Mutal Burhonov

A renowned composer who created the music for the National Anthem of Uzbekistan, Honored Artist of Uzbekistan M. Burhonov is a recipient of the title "People's Artist of Uzbekistan," the Order "For Great Services," and State Prizes of Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan.

Composer Mutal (Mutavakkil) Burhonov was born in 1916 in Bukhara. He received his first music lessons at the Samarkand Institute of Music and Choreography, and later studied under prominent musical scholars in Moscow.

Between 1941 and 1942, he served among the volunteers for the defense of Moscow; due to declining health, he returned to Tashkent and engaged in creative work. He resumed his work in 1947 and graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1949.

M. Burhonov began his creative career in the second half of the 1930s, initially writing romances such as "Ey, bulbul," "Ishq o'ti" (Mashrab), "Ishqida" (Uyg'un), "Tabassum qilmading" (Navoiy), and "Namedonam chi nom dorad" (Hafiz). In 1941, he composed music for the poetic drama "Alisher Navoiy" by Uyg'un and Izzat Sulton; in 1942, in collaboration with T. Jalilov, T. Sodiqov, M. Vaynberg, and A. Klumov, he composed the music for the musical drama "O'zbekiston qilichi"; and in 1947, he created the music for the National Anthem of Uzbekistan based on the poem by poet Temur Fattoh. He arranged songs of the peoples of Central Asia for Uzbek folk instruments and a cappella choir. He is also the author of famous children's songs such as "Samolyot" (H. Olimjon), "Kapalak" (Z. Diyor), "Vatan qo'shig'i," and "Ashula bayrami" (G'. G'ulom).

In the 1950s, the composer created large-scale musical works such as the vocal poem "Bahor qushlari," the symphonic suite "Abu Ali ibn Sino," pieces for soloists, choir, and symphony orchestra, as well as the 1968 work "Alisher Navoiyga qasida" (A. Oripov). Over more than half a century, his songs in various genres, lyric romances, arrangements of Eastern folk melodies for a cappella choir, attractive vocal-symphonic works, and film scores have earned a place in the "Golden Treasury" of our modern musical art.

The musical scores for feature films such as "Abu Ali ibn Sino," "Samolyotlar qo'nolmadi," "Maftuningman," "Orol baliqchilari" (in collaboration with I. Ikromov and M. Leviev), "Surayyo," "Boy ila xizmatchi," and "Istiqbol yo'li" were also written by M. Burhonov.

During the current days of independence, the composer worked with even greater zeal and enthusiasm. He created the opera "Alisher Navoiy" (1991) and the music for the National Anthem of Uzbekistan. He composed the new song "Shiru shakar" based on the poetry of Abdurahmon Jomiy, and the requiem-elegy "Abadiy xotira," dedicated to the bright memories of the nation's true sons who were martyred during the years of repression, such as Fayzulla Xo'jaev, Abdulla Qodiriy, and Abdurauf Fitrat, as well as his own brother and uncles.

Renowned composer and Honored Artist of Uzbekistan M. Burhonov's services to the development of Uzbek musical art were highly appreciated.
Mutal Burhonov's work was closely connected with classical and modern world musical art.

He is a recipient of the title "People's Artist of Uzbekistan" and State Prizes of Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan. By decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, he was awarded the Order "For Great Services."

The famous composer, man of unique talent, and author of the music for the National Anthem of Uzbekistan passed away in 2002. However, he lives forever in the hearts of thousands of art enthusiasts.