Soltan Hajibeyov - Scherzo (II. Movement from Symphony No. 2)

Soltan Hajibeyov (1919-1974), a cousin of Uzeyir Hajibeyov, was an Azerbaijani composer who played a key role in developing national symphonic music. He composed the ballet Gulshen (1950), the musical comedy Red Rose (1940), two symphonies (1944, 1946), Karavan (1945), and the children’s opera Iskander and a Shepherd (1947). Hajibeyov served as Rector of the Azerbaijan State Conservatory (now Baku Academy of Music) from 1969 to 1974 and was awarded the Stalin Prize in 1952 and the title People's Artist of the USSR in 1973.