Essential Khachaturian
The music of Aram Khachaturian (1903–1978) has sometimes been dismissed as loud, brash and vulgar. It may not always be very subtle but it is often bursting with bright colours and pounding rhythms which – in numbers like the once-famous Sabre Dance – can be irresistible.
Read more…- Khachaturian•Symphonic Suite from 'Gayaneh' (1961)•1. Sabre Dance
- Khachaturian•Symphonic Suite from 'Gayaneh' (1961)•3. Dance of the Rose Maidens
- Khachaturian•Symphonic Suite from 'Gayaneh' (1961)•4. Dance of the Kurds
- Khachaturian•Symphonic Suite from 'Gayaneh' (1961)•5. Lullaby
- Khachaturian•Symphonic Suite from 'Gayaneh' (1961)•8. Lezghinka
- Khachaturian•Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano op. 30 (1932)•I. Andante con dolore, molto espressivo
- Khachaturian•Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano op. 30 (1932)•II. Allegro
- Khachaturian•Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano op. 30 (1932)•III. Moderato
- Khachaturian•Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D flat major op. 38•I. Allegro ma non troppo e maestoso
- Khachaturian•Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D flat major op. 38•II. Andante con anima
- Khachaturian•Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D flat major op. 38•III. Allegro brillante
- Khachaturian•Masquerade, Suite (1944)•1. Waltz
- Khachaturian•Masquerade, Suite (1944)•2. Nocturne. Andantino con moto
- Khachaturian•Masquerade, Suite (1944)•3. Mazurka. Allegro
- Khachaturian•Masquerade, Suite (1944)•4. Romance. Andante
- Khachaturian•Masquerade, Suite (1944)•5. Galop. Allegro vivo
- Khachaturian•Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor (1940)•I. Allegro con fermezza
- Khachaturian•Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor (1940)•II. Andante sostenuto
- Khachaturian•Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor (1940)•III. Allegro vivace
- Khachaturian•Suite 'The Valencian Widow' for Orchestra (1939-1940)•1. Introduction. Allegro
- Khachaturian•Suite 'The Valencian Widow' for Orchestra (1939-1940)•2. Serenade. Allegretto
- Khachaturian•Suite 'The Valencian Widow' for Orchestra (1939-1940)•6. Dance. Allegro molto
- Khachaturian•Symphony No. 2 “The Bell”•I. Andante maestoso
- Khachaturian•Symphony No. 2 “The Bell”•II. Allegro risoluto
- Khachaturian•Symphony No. 2 “The Bell”•III. Andante sostenuto
- Khachaturian•Symphony No. 2 “The Bell”•IV. Andante mosso
- Khachaturian•Ode in Memory of Vladimir Ilich Lenin for Orchestra op. 71 (1948)•
- Khachaturian•Spartacus Suite No. 1 op. 82a (1955)•3. Variations of Aegina and Bacchanalia
- Khachaturian•Spartacus Suite No. 1 op. 82a (1955)•4. Scene and Dance of Crotalums
- Khachaturian•Spartacus Suite No. 2 op. 82b (1955)•1. Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia
- Khachaturian•Spartacus Suite No. 1 op. 82a (1955)•5. Dance of the Gaditanae and Victory of Spartacus
- Khachaturian•Cantata 'Ode to Joy' for Mezzo Soprano, Chorus and Orchestra op. 88 (1956)•
Khachaturian's most popular works are the suites drawn from his ballet scores 'Gayaneh' and 'Spartacus' – instantly memorable for their insistent rhythms, catchy melodies… and loud percussion, which make them great fun to watch in performance. Try sitting still during the Gayaneh's Lezghinka! There is a great romantic sweep to the surging theme of the Adagio from 'Spartacus' which used to be a concert hall favourite. There are plenty of decibels – and touches of bombast too – in his Second Symphony, given the title "The Bell" for obvious reasons.
But Khachaturian could be subtle too. Listen to the central movement of his Violin Concerto and be transported to an evening in his native Armenia, or the Andante from his Piano Concerto, which features an appearance by that rarest of instruments, the musical saw. Occasionally, it gets substituted with a flexatone which still offers a remarkably eerie effect. And he wrote a wonderful trio for clarinet, violin and piano, full of sinuous melodies.
During his career, Khachaturian fell foul of the ruling Communist Party, but knew how to toe the line with works in memory of Lenin and Stalin, and the tubthumping 'Ode to Joy', far removed from Beethoven's Ninth!
[Due to geo-blocking restrictions, some tracks might be unavailable in certain territories.]