Aram Khachaturian biography for children. Works for cello

We know about this man as one of the most talented composers, whose works are musical classics twentieth century. His name is known to almost everyone, even those who are not closely involved with music, and his masterpieces are performed in concert halls. And although almost 40 years have passed since his death, his music is still heard today in films, on television and in radio broadcasts. So, the hero of this publication is Aram, who is a shining example how an ordinary boy from the outskirts of Tiflis could become such a famous person.

The childhood years of the great composer

June 6, 1903 in numerous Armenian family a fourth son was born, who was named Aram. This happened in the village of Kojory, now Gardabani district, a suburb of Tiflis (Tbilisi) in Georgia. His parents were Kumash Sarkisovna (mother) and Ilya (Egiya) Khachaturyan (father), who worked as a bookbinder.

From the first years of his life, little Aram Khachaturian extolled music, whose biography is studied with interest by people who listen with trepidation to every note from his scores. In the school choir, he played the tuba, bugle and piano with great pleasure. Often the boy received praise. He later recalled that being born on the outskirts of old Tiflis - a musical, amazing-sounding city - it was simply impossible not to let the magic of music into oneself.

But his parents believed that their children should do something serious, so his hobby was not taken seriously. He was able to make music on the scale he imagined only at the age of 19.

Impressions of young Khachaturian

For the future composer, it was very important that the Italian opera choir, the music school and the Russian musical society. Sergei Rachmaninov and Fyodor Chaliapin came to this city. Very gifted musicians lived here, who at one time managed to make a huge contribution to the formation of composition schools in Georgia and Armenia.

All this enriched the young man's early musical impressions.

Khachaturian, whose biography enjoys well-deserved attention, absorbed this multinational intonation “bouquet”, which very quickly became firmly entrenched in his auditory experience. It was this “bouquet” that made it possible, and after many decades, was never limited by nationality. Music has always been played to a huge audience. I never showed it national narrow-mindedness Aram Khachaturian himself. The biography, leading the way from a small village, now began to shine with more and more new colors. Future great composer was interested in music different nations, treating her with great respect. It was internationalism that was the main distinctive feature in the worldview and creativity of Aram Khachaturian.

Native walls of "Gnesinka"

Now it’s hard to believe that the brilliant composer, who created so many rhapsodies, concertos, symphonies and other works, learned only at the age of 19. At this time in his life, he and several of his fellow countrymen came to Moscow and entered the Gnessin Music College for cello class. At the same time, he received a biologist education (at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics) at Moscow University.

In record time, Aram Ilyich Khachaturian, whose biography began to be replenished with new facts, was able to make up for everything that he had missed in his musical development. He not only began his training, but also became one of best students. In addition, he was awarded the right to perform at some student concerts in the Big and Small Halls of the Moscow Conservatory.

How to become a composer?

Aram Khachaturian, whose biography at that time resembled an unfinished story, realized that he would become a composer back in 1925, when a composition class appeared at his favorite school. It was there that he received his very first writing skills. Four years later, in 1929, he became a student at the Moscow State Conservatory, where, under the strict guidance of Nikolai Myaskovsky, his formation as a composer took place.

In 1933, Sergei Prokofiev visited Myaskovsky's class. From this meeting, young Khachaturian had unforgettable experience. He was more and more captivated by the works of this most talented composer. But the opposite interest was also present: Prokofiev liked Aram’s works so much that he took them with him to Paris. It was there, in this city, which millions of people are so eager to see, that they were fulfilled.

Khachaturian's first "Dance"

“Dance” for violin and piano was the first work of Aram Ilyich to be published. It clearly shows some features and character traits creativity of a talented composer: you can hear imitations of some timbre effects that have become widespread in instrumental music East; the work contains multiple techniques of variation and improvisation; rhythmic ostinatos and the well-known “Khachaturian seconds” can be heard. The composer said that his seconds came from repeated listening in childhood folk instruments- tambourine, kemancha and sazandar-tara.

So little by little, slowly, Khachaturian, whose biography is an example of how smart and talented person He created himself, stepped from the processing of folk song material to its development. It was 1932, when the Piano Suite was born. It was its first part called “Tokatta” that became known to the whole world. Many pianists still include it in their repertoire. It still has the power to influence the public and a certain charm.

In 1933 they began performing the “Dance Suite” for symphony orchestra. Thanks to this work, which radiates sincere joy of life, light and strength, young Khachaturian was included in the team of the best Soviet composers. Two years later, the chords of the First Symphony, which was a graduation work on the occasion of graduating from the conservatory, were heard in the hall of the Moscow Conservatory. This was the completion of the previous and the beginning of the next stage in the composer’s life. The biography of Aram Khachaturian is a kind of history of music, because each of his scores is a separate period of time, telling about the impressions, experiences and hopes of the author himself.

Composer-teacher

A huge part of Aram Ilyich’s work is occupied by his compositions for dramatic performances. The most famous are the music for Lermontov’s “Masquerade” and Lopedeweg’s “The Valencian Widow.” Despite the fact that the works were intended for performances, they received an absolutely independent life.

Khachaturian, whose brief biography can only very schematically describe life path a talented composer, showed great interest in cinema. He showed how important music is in revealing the essence and intention of the director. And yet his genius received enormous recognition precisely in symphonic works. The audience received his concerts for violin and orchestra and piano with orchestra with a bang. The ideas that arose in the First Symphony and the “Dance Suite” have found new life. In addition, Khachaturian developed a concert quality, which later became a feature of his style. In 1942, he completed the score for the ballet “Gayane”, where classical ballet and choreographic art were synthesized. Before the end of the war, the Second and Third Symphonies appeared. 9 years after the end of the war, the composer wrote the heroic-tragic ballet “Spartacus”.

What is it, the biography of Aram Khachaturian? It can be briefly described in three words: work, work and again work. In the sixties, Khachaturian wrote three concert-rhapsodies, which were awarded the State Prize in 1971.

Khachaturian gave a lot of effort pedagogical work. For many years in a row he was the head of the composition class at the Moscow Conservatory named after P. I. Tchaikovsky and music Creative activity the composer's life lasted almost until his last day. His life ended in Moscow on May 1, 1978.

Funny incidents from the life of a composer

The biography of Aram Khachaturian includes various Interesting Facts. One of them is about his dog. The composer treated animals with special reverence. One day in Germany they brought him a gift - a royal poodle. Aram Ilyich named it Lyado (according to the names of two notes). He walked with him, fed him, played with him. Khachaturian became so attached to his pet that he once dedicated a play to him called “Lyado is seriously ill.”

Another fact is practically historical significance. In 1944, a competition for the Armenian anthem was announced. Khachaturian, who came to Yerevan, had his own version of music. One evening he sat down at the piano, surrounded by members of his family, and touched the keys. It was a hot summer, people's balconies were wide open. People gathered under the windows of the great composer and, inspired by the melody they heard, they simultaneously sang Khachaturian’s anthem.

Family relationships

This is how Khachaturian knew how to create. short biography this most talented composer of our time suggests that he, like no one else, understood not only music, but also its value to the public. His personal life was not boring either. In her first marriage, a daughter, Nune, was born, who became a pianist. A little later, after the dissolution of the first union, the composer married a second time. His chosen one was a student from his teacher Myaskovsky’s class, Nina Makarova. It was this woman who became Khachaturian’s great love, comrade-in-arms and faithful life partner. Aram and Nina gave birth to their son Karen (a famous art critic).

This is how Aram Khachaturian lived his life, whose short biography has long been supplemented with one more important fact: The string quartet was also named after the great composer, and the annual competition at which composers and pianists are presented is also named after him.

Composer Aram Ilyich Khachaturian is recognized throughout the world as one of the brilliant musicians of the 20th century. Armenian by nationality, born in, during his life he created many musical works, including suites, rhapsodies, symphonies, wrote music for films and theatrical productions, and is also the author of the music for the State Anthem of the Armenian SSR.

People's Artist of the USSR, awarded many awards, prizes and medals. In 2006, a monument to the great composer was unveiled in Moscow (in Bryusov Lane in the Presnensky district).

Biography of Aram Khachaturian

In the summer of 1903, on the outskirts of Kojory in pre-revolutionary Tbilisi, which was then called Tiflis - the cultural capital of everything pre-revolutionary, a fourth son was born into the family of an ordinary bookbinder, who was given the name Aram. The family of the future musician was quite large; five children were raised in it.

Father, Ilya (Egiya) Khachaturian was 10 years older than his wife Kumash, they were engaged when she was only 9 years old. Moreover, both were from the same county. Egia, being an ordinary peasant, managed to leave for Tiflis, entered a bookbinding workshop and quickly achieved success. By the time Aram was born, his father was already the full owner of this workshop.

As for Kumash Sarkisovna, she was a very creative person and, perhaps, it was her influence on her youngest son that became decisive for him. According to the composer’s own recollections, his mother often sang Armenian songs, and he then tapped these tunes on copper kitchen utensils. In addition to their sons, the Khachaturians also had a daughter (the eldest among the children), but she did not even live to be two years old and died of illness.

Aram was a very active child and even somewhat cocky. Family funds made it possible to give youngest son decent education. He was sent to a private boarding school, where singing lessons were taught well. This in Khachaturian’s biography became the next step towards the world of music. He begged his father to buy him a piano and, not knowing the notes, began to gradually select the music on his own. In addition, he played the tuba and trumpet.

Older brother Suren graduated from Moscow University and served in the Moscow Art Theater. In 1921, he invited his two younger brothers to Moscow. Aram, having made a long journey of 24 days from Moscow, came and lived with Suren, attended concerts, listened to Mayakovsky's speeches... There he entered preparatory courses, and later became a student in the biological department of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics.

After studying there for only a year, he finally realized that he was in love with music and decided to devote his life to it, entering the Gnessin School, which he graduated brilliantly in 1929. In parallel with his studies, he was an employee of the House of Culture of Armenia in Moscow. The photo shows Aram Khachaturian in his student years.

Also in 1929, he began studying at the Moscow Conservatory. At that time, he could already consider himself a composer, since he composed music. From the mid-30s, his activities began to flourish. During the Great Patriotic War, he collaborated with the All-Union Radio, the marches and songs of Aram Khachaturian were widely known throughout the country.

The composer married his fellow student Nina Vladimirovna Makarova in 1933, in happy marriage they had a son, Karen. Aram was the real head of his small family, his energy was enough for everything: both for current concerns and for solving major family issues, but he could not imagine independent existence without his wife, they were inseparable.

However, the composer was dealt a powerful blow by the state when, in 1948, the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks issued a resolution on opera “ Great friendship"V. Muradeli, in which, on the one hand, he was put on a par with Shostakovich and Prokofiev. On the other hand, Khachaturian’s works were called a formalistic manifestation in art.

Therefore, although he still composed music, for the most part became famous as a conductor. Since 1950 he worked as a teacher in his beloved Gnesinka. Fame returned to the composer in the late 50s, when he was elected secretary of the Union of Composers of the USSR.

In the 60-70s, Khachaturian regained his former glory. Unfortunately, in the last years of his life, Aram Ilyich was already a sick man. His health was undermined by the death of his beloved wife Nina. He survived his wife by only two years and died in 1978. The composer's body was buried in Yerevan.

The work of the great composer

Aram Ilyich was an extremely talented musician. He created his first work while a student at Gnesinka. When composing music, the composer followed the concept of the Russian school; strong impact were the works of Prokofiev and Shostakovich. He wrote instrumental symphonies and concerts. The famous waltzes of Aram Khachaturian (etude and caprice) appeared back in 1926. He has three immortal ballets to his credit:

• "Gayane";
• "Spartacus";
• "Happiness".

Of all Aram's ballets, the most famous are Spartacus and Gayane. Thus, “Spartacus,” created in 1956, went through three editions and became the work that is present in the repertoire of every ballet troupe. It was staged not only in the USSR, but also abroad.

Another creation of the master - “Gayane” was written in 1942, and 15 years later followed new edition. This score was created in the most difficult conditions for the country, when there was a war and people did not have enough food. The composer wrote it while living in Perm, where he was evacuated. In primitive conditions, working in a cold room, he created a ballet about the life of Soviet collective farmers. And the essay brought him worldwide fame. It is no coincidence that Aram Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance” (one of the ballet episodes) became so famous that, in fact, it even turned out to be a household name.

In addition to major works, works for piano, instrumental sonatas and concertos, he created other music. In particular, he wrote musical accompaniment to various theatrical productions. Thus, he became the author of music for the play “Lermontov” and a suite for the play “Masquerade”. Both productions were dedicated to the works of Mikhail Yuryevich.

But the music was so individual that after the death of Aram Ilyich, in 1982, one of his students (Edgar Oganesyan) slightly reworked both works of his teacher and, based on them, composed the score for a completely new ballet called “Masquerade”. It also included other compositions by the great musician. Thus, although Aram Khachaturian himself never wrote the ballet “Masquerade,” he is still sometimes called its creator.

Among creative heritage the composer - music for many other productions, most of which occurred in the forties, as well as the result of work in cinematography. He became the author of music for several dozen films, including the epic “Battle of Stalingrad”.

Millions of people still listen in fascination to the sounds of his works. He was very diverse in his creations. For example, his “Sabre Dance” captivates with its oriental expression and is memorable for anyone. But “Evening Tale” sounds differently - thoughtful and somewhat absent-minded, but that makes it no less good.

Memory of the Patriarch of Music

It is impossible to list all the merits of the master. This is a composer too significant for the world for his name to be forgotten and pushed aside by dozens of other, less talented writers. Therefore, in 2013 there was music Festival named after Khachaturyan. It was organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Armenian State Youth Orchestra.

This festival became a real event, in which musical groups were drawn not only from Armenia itself, but also from many other countries. The works of Aram Khachaturian could be heard and re-experienced in Russia, Georgia, and Italy. The festival was memorable for the fact that many famous groups came to his homeland, including Vladimir Spivakov’s orchestra. This project once again reminded music lovers of the work of the great composer.

In addition, the International Competition named after A. Khachaturian is held annually in Yerevan. It was first held in 2003 and was timed to coincide with the 100th birthday. Today, within the framework of this competition, young talents who have made their musical choice playing the violin, piano and cello. Musicians from Russia, Canada, Spain, Germany, the USA and many other countries come to the events.

The Armenian State Youth Orchestra became the official musical group of this project. The competition is part of the World Federation international competitions music. It is unlikely that without the name of Aram Khachaturian he acquired such weight. This means that the very memory of the composer and his work are priceless.

Learning objectives:

1. Developing interest in learning classical music.
2. Students’ ability to characterize the significance of A.I. Khachaturian’s work in musical culture XX century.
3. Acquaintance with the main events of the composer’s creative biography.
4. Acquaintance with the symphonic and ballet works of A.I. Khachaturian and with mass musical genres– music for theater and cinema

Educational goals:

1. Development of interest in the musical culture of the 20th century.
2. Formation of students’ desire for diversified personal development, education of hard work, patriotism, deep love to the treasury of folk musical art using the example creative personality A.I. Khachaturian.

Visual aids and TSO:

-player. -player.
1. TV.

Musical material:

1. Jivan Gasparyan. Armenian duduk. Melody No. 1 ( Appendix No. 6).
2. “Waltz” from the music to Lermontov’s drama “Masquerade” ( Appendix No. 7).
3. Concerto for violin and orchestra, I Part ( Appendix No. 8).
4. “Sabre Dance” from the ballet “Gayane” ( Appendix No. 9).
5. Adagio of Phrygia and Spartacus from the ballet “Spartacus” ( Appendix No. 10).
6. Jivan Gasparyan. Armenian duduk. Melody No. 2 ( Appendix No. 11).

Handout:

1. Chronological table “Life and work of A.I. Khachaturian” ( Appendix No. 1).
2. Note cards ( Appendix No. 2).
3. Table of the main works of A.I. Khachaturian ( Appendix No. 3).
4. Oral express survey on the topic: “Creativity of A.I. Khachaturian” ( Appendix No. 4).
5. Chronicle of the life of A.I. Khachaturian ( Appendix No. 5).

Today we will get acquainted with the life and work of composer Aram Ilyich Khachaturian. According to UNESCO, Khachaturian is one of the most famous composers 20th century. His “Sabre Dance” is perhaps the most popular work of our time.

The phenomenal popularity of Khachaturian’s music, its accessibility both to specialists in the art of music and to the widest circles of music lovers. It is explained by the enormous power of talent, brilliance of skill and creative generosity of the composer. His music is distinguished by genuine folk music, realism, depth of content and perfection of artistic form.

Aram Ilyich Khachaturian was born on June 6, 1903 in Kodzhori, a suburb of Tiflis, into an Armenian bookbinder family. His father, Ilya Voskanovich, came from peasants who lived in the village of Upper Aza, Nakhichevan district, and his mother, Kumash Sergeevna, was from Lower Aza.

The Khachaturyan family lived on Aragvinskaya Street in a house built on the slope of a mountain. Here they rented three small rooms where their parents and four sons lived. There was also a tiny kitchenette and a closet through which one could go up to the attic and retire for musical studies.

Aram grew up, like all his fellow boys in the yard, on the street. Here they ran around in tireless “herds” in cheerful hide and seek, ran races, played “chilka zhokhi” - a game reminiscent of our “siskin”.

The future composer studied first at a boarding school and then at a commercial school. Showing interest in painting, poetry, literature, and theater, he still gave preference to music: he sang in a choir and played the trumpet in a brass band. The father, noticing his son's hobbies, bought an old straight-string piano. With the greatest enthusiasm, Aram selected the melodies he liked on it, improvised, and listened to the peculiar harmonic harmonies. Soon among his comrades, friends and relatives he became known as a pianist. However, I have not yet thought about a professional career as a musician.

The multinational culture of Tbilisi had a huge influence on Khachaturian. (The Armenian duduk sounds. Melody No. 1, Appendix No. 6). This most picturesque and very unique city was distinguished by a very diverse population. Representatives of about 80 nationalities lived here, along with indigenous Georgians. This multinational, multilingual atmosphere left its mark on the life, customs and culture of Tbilisi, including music. Later, Aram Khachaturian recalled: “It was enough to walk along the streets and alleys lying away from the center to plunge into the musical atmosphere created by the most various sources: from the open window you can hear the characteristic sound of a Georgian choral song, nearby someone is plucking the strings of an Azerbaijani tar, and if you walk further, you will come across a street organ grinder playing a waltz that was fashionable at that time. The southern city lives a vibrant street life, greeting every morning with musical cries of fruit, fish, matsoni merchants and ending its day with a complex polyphony of Armenian, Georgian, Russian melodies rushing from all sides, snatches of Italian opera arias, cumbersome military marches coming from the city garden, where a brass band plays... It is not uncommon to meet with the guardians of ancient folk culture - singer-storytellers, ashugs, accompanying themselves on folk instruments - saz, kemanche..."

The musical culture of Tiflis was quite high. There was a branch of the Russian Musical Society here, there was a music school, which at one time was headed by M.M. Ippolitov-Ivanov. The Italian opera troupe. F.I. came here for concerts. Shalyapin, L.V. Sobinov, S.V. Rachmaninov, K.N. Igumnov. Finally, talented musicians lived here who played a prominent role in the formation of the Georgian and Armenian schools of composition: M.A. Balanchivadze, Z.P. Paliashvili, and others.

Music was constantly playing in the Khachaturian family. The composer's mother Kumash Sergeevna knew many Armenian and Azerbaijani folk songs and performed them excellently. Some of these melodies later “sprouted” in the work of Aram Ilyich.

According to the composer’s recollections, his father also knew a lot of Armenian folk songs and sang them, accompanying himself on the tar. Aram's brothers were also artistically gifted people. Levon had beautiful voices and became a fairly famous singer. Suren, having graduated from the Stanislavsky Studio at the Moscow Art Theater in Moscow, worked as an actor and director. Vaginak often performed in amateur performances. Aram Khachaturian was sixteen years old when he first went to the opera house. Opera classic of Georgian music Z.P. Paliashvili’s “Abesalom and Eteri” made a strong and vivid impression on him.

In the fall of 1921, Suren Khachaturov (in Moscow he was known by this last name) traveled to Armenia and Georgia to enroll students in the Armenian Studio in Moscow.

Suren took upon himself to take care of his younger brother. He understood well that the most favorable conditions could be created for the development of a young man’s talent in Moscow.

Moscow struck A. Khachaturian with its intense pace of life and the wide scope of cultural activities. At his brother’s house, he meets many prominent theater figures, actors, artists, musicians. The performance of pianist Nikolai Orlov leaves an unforgettable impression.

Made an even stronger impression symphony concert in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Rachmaninov's Second Concerto were performed. The soloist was Konstantin Nikolaevich Igumnov.

19-year-old A. Khachaturian becomes a student of the Gnesin Music College in the class of cello and piano, and in 1925 he enters the newly open class compositions for M. F. Gnesin. An aspiring composer is exposed to a variety of musical works. He studies musical theoretical disciplines, masters composition techniques, and writes his first compositions. At the same time, Khachaturyan is studying at the biological department of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Moscow University and is receiving a biologist education.

From 1929 to 1934, Aram Khachaturian studied at the conservatory and graduated with a gold medal. His name is included on the marble plaque of Honor. His diploma work is the First Symphony, dedicated to Armenia, its ancient culture, history and people.

The first performance of the Symphony took place in the large hall of the Moscow Conservatory on April 23, 1934, conducted by the German conductor Eugen Senkar, who worked in the Soviet Union in those years. In subsequent years (1934-1936), Aram continued to improve his composition skills with Myaskovsky in graduate school at the Moscow Conservatory.

Among early works Khachaturian should be noted “Allegretto” for violin and piano, “ Children's album” for piano, Suite for viola and piano. Gradually, Khachaturian moves from small forms to more developed ones, from processing folk song and dance material to its development, using various means of intonation and thematic development. In this regard, we should mention a string quartet with double fugue, a sonata for violin and piano, and a suite for piano. The first part of “Toccata” gained wide popularity and entered the repertoire of many pianists. The rhythmic sharpness and motority characteristic of this genre merge here with the peculiar rhythms of the dances of the peoples of Transcaucasia and the general dynamics of the sound of oriental percussion instruments. Showing great ingenuity, the composer varies and develops musical material, creates a continuous increase in sound. The unbridled element of rhythm, energy, will, pressure is contrasted in combination with a soulful - lyrical episode. One cannot help but be amazed at the skill with which the young composer achieves, using pianistic technique, an effect that imitates the sound of oriental folk instruments - the canon and doira.

After graduating from the conservatory, the composer works hard and hard on his new compositions. He addresses various genres. Among those created during the 30s, the most successful were the ballet “Happiness”, piano and especially violin concertos. Khachaturian’s music for dramatic performances (“The Valencian Widow”, “Masquerade”) and films (“Pepo”, “Zangezur”) has gained well-deserved popularity. Khachaturian is also actively involved in the social and musical life of the country and performs responsible work in the Union of Composers.

The piano concert was completed by the composer in 1936. Its first performer was the outstanding Soviet pianist Lev Oborin, to whom it is dedicated. The concert was a great success. It revealed the composer's penchant for a virtuoso-brilliant style. The colors of the harmony became even brighter, the rhythms sharper and more prominent, the melody more expressive.

In 1940, Khachaturian created one of his most significant works - a violin concerto. Here the composer’s creative personality was revealed in all its fullness. The concert is dedicated to its first performer, the famous Soviet violinist David Oistrakh. How outstanding work he was awarded the USSR State Prize. (Sounds I part of the concerto for violin and piano, Appendix No. 7).

Khachaturian spent the spring and summer of 1939 in Armenia, where he worked intensively on the ballet “Happiness”.

Two years later, Khachaturian wrote music for the play “Masquerade” (based on Lermontov’s drama) at the Yevgeny Vakhtangov Theater. Somewhat later, individual musical numbers were published in the form of a symphonic suite. Listeners especially liked “Waltz”. The excited, anxiety-filled music of “Waltz” is associated with the tragic fate of the heroine of “Masquerade”. (The “Waltz” sounds from the music to Lermontov’s drama “Masquerade”, Appendix No. 8).

During the Great Patriotic War, Khachaturian creates choral work“Glory to our Fatherland”, song “About Captain Gastello”, march for brass band“To the Heroes of the Patriotic War”, “Song of Wrath”.

Among the major genres, the ballet “Gayane” appears with a libretto by K. Derzhavin. In this ballet, the composer skillfully synthesizes traditions classical ballet and folk-national musical and choreographic art.

A particularly striking page of the ballet was the fiery and temperamental “Sabre Dance”. It is distinguished by its rapid tempo, sharp rhythmic pattern, and bright orchestration. (Sounds like “Sabre Dance”, Appendix No. 9).

The premiere of “Gayane” took place in 1942 in the city of Perm, performed by the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater. In 1943, Khachaturian was awarded the USSR State Prize for the ballet “Gayane”, which he contributed to the Armed Forces Fund Soviet Union.

In 1943, the second symphony was written, called “Symphonies with a Bell”. It conveys the experiences of people during the war years. Their suffering, grief for the dead, memories of happiness and joy, a premonition of the coming victory.

In 1944, Khachaturian created the anthem of Armenia.

In the summer of 1946, the composer created a Cello Concerto, which was performed with great success in Moscow by S. Knushevitsky. At the same time, a vocal cycle based on poems by Armenian poets was created. In 1954, the most significant work of A. Khachaturian was born - the heroic-epic ballet “Spartacus”. The composer was attracted by the image of a man who led a slave uprising unprecedented in the history of the ancient world. The ballet was staged on the stage of the Leningrad Theater. CM. Kirov and at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. From individual numbers of the ballet, the composer created four suites, which included the most significant fragments. In 1959, for the ballet “Spartacus” Khachaturian was awarded Lenin Prize. (Adagio from Phrygia and Spartacus from the ballet “Spartacus” sounds, Appendix No. 10).

The 60s in Khachaturian’s work were marked by another concert “surge” - three rhapsodic concertos appeared one after another: Rhapsody Concert for Violin and Orchestra (1961), Rhapsody Concert for Cello and Orchestra (1963) and Rhapsody Concert for piano and orchestra (1968). The composer has repeatedly shared his thoughts about his desire to write a fourth Rhapsodic Concert, where all three instruments would perform in concert, uniting at the end of the work... In 1971, the triad of Rhapsodic Concerts was awarded the State Prize.

Khachaturian devoted a lot of effort to pedagogical work. Long years he led the composition class at the Moscow Conservatory named after P.I. Tchaikovsky and the Gnessin Music Institute. Developing pedagogical principles his teacher Myaskovsky, relying on his own life and creative experience, Khachaturian created his own composer school.

Aram Ilyich loved his students, even despite the differences in their abilities. Khachaturian had an extraordinary pedagogical sense, which allowed him to correctly develop the individuality and originality of each student. It is no coincidence that among Khachaturian’s students there was not a single one who would change his profession and would not become a composer. Among Khachaturian’s students are famous composers of different styles and directions.

His students were:

Andrey Eshpai is a Soviet composer and pianist. In the period from 1953 to 1956. was a graduate student of A. Khachaturian. People's Artist of the USSR, member of the International Music Council at UNESCO. Author of the series famous works: symphonies, concerts, ballets, as well as music for drama theater and cinema performances.

Mikael Tariverdiev is a Soviet composer. He graduated from the Gnessin Musical-Pedagogical Institute in composition class with Khachaturian in 1957. The main area of ​​creative activity is chamber music, music for plays and films. His songs and romances received wide recognition.

Alexey Rybnikov is a Russian composer. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory under A. Khachaturian in 1967. Author of a number of operas, musicals, and concerts. The name of A. Rybnikov is inextricably linked with Soviet cinema. His music has contributed to the popularity of many feature films.

Aram Ilyich Khachaturian was an excellent conductor.

Already in the first reviews of Khachaturian's conducting performances, the expressive plasticity of Aram Ilyich's hands, the ability to sculpt the shape of the whole, and the remarkable inner sense of rhythm were emphasized.

Working with the orchestra revealed Aram Khachaturian’s innate artistry, talent, bright performing talent, great creative will, amazing efficiency and strong professionalism. “It was comfortable to play with his baton. He knew how to ignite orchestral artists and soloists; he always knew exactly what he wanted. His conductor’s will continually impressed the listeners,” recalls the famous violinist Victor Pikaizen about Khachaturian’s conducting skills.

With the symphony orchestra, Khachaturian visited many capitals of the world. He was applauded by Prague, Warsaw, Berlin, Sofia, Budapest, Bucharest, Vienna, Paris, Rome, Brussels, London, Salzburg, New York, Chicago, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Havana, Mexico City, etc. This is not a complete list cities where Khachaturian performed. His concerts were a constant success, helping to strengthen international cultural ties.

Laureate of the State and Lenin Prizes, Hero of Socialist Labor, People's Artist of the USSR Aram Ilyich Khachaturyan lived a happy life. He traveled all over the world, met with Romain Rolland, Hemingway, Chaplin, Sibelius, Stravinsky, Karajan... Khachaturian was joyfully received by the greats of this world - Queen Elizabeth of Belgium, Pope John XXIII, Catholicos Vazgen. His works were played by stars of the performing arts - violinists Jascha Heifetz, George Enescu, David Oistrakh, pianists - Arthur Rubinstein, Emil Gilels, cellist Mstislav Rostropovich... He was covered in fame, loved by listeners, respected by the authorities.

The worldwide recognition of Aram Khachaturian’s work is evidenced by countless awards. In 1963, Khachaturian was elected a full member of the Academy of Sciences of the ASSR, an honorary academician of the Italian Music Academy “Santa Cecilia” (1960), an honorary professor at the Mexican Conservatory (1960), and a corresponding member of the Academy of Arts of the GDR (1960). Aram Khachaturian held the titles of professor and doctor of art history (1965).

The Great Concert Hall in the Philharmonic, a string quartet and an annual competition of pianists and composers are named after Khachaturian in Yerevan.

On his 75th birthday, A.I. Khachaturian walked enriched by enormous life experience, reaching the pinnacle of mastery, full of new significant ideas.

But on May 1, 1978, a month before the planned anniversary, Aram Ilyich’s hot, cheerful, trembling heart stopped beating.

Khachaturian's ashes were transported from Moscow by plane to Yerevan and buried in the famous cemetery. (The Armenian duduk sounds. Melody No. 2, Appendix No. 11).

Shady park, large granite slab on which is carved: A. Khachaturian (1903-1978). There are trees and flowers all around, and nearby are the graves of great figures. Armenian culture: Avetik Isahakyan, Martiros Saryan, Komitas...

Khachaturian's music has always affirmed, and will continue to affirm, high humanistic ideals, faith in progress, in a bright future, in beauty. His work is a source of high aesthetic pleasure.

For centuries there have been legends about the musicality of the peoples of the Caucasus. This is probably why a boy from an Armenian family living on the outskirts of old Tiflis had no other way but to become one of the most outstanding composers and teachers of the 20th century.

short biography

On May 24, 1903, a fourth son was born into the family of bookbinder Ilya Vaskanovich Khachaturian. According to the mother’s recollections, the baby was born wearing a “shirt.” He was named Aram, which means “merciful” in Armenian. As a child, he was restless and playful. From the age of eight, the boy is sent to study at the nearby S.V. boarding school. Arbutinskaya-Dolgorukaya. A child from a simple family ended up among the children of aristocrats and bourgeois only because Ilya Vaskanovich worked a lot with the library of the hostess of the boarding house. It was there that Aram learned to play the piano and sing. As a teenager, at the insistence of his father, he studied at the Tbilisi Commercial School, and in 1921 he came to Moscow to continue his education at the university, where he entered the biology department.

In the capital, he lives with his brother, the famous Moscow Art Theater director Suren Khachaturyan, attends theaters and concerts, and communicates with the creative elite. E.F. Gnesina was the first to see him musical abilities. And now Aram, after a year at the university, successfully passes entrance exams at the Music College named after. Gnesins, to the cello class. He studied at both institutions for several years, but three years later he left biology for music. At the same time, he was transferred from the cello class to the composition class, where, under the guidance of M. Gnessin, he composed his first works.

At the end of the 20s, Aram marries and his daughter Nune is born. Since 1929 he has been a student at the Moscow Conservatory. He completed his postgraduate studies with N.Ya. Myaskovsky, about whom he retained warm memories for the rest of his life. In Myaskovsky's class, he met Nina Makarova and decided to end his first marriage. In 1933, the young composers got married, and seven years later they had a son.

Khachaturian's works were performed in the largest Soviet and foreign concert halls, he was absorbed social activity And a large number of work, and the first award in 1939 was the Order of Lenin. From the same year, Khachaturian became deputy chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Union of Composers of the USSR. During the war he was part of creative group was evacuated to Perm, where he worked a lot, acutely aware of the separation from his family. After the Victory, the joy of reuniting with loved ones and friends, the inspired creative upsurge was destroyed overnight on February 10, 1948. Khachaturian was mentioned in the notorious resolution “On the opera “The Great Friendship” by V. Muradeli.” In one fell swoop, the work of many Soviet composers was erased; Aram Ilyich was no longer published and, at one time, almost no longer performed. This unfair criticism also hit him hard because it split the composer’s camp into two parts – the “formalists” and the “correct” authors. Among the first were Khachaturian, Muradeli, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Myaskovsky. Among the second to receive positions and fame are Khrennikov, Asafiev, Zakharov. Aram Ilyich perceived these events as a betrayal of those with whom he had worked for many years. His first desire was to finish writing music, but this turned out to be beyond his control. He began teaching at the conservatory and stood at the conductor's stand.

Despite the fact that the “composer’s” decree was canceled only in 1958, the official authorities could not help but recognize Khachaturian’s merits all these years. This is evidenced by Stalin Prize in 1950, and the title People's Artist USSR in 1954. Last years Throughout his life, Aram Ilyich struggled with cancer and underwent several operations. In 1976, he was widowed and was grieving the loss of his wife, to whom he was incredibly attached. He drew up the plan for his funeral himself, choosing the place of his final resting place historical homeland, Armenia. On May 1, 1978, he died in a Moscow hospital.

Interesting Facts

• The composer's parents, Ilya (Egiya) Vaskanovich and Kumash Sarkisovna, were from neighboring villages in Armenia. At the age of 13, Ilya went to work in Tiflis. They were engaged to a bride who was 10 years younger than him in absentia, and they got married when she was barely 16.
• Aram was the youngest, fifth child in the family. The Khachaturyans' first daughter died at a young age; the composer had three brothers, the age difference with the eldest of whom, Suren, was 14 years.
• The famous “Sabre Dance” appeared at the request of the ballet directors “ Gayane " Khachaturian recalled that he wrote it in just 11 hours. Ironically, it was thanks to this melody that the composer's name became known to the general public outside the Soviet Union. In the West they even called him “Mr. Saber Dance.”

• Khachaturian collected materials for his first ballet “Happiness” for several months in Armenia, getting acquainted with folk art, motifs and traditional musical instruments.
• Igor Moiseev staged " Spartak "at the Bolshoi Theater a year and a half after the Leningrad premiere. In 1968, another version of the ballet was born - choreographed by Yu. Grigorovich.
• Yakobson's Leningrad "Spartacus" and Grigorovich's Moscow are completely different productions - both in choreography and in spirit. Jacobson's performance, scenes from Roman life, was innovative in both form and content. For example, the part of the antagonist of the main character, Crassus, was created for an older dancer and was performed pantomimically. Leonid Yakobson created memorable gladiatorial fights and epic crowd scenes. Yuri Grigorovich's theme is a choreographic duel between Spartacus and Crassus, and in fact, two worlds: the world of gladiators and slaves, the world of the Roman nobility and warriors. Grigorovich created a heroic male ballet, female images in it are secondary, while in Jacobson's version Phrygia and Aegina play significant role in the development of the plot.
• A remade version of Jacobson's Spartacus was also shown at the Bolshoi Theater for some time.
• The Kirov-Mariinsky Theater has always staged only one “Spartacus” - by L. Yakobson. The performance was revived in 1976, 1985 and 2010. The performance is also included in the current repertoire.
• In 2008, the St. Petersburg Mikhailovsky Theater presented its version of “Spartacus” with a libretto and choreography by Georgy Kovtun. The production was distinguished by its pomp and scale: several hundred extras, a four-story set, the presence of live horses and even a tiger.

• The libretto of “Gayane” was redone for almost every production. The Kirov Theater presented the ballet on its historical stage in 1945. New characters appeared in it, were edited storylines, prologue removed, set design changed. In 1952 the ballet was revised for a new production. Grand Theatre turned to the work in 1957. And again the script was significantly redone.
• Started with "Gayane" creative path one of the most outstanding choreographers of our time, Boris Eifman. In 1972, he chose this ballet for his graduation work. In agreement with Khachaturian, the plot was changed again. The performance was performed on the stage of the Maly Opera and Ballet Theater in Leningrad and ran for more than 170 performances.
• Today “Gayane” is a rare guest on the Russian stage. You can get acquainted with the work in its entirety only during the infrequent tours of the Armenian academic theater Opera and Ballet named after. A. Spendiaryan, business card which this ballet is.
• Even while sick, after two serious operations, Aram Ilyich personally traveled around the country to participate in productions of his ballets.
• Aram Khachaturian created his own school of composition, his most famous students were A. Eshpai, M. Tariverdiev, V. Dashkevich, A. Rybnikov, M. Minkov.

CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH

Aram Khachaturian is a talented composer whose works are included in the musical classics of the 20th century. His name is widely known, his works are performed in all corners of the world, at the best theater stages, concert stages and in the most remote places by luminaries musical performance. Khachaturian's music is heard today on radio, television, and in cinema. UNESCO places the name of Khachaturian among the most famous composers of the twentieth century, and in the list of the most popular works of our time places his “Sabre Dance” from the famous ballet “Gayane” in one of the first places.
Aram Khachaturian was born on June 6, 1903 in Kojori, a suburb of Tiflis (now Tbilisi), into an Armenian bookbinder family. “Old Tiflis is a sounding city,” he later wrote, “a musical city. It was enough to walk along the streets and alleys located away from the center to plunge into the musical atmosphere created by a wide variety of sources ... "
It is also important that in Tbilisi there was then a branch of the RMS - Russian Musical Society, as well as School of Music and Italian Opera theatre. The most prominent cultural figures Fyodor Chaliapin, Sergei Rachmaninov, Konstantin Igumnov came here. Finally, talented musicians lived here, who played a prominent role in the formation of the Georgian and Armenian schools of composition.
All this formed the basis of Aram Khachaturian’s early musical impressions. A peculiar multinational intonation “fusion” was firmly part of his auditory experience. It was this “fusion” that, years later, served as a guarantee that Khachaturian’s music was never limited by nationality and always appealed to the widest audience. It should be especially noted that Khachaturian himself was always alien to any manifestation of national narrow-mindedness.
He treated the music of different nations with deep respect and keen interest. Internationalism is one of the characteristic features, features of Khachaturian’s worldview and creativity.
Despite his early musical abilities, Aram Khachaturian first became acquainted with musical notation only at the age of 19, when in 1922, having arrived in Moscow, he entered the Gnessin Music College in the cello class. At the same time, the composer received a biologist education at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Moscow University. Musical development Khachaturian happened unusually quickly. Behind

short term

he not only made up for lost time, but also became one of the best students, receiving the right to perform at student concerts in the Small and Large Halls of the Moscow Conservatory.
An indelible impression was made on Aram Khachaturian by S. Prokofiev’s visit to Myaskovsky’s class in 1933. The work of the brilliant composer captivated the young musician more and more.
In turn, Prokofiev was so interested in Khachaturian’s works that he took them with him to Paris, where they were performed at the same time.
Khachaturian’s first published work, “Dance” for violin and piano, already bears some of the characteristic features of the composer’s style: improvisation, a variety of variation techniques, as well as imitations of timbre effects widespread in eastern instrumental music, and in particular the famous “Khachaturian seconds” , rhythmic ostinatos. The composer himself notes: “I have these seconds from the sounds of folk instruments I heard many times in childhood: sazandar-tar, kemancha and tambourine. My passion for organ parts also comes from oriental music.” Gradually, Khachaturian moved from small forms to more developed ones, from “processing” folk song and dance material to its “development”. In 1932, the Suite for Piano was born, the first part of which, “Toccata,” gained wide popularity and entered the repertoire of many pianists. It has stood the test of time.
Created by Khachaturian in early years, “Toccata” has still retained all its charm and power of influence. “Many years have passed since the appearance of this dynamic, brilliant piece, but its performance still arouses the enthusiasm of the public,” writes composer Rodion Shchedrin. “There is no professional who does not know her by heart and who does not treat her with a feeling of ardent sympathy.”
In 1933, a new work was performed - “Dance Suite” for symphony orchestra. Composer Dmitry Kabalevsky wrote: “The first performance of this work, which radiated sunlight, the joy of life,
mental strength , was a huge success and immediately brought the young composer, who had not yet left his student days, into the first ranks of Soviet composers.” at the end of the conservatory. She was completing a most fruitful period of study and at the same time beginning new stage in the life and work of the composer, who was entering his maturity. The audience, press, colleagues and friends celebrated great artistic value

new composition, the originality and social significance of its content, the richness of melodies, the generosity of harmonic and orchestral colors and the especially bright national flavor of the music.

AT THE TOP OF FAME
With the onset of maturity, music for dramatic performances occupied a large place in Khachaturian’s work. The most representative works in this genre are the music for “The Valencian Widow” by Lope de Vega (1940) and for Lermontov’s “Masquerade” (1941). Symphonic suites, created on the basis of music for performances, received an independent concert life. Khachaturian treats the art of cinema with no less attention and interest, showing an excellent sense of its specific laws, an understanding of the effective role of music in revealing the concept of a synthetic whole. Among
numerous films in which his music is heard, “Pepo” and “Zangezur” occupy a special place. But Aram Khachaturian’s talent was most clearly revealed in his symphonic works. The concerts for piano and orchestra (1936) and for violin and orchestra (1940) were performed with great success and quickly won the sympathy of the audience. They received
further development
trends that emerged in the “Dance Suite” and the First Symphony, but many new things also emerged. First of all, this is the emergence of a concert spirit in the composer, which later became one of the most characteristic features of his style. The composer turned to the concert genre more than once and made many interesting and bold discoveries in it. As soon as the composer rose to the ranks of the most famous and talented musicians, the Great Patriotic War began in 1941. But even during these difficult years, many of Khachaturian’s works continued to be performed, giving him an incentive for further creative searches.
In 1943, Khachaturian's Second Symphony was completed. In this work of the war years, new ones were revealed, unusual sides his work, Here the music was enriched with new colors, it became aware of both heroism and tragedy. “The Second Symphony is, perhaps, Khachaturian’s first work in which the tragic principle rises to such a height,” wrote Dmitry Shostakovich. – But, despite its tragic essence, this work is full of deep optimism and faith in victory. The combination of the tragic and the life-affirming acquires great power here.”
In 1944, Khachaturian wrote National anthem Armenia.
A year later the war ended, and soon the Third Symphony appeared - “victorious”. Indeed, the Third Symphony is an excited, full of pathos ode, a kind of hymn to the winners. In connection with Khachaturian’s Third Symphony, one can recall the words of academician B.V. Asafiev: “Khachaturian’s art calls: “Let there be light!” And let there be joy!”... In the summer of 1946, the composer created a Cello Concerto, which was performed with great success in Moscow by S. Knushevitsky. At the same time, a vocal cycle based on poems by Armenian poets was also created. If instrumental concert
has long become one of the composer’s most favorite genres, then vocal cycle he addressed the matter for the first time. In 1954, the most significant work of Aram Khachaturian was born - the heroic-tragic ballet “Spartacus”. According to the depth of ideological concept, brightness artistic embodiment
, the scale of dramaturgy and form and, finally, the courage to solve pressing creative problems of modern musical and choreographic art, he took his rightful place among
Khachaturian devoted a lot of effort to pedagogical work. For many years he led the composition class at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the Gnessin Music Institute.
Developing the pedagogical principles of his teacher Myaskovsky, relying on his own life and creative experience, Khachaturian created his own school of composition.
The composer's personal life was also eventful. From his first marriage, Khachaturian has a daughter, Nune, a pianist. In 1933, Khachaturian married for the second time a student from Myaskovsky’s class, Nina Makarova, who later became the composer’s faithful life partner.

From his marriage to N. Makarova, Khachaturian had a son, Karen (now a famous art critic). The worldwide recognition of Aram Khachaturian’s work is evidenced by countless awards. In 1963, Khachaturian was elected a full member of the Academy of Sciences of the ASSR, an honorary academician of the Italian Music Academy "Santa Cecilia" (1960), an honorary professor at the Mexican Conservatory (1960), and a corresponding member of the Academy of Arts of the GDR (1960). Aram Khachaturian held the titles of professor and doctor of art history (1965). Named after Khachaturian