Georgian composer

[pianoman53]

I'm planning to enter a competition in a year. The thing is that I need to play a piece by a georgian composer, and I don't think I've ever heard any composer from that country.

Care to help me out?

[49410enrique]

hmm oh man, talk about a 'toughy', im not intimately familar with this but your question has put me out to discover this music too (broaden my horizons. thank you! )
here's some of what I am initially finding (also is it composers born in Georgia or can it be composers not born in Georgia that composed piano pieces using themes Georgian in origin/nature? what about transplants? i.e. non native born but then move to, live, compose in, georgia etc. too? just thinking about how to filter my research questions as it helps me sift through the data....)

im pasting from a few windows i have open based on initial searches, also soureces included 'non piano non solo' works too but i thought it might be cool to know info too (also for time sake i just included it all vs individually going in line by line across multiple sources to pull them out).

Herman Shalvovich Dzhaparidze. Born 1939, Tbilisi. Georgian Composer. In 1973 graduated from the Tbilisi Conservatoire after composition studies with Machavariani]. In 1956-1958 performed with the symphony orchestra of the Georgian Philharmonic Society. From 1973 became a teacher in music theory at the Balanchivadze Music School in Tbilisi.
Works:
- Symphony for string orchestra (1973)
- Piano concerto (1975)
- Piece for for 13 instruments (1969)
- String quartet (1972)
- Sextet for string quartet, flute and bassoon (1968)
- “Peea” for the flute, clarinet and percussion (1972)
- Fantasy for guitar (1974)
- Six Pieces for two 6-string guitars (1974)
- Theme with variations for piano (1970)
- Miniatures for paino (1972)
- Romances and songs

Shavleg Shilakdze. Born 1940, Tbilisi. Georgian composer and conductor. Graduated from the Tbilisi State Conservatoire – studied viola with Begalishvili and Iashvili, and composition with Taktakishvili. In 1968-71 he studied opera-symphony conducting at the same conservatoire with Dimitriadi. In 1974 he garduated from the St petersburg Conservatoire after studies with Rabinovich and Dmitriev.

From 1959-69 he played viola with the Georgian State Orchestra, and Chamber orchestra. His debut as a composer came in 1959, and as a conductor from 1966. From 1969 he works at the Tbilisi Music College No. 1 and at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire; in 1974-75 he headed the Georgian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra; in 1976-77 he worked as head of the chamber music department of the Georgian Philharmonic.

From 1976 – 1985 he founded and lead the chamber ensemble “Camerata Tbilisi” which performed across the whole Soviet Union. And in 1988 he founded the chamber orchestra “ Concertino Tbilissi” which has performed in Europe and Russian Federation. In 1999-2002 he was invited as resident-conductor of the Cairo Art Academy Symphony Orchestra. He is currently a professor at the Tbilisi State Conservatoir and Artistic Director of the chamber orchestra “Concertino Tbilissi”.

Since 1973 has been a member of the Georgian Composer’s Union and has held various administrative positions within the union.

Works:
- Three Pastoral Miniatures (1965)
- String Quartet (1966)
- Divertimento for strings (1967)
- "Decorative Motifs" for symphony orchestra (1971)
- Sonata for viola and piano (1973)
- Sonata for piano (1975)
- Symphony no.1 (1978)
- Symphony no.2 (1979)
- Symphony no.3 "Epitaph" for 16 Stings (1979-80) "From Ancient Georgian Poetry" Cantata for chamber choir and orchestra (Anonymous, 10c.) (1981)
- "Pages of Love", Cantata for mezzosoprano,tenor, chamber choir and orchestra (1983)
- Symphony no.4 (1985)
- Concerto for oboe and string orchestra (1986) Concerto stretta for bassoon and chamber orchestra (1987)
- Sonata-ballade for violin solo (1987) Sonata for cello solo (1987)
- Concerto giocoso for three trumpets and two percussionists (1988)
- “Lamento” for mezzosoprano and chamber choir (1989)
- To David Agmashenebeli" cantata for choir, brass and percussion (1989)
- "To Saint Nino", cantata for soprano and choir (1990)
- Vocal cycle for soprano and piano (1996)
- Vocal cycle for bass and piano (1999)
- Suite for wind quartet (2001)
- Concerto for viola and orchestra (2002) Concertino brevis for percussions [7 performers[ (2002)
- Concerto for orchestra (2004)
- Symphony no.5 "Psalms" for bariton, choir and orchestra (2004-05)
- Concerto for violin and orchestra (2007)


Georgian composer and conductor Aleksi Machavariani was born in Gori. He graduated from the Tbilisi Conservatory in 1936 and remained there for a postgraduate study. Later he joined the faculty, becoming a professor in 1963. He began his artistic career in 1935.
Machavariani produced a number of critically acclaimed plays and ballets, including the ballet “Othello” (1957), the operas “Mat i Sin” (1945), “Den moei Rodini” (1954), the symphony “Piat monologov” (1971; it earned the Shota Rustaveli Prize). He also wrote the music to many theatrical productions, including “Baratashvili” and “Legenda o liubvi”.
He was the artistic director of the Georgian State Symphony Orchestra from 1956 till 1958 and directed the Composers’ Union of Georgia from 1962 till 1968.
 * 5 symphonies
 * Concerts for piano and violin
 * Operas: Mother and Daughter; Hamlet
 * Musical show: Funny Comedy,
 * Ballets: Othello; The Knight in a Tiger’s Skin (after Shota Rustaveli’s poem)
 * Four string quartets
 * Two sonatas for piano
 * Sonata for violin
 * Pieces for different instruments
 * Choir works

Merab Alekseyevich Partskhaladze. Born 1924, Tbilisi. Son of Aleksey Partskhaladze. Georgian composer. Following study with Barkhudaryan in Tbilisi, attended the Moscow Conservatoire, where he was pupil of Bogatyryov. Graduated in 1953, completed post-grad work in 1957. Taught in local schools in Moscow between 1953-57, and from 1957-74 was head of the editorial staff at the Muzyka and Soviet Kompozitor publishing houses. Mainly a composer of songs, choral music and piano pieces for children. His piano concerto (1953), written in a Hollywood style, has been recorded by Berman.

Children pieces by Grusinian (ie Georgian*) composers (most are only for more advanced pupils):
Tumanishvili, Taktakishvili, Gabichvadze, Gudiashvili, Machavariani, Shaverzashvili, Kokeladze, Gabichvadze, Balanchivadze, Kurtidi, Chkheidze (sic!), Mamisahvili, Tsagareishvili, Eksanishvili, Gabuniya

i have scores to some of the above but do not fully know if they are 'postable' i'd feel more comfortable emaling them directly (or where file size is too large give you a secure download link to my google drive so only your email address has access to it then once you confirm you have them i can lock the files again).

do let me know. you can PM me or even just create an email for this only and send me that. if you do , gmail.com email's are easier to use for this.

hope this helps a little. let me know.

[redbaron]

The really obvious one is Khachaturian. His most famous piece for solo piano is probably the Toccata, E flat minor I think.

[pianoman53]

Sry, didn't have time for internet for a while, so I couldn't reply.

Thanks to both of you!
..
Can't believe I forgot Khachaturian. The thing is that I thought he was born in Armenia, but, obviously, he only had Armenian parents... Thanks!

[pytheamateur]

If you like it, why not contact Khatia Buniatishvili for the score.

There's no way the competition organisation won't accept this piece: Khatia is Georgia's most famous pianist.

[pytheamateur]

The really obvious one is Khachaturian. His most famous piece for solo piano is probably the Toccata, E flat minor I think.

He's not Georgian and he has a "really obvious" Armenian surname

OK, I just saw on Wikipedia that he was born in Tbilisi, so he might qualify.  Best check with the organisers.  They might think their country has better composers than Khachaturian for him to qualify.  On the other hand, they might consider him to be Georgian, just like how the French regard Chopin as their own.

[richard black]

Khachaturian is Armenian through and through. His entire musical vocabulary is full of Armenian references and Armenians proudly claim him as one of their own. Georgians don't care for his stuff (Georgia and Armenia, like so many neighbouring countries, cordially detest each other).

If the urgency hasn't gone out of this week-old thread, I invite the OP to PM me as I'm married to a Georgian pianist (she's not in the house at the moment) who can certainly make a few practical suggestions. Any specific requirements? - such as period, length, difficulty etc.