The Pearl of Muğam Philosophy: Qəzəl Poetry and Musical Hermeneutics in Independent Azerbaijan

Abstract

The 650th anniversary of Azerbaijan's beloved poet Imadaddin Nasimi (1369–1417) in 2019 was marked by two compositions in which his famous qəzəl “Sığmazam” was set to music. Qəzəl poetry is usually performed in muğam, a branch of traditional Azerbaijani music, and its unorthodox use by pop stars in these two compositions sparked intense debates. In this article, I discuss how the deep significance and instrumentality that qəzəl poetry holds in the post-Soviet context explains the powerful impact of the two pieces. I show how interpretation and imagination of qəzəl meanings in muğam, especially the theme of the beyond, is a way to make social and political realities and articulate post-Soviet subjectivities that emerge through the narrative of loss and in relation to beliefs about the Soviet past.