Aram Khachaturian

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Aram Chatschaturjan, photography from the 1960s

Aram Khachaturian ( Armenian Արամ Խաչատրյան , scientific transliteration Aram Xač'atryan; Russian Арам Ильич Хачатурян Aram Ilyich Khachaturian , often Khatschaturjan ; born May 24 . Jul / 6. June  1903 greg. In Tbilisi , Government Tbilisi , Russian Empire ; † 1 May 1978 in Moscow ) was a Soviet composer . His compositions are influenced by Armenian-Georgian and Caucasian folk music . He was one of the most important Soviet composers of the 1930s to 1950s. A selection of his works was declared World Document Heritage in 2013 .

Life

Aram Khachaturian grew up in Tbilisi as the son of an Armenian bookbinder family and was fascinated by the Armenian, Georgian and Azerbaijani music of his surroundings from an early age . During his school days he played the tenor horn . He learned the Russian language and went to Moscow in 1922 to study biology . After just a few months, however, he switched to the "Music Education Gnessin Institute " and enrolled there to play the cello instrument . After three years he switched to the composition class, and in 1926 his first composition went to press. Then he switched to the Moscow Conservatory , where he studied with Nikolai Myaskovsky and Mikhail Gnessin . In 1933 he finished his studies at the age of 30 and married his fellow student Nina Makarowa .

His nephews Karen Khachaturian and Emin Khachaturian were also composers.

Artistic career

His first major work was his diploma thesis, the First Symphony from 1934 . With his Piano Concerto from 1936 he began to gain international fame, which increased with his Violin Concerto from 1940, which he wrote for David Oistrakh .

In addition to his work as a composer, he conducted concerts at home and abroad from 1950, primarily with his own works. In 1951 he was appointed professor of composition at the Moscow Conservatory, and at the same time also at the Gnessin Music Education Institute. He was also a member of the organizing committee of the Soviet Composers' Union for many years.

Popularity through quotes in soundtracks and advertisements

He achieved world fame with his piano concerto, violin concerto and the ballet Gayaneh , which contains his most famous work, the saber dance . The saber dance was widely known through the film Eins, Zwei, Drei by Billy Wilder , in which Liselotte Pulver dances to the music on a table, as well as in the 1970s through its use in a widespread television advertisement for a coffee liqueur (“Komm Brüderchen trink - Cossack coffee! ").

Aram Chatschaturjan (r.) With the composers Dmitri Shostakovich (m.) And Sergei Prokofjew (l.) (1940)

The Adagio for solo violoncello and strings from the first Gayaneh Suite was used in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey . The American film composer James Horner quotes it in several of his soundtracks, especially - without mentioning - in the credits ("Resolution and Hyperspace") of the film Aliens - The Return of James Cameron . Also known are his ballet Spartakus , whose Adagio in the Coen brothers' film Hudsucker - The Big Leap serves as the theme music and also through its use as such in the British television series The Onedin Line Drama Music Masquerade . He also composed the hymn of the Armenian SSR .

After he had already received numerous medals and honorary titles, he was reprimanded several times in 1948 by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union at a meeting of the Central Union of Soviet Composers under the ideological leadership of Andrei Zhdanov for " formalistic " music. The mention of his name in connection with alleged “formalistic” and “anti-Soviet” tendencies led to a prolonged creative crisis in 1948. Other famous composers such as Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev were also affected. Success only returned with the ballet Spartakus (1956). In 1961 he became a corresponding member of the German Academy of the Arts in East Berlin .

His style was based on 19th century Russian music and French impressionism and was heavily based on Armenian folk music. Due to the personal style that he developed from it, he gained great importance for the music of Armenia.

Honors

  • The city of Yerevan set up a museum for him that was built around his brother's house.
  • In 1991 the asteroid (4802) Khatchaturian was named after him.
  • The Russian Post issued a special stamp in 2003 on the occasion of Aram Khachaturian's centenary .
  • A portrait of Aram Khachaturian was found on the Armenian 50 dram note before it was replaced by a coin.
Khachaturyan on a Russian postage stamp (2003)

Awards

Works

Ballets

  • Happiness - ballet in three acts and an epilogue, libretto : Owanesjan-Kimika, 1939
    Monument in Moscow
  • Gayaneh - Ballet in four acts and an epilogue, libretto: K. Dershawin, 1942, revised 1952, 1957
  • Spartakus - ballet in three acts, libretto: N. Volkov, 1954, first performance: Leningrad 1956

Orchestral works

Suites

  • Suite from the ballet "Das Glück" No. 1 - 1939
  • Suite from the ballet "Das Glück" No. 2 - 1939
  • Suite from the ballet “Gayaneh” No. 1 - 1943
  • Suite from the ballet “Gayaneh” No. 2 - 1943
  • Suite from the ballet “Gayaneh” No. 3 - 1943
  • Suite from the incidental music “Masquerade” - 1943
  • Suite from the music for the film “The Battle of Stalingrad” - 1949
  • Suite from the incidental music “The Widow of Valencia” - 1953
  • Suite from the ballet “Spartakus” No. 1 - 1955–57
  • Suite from the ballet “Spartakus” No. 2 - 1955–57
  • Suite from the ballet “Spartakus” No. 3 - 1955–57
  • Suite from the incidental music “Lermontow” - 1953
  • Suite from the ballet “Spartakus” No. 4 - 1967

Symphonies

  • Dance suite - five movements, 1933
  • Symphony No. 1 - 1934
  • Two dances - 1935
  • Symphony No. 2 ("Symphony with the Bell") - 1943, reworked in 1944
  • Choreographic Waltz - 1944
  • Russian Fantasy - Concert transcription of a scene from the ballet “Das Glück”, 1944/45
  • Symphony No. 3 (“Sinfonie-Poem”) - in one movement for orchestra, organ and 15 trumpets, 1947
  • Ode in memoriam Lenin - based on the film music, 1949
  • The Battle of the Volga - programmatic symphonic suite in eight movements, 1950
  • Solemn Poem - 1952
  • Greetings Overture - for the opening of the XXI Party Congress of the CPSU, 1959

Works for solo instrument and orchestra

  • Piano Concerto - 1936
  • Violin Concerto - 1940
  • Cello Concerto - 1946
  • Rhapsody for violin and orchestra - 1961/62
  • Rhapsody for cello and orchestra - 1963
  • Rhapsody for piano and orchestra - 1967

Other orchestral works

  • March for wind orchestra No. 1 - 1929
  • March for Concert Band No. 2 - 10th Anniversary of the Armenian SSR, 1930
  • Two pieces on Armenian song themes - for wind orchestra , 1933
  • Two pieces based on Uzbek song themes - for wind orchestra , 1933
  • Sangesur March - for wind orchestra , 1938
  • The Heroes of the Patriotic War - March for wind orchestra, 1942
  • March of the Soviet police

Chamber music

  • Dance in B flat major op.1 - for violin and piano, 1926
  • Lied Poem - for violin and piano, in honor of the Aschugen, 1929
  • Allegretto - for violin and piano, 1929
  • Suite - for viola and piano, 1929–32
  • Dance - for Balalaika and Domra, 1929–32
  • Double fugue - for string quartet, 1932
  • Violin Sonata - 1932
  • Andantino - for bassoon trio 1932
  • Trio - for clarinet, violin and piano, 1932
  • Recitative and Fugue - for string quartet, edited edition of the work from 1932
  • Sonata-Fantasia in C major - for solo cello, 1974
  • Sonata - for violin solo, 1975
  • Sonata - for viola solo, 1976

Piano works

Piano for 2 hands

  • Valse Caprice - 1926
  • Dance in G minor - 1926
  • Poem in c sharp minor - 1927
  • March - 1929
  • Seven Fugues - 1929, (later received the seven recitatives and fugues)
  • Seven recitatives and fugues - 1928/29 and 1970
  • Toccata - 1932
  • Budjonowka - based on a song theme by Davidenko, 1932
  • Mass Dance - 1932
  • Children's album, issue 1 - ten character pieces, 1926–47 (also: The Adventures of Iwan )
  • Fughetta - 1947
  • Sonatina in C major - 1959
  • Sonata in C major - dedicated to NI Myaskovsky, 1961
  • Children's album, issue 2 - 10 pieces, 1964

Works for two pianos

  • Suite in three movements - based on the film music “Mensch” and the song “Töchter Irans”, 1944/45

Vocal instrumental works

Choir or voice and orchestra

  • Lied des Aschugen - for choir and orchestra based on Bairamow from Tausa, 1937/38
  • Symphonic poem - with final chorus “Lied des Aschugen” for choir and orchestra, 1938
  • Three concert arias - for high voice and orchestra based on the words of Armenian poets, 1944–46
  • Ode of Joy - for mezzo-soprano, mixed choir, unison ensemble of violins, ten harps and orchestra based on Smirnow, 1956
  • Ballad von der Heimat - for bass and orchestra based on Garnekerjan, 1961
  • You, Arab friends - cantata for choir and orchestra, 1964
  • In Memory of the Heroes - Oratorio, 1976

Songs

  • Our future - Burunow, 1931
  • New song - Tscharenz, 1932
  • The grain grew - Gidash, 1932
  • Pepos Lied - Tscharenz, 1934
  • On Gogolboulevard - Michalkow, 1935
  • Off to battle, Camarados - Smoljan, 1936
  • Garden, my dear garden - Lebedev-Kumatsch, 1938
  • Daughters of Iran - Lachuti, 1939
  • Nina's romance - from the incidental music “Masquerade”, 1941
  • Captain Gastello - Lugin, 1941
  • The Baltic Sea - Radionow, from the incidental music "The Glockenspiel im Kremlin ", 1942
  • Mighty Urals - Barto, 1943
  • Guard march - Lebdew-Kumatsch, 1942
  • You my Urals - Slavic, 1943
  • Men of the Urals are splendid fighters - Garto, 1943
  • I am waiting your - Slavic, 1943
  • Hymn of the Armenian SSR - 1944
  • Song of Homeland - Rublev, 1948
  • Song of Wrath - Rublev, 1948
  • Song of Yerevan - Grashi, 1948
  • Song of the Heart - Michalkow, 1949
  • My home - Sadofiev, 1950
  • Armenian toast - Grashi, 1950
  • Song of the Girl - Graschi, 1950
  • The lucky carpet - Graschi, 1951
  • My home - Gridow, 1951
  • Oath of Peace - Rublev, 1951
  • Song of the Peace Fighters - Ostrowa, 1951
  • I called you with a flower ... - Graschi, 1952
  • Waltz of Friendship - Rublev, 1952
  • Vokalise desdemona - from the film music "Othello", 1956
  • Soldiers song - from the film music "Othello", 1956
  • Song from the willow tree - from the film music "Othello", 1956
  • Spring Carnival - Gradow, 1956

Drama and film music

  • Music for the play “Destroyed Hero” - 1929–32
  • Music for the play “Chatabala” - 1929–32
  • Music for the play “Oriental Dentist” - 1929–32
  • Music for the play "Macbeth" by Shakespeare " - 1934
  • Music for the film "Pepo" - 1934
  • Music for the film "Sangesur" - 1937/38
  • Music for the film "The Garden" - 1938
  • Music for the film "Salawat Julajew" - 1939
  • Music for the play “The Widow of Valencia” by Lope de Vega , 1940
  • Music for the play "Masquerade" by Lermontow , 1941
  • Music for the play "The Chimes of the Kremlin" by Pogodin , 1942
  • Music for the play “Glubokaya Raswedka” by Korn , 1943
  • Music for the film "Mensch" - 1944/45
  • Music for the film "Prisoner No. 217" - 1945
  • Music for the play "Fairy Tales of Truth" by Aliger , 1946
  • Music for the film “The Russian Question” - 1947
  • Music for the film “You have a home” - 1948
  • Music for the film "Vladimir Ilyich Lenin" - 1948
  • Music for the play "Ilja Golowin" by Michalkow , 1949
  • Music for the film “The Battle of Stalingrad” - 1949
  • Music for the film "In a Secret Mission" - 1950
  • Music for the film "Admiral Uschakow" - 1953 / "Sails in the Storm" GDR, January 22, 1954
  • Music for the film "Ships storm bastions" - 1953
  • Music for the play "The Guardian Angel of Nebraska" by Jakobson , 1953
  • Music for the play "Lermontow" by Lavronjew , 1954
  • Music for the film "Othello" - 1955
  • Music for the film "Saltanat" - 1955
  • Music for the play "Macbeth" by Shakespeare , 1955
  • Music for the film "Ewige Flamme" - 1956
  • Music for the film "The Duel" - 1957
  • Music for the play "King Lear" by Shakespeare , 1958
  • Music for the film "People and Animals" - 1960

Vocal music

  • Song of the Black Sea Fleet - for male choir based on Steinberg, 1931
  • Komsomol song of the shaft workers - for mixed choir based on Sitkowski, 1932
  • Three pioneer songs - based on Vladimirovsky and Michalkow for children's choir with piano accompaniment, 1933
  • Glory to our fatherland - after Lebedew-Kumatsch for soloists, choir and piano, 1943
  • What children dream of - after Gradow for children's choir and piano
  • Marching song and song of the Russian sailors - based on the film music about Admiral Uschakow, for male choir a cappella to Surkow, 1955

Transcriptions

  • Songs of the Peoples of the USSR - 30 songs, arranged for various ensembles, 1929–32
  • Choreographic waltz for piano - 1944
  • Nocturne from the “Masquerade” suite for violin and piano , 1948
  • Fragments from the incidental music “Othello” for piano - arranged by Emin Khatchaturian, 1956
  • Flute Concerto - after the violin concerto transcribed by J.-P. Rampal based on a suggestion by Aram Khatchaturian, 1968
  • Mass dance (piano) for accordion
  • Waltz from “Masquerade” for piano , 1953

literature

  • Maria Biesold: Aram Chatschaturjan (1903–1978), composer between the Caucasus and Moscow. Study of the transcaucasian music and the piano works of the Armenian national composer. Edition Musica et Claves, Wittmund 1989, ISBN 3-9802019-1-0 ( Contributions to Piano Music , Volume 4), 212 pp.
  • Ilja Ehrenburg : Khachaturian, A., and Pomerantsev, V. Three Soviet artists on the present needs of Soviet art. In: Soviet Studies , 5 (4), 1953, pp. 427-434.
  • Thussy Gorischek : Russian national composer. Volume 3: 20th Century: Life and Work in the USSR - Sergej Prokofjew, Aram Chatschaturjan, Dimitrij Schostakowitsch. Studio Ed, Graz 2007, ISBN 3-902522-03-8 , 300 pp.
  • Victor Aronovich Iuzefovich: Aram Khachaturyan , New York 1985, ISBN 0-8236-8658-2 .
  • Friedbert Streller: Aram Chatschaturjan. German publishing house for music VEB, Leipzig 1968, 233 pp.

Web links

Commons : Aram Khachaturyan  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The birthday of the Russian-Armenian composer Aram Chatschaturjan. ZeitZeichen on WDR 5 from June 6, 2013; accessed on February 9, 2018.
  2. ^ Collection of note manuscripts and film music of Composer Aram Khachaturian. UNESCO / Memory of the World - Register, 2013, accessed June 20, 2013 .
  3. ↑ Remembering Aram Khachaturian, A 'Titan' Of Soviet Music . Radio Free Europe . June 5, 2013, accessed February 10, 2020
  4. ↑ Thomas S. Hischak: The Encyclopedia of Film Composers . Rowman & Littlefield, 2015, p. 399
personal data
SURNAME Khachaturyan, Aram
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Хачатурян, Арам Ильич (Russian); Խաչատրյան, Արամ (Armenian)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION soviet composer
DATE OF BIRTH June 6, 1903
PLACE OF BIRTH Tbilisi , Tbilisi Governorate , Russian Empire
DATE OF DEATH May 1, 1978
Place of death Moscow , Soviet Union