What kind of music did Aram Khachaturian compose?
Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) was an Armenian composer who continued the nationalist tradition of the St. Petersburg school, and is known principally for his Piano Concerto and the ballets Gayaneh and Spartacus. Khachaturian was born to a poor Armenian family in Tbilisi, Georgia. His first experience of music was hearing his mother’s…
Where did Khachaturian live most of his life?
Khachaturian was born to a poor Armenian family in Tbilisi, Georgia. His first experience of music was hearing his mother’s singing and other folk music in Tbilisi. This Armenian folk tradition later inspired some of his music. In 1921 he moved to Moscow and entered the university to study biology, for a while intending to become a biologist.
How old was Aram Khachaturian when he died?
Khachaturian died in Moscow on 1 May 1978, after a long illness, just short of his 75th birthday. He was buried at the Komitas Pantheon in Yerevan on 6 May, next to other distinguished Armenians. He was survived by his son, Karen, and daughter, Nune, and his nephew, Karen Khachaturian, who was also a composer.
Which is the best ballet music by Khachaturian?
Khachaturian is best known internationally for his ballet music. His second ballet, Gayane, was largely reworked from his first ballet, Happiness. Spartacus became his most acclaimed work in the post-Stalin period. These two compositions “remain his most successful compositions”.
Aram Khachaturian, 20th century Armenian composer, kept the Soviet authorities happy: his music is accessible, melodious, dramatic, folkloristic and glorifies the victory over evil forces.
What was the story of Khachaturian’s ballet Gayaneh?
His ballet Gayaneh, composed in 1942, tapped into this passion for his Armenian heritage; set on a collective farm, its story is concerned with the triumph of love and loyalty to the Motherland over treason – themes that would keep Stalin happy.
When did Khachaturian write the ballet Spartacus?
Khachaturian’s later ballet Spartacus, written in 1956, took the famous story of the Greek slave turned gladiator and his defeat of the Roman general Crassus as its basis. Composed in the dying years of Stalin’s rule, Khachaturian and his audiences were drawn to the story’s theme of resistance against tyranny.