Bayatilar Eldar Mansurov's most renowned composition, Bayatilar, was first performed in 1989 by then-rising Azerbaijani pop star Brilliant Dadashova. The song gained instant popularity and was released in 1990 by the Soviet record label
Melodiya in large circulation across the former USSR. Set to lyrics by poet Vahid Aziz, the piece remains one of the most beloved songs in Azerbaijani music history. Over the decades, Bayatilar has been adapted by artists in Turkmenistan, Russia, Turkey, Greece, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the U.S., U.K., Sweden, Canada, Israel, Arab countries, and even Brazil. • In Russia, the song was performed by Reno under the title Zdravstvuy with lyrics by Nikolay Denisov. • In Brazil, it was recorded as a vocalise by jazz singer Monica Salmaso with the Orquestra Popular de Câmara, and later as an instrumental version by pianist Benjamin Taubkin's group. • In Turkey, legendary singer Sezen Aksu created a new version titled Zalim, which became a major hit. It was later performed by Levent Yüksel in a music video and has remained popular for years. • In Greece, it appeared in various adaptations, such as Taxidiariko Bird by Petros Dourdumbakis and Oses Foties by Dimitra Galani. • DJs and bands from Italy, Germany, Israel, Romania, Sweden, Canada, Bosnia, and the U.K. have also incorporated Bayatilar into hip-hop, electronic, jazz, and rock renditions.
International covers In 2011, Romanian DJ Edward Maya incorporated Bayatilar into his worldwide hit Stereo Love, leading to a co-authorship agreement with Mansurov. A notable copyright dispute arose over the Greek pop song Esena Mono (2003), performed by Keti Garbi and credited to Dimitris Kontopoulos. Mansurov alleged unauthorized use of Bayatilar's melody. After over a decade of legal proceedings, in 2023, the Greek Supreme Court ruled in Mansurov's favor, confirming copyright infringement.
Bahramnameh projects Eldar Mansurov dedicated the symphonic fusion project Bahramnameh to the memory of his father, Bahram Mansurov — a legendary tar player whose performances of Azerbaijani mugham were first published on vinyl by UNESCO in the 1970s. The project, which blends symphony, rock, jazz, and mugham into a genre Mansurov calls “symfo-folk-rock,” premiered in 2005 at the Heydar Aliyev Palace with support from UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva. The live performance featured an ensemble including pianists Nazim Ahmad and Ilgar Bakikhanov, guitarist Rafiq Rasulov, bassist Ramiz Aghazade, percussionist Sergey Krasnyanski, and tar soloist Yashar Huseynov. His brother Elkhan Mansurov performed classical mugham pieces on their father's tar.. Bahramnameh-2, presented later, introduced a large symphonic orchestra alongside traditional Azerbaijani instruments such as ney, balaban, and tutek. It explored lesser-known mugham modes like Qafqaz Humayunu, Nəva-Nişabur, Çoban Bayatı, and Kürdü-Şahnaz, creating a richly original two-part suite (instrumental and vocal), including the use of a cappella choir. == Research, publications, and notation work ==