Dm. Shostakovich
... I am not so self-confident to use expression "my pupil", speaking, for example, about such a big Soviet composer as G.Garayev. But I shall be always proud of this remarkable musician just as another outstanding representative of the Azerbaijani symphonic school Jovdet Hajiyev studied at Moscow Conservatoire in the composition class I was entrusted to supervise. (Shostakovich)

Gara Garayev is one of my mostly beloved composers. The secret of success of his music is his talented and bright unification, which is characteristical only to him. Being a professional musician, he used musical traditions based on classical heritage and most modern forms of music. (Shostakovich)

"G.Garayev possesses great and bright composer's talent. His general development stands at big height. He is a talented and cultural composer. He perfectly owns instrumentation, polyphony and other composing features of musical art. G.Garayev is a composer-expert with the doubtless great future".
Characteristic on the G.Garayev's graduation from Moscow Conservatoire on D.D. Shostakovich's composition class on April 17th, 1946.

F. Amirov
Garayev's art is one of the powerful columns in a huge palace of Azerbaijan music, and his role in the world fame of this music is extremely great.
(Amirov)

G.Kremer
In Gara Garayev's creative work I am captivated by something, which can be defined as a strong and bright store of youthhood energy. This constant charge is source of untiring quests of the composer in his strivings, his music is responsive to the newest, freshest and the most progressive that we have in our life art.

K.Meyer
In Poland G.Garayev has been known since 50-th years. All of us well remember, how Dmitry Shostakovich, being the visitor of the third "Warsaw autumn" in 1959, in one of the interviews mentioned G.Garayev's name in a line of the most outstanding masters of contemporary Soviet music. G.Garayev's latest compositions, which we met in 60-th years confirmed me in belief that he belonged to those artists who were not satisfied with already created scores, but indefatigably searched and enriched means of expression.... I have met numerous latest opuses, among which first of all the two especially are close and interesting for me - the 3-rd symphony and the Violin concert. Each of these compositions is penetrated by unique aroma; a listener is amazed with novelty of applied means of expression and techniques (dodecaphony), which does not hinder the composer at all (I would say, in this concrete case they assist him) to achieve deep national and simultaneously individual character of music. G.Garayev's music in general possesses this deeply national character. Here is one more proof that neither means of expression, nor the techniques, but talent and art individuality solve the issue on the final image and the value of work. Gara Garaev is a remarkable artist, famed composer, splendid teacher and outstanding personality. His music has long attained well-deserved recognition, won his listeners` hearts not only in the home land of its creator, but far beyond its borders.

R. Shchedrin
Being deeply national artist, G.Garayev was absolutely free of national limitations. Along with Uzeyir Hajibayov Garayev can rightly be named the founder of modern Azerbaijani musical culture.... And in many of these genres Gara Garayev is practically a pathfinder in Azerbaijani music. In the whole his creativity means for national musical culture transition to the new grade, new quality. Garaev's name is closely associated with the emergence of new music of Azerbaijan on the world stage. This can be attributed not only to the fact that dozens of the composers were taught in his class, but to the very example of his own bright and artistic personality. I would dare to tell about G.Garayev: he searches new, but well knows old routes, is keen by search, but does not forget about advantage of traditions - first of all national thing, about fruitfulness of continuity. Perhaps, his way is the most formidable: "the right" reproach him for "leftism ","the left" convict him as "conservative" one. However, he simply goes in art by own prompting by musician's heart and talent.

S. Slonimsky
Gara Garayev is always perceived by me not only as a composer of a great talent, but a wise intellectual of Azerbaijan Orient, musician-enlightener of today. Like Glinka, who combined the Russian song and occidental counterpoint, Garayev enriched Azerbaijan music with subtle interpretation of professional achievements of the 20th century music.

L. Mazel
In Garaev's music, which is classified as classical by its merits, the unique Garayev Oriental style was moulded, where, in spite of wealth of emotions colors, rhythms, the dominant power is intellect rather than spontaneity of sensuality. Already being mature and legitimate master, Garaev undertook bold experiments in the field of the application of new musical means, the organic continuation of intellectual-expressive trend of his previous composition.

G. Ulanova
In "Seven Beauties" Gara Garayev could express by means of musical-choreographical drama intricate conflict, sorrow and anger, people's struggle. Genuine music true to life, bright national coloring, splendid orchestration - all these characteristics make Gara Garaev's ballet an outstanding piece of work.

A. Melikov
Gara Garaev is the personality to whom we owe the upraise of our people's musical art to the new stage. The importance of G. Garayev's creativity exceeded the bounds of the pure national subject and acquired the essence of the international one.

N. Dumbadze
Years will pass by, but the live source of Gara Garayev's creation will always attract new generations of people, who will seek access to the rich treasure - house of his music, and once having found never to part with it.