Khachaturian, Karen Surenovich

Karen Khachaturian was born on September 19, 1920 in Moscow, in the family of the theater director Suren Khachaturian , brother of the famous Soviet composer Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978). The house of Khachaturians, according to Aram Ilyich, who lived at that time in the family of his older brother, "was a kind of artistic club where many prominent artists gathered." Among the regular guests were famous actors O. Abelyan, V. Papazyan, S. Kocharyan, artists M. Saryan, V. Favorsky, I. Nevinsky, A. Lentulov, S. Birman, S. Giantzintova, I. Bersenev, writer M Lozinsky, musicians A. Alexandrov, V. Oransky and others. The family of Suren Ilyich, who settled in one of the quiet alleys of the Arbat in the 1920s, always sounded music, excited debates about the fate of theatrical art, and literary novelties were discussed ^[3] .

As a child, Karen Khachaturian, along with his parents, attended performances of the Art Theater , its studios and the Children's Theater, organized in the 1920s. When Karen was 8 years old, he was sent to the Gnesins Music School , to the piano class of Olga Gnesina . In those years, Karen attended the essay children's group, which was organized by the teacher of the Gnessin School Eugene Messner. The composers Boris Tchaikovsky , Alexander Chugaev visited the group with him. .

In 1938, Karen Khachaturian entered the School of Music at the Moscow Conservatory , where he studied immediately in two specialties: piano with Boris Medvedev and V. V. Chertova; by composition from Professor Heinrich Litinsky.

In 1949 he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory ( 1949 ). For a long life in culture, fate granted Karen Surenovich an exceptional opportunity for unique creative and human communication. Among the teachers of K. S. Khachaturian are V. Ya. Shebalin , N. Ya. Myaskovsky and D. D. Shostakovich , among the spiritual mentors are S. S. Prokofiev and I. F. Stravinsky . If creativity was always the “main part” of a musician’s life, then pedagogy acted as a “side”, but very significant. The wizard of the orchestra, K. Khachaturian, passed on to many generations of musicians his amazing hearing and knowledge of the orchestra. Organically accepting the teacher’s mentoring mission, K. Khachaturian spoke of his teachers like this: “Most of all I am grateful to fate for having met such wonderful people and musicians as V. Ya. Shebalin, D. D. Shostakovich and N. Y. Myaskovsky. I owe them that I became a composer. In their class I gained confidence in my abilities, experience, horizons. "Their life, selflessly given to their native art, has always been an example to me." .

The musical community, professional colleagues, and music lovers discovered K. Khachaturian's outstanding talent literally from the first steps of his work. D. D. Shostakovich emphasized the composer's characteristic “depth of thought, masterly development of the material, the perfection of its embodiment, beautifully flowing melodies, amazing sounds”. The work of Karen Khachaturian is distinguished by a variety of genres, appeal to various national modes, widespread use of polyphonic forms .

In the cinema since 1950 , the author of music for 50 feature and animated films, 20 theatrical productions. The composer's feather belongs to the music for the films: “Brothers” (1958, USSR-Korea), “Wait for letters” (1960), “Colorful Pebbles” (1960), “Leap Year” (1961), “Big Road” (1962), “Seven Nannies” (1962), “Children of the Pamirs” (1963), “Everlasting Flame” (1964), “Sleeping Lion” (1965), “Shot” (1966), “Viy” (1967), “Strange People” (1969), “On Friends-Companions” (1970), “The Only Way” (1975), “Relatives” (1978) and others.

The music of K. Khachaturian is known not only in our country, but also abroad. It sounded in Italy, Sweden, Finland, Yugoslavia, Poland, Austria, USA, Czechoslovakia, Japan, Australia, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, England. The resonance caused by the performance of K. Khachaturian’s music abroad attracts the attention of the musical community of different countries.

Close friendly and creative contacts connected Karen Khachaturian with prominent composers, performers, artists and theatrical figures of different generations, including: Sergey Prokofiev , Igor Stravinsky , Karl Orff , Krzysztof Penderetsky , Nikolai Erdman , Georgy Sviridov , Nikolai Peiko , Boris Tchaikovsky , Moses Wise , Lazar Saryan, Mstislav Rostropovich , Emil Gilels , David Oistrakh , Svyatoslav Richter , Leonid Kogan , Valentin Berlin , Yuri Abdokov , Yuri Grigorovich , Roman Ledenev , etc.

From 1952 to 2011 he taught at the Moscow Conservatory, (from 1981 - professor ). Among his students: A. Tchaikovsky , A. Schnittke , S. Gubaidulina , A. Baltin, A. Vieru (Romania), N. Terahara (Japan), Kan San U (China), V. Babushkin, V. Polyansky, A Ariyan and many others

He died at the 91st year of life on July 19, 2011 in Moscow . An urn with ashes was buried in the Novodevichy cemetery ^[4] .

• Father - Suren Ilyich Khachaturian , an outstanding theater figure, director of the 1st Moscow Art Theater Studio , a student of K. S. Stanislavsky, founder of the Armenian Drama Studio in Moscow.
• Mother - Sarah Mikhailovna Dunaeva-Khachaturian - theater artist. From an early age she was fond of painting and theater, she graduated from the historical and philosophical department of the Higher Women's Courses in Moscow, and for many years worked as a theater artist.
• Uncle - Aram Ilyich Khachaturian , - great composer, teacher, conductor, People's Artist of the USSR, Hero of Socialist Labor, holder of three orders of Lenin, Lenin, four Stalin Prizes and State Prize, academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR.
• Cousin - Emin Khachaturian , conductor.
• Cousin - Leila Khachaturian, dramatic actress, people's artist of Armenia, actress of the Yerevan Russian Theater Stanislavsky.
• Wife - Antonina Yakovlevna
• Children - Dmitry and Natalya.
• Granddaughters - Catherine and Maria.

• Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV degree ( March 21, 2007 ) - for his great contribution to the development of culture and art, many years of fruitful teaching activity ^[5]
• Order of Honor ( September 18, 2000 ) - for his great contribution to the development of musical art ^[6]
• Order of Friendship ( September 19, 1995 ) - for services to the state, successes achieved in labor ^[7]
• People's Artist of the RSFSR ( November 2, 1981 ) - for his services to the development of Soviet musical art ^[8]
• Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR ( September 16, 1971 ) - for merits in the field of Soviet musical art ^[9]
• Certificate of Honor of the President of the Russian Federation ( March 6, 2011 ) - for great merits in the development of national culture and many years of creative activity ^[10]
• USSR State Prize ( 1976 ) - for the ballet "Cipollino", staged on the stage of the T.U. Shevchenko KUATOB (Prize for works for children) .
• The State Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of literature and art of 2001 ( June 10, 2002 ) - for “Difiram in honor of S. S. Prokofiev ” for a symphony orchestra, symphony No. 4 (“Epitaph”) for a string orchestra and percussion ^[11]
• Moscow City Hall Prize in the field of literature and art ( 1999 )
• Winner of the Prize of the D. D. Shostakovich Union of Composers of Russia (2001)
• Laureate of the ballet prize “Dance Mage” (2010)

• Sonata for violin and piano, op. 1. 1st prize at the competition of young composers in Prague (1947). Subsequently, it was repeatedly performed and recorded by D. Oistrakh and V. Yampolsky, L. Kogan, Y. Kheifets, E. Grach, S. Snitkovsky, M. Fichtengolts, L. Isakadze, I. Bezrodny, V. Klimov, A. Mikhlin, O. Rat, M. Bezverkhniy and many others.
• Symphonietta, Overture, First Suite (1949).
• Sonata for Cello and Piano (1966). Dedicated to its first performer - Mstislav Rostropovich. It was repeatedly performed and recorded by M. Rostropovich, D. Shafran, N. Shakhovskaya, D. Geringas, M. Khomitser, M. Utkin, D. Shapovalov, I. Gavrysh , V. Yagling and many others.
• Five Symphonies (1955, 1968, 1982, 1985, 2009). Symphonies were performed and recorded by conductors E. Svetlanov, G. Rozhdestvensky, V. Fedoseyev, V. Gergiev, M. Shostakovich, V. Sinaisky, A. Kats, G. Provotorov, M. Yurovsky and others.
• "The willow is lonely." Cantata for mixed choir and symphony orchestra. Words by M. Lisyansky (1950)
• Oratorio “The Brief of History” for the reader, choir and symphony orchestra (1971)
• "Mothers Poem." Vocal cycle to the words of Gabriela Mistral for soprano accompanied by piano (1975)
• Concert for cello and orchestra (1983)
• Dithyramb for symphony orchestra in honor of Sergei Prokofiev (1991-1996)
• Concert for violin and orchestra (2009)
• Suites for a small orchestra (1949, 1953, 1954, 1980)
• Concert Marches (1952, 1976, 1979)
• The operetta “The Simple Girl” (published in 1967 on records at the Melody company ). The performance was attended by T. Shmyga, A. Kotova, O. Vlasova, V. Shishkin, S. Anikeev, A. Steputenko, A. Besedin and other operetta stars.
• Cipollino is a ballet in 3 acts (1973, a 1977 recording was published by Melody in 1978, and in CD format ^[12] in 2009). The basis was taken music from the cartoon of the same name in 1961. The two-act ballet Chipollino (1973), staged and choreographed by USSR State Prize laureate Professor Heinrich Mayorov, has been happily traveling on the stage since 1974. Since then, the tale of the onion boy has been danced and continues to be performed in twenty Russian theaters, as well as in Lithuania, Germany, Croatia, Italy. Cipollino is one of the best contemporary ballets for children that has brought worldwide fame to the composer: the music of this ballet sounded in the animated film Cipollino, beloved by many. The children’s audience loves the fabulous decoration of production designer Valery Leventhal - colorful scenery of the fictional city and colorful costumes of the heroes: Fruits, Vegetables and Flowers (pumpkin, Pear, Chipollino, master of Vinogradinka, Magnolia, Gardener Cactus, Radish). The ballet, for the complexity of performance, nicknamed the children's "Spartak", was a wonderful occasion for a family trip to the theater.
• The ballet "Snow White" (1993). It was set and goes in many cities of the Russian Federation, in particular, in Ufa, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan. Beautiful melodies not only reveal the characters of the characters, they return both artists and spectators to the world of childhood, reminding everyone of their favorite Soviet cartoons.
• The pop music of K. Khachaturian is always popular. The breadth of themes of his songs is impressive. Among them are works of civilian sounding - the song “Hello, Peace” (words by Y. Khaletsky) and the vocal cycle “Mother's Poem” (words by G. Mistral); lyrical songs “Oh you, spring, bright nightie” (words by A. Fatyanov), “The land where I was born and grew up” (words by I. Shaferan), “I do not wait for you” (words by L. Derbenev), “Far from Ryazan birch trees "(words by Yu. Polukhin); perky, funny comic songs “Diver's Song” (words by A. Fatyanov), “About medals” (words by M. Volpin), “There is a war game” (words by M. Plyatskovsky). How to process folk tunes appeared small piano compositions "Ukrainian dance" and the Azerbaijani dance "Tarakama".
• Already the first experiments of K. Khachaturian in creating music for dramatic performances were successful. Among them were Shakespearean productions - “Two Verontsi” (1952) at the Vakhtangov Theater and “Windsor Mockers” (1957) at the Mossovet Theater, as well as “European Chronicle” by A. Arbuzov (1953) at the M.N. Ermolova Theater . K. Khachaturian created music for more than 20 theatrical performances. This is “Virgin Soil Upturned” by M. Sholokhov (1957, Central Theater of the Soviet Army), “Nobody” by Eduardo de Filippo (1958, Leningrad Theater of the Lenin Komsomol), “Grandson of the King” L. Sheinin (1959, Central Theater of the Soviet Army), “The Fourth Vertebra” by N. Slonova based on the novel by M. Larney (1960, Moscow Satire Theater), “Gossip of Women” by K. Goldoni (1963, Maly Theater), “Italian Tragedy” by A. Stein (1971, Central Children's Theater), “ Blind Padishas ”by N. Hikmet and V. Tulyakova (1978, Gogol Moscow Drama Theater) and many others. The theatrical, catchy, vibrant, temperamental music of Karen Khachaturian is an essential component of the overall drama of each performance.

1. String quartet in memory of his father (1969).
2. Second String Quartet (1998)
3. Trio for Violin, French Horn and Piano (1981)
4. Trio for violin, viola and cello (1984, commissioned by the Vienna Society of Alban Berg)
5. Introduction and Fugue for Organ (1972)
6. 7 Pieces for Organ (1982)
7. Children's Music for Piano (1978)
8. Adagio for cello and piano (2004)
9. Meridians for the Woodwind Quintet (1993)

• 1957 - Brothers
• 1960 - Wait for letters
• 1960 - Colorful Pebbles
• 1961 - Leap Year
• 1962 - The High Road
• 1962 - Children of the Pamirs
• 1962 - Seven Nannies
• 1964 - Everlasting Flames
• 1965 - Today - a new attraction
• 1965 - Sleeping Lion
• 1966 - Shot
• 1967 - Wii
• 1967 - Northwest of Berlin
• 1968 - Half an hour for miracles
• 1969 - Strange people
• 1970 - About friends-comrades
• 1970 - Late child
• 1971 - We have no time to wait
• 1974 - The Only Road
• 1976 - One Hundred Grams for Courage ...
• 1977 - Native

• 1950 - When the Christmas trees light up
• 1950 - The Magic Treasure
• 1950 - Yellow Stork
• 1951 - The Heart of the Brave
• 1951 - Forest Travelers
• 1953 - Naughty kitten
• 1955 - Unusual match
• 1955 - Dog and Cat
• 1956 - Old acquaintances
• 1956 - Jackal and the Camel
• 1958 - At the crossroads
• 1959 - It will rain soon
• 1960 - Royal Hares
• 1960 - Murzilka and the Giant
• 1961 - Cipollino
• 1966 - This is not about me.
• 1966 - Timoshkina Christmas tree
• 1970 - Sweet Tale
• 1972 - Visiting the summer
• 1974 - Football stars

• Armenian Encyclopedia of Khayazg Foundation: Karen Surenovich Khachaturian
• Musical Dictionary: Khachaturian Karen Surenovich
• Karen Khachaturian - Encyclopedia of Russian cinema (inaccessible link)