Tigranian, Armen

Born Dec. 14 (26), 1879, in Aleksandropol’ (now Leninakan); died Feb. 10, 1950, in Tbilisi. Soviet composer, choral director, and teacher. Honored Art Worker of the Armenian SSR (1935) and the Georgian SSR (1936).

Tigranian graduated in 1902 from the Tbilisi School of Music as a flutist and studied composition privately with M. G. Ekmalian. He organized people’s choruses in Aleksandropol’, with which he gave concerts in various Armenian cities. He also taught choral singing. In 1913, Tigranian settled in Tbilisi, where from 1912 to 1921 he was active in the Armenian Musical Society (subsequently, the House of Armenian Art).

Tigranian’s classical Armenian opera Anush (based on the epic poem by O. Tumanian, 1908–12; third version, 1939) is a social drama distinguished by the originality of its national style, its folk characters, and its musical language. His other compositions include the musical drama Leili and Medzhnun (1917), the historical and patriotic opera David-Bek (libretto by the composer, based on the novel by Raffi, 1915), choral works, cantatas, orchestral and piano pieces, romances, and songs, several of which are set to the verses of A. Isaakian. Tigranian also transcribed and arranged folk songs.

Tigranian was awarded the Order of Lenin.