Trumpet Concerto by Alexander Arutiunian

Alexander Arutiunian was a Soviet and Armenian composer and pianist. He was born in Erevan, Armenia, on September 23, 1920 and graduated from the Erevan Conservatory in 1941. He studied composition with Litinsky in Moscow at the House of Armenian Culture (1946–48), and then returned to Armenia as music director of the Royal Philharmonic Society. In 1954, he was appointed music director of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra. Spanning a life of 92 years, he was awarded a huge array of Soviet Union prizes that included the Stalin Prize, State Prize of Armenia, and People’s Artist of the USSR. Several of his works for wind instruments have secured their place in the international repertory. The melodic and rhythmic characteristics of Armenian folk music are a strong influence in Arutiunian’s work. As a composer, he expressed his nationality by incorporating the flavor of ashugher (folk minstrel) improvisations. At the time this trumpet concerto was written, his compositional style was similar to that of Khachaturian’s. However, in the 1960s he tended towards classical forms and clearer tonality.

Arutiunian’s trumpet concerto was his sixth major composition. Immediately considered a virtuoso showpiece to be assimilated into the standard trumpet repertoire, it was written in 1950 for the renowned trumpet player Timofei Dokschitzer. Known as a “flashy piece,” it has characteristics of Gypsy, Russian and Armenian music through beautiful, soulful melodies and several challenging rapid- tonguing passages.

Stream and Download

Alexander Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto is available for streaming and download on all major platforms.

Performers

Anthony Prisk, trumpet
Patricia Cornett, conductor

Temple University Wind Symphony

Recorded at Temple Performing Arts Center.

George Blood, Engineer
Tadashi Matsuura, Assistant Engineer
Jeffrey Chestek, Mix Engineer