KACHATURIAN

[somaciro]

Scott, you are full of boloney. Mr. Kachaturian must be turning on his grave! He was not Russian! he was Armenian.

somaciro

[Shapley]

Somaciro,

Welcome to the B.com BB!

Aram Ilich Khachaturian was born near Tiflis on 6 June 1903 and died in Moscow on 1 May 1978. Educated at the Gnesin School and the Moscow Conservatory, Khachaturian emerged — along with Prokofiev and Shostakovich — as one of the most popular and successful composers of the Soviet period.

Tiflis is in Russian Transcaucasia, on the border of the Armenian highlands. I would think this would make the subject of his nationality debatable.

V/R
Shapley

[somaciro]

Thank you, I guess it depends on whom you ask, my Armenian frinds all claim him as one of their own!

[Shapley]

Many websites I've looked at list him as Armenian. I'm sure he preferred that claim as well.

I'm not familiar with the region, but I suspect the Russian occupation of the area may not have been popular there, eh?

V/R
Shapley

[piqaboo]

Marye!!! Its a musician thread!

[Shapley]

Piq,

SHHHHHH! You'll jinx it.

V/R
Shapley

[Marye]

Piq.......... that was funny..

<small>[ 11-10-2005, 05:40 PM: Message edited by: Marye ]</small>

[Shapley]

Apparently, the general consensus of the board is that he is Armenian, since not one of them listed him on the "Favourite Russian Works" lists.

V/R
Shapley

[Chicken Broccoli]

Yes, we Armenians claim Khachaturian as one of our own. Both his parents were Armenian, and he was definitely influenced by the music. He seems to have played the political game (though not as much as Shostakovich), but his devotion to nationalistic pre-Soviet music occasionally got him into trouble.

[Shapley]

CB,

Thanks. I enjoy his music, but had always thought of him as Russian. I guess I need to read more.

V/R
Shapley

[bignaf]

definitely Armenian, but "Soviet" would also be correct. though not nice. Hovhaness, another great Armenian composer (armenian descent). how many symphonies did he write?!

[shostakovich]

The highest number in my collection is #53 (Star Dawn). However, his symphonies are largely a case of "If you've heard Juan, you've heard Amahl". I didn't want to paraphrase Stravinsky on Vivaldi: "He wrote one concerto, 600 times".

In any case, I have a large collection of Hovhaness's music. It's enjoyable, but very repetitive. My top 3 are Sym # 2 (Mysterious Mountain), Prayer of St Gregory, and a perfectly wonderful Prelude and Quadruple Fugue. Armenian with a Byzantine flavor.

As for Khachaturian, I'm also a big fan of his. His Gayne Ballet has more lively and tuneful music than any other ballet except Nutcracker IMO. Nutcracker has diversity. Gayne remains in Armenian territory, where it, nevertheless, manages wide variety. He was born in Tiflis, Georgia, by the way, of Armenian parents.
Shos

[shostakovich]

Hovhaness was born in Somerville, Mass, of Scottish-Armenian parents. His original name was Chakmakjian. It begged for change. According to a web site bio he adopted Hovaness (after a grandfather) and later Hovhaness. I believe that was borrowed from the Armenian poet Hovhaness Toumanian, but I haven't been able to find my ancient source to confirm it.
Shos

[Trumpetmaster]

<img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_6_11v.gif" alt=" - " />

[Chicken Broccoli]

Chakmakjian is a beautiful last name! Why would anyone want to change it?

[Bootneck_Bandy]

Aram Khachaturian, Composer

Born June 6, 1903 in Tiflis, Russia
Died May 1, 1978 in Moscow, U. S. S. R.

Nationality: Armenian
Style/Period: Modern
Famous Works: "Sabre Dance" from the ballet Gayane, Masquerade Suite, Sparticus Suites

Bio: Unlike many famous musicians who were child prodigies, Khachaturian did not begin the formal study of music until he was nineteen. As a child he played the tuba and taught himself piano, and in 1921, he moved to Moscow to study cello and composition at the Gnesin Music Academy.

He was especially interested in folk music and he travelled to his native Armenia to collect folk songs and write music based on them. He married another composer, taught at the Music Academy that he had attended as a student in Moscow, and continued to compose throughout his life.


Debatable about his place of birth, but that is my information to date.

[Shapley]

Bandy

welcome to the b.com BB!

V/R
Shapley

[Serenity]

Khachaturian was born in Tiflis, Georgia in 1903 and traveled to Moscow in 1921, unable to speak a word of Russian. He was enthusiastic about communism and joined the Communist Party in 1943. He wrote his 3rd symphony as a tribute to communism but the secretary of the Communist Party decreed in 1948 that certain Soviet composers were "antipopular" and condemned Shostakovich, Prokofiev and Khachaturian. All three were forced to apologize publicly and Khachaturian considered changing professions after that.

[shostakovich]

But he didn't. Shostakovich and Khachaturian outlived Stalin and the denunciations. Prokofiev had the bad luck to die within a day of Stalin's death. Thus, with all the fanfare about the great leader, Prokofiev didn't even get his due in the newspapers. Moral of the story: all's well that ends well away from any event of note.
(the other)Shos