Aram Khachaturian

@& Aram Khachaturian http://www.allclassical.com/cg/acg.dll?p=acg&sql=1:7544~C Country Moscow, Russia Birth Jun 6, 1903 in Tiflis, Russia Death May 1, 1978 in Moscow Period Modern Composition All Works (162) Types Vocal Music (30) Orchestral Music (30) Keyboard Music (24) Chamber Music (18) Music Theater (17) Choral Music (13) Concerto (10) Band Music (8) Film Music (5) Ballet Music (3) Symphony (3) Although he was indicted (along with Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and a number of other prominent Soviet musicians) for "formalism," in the infamous Zhdanov decree of 1948, Aram Khachaturian was, for most of his long career, one of the Soviet musical establishment's most prized representatives. Born into an Armenian family, in Tbilisi, in 1903, Khachaturian's musical identity formed slowly, and, although a tuba player in his school band and a self-taught pianist, he wanted to be a biologist, and did not study music formally until entering Moscow's Gnesin Music Academy (as a cellist) in 1922. His considerable musical talents soon manifested themselves, and by 1925 he was studying composition privately with Gnesin himself. In 1929, Khachaturian joined Miaskovsky's composition class at the Moscow Conservatory. Khachaturian graduated in 1934, and before the completion, in 1937, of his postgraduate studies, the successful premieres of such works as the Symphony No.2 in A Minor "With a Bell" (1935) and, especially, the Piano Concerto in D flat Major (1936) established Khachaturian as the leading Soviet composer of his generation. During the vicious government-sponsored attacks, in 1948, on the Soviet Composers' Union (in which Khachaturian, and active member since 1937, also held an administrative function) Khachaturian took a great deal of criticism. However, although he was officially censured for employing modernistic, politically incorrect musical techniques which fostered an "antipeople art," Khachaturian's music contained few, if any, of the objectionable traits found in the music of some of his more adventuresome colleagues. In retrospect, it was most likely Khachaturian's administrative role in the Union, perceived by the government as a bastion of politically incorrect music, and not his music as such, which earned him a place on the black list of 1948. Nevertheless, Khachaturian made a very full and humble apology for his artistic "errors" following the Zhdanov decree; his musical style, however, underwent no changes. Khachaturian joined the composition faculty of the Moscow Conservatory and the Gnesin Academy in 1950, and that same year he made his debut as a conductor. During the years until his death in 1978 Khachaturian made frequent European conducting appearances, and in January of 1968 he made a culturally significant trip to Washington, D.C., conducting the National Symphony Orchestra in a program of his own works. Khachaturian's characteristic musical style draws on the melodic

and rhythmic vitality of Armenian folk music. Although not adverse to sharp dissonance, Khachaturian never strayed from a basically diatonic musical language. The Piano Concerto and the Violin Concerto in D Minor are truly Romantic works, virtuosic, clear, and unaffectedly expressive, remaining therefore popular and frequently performed composition. Of course, many neither of these works matches the popularity of the famous "Sabre Dance" from the ballet Gayane, which made Khachaturian a household name during World War II. His other works include film scores, songs, piano pieces, and chamber music. The degree of Khachaturian's success as a Soviet composer can be measured by his many honors, which include the 1941 Lenin Prize, for the Violin Concerto, the 1959 Stalin Prize, for the ballet Spartacus, and the title, awarded in 1954, of People's Artist. -- Blair Johnston

Piano Solo 1946

Adventures of Ivan, for piano

1926 1940

Andantino, for piano Budionovka, mass dance for piano

1947

Children's Album Book 1, for piano

1964 -1965 1944 1933 1926

Children's Album Book 2, for piano Choreographic Waltz, for piano Dance Suite No.3, for piano Dance, for piano in G minor

1929

Fugues (6), for piano

1934 1961 1958 1944

March No.3, for piano Piano Sonata, in E flat major Piano Sonatina, in C major Pieces (3), for 2 pianos

1925

Poem, for piano

1927

Poem, for piano in C sharp minor

1966 1932 1944 1932 1932 1928 1978 1926 1926

Recitative and Fugue (Double Fugue), for piano Round Dance, for piano Suite, for 2 pianos Suite, for piano Toccata, for piano in E flat minor Variations on the theme "Solveg", for piano

Coll. of Character/Single-Movement/Misc. Works for Keyb. Andante for Keyboard Dance-Based Keyboard Music Coll. of Character/Single-Movement/Misc. Works for Keyb. Coll. of Character/Single-Movement/Misc. Works for Keyb. Waltz for Keyboard Suite/Partita for Keyboard Dance-Based Keyboard Music Collection of Contrapuntal/Improv. Pieces for Keyboard March for Keyboard 20th/21st Century Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard 20th/21st Century Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard Music for Two Keyboards Character/Single-Movement/Miscellaneous Work for Keyboard Character/Single-Movement/Miscellaneous Work for Keyboard Prelude for Keyboard Rondeau for Keyboard Music for Two Keyboards Suite/Partita for Keyboard Toccata for Keyboard 20th/21st Century Variations for Keyboard Character/Single-Movement/Miscellaneous Work for Keyboard

Vocalise, for piano in C major Waltz-Caprice, for piano in C sharp minor Waltz-Etute, for piano

Waltz for Keyboard Waltz for Keyboard

Chamber 1929

Allegretto, for violin & piano

Violin with Keyboard

1926 1925 1925 1925 1926 1932 1948 1927 1926 1932 1974 1975 1976 1925 1929 1931 1932

Dance (Tants) in B flat major, for violin & piano, Op. 1 Violin with Keyboard Dance No. 1, for violin & piano (1925, unpublished) Chamber Music Dream, for cello & piano Cello with Keyboard Elegy, for cello & piano in G minor Cello with Keyboard Lullaby, for violin & piano Violin with Keyboard Mass Dance, for bayan Chamber Music Nocturne, for violin & piano Violin with Keyboard Pantomime, for oboe & piano Oboe Solo/Sonata Piece, for cello & piano Cello with Keyboard Sonata for violin & piano, in D major Violin with Keyboard Sonata-Fantasie, for cello solo in C major Cello Solo Sonata-Monologue, for violin solo Violin Solo Sonata-Song, for viola solo Viola Solo Song of the Strolling Ashug, for cello & piano Cello with Keyboard Song-Poem ("In Honor of the Ashugs"), for violin & piano Violin with Keyboard String Quartet Quartet for Four String Instruments Trio, for clarinet, violin & piano in G minor Violin with Keyboard

Band music 1929 1930 1973 1932 1932 1942 1975 1938

Field March No.1, for wind orchestra in A flat major Field March No.2, for wind orchestra in F minor March of the Soviet Militia (orchestrated by D.Braslavsly), for wind band Pieces (2) on themes from Armenian folk songs, for wind orchestra Pieces (2) on themes from Uzbek folk songs, for wind orchestra To the Heroes of the Patriotic War, march for wind band in A flat major

Band Music March for Band March for Band Concert/Brass/Marching Band Music Concert/Brass/Marching Band Music March for Band

Concert/Brass/Marching Band Music Zangezurian March (from film score "Zangezur"), for orchestra March for Band Triumphal Fanfares, for trumpets & drums in F major