Komitas Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Komitas Quartet is a string quartet
musical ensemble
founded in Moscow
in November 1924, and is the oldest-established string quartet in the world still performing. It is now in the third and fourth generation of membership.
1st violin: Avet Gabrielyan
2nd violin: Levon Ogandjanyan
Viola: Michael Terian
Cello: Sergey Aslamazian
This group gave its first public performance in February 1925.
The quartet has performed with Sviatoslav Richter
, Nina Dorliak, Emil Gilels
, Dmitri Shostakovich
, Mstislav Rostropovich
, Victor Merzhanov
, Konstantin Igumnov
, Walter Zeufert, Mario Brunello, Anahit Nersesyan
and other prominent musicians. Aram Khachaturian
described the quartet as the jewel of the musical culture of Armenia. Many Armenian and foreign composers have dedicated works to the quartet. The quartet was the USSR State Prize
and Armenian SSR State Prize winner. The latest award is St. Mesrop Mashtots order
given by Armenia President to Eduard Tadevosyan in 2010.
The current members of the quartet are the third and fourth generation of players.
2nd violin: Syuzi Yeritsyan
Viola: Aleksandr Kosemyan
Cello: Hasmik Vardanyan
, the United Kingdom
, France
and the USA. The latest CDs were released in recent three years. In 2007 "Armenian Contemporary Composers" studio album was released on the VEM label.
The next edition of the "Armenian Folk Miniatures" album was released in November 2010 by subvention of the Ministry of Culture of Armenia
.
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
musical ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
founded in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in November 1924, and is the oldest-established string quartet in the world still performing. It is now in the third and fourth generation of membership.
Original line-up
The founding members were four talented Armenian students at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory:1st violin: Avet Gabrielyan
2nd violin: Levon Ogandjanyan
Viola: Michael Terian
Cello: Sergey Aslamazian
Sergey Aslamazian
Sergei Zakharovich Aslamazyan, also Aslamazian was a Soviet Armenian cellist, composer, People's Artist of Armenian SSR , awarded the Stalin Prize . He was a co-founder and a member of Komitas Quartet from 1925 to 1968. He was the author of quartet versions of Komitas works...
This group gave its first public performance in February 1925.
Origins
This group, the best-known Armenian music group, carries the name of Komitas (Soghomon Soghomonyan, 1869-1935). Komitas was a monk whose genius brought a renaissance to Armenian music at the turn of the 20th century. During its uninterrupted creative life, celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2009, the quartet has become well-known throughout the world, taking part in numerous international festivals, giving concerts in more than 80 countries, and demonstrating the highest standards of performance.The quartet has performed with Sviatoslav Richter
Sviatoslav Richter
Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter was a Soviet pianist well known for the depth of his interpretations, virtuoso technique, and vast repertoire. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Childhood:...
, Nina Dorliak, Emil Gilels
Emil Gilels
Emil Grigoryevich Gilels was a Soviet pianist, widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.His last name is sometimes transliterated Hilels.-Biography:...
, Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
, Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, KBE , known to close friends as Slava, was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. He was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. He is widely considered to have been the greatest cellist of the second half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest of...
, Victor Merzhanov
Victor Merzhanov
-Biography:Studied at Tambov Musical College with Solomon Starikov and Alexander Poltoratsky. Between 1936-1941 he studied at the Moscow Conservatory in the classes of Samuil Feinberg and Alexander Goedicke , graduating with distinction....
, Konstantin Igumnov
Konstantin Igumnov
Konstantin Nicolayevich Igumnov was a Russian virtuoso pianist and the teacher of many famous Russian pianists.Igumnov studied under Nikolai Zverev, and at Moscow Conservatory under Alexander Siloti and Pavel Pabst. He took theory and composition courses from Sergei Taneyev, Anton Arensky and...
, Walter Zeufert, Mario Brunello, Anahit Nersesyan
Anahit Nersesyan
Anahit Nersesyan , a famous Armenian pianist was born in 1954 in Yerevan. She studied at the Tchaikovsky Music School, Yerevan from 1961-72 with Professor E. Voskanyan. Continued education at the Moscow State Conservatory, the class of Professor V. Merzhanov, from 1972 - 77. Got post-graduate...
and other prominent musicians. Aram Khachaturian
Aram Khachaturian
Aram Ilyich Khachaturian was a prominent Soviet composer. Khachaturian's works were often influenced by classical Russian music and Armenian folk music...
described the quartet as the jewel of the musical culture of Armenia. Many Armenian and foreign composers have dedicated works to the quartet. The quartet was the USSR State Prize
USSR State Prize
The USSR State Prize was the Soviet Union's state honour. It was established on September 9, 1966. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the prize was followed up by the State Prize of the Russian Federation....
and Armenian SSR State Prize winner. The latest award is St. Mesrop Mashtots order
Awards and decorations of Armenia
Awards and decorations of Armenia are military and civil decorations of the Republic of Armenia which are bestowed by various agencies of the Armenian government for acts of accomplishment benefiting the government and the Armenian nation as a whole....
given by Armenia President to Eduard Tadevosyan in 2010.
The current members of the quartet are the third and fourth generation of players.
Current line-up
1st violin: Eduard Tadevosyan2nd violin: Syuzi Yeritsyan
Viola: Aleksandr Kosemyan
Cello: Hasmik Vardanyan
Recordings
The quartet made a number of collection recordings in the USSR and released numerous albums in RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the USA. The latest CDs were released in recent three years. In 2007 "Armenian Contemporary Composers" studio album was released on the VEM label.
The next edition of the "Armenian Folk Miniatures" album was released in November 2010 by subvention of the Ministry of Culture of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
.