Arutjunjan Trumpet Concerto

[waynefiler]

I'm hoping to do the LTCL performance diploma sometime in the near future but having trouble finding anything on Arutjunjan himself or anything about the concerto.

Does anyone out there know anything about him? or
Performed the concerto and got any notes I could take a look at? or
Know any decent websites where i cound find some info on him and the concerto?

Any help will very greatful

Thanks all

IOT, HM

[yorkie19]

There's an article on him on the German version of Wikipedia.

Basically, it seems Alexander Arutjunjan was born in Yerevan, Armenia on 23rd September 1920. In 1934, he began studying composition and piano at the conservatoire in Yerevan. In 1941 these studies were interrupted and he didn't resume them until 1944 in Moscow. He returned home to Yerevan in 1946 on the completion of his studies where he composed the two pieces that really made his name the "Cantata of my homeland" (1948 ) and the Trumpet Concerto (1950). In 1954 he was appointed as a tutor of composition at the conservatoire in Yerevan and in 1977 he was appointed Professor of composition.

His music is influenced by Armenian folk-music but also borrows heavily from the Baroque and Romantic periods.

He was still composing at the end of the 1990's (having written a Tuba Concerto in 1992 and a Trombone Concerto in 1991).

[brasscrest]

He was still composing at the end of the 1990's (having written a Tuba Concerto in 1992 and a Trombone Concerto in 1991).

Wouldn't that be at the beginning of the 1990's, not the end?

I didn't know he'd written a tuba concerto. Like to hear that one sometime.

[Anno Draconis]

I believe it was written for the Russian virtusos Timofei Dok****ser (I think that's how you spell his name ), who wrote the cadenza that is used in the published version. He died last year in Vilnius, Lithuania.

[brasscrest]

Any idea if it's been recorded?

[Anno Draconis]

Blast, stymied by the bleep filter. His surname is Dokshizer with the "z" pronounced as "ts", as in German!

Found a website, but I can't find a mention of the Arutiunian concerto.

[Anno Draconis]

Any idea if it's been recorded?

I'm pretty sure that Marsalis has recorded it, I'll try and find out. There is a recording of the Brass Band arrangement of the accompaniment (by Michael Antrobus, I think) on the 1987 Gala Concert recording, played by Rod Franks.

EDIT: Found this, on Amazon

[yorkie19]

Wouldn't that be at the beginning of the 1990's, not the end?

I didn't know he'd written a tuba concerto. Like to hear that one sometime.

OK, for clarity .

He was still composing at the end of the 1990's, having written concertos for the tuba and the trombone earlier in the decade.

[nickjones]

Any idea if it's been recorded?

the trumpet or tuba concerto recording you are looking for?
If your looking for a recording of the trumpet concerto Rod Franks recorded it on his cd saving face , it's also on the 1987 National Finals Gala concert recording ( Polyphonic)
the tuba concerto can be obtained from editions BIM in switzerland there is a recording by Harri Lidsle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ref.: MILS9651
Oulu Symphony Orchestra
Concertos
for tuba, horn and trombone Details

Harri Lidsle, tuba
Esa Tukia, horn
Erkki Hirsimäki, trombone

Atso Almila, conductor
Price: CHF 30.00
€ 19.80 US$ 24.90

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

www.editions-bim.com

[hornyas]

On the Trumpet Concerto, Maurice Andre recorded it on the Errato label (which is a fantastic rendition), and I know there have also been recordings done by Maurice Murphy and Hakan Hardenberger.

[hornyas]

Oh, and also try searching under lots of different versions of his name: Arutjunjan, Arutunian, Arrutunian, Arutunnian, etc, etc.

[joelrn]

There's a good recording by Bibi Black: CD title Soviet Trumpet Concertos.
It was once suggested to me that the piece depicts the plight of an Armenian soldier returning from battle, finding out his wife had been killed in the war etc. The definied sections are representative of mental state and emotion I think wasd the basic message.

[trumpetmike]

I believe it was written for the Russian virtusos Timofei Dokshizer (I think that's how you spell his name ), who wrote the cadenza that is used in the published version. He died last year in Vilnius, Lithuania.

It was not written for Maestro Dokshizer, it was written for his friend Aikaz Mesiayan, who also premiered it. However, Dokshizer did perform it over 200 times during his life.

You can obtain a CD containing his interpretation of this piece through the International Trumpet Guild website - http://www.trumpetguild.org/products...ings/index.htm - this is THE interpretation to follow, according to every trumpet authority I have heard talk about this piece.

Maurice Murphy has also recorded this piece, as has Jim Watson (the latter using brass band accompaniment)

[Anno Draconis]

It was not written for Maestro Dokshizer, it was written for his friend Aikaz Mesiayan, who also premiered it. However, Dokshizer did perform it over 200 times during his life.

Aah, my mistake - apologies . Thanks for clearing that up.

[brassneck]

WRONG! I have the sleevenotes from the CD Maurice Murphy played it on (Favourite Trumpet Concertos, 1990. Collins Quest 30082)

In an interview that he gave in 1989 to the magazine 'Brass Bulletin' Arutiniunian talked about his lifelong interest in brass instruments and explained how he had come to compose the trumpet concerto. He described how, during his childhood, brass ensembles of between eight and ten instruments were to be heard in all American villages and towns playing for "all festivities and funerals" and how their sounds and tunes had become "deeply etched" in his memory. Regarding his single-movement Trumpet concerto he told a rather sad story. As a child he spent his Summers in a particular village and there heard a 17-year old trumpet player called Zolak Vartasarian, who "had the habit of playing some very virtuoso pieces" under the balcony of the house where Arutiunian was staying. Later, when Vartasarian was appointed principal trumpet of the Yenevan Opera, he and Arutiunian became friends. In 1943 Arutiunian played a theme to Vartasarian, who liked it and suggested incorporating it in a trumpet concerto. Unfortunatley Vartasarian died that year, in the war. Thus the trumpet came to have a special significance to Arutiunian and in 1950 he completed the concerto he had promised to his friend. The concerto was given it's premiere performance in Moscow by Timofey Dokschidser (notes by Peter Avis)