhatov.
D. Ovezov could not get full professional musical education. Initially, the study at Leningrad Conservatoire was interrupted by the war, when it was stopped the work at “Seydi” opera, which promised to become the first Turkmen opera. Then, he continued his education at Moscow Conservatoire. It seemed that everything gets right, but the fate introduced again the corrections into life of composer. Serious eye disease, which will haunt him whole life, did not allow completing the education.
At that, in spite of all vital obstacles, the love for music, talent, tireless work allowed the composer reaching the brilliant creative results. The forties became for composer a period of real creative flourishing. His best attainments of this time are connected with activity at the Turkmen State Theatre of Opera and Ballet named after Magtymguly. Two operas appeared one by one on destan stories – “Shasenem and Garip” (jointly with A. Shaposhnikov) and “Leyli and Mejnun” (jointly with Yu. Meytus), which entered into the golden fund of the Turkmen music art. Opera “Shasenem and Garip” had such great success that many decades it opened every season of Theatre of Opera and Ballet named after Magtymguly. In duet with A. Shaposhnikov, it was also appeared the opera “Ayna” – one of the first productions on modern topic.
Composer also successfully masters new for him cantata and oratorio genre. There were legends about his choral compositions. Turkmen musicologist F. Abukova told the following about this: “In Baltic in the eighties, it was held the composers’ forum devoted to choral music. Alongside with masterly productions of Baltic, Russian, Georgian composers brought up and educated in historically traditional for these nations rich choral culture, it was also sounded the choirs of Dangatar Ovezov – Turkmen composer whose people always sang only one-voice songs. I was surprised at the strongest influence which music of D. Ovezov had on sophisticated listeners – they cried…”
Among the best compositions of this period is the bright and optimistic cantata “Sounds of dutar”, glorifying the joy of labor, love for life. One of wonderful findings of composer in this production is unusually accurate recreation of sounding of dutar on piano. Many Turkmen composers of next generations will use more than once this texture. Alongside with “dutar” productions continuing the traditions of D. Ovezov, it is worth mentioning such widely known piano pieces as “Sounds of dutar” by N. Khalmamedov and based on original Turkmen dutar melodies “Toccata” by B. Khudainazarov.
D. Ovezov has been cut off in its bloom. He was 55 year old. He died and could not finish his last opus – heroic opera “Gorogly”. D. Ovezov left a bright trace in the Turkmen art. It will be not overstatement to say that all next generations of the Turkmen composers experienced the influence of unrepeatable by beauty and expressiveness the melodic language of Dangatar Ovezov, his composition discoveries, style of choral and operatic script.
Dangatar Ovezov justified his name by creative path. He always was in avant-garde, having laid the foundations of the Turkmen composer’s school and become the first Turkmen opera conductor. He mastered new musical genres and combined the attainments of world musical culture and color of the national music. Music of composer goes on to live in our days as well.
“Shasenem and Garip” became the first opera marked the revival of the national operatic art. Première of renewed staging in 2009 opened not only new theatrical season but also new page in development of musical culture of the Turkmen people. Dream of composer about opera “Gorogly” also came true. The plot of ancient Turkmen epic was enveloped in music by our contemporaries – the composers R. Rejepov and H. Amangeldiyev. Traditions of great master found their worthy continuation in this musical production.
