An exhibition dedicated to the 130th anniversary of Sergey Yesenin has opened at the Russian State Library, with special attention paid to the work of Turkmen composer Nury Halmamedov. This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan.

The exhibition presents the notes of his vocal cycle “Persian Motifs” based on Yesenin’s poems, created in 1969–1971. This six-part cycle combines European and Eastern musical traditions, using plot features of Turkmen folk legends, which gives the work emotional depth.

‘Persian Motifs’ is considered an outstanding example of 20th-century vocal music and is regularly performed on Russian stages, including the Moscow International Festival of Arts ‘Sounds of Dutar.’ In 2018, the cycle was performed in the Rachmaninov Hall of the Moscow Conservatory in honour of the composer's 80th birthday.

Nury Halmamedov is a significant figure in Turkmen and Soviet musical culture, whose work connects the cultures of Turkmenistan and Russia, and whose ‘Persian Motifs’ convey the beauty of Yesenin's poetry through the prism of national colour and Eastern lyricism.