Kurken M. Alemshah ( hy, Գուրգէն Մ. Ալէմշահ; 22 May 1907 – 14 December 1947) was an

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

composer and conductor.

Biography

Alemshah was born in Bardizag (now , near

İzmit İzmit () is a district and the central district of Kocaeli province, Turkey. It is located at the Gulf of İzmit in the Sea of Marmara, about east of Istanbul, on the northwestern part of Anatolia. As of the last 31/12/2019 estimation, the ...

, Turkey). He began schooling in his own hometown, but during the

Armenian Genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily through t ...

his parents sent the young boy to

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to continue his education in the Murat-Raphaelian Armenian School in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

. In 1923, when his teachers there became aware of his striking musical gifts, they registered him at the

Milan Conservatory The Milan Conservatory (''Conservatorio di Milano'') is a college of music in Milan, Italy. History The conservatory was established by a royal decree of 1807 in Milan, capital of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. It opened the following year ...

to study music. Following his graduation, Alemshah joined the faculty of the

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branch of the Murat-Raphaelian school, where he organized the Giligia choir, performing not only in Paris, but also traveling to Venice, directing the choir in an all-

Komitas Soghomon Soghomonian, ordained and commonly known as Komitas, ( hy, Կոմիտաս; 22 October 1935) was an Armenian priest, musicologist, composer, arranger, singer, and choirmaster, who is considered the founder of the Armenian national sch ...

program at St. Mark's Square. Alemshah continued to introduce the Armenian song to all music lovers: he presented Tchouhadjian's popular comic opera ''Leblebidji Hor-Hor Agha'' (The Chickpea Vendor), and ''Haygagan harsanik'' (The Armenian Wedding), a composition put together by combining Alemshah's own melodies with popular songs. In 1937, ''Haygagan harsanik'' received second prize in an international competition to which twenty nations participated. Concurrently, Alemshah conducted the Alakyaz Choir on a number of occasions, initially to mark the establishment of the Soviet regime in Armenia, and later to benefit the Armenian War Relief efforts. In 1939, he was appointed conductor of the Sipan-Komitas Chorus. He conducted Tigranian's opera ''Anush'' and performed the Armenian Divine Liturgy in a number of French cathedrals. In the fall of 1947, Alemshah visited the United States for a series of appearances. In October, he conducted a concert at Town Hall, NY, devoted to Armenian orchestral and choral music. On 14 December 1947 he died in Detroit of a

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, a day before he was scheduled to perform in the city.Ewen, David (1948). The Year in American Music. Allen, Towne & Heath Alemshah sang with an individual voice. His music exhibits fluid and elegant melodies, exquisite refinement and poise. His feeling for poetic atmosphere—and the craftsmanship he used to communicate it—was unique, giving his songs a rare musical substance and emotional intensity. Some of his scores were published in Paris in 1947 and his manuscripts are reposited in the Charents Museum of Literature and Arts in Armenia. A CD of Alemshah's complete solo songs, performed by Elisabeth Pehlivanian, and some of his choral works rendered by Komitas Chamber Choir have been released.

Selected works

Solo vocal

* Բուխուրիկ • ''Pukhurig'' (Stovepipe, 1934) * Իմ երգը • ''Im yerkı'' (My Song) * Ես սիրեցի • ''Yes siretsi'' (I Loved) * Իմ եարը • ''Im yarı'' (My Beloved) * Աղուորներուն • ''Aghvornerun'' (For the Lovely Maidens) * Նազեր • ''Nazer'' (Coyness) * Ծաղիկ էի • ''Dzaghig ei'' (I Was a Flower) * Իղձ • ''Ights'' (Desire) * Սիրելիս • ''Sirelis'' (My Love) * Պճինկօ • ''Bjingo'' (A gangbang)

Choral

* Հայաստան • ''Hayasdan'' (Armenia) * Անուշիկ եար ճան • ''Anushig yar jan'' (Beautiful Sweatheart) * Մեր պարտիզում • ''Mer bardizum'' (In Our Garden) * Հունձք • ''Huntsk'' (Harvest) * Պլպուլն Աւարայրի • ''Blbuln Avarayri'' (The Nightingale of Avarayr)

Instrumental

*''Lamento et dance arménienne'' (Lament and Armenian Dance) for vn & pn

Orchestral

* Արեւելեան գիշերներ • ''Arevelyan kisherner'' (Oriental Nights, 1931) * Հէքեաթ • ''Hekyat'' (A Tale) * Երկու պատմուածք հազար ու մէկ գիշերներէն • ''Yergu badmvadzk hazar u meg kisherneren'' (Two Stories from ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'')

Vocal-Orchestral

* Աւարայրի պատերազմը • ''Avarayri baderazmı'' (The Battle of Avarayr, 1934)

Incidental music

* Վարդավառ • ''Vartavar'' (Transfiguration, 1932) * Ծովինար • ''Dzovinar''

References

CD Recordings

Elisabeth Pehlivanian - Songs with pianoArmenian Composers of Asia Minor - Choral worksKomitasThe Battle of Avarayr