Concerto for Trumpet/ Alexander Arutunian (b. 1920)

November 5, 2005
Harmonious Puddles
class blog for DePauw University's
First Year Seminar:
Understanding Music - Writing About Music

Alexander Arutunian, born on September 23, 1920 in Yerevan, Armenia, attended the Komitas Conservatory in Yerevan. Since his graduation from the Komitas Conservatory, he has established himself as a world renowned composer. One of his most high-rated works is his Concerto for Trumpet, which ranks among Franz Joseph Haydn and Johann Nepomuk Hummel's Trumpet Concerto and Paul Hindemith's Sonata for Trumpet as the most played trumpet pieces in the world. The idea for this concerto, like many of Arutunian's other pieces, came to him while he was asleep. His fondness for brass instruments, established by his memories of brass ensembles in Armenian cities from his childhood, could explain why he chose the trumpet to go along with this romantic piece of work. This concerto features four sections: Andante, Allegro energico, Meno mosso, and Allegro. Completed in 1950, this piece was originally written for the principal trumpet player of the Yerevan Opera Orchestra, Zolak Vartasarian. Instead, it was premiered by Timofei Dokshizer, a virtuoso trumpet player from Moscow.


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