December 29, 2020 | Zaryadye Hall
Soloists: Boris Berezovsky, piano
Nikita Borisoglebsky, violin
Conductor – Timur Zangiev
With participation of Karina Ter-Gazarian, piano*
Aram Khachaturian:
Concerto for violin and orchestra in D minor
Adagio from the ballet "Spartacus" *
Lullaby from the ballet "Gayane" *
Dance with sabers from the ballet "Gayane" *
Concerto for piano and orchestra in D flat major
The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia is completing its 2020 season at the Zaryadye Hall with a concert fully devoted to Aram Khachaturian's works. The concert will feature brilliant virtuoso soloists Nikita Borisoglebsky (violin) and Boris Berezovsky (piano), as well as Karina Ter-Gazarian, a young pianist, awardee of international competitions, bursar of the Vladimir Spivakov International Charity Foundation and student of Boris Berezovsky. The NPR will be directed by Timur Zangiev, the Honored Artist of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, conductor of the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater.
The program is focused on the Concertos by the outstanding Armenian classic, of which Dmitry Shostakovich wrote: “Here is the area where Khachaturian's healthy philosophy of life, abundance of feelings, depth of thought manifested themselves boldly and sweepingly!” Khachaturian's Piano and Violin Concertos are part of the triad (along with the Cello Concerto) conceived in the mid-1930s and created within the following decade. All three works were written with preeminent artists in mind, such as Lev Oborin and David Oistrakh, to whom the Piano and Violin Concertos were dedicated, respectively.
“What fascinates me in this music? - wrote Lev Oborin about the Piano Concerto. - Well, perhaps everything essential for all of Khachaturian's scores: a mighty temperament, ingenuity, bright virtuosity of both the piano and the orchestra voices. Khachaturian's Piano Concerto is one of the few contemporary works of this genre, which is truly a concerto, and not just a piece for piano and orchestra. It has a large scope with a dazzling counteraction and competition between the soloist and the orchestra.”
David Oistrakh recalled his first impression of the Violin Concerto: “Scintillating rhythms, genuine sparks of folklore and extensive melodic themes immediately captivated me ... Sincere and original [music], full of melodic beauty, national color, it seemed to flare up... All these features, with which the Concerto still beguiles the audience, made an unforgettable impact then. It was clear that a new, bright opus was born, that it would have a great life in concert halls. My violin was destined to start this life. (...) I still remember with what enthusiasm I played this piece.”
Composer Tigran Mansurian wrote: “Brahms wrote his Violin Concerto after several generations of great masters had worked in this genre in his national musical culture and prepared the rise of the genre itself and that of Brahms. Khachaturian accomplished a herculean labour. He was the first Armenian musician to write a Piano Concerto, then a Violin Concerto and immediately to soar to the heights where masterpieces of this genre in the entire world musical culture are preserved.”