Mirzoyev's UK Première
at Westminster Abbey

    At the start of November last year Alexander Fiseisky gave the UK première of the Azeri composer Mirzoyev's Organ Symphony in Westminster Abbey, at an occasion arranged by the Azerbaijan Embassy, to which over 200 cultural, diplomatic, industrial and financial representatives had been invited.  The Abbey was full with the largest audience that had been seen for a long time.

Mirzoyev and Madam Mirzoyeva
with Madam Aliyeva,
the wife of the HE Ambassador of Azerbaijan and their daughter,
and Alexander,
at the console of the Abbey organ

    Mirzoyev's work is based on the music of the Azeri high Mugam, an oriental music form, which he has artfully adapted to the occidental music of the organ.  Alexander has performed this work on many occasions in Russia, and has demonstrably mastered the interpretation of it on the English cathedral organ.  Mirzoyev first heard it played on such an instrument when Alexander played it to him on the new (and first in Russia) English cathedral organ in the Russian Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow.  He was overjoyed with the immense compass of mood, gentleness and power of the instrument, and felt it was the ideal vehicle for his composition.

Alexander and the Mirzoyevs with (L to R) the Senior Naval Attachés of the USA and Canada, and the Air Attachés of  New Zealand and
Australia

    The performance was received as stunning and masterly, of a work new in form to occidental ears, so  reminiscent of Bach, yet so evocatively based on the oriental.

    In the evenings preceding the recital there was much playing for practice and recording the Organ Symphony  . . . . .

.....Did the Speaker's Office really ring to say
they couldn't hear the Prime Minister speaking
in the House?

Mirzoyev's CV | Mirzoyev in Dunblane | in York & Edinburgh 
Notes on Organ Symphony
| on Oriental & Occidental | on High Mugam | What's New
Bridgehead Home Page | Mirzoyev Home Page  | Composers Home Page
Fiseisky Home Page
| Organs Home Page