K is for Khachaturian

 

              I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, and my theme this year is classical music. Check out the list of other participants by clicking here! K is for Khachaturian. Aram Ilyich Khachaturian was an Armenian composer who lived from 1903 to 1978. Today’s featured video is the waltz from his Masquerade Suite performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.

Video link: https://youtu.be/fPp3Qh-GRqs

 

 

   ·   The Masquerade Suite was incidental music written for a play by Mikhail Lermontov. Khachaturian dedicated his waltz to an actress in the play named Alla Kazanskaya.
 

   ·   Aram Khachaturian’s first exposure to music was listening to his mother sing Armenian folk music, which later inspired some of his compositions.
 

   ·   He enrolled simultaneously in the Moscow University to study biology and the Gnessin Musical Institute to study the cello. He later studied composition at the Moscow Conservatory and married fellow student composer, Nina Makarova.
 

   ·   Khachaturian was an animal lover. He was given a royal poodle whom he named Lado (after the musical notes la and do). He cared about Lado so much that he dedicated a song to him.
 

Statue of Aram Khachaturian at
the Yerevan Opera Theatre

   ·   Khachaturian composed the scores for at least 17 films.
 

   ·   He created the music for the National Anthem of Armenia. He and his family were singing the words written by Sarmen to Khachaturian's newly written music. As they gathered around the piano that night, people all around on balconies and in the streets began listening and singing along.

 

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aram_Khachaturian

http://www.khachaturian.am/eng/index.htm

http://www.classicfm.com/composers/khachaturian/

 

 

Yesterday’s Trivia: Johannes Brahms was considered one of the "Three Bs," who were the other two? Answer: Johannes Brahms is often grouped with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as one of the “Three Bs.”

For this challenge, I’m keeping a playlist of the videos I’m using plus some extras for anyone who wants to hear more. I will update with the latest letter each day. The video I added today is a fun one! An accordion band (that’s right, a band of accordions!) is performing the “Sabre Dance” from Khachaturian’s ballet, Gayane.

 

Have you ever engaged in a time of singing around a piano? Heard the Sabre Dance before?