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Home , Aram Khachaturian, Gayane (ballet), Spartacus (ballet), USSR State Prize

SESSION 5 THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF

Today we focus on the life and music of the Soviet Armenian composer, Aram Khachaturian. A prolific composer in all musical genres, Khachaturian has the distinction of having written the two most famous in the Soviet era.

PRELUDES His “” caused a sensation throughout the Soviet world when it premiered in 1954. The work follows the exploits of Spartacus, King of Thrace and the leader of a slave uprising against the Romans. Khachaturian was awarded a Lenin Prize for its composition. It remains very popular in the Bol- shoi Theatre and other leading ballet companies in and the former So- viet bloc. Here is one of the best-known scenes from Spartacus, the Adagio love duet.

PLAY AND DISCUSS WITH OUTLINE Khachaturian’s 1939 ballet, , is even more famous in the West, and musical excerpts are still played by throughout the world. Most famous of all is the “Sword Dance,” performed here by the State Opera and Ballet Theater of .

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KHACHATURIAN PIC Unlike any of the other Soviet composers in this survey, Khachaturian was an ethnic Armenian, born in 1903, a year before Kabalevsky.

USSR MAP Modern Armenia is a very small state bordered on the west by Turkey and on the south by Iran. It had been an independent nation since about 600 B.C. Armenia has a distinctive culture and an ancient language that is quite differ- ent from Russian. It was the first nation in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion. How many of you are familiar with any of Khachaturian’s music?

DOCUMENTARY FILM On our course website I’ve given you a link to an excellent, full-length docum- entary about Khachaturian’s life and music, with narration in English. It con- tains many excellent clips of performances of his music by leading Soviet con- ductors and performers.

AN OUTSIDER/INSIDER As an ethnic Armenian, Khachaturian was a cultural outsider in a nation and party dominated by ethnic Russians. It is a tribute to his musical talent - and to his political savvy - that he became one of the leading composers of the Soviet era. Although he identified strongly with Armenian culture and langu- age, he rejected Armenia’s strong Christian tradition, explaining this distinc- tion in an interview after a meeting with the Pope:

I'm an atheist, but I'm a son of the Armenian people who were the first to officially adopt Christianity, and thus visiting the Vatican was my duty.

But more than anything, Khachaturian was an enthusiastic and dedicated Communist:

The fundamentally changed my whole life and, if I have really grown into a serious artist, then I am indebted only to the people and the Soviet Government. To the people is dedicated my entire conscious life, as is all my creative work.

In the April, 1954 edition of “Soviet Music,” Khachaturian gave this very posi- tive view of the position of composers in the :

The Soviet composer is an honored member of society. He is sur- rounded by the care and solicitude of the people. He has no materi- al worries and he knows that he is highly valued by society.

For many years Khachaturian was President of the Union of Soviet Compo- sers, a powerful position that gave him great influence over the direction of Soviet music. He was a close personal friend of composers such as Prokofiev and Shostakovich, who were often in trouble with Soviet censors.

AWARDS AND HONORS Like other Soviet composers Khachaturian received many honors and awards, both for specific compositions and for his role in the Communist Party. These include:

• Hero of Soviet Labor • , 3 times • People’s Artist of the USSR • USSR State Prize, 5 times His most important honor, and greatest influence, however, was as the long- time President of the Union of Soviet Composers.

MUSIC OF ARAM KHACHATURIAN Now let’s listen to some of Khachaturian’s music. You will notice that it has a distinctive, middle-eastern sound that is a bit different from the sound of mu- sic by ethnic Russians.

CLARINET TRIO, 1932 Khachaturian was still a student at the Conservatory when he wrote his trio for clarinet, violin, and piano. Armenian folk melodies and folk-dance rhythms predominate – a winning combination that satisfies the principles of . The distinctive sound of this trio results from having two high-pitched instruments (violin and clarinet) that share the oriental-like melo- dies. Prokofiev was so impressed with this piece that he arranged to have it performed and published in Paris soon after it was completed.

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VIOLIN , 1940 This energetic, optimistic-sounding piece won the Stalin Price in 1941. It was dedicated to the great Soviet violinist, , who gave the first perfor- mance and advised Khachaturian on the composition of the solo violin part and also wrote his own cadenza for the piece. This concerto quickly became popu- lar throughout the world and remains so today. It's an immensely attractive work, full of his trademark Armenian folk tunes and dance rhythms. This per- formance is by the brilliant young French violinist, Amaury Coeyoux.

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CONCERTO RHAPSODY FOR CELLO AND , 1963 After being denounced in the Zhdanov decree in 1948, Khachaturian turned his attention away from composing to conducting and teaching. The Concerto- Rhapsody for cello and orchestra of 1963 was his last major work. Somewhat like a concerto but in one movement, it uses one vigorous Armenian theme throughout. The elaborate virtuosic cello part was written for, and in part writ- ten by, the celebrated Russian cellist, .

This performance is by Rostropovich and the State Orchestra of the USSR, con- ducted by the composer.

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