Arno Babajanian

Arno Babajanian studied at Levon Shant school #4, Gnessin Russian Academy of Music and Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory. The recorded working language is Armenian and Russian. The field of work recorded is music. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are art music and estrada. Employment is recorded with Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory. Distinctions recorded are Order of Lenin, Order of the Red Banner of Labour, People's Artist of the USSR and People's Artist of the Armenian SSR.

• Name — Arno Babajanian • Born — 22 January 1921 • Birthplace — Yerevan, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union • Died — 11 November 1983 • Place of death — Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union • Occupation — Composer, pianist • Instrument — Piano • Years Active — 19521983

Babajanian was born in Yerevan on January 22, 1921. By age 5, his musical talent was apparent, and the composer Aram Khachaturian suggested that the boy be given proper music training. Two years later, in 1928, Babajanian entered the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan. In 1938, he continued his studies in Moscow with Vissarion Shebalin. He later returned to Yerevan, where from 1950 to 1956 he taught at the conservatory. In 1952, he wrote the Piano Trio in F-sharp minor. It received immediate acclaim and was regarded as a masterpiece from the time of its premiere. Subsequently, he undertook concert tours throughout the Soviet Union and Europe. In 1971, he was named the People's Artist of the USSR. Babajanian wrote in various musical genres, including many popular songs in collaboration with leading poets such as Yevgeny Yevtushenko and Robert Rozhdestvensky. Much of his music is rooted in Armenian folk music and folklore, which he generally uses in the virtuosic style of Rachmaninoff and Khachaturian. His later works were influenced by Prokofiev and Bartók. Praised by Dmitri Shostakovich as a "brilliant piano teacher", Babajanian was also a noted pianist and often performed his own works in concerts.

• Prelude (1939) • Vagharshapat dance (1943) • Impromptu (1944) • Polyphonic sonata (1946, rev. 1956) • Capriccio (1952) • Six pictures (1963–64) • Poem (1965) • Meditation (1969) • Melody and Humoresque (1970) • Elegy (1978)

• Dance (1942) • Armenian Rhapsody (1950, co-composed by Alexander Arutiunian) • Festive (1960, includes percussive instruments. Co-composed by Alexander Arutiunian)

• Violin sonata (1958) • Air and Dance for Cello (1961)

• String quartet No. 1 (1938-43) • String quartet No. 2 (1947-48, incomplete) • Piano Trio in F sharp minor (1952) • String quartet No. 3 (1975-76)

• Poem-rhapsody (1954, rev. 1960 and 1980) • March of the Soviet Police (1977)

• Piano concerto (1944) • Violin concerto (1948-49) • "Heroic ballade" for piano and orchestra (1950) • Cello concerto (1959-62)

• "Parvana" (Парвана) (1954–56; incomplete, probably lost) • "Stellar symphony" (Звездная симфония) (1960) • "Umbrellas" (Зонтики) • "Sensation" (Сенсация) • "Dance Suite" (Танцевальная сюита) (1971)

• In Karlovy Vary (1959) • Armenian Lipsi (1960) • Rhythmic dance (1961) • Come to Yerevan (1961) • Festive Yerevan (1977) • Dvin (1979) • Nocturne (Concert piece for piano and orchestra) (1980) • Dreams (Concert piece for piano and orchestra) (1982)

• "Nocturne" ("Ноктюрн", originally for piano and orchestra) • "Bring me back the music" (""Верни мне музыку") • "Beauty queen" ("Королева красоты") • "Wedding" ("Свадьба") • "Best city in the world" ("Лучший город Земли"), originally performed by Jean Tatlian and made a classic by Muslim Magomayev • "Grateful to you" ("Благодарю тебя") • "Ferris wheel" ("Чертово колесо") • "Heart on snow" ("Сердце на снегу") • "The blue taiga" ("Голубая тайга") • "Dum spiro, spero" (Пока я помню, я живу) • "Aria-vocalise" (Ария-вокализ)