Alexander Arutiunian

Alexander Arutiuniuan

Arutiunian in 2008 in Yerevan
Background information
Birth name Alexander Grigori Harutyunyan
Ալեքսանդր Գրիգորի Հարությունյան
Born 23 September 1920
Yerevan, Democratic Republic of Armenia
Died 28 March 2012 (aged 91)
Yerevan, Armenia
Genres Classical music
Occupation(s) Composer, Pianist
Years active 1920s-2012
Website http://www.alexanderarutiunian.com/

Alexander Grigori Arutiunian (Armenian: Ալեքսանդր Գրիգորի Հարությունյան), also known as Arutunian, Arutyunyan, Arutjunjan or Harutiunian (23 September 1920 – 28 March 2012), was a Soviet/Armenian composer and pianist, widely known for his 1950 trumpet concerto.[1] A professor at Yerevan State Conservatory, he was recognized with many awards for his work, including the Stalin Prize in 1949 and People's Artist of the USSR in 1970, as well as numerous honors from his homeland of Armenia.[2]

Biography

Arutiunian was born in Yerevan, Armenia, in the family of Grigor and Eleonora Arutiunian. His father was a military serviceman. At an early age Arutiunian met famous composer Alexander Spendiarian. In 1927 Arutiunian became a member of the Yerevan State Conservatory’s children group, then, at the age of fourteen, he was admitted to the Conservatory to the studios of Olga Babasyan (piano), and Sergei Barkhudaryan and Vardges Talyan (composition). He graduated from the Music Conservatory of Yerevan on the eve of World War II. After the war he moved to Moscow, where between 1946 and 1948 he participated in the workshops of House of Armenian Culture, studied composition with Genrikh Litinsky. After graduation he returned to Yerevan to teach at the local Conservatory and in 1954 he was appointed artistic director of the Armenian State Philharmony. He was also a member of the Board of the USSR Composers' Union, as well as of the Armenian SSR Composers’ Union.

In 1948 he was awarded the Stalin Prize for the Motherland cantata, a graduation piece he wrote as a student at the Moscow Conservatory. The USSR Radio Choir and Orchestra performed this work first time in November 1948.

In 1949, Arutiunian composed the "Festive Overture" that was first performed in the Big Hall of the Leningrad Philharmonic in November 1949, with Evgeny Mravinsky conducting. During the Moscow Music Congress Aram Khachaturian considered him as a promising Soviet composer.[3] He has continued to win acclaim at home and abroad for his works, many of which are quickened by the folk traditions of Armenian music. Other works of that kind include The tale of Armenian people (1960), Ode to Lenin (1967) and Hymn to the brotherhood (1970).

Some of Arutiunian's works for wind instruments, notably the 1950 concerto for trumpet, the concerto for tuba, and the brass quintet Armenian Scenes, have secured their place in the international repertory, having been performed by conductors such as Valeri Gergiev, who has recorded his Symphony for large orchestra (composed in 1957) with the Symphony orchestra of the Russian All-Union Radio.

"Simfonietta" for string orchestra in four movements (1966, dedicated to the Armenian Chamber Orchestra) is another innovative work by Arutiunian. Dmitri Shostakovich described it as "wonderfully clean, and pure", with an "excellent choice of themes".[4]

In 1988, inspired by the Spitak earthquake, Arutiunian composed the Concerto for Violin and String Orchestra (dedicated to Ruben Aharonyan). One of the composer’s most emotionally exposed compositions, here the main principles of his compositional style are undoubtedly preserved, with deep psychological involvement and philosophical insight. The 4-movement cycle is organized according to the scheme: slow first and third movements, and faster second and fourth movements. "...The Concerto overflows with graceful melodic invention, rhythmic vitality, deeply-felt emotional intensity especially in the central third movement, and dionysiac exuberance in the sparkling final perpetuum mobile...", wrote Joseph Horovitz.[4] The premiere took place in Yerevan in 1989.

In September 2010 Arutiunian's 90th birthday was celebrated by a series of concerts.

Trumpet Concerto in A-flat major (1950)

Arutiunian's Trumpet Concerto consists of the following movements:

  1. Andante—Allegro energico
  2. Meno mosso
  3. Tempo I
  4. Meno mosso
  5. Tempo I - (Cadenza) Coda

The melodic and rhythmic characteristics of Armenian folk music are a strong influence in Arutiunian’s work. As a composer, he expresses his nationality by incorporating the flavor of ashughner (folk minstrel) improvisations. At the time the concerto was written, his compositional style was similar to Khachaturian's. However, in the 1960s he tended towards classical forms and clearer tonality.

Arutiunian’s trumpet concerto was his sixth major composition, written in 1950. Arutiunian originally intended to write it in 1943 for a student of Tabakov, Zsolak Vartasarian, who was the principal trumpet in the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra. However, Vartasarian died in the war and the concerto was not completed until 1950, so Aykaz Messlayan was the first performer of the Concerto and Timofei Dokschitzer was the first recording artist of this concerto."[5]

The concerto's introduction to the United States is solely due to Dokschitzer, a leading Soviet Russian trumpeter.

Personal life

Arutiunian's Memorial Plaque in Yerevan

In 1950 Arutiunian married Irina (Tamara) Odenova. They have a daughter, Narine (born 1951), who is a pianist and lawyer; and a son, Suren (born 1953), who is an artist-designer. Arutiunian has 3 granddaughters and a grandson.

He died, aged 91, in his home city of Yerevan.[6]

Alexander Arutiunian is buried at the Komitas Pantheon which is located in the city center of Yerevan. [7]

Awards

Main performers of Arutunian's compositions

Works

Important works include:

Filmography

Music for Films

As Actor

Bibliography

Autobiography

Monographs about Alexander Arutiunian

Dictionary articles

References

  1. ↑ CLASSICAL MUSIC AND DANCE GUIDE, The New York Times, August 4, 2000
  2. ↑ Arutiunian, Alexander, The International Who's Who, Europa Publications, 2004, p. 69
  3. ↑ Moscow Music Congress, Time (magazine), April 15, 1957
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Alexander Arutiunians official site, Review
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ Norman Lebrecht. "Tributes to an Armenian legend". Arts Journal. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  7. ↑ Arutiunian's memorial tombstone at Komitas Pantheon

External links