Masquerade (Khachaturian)

Khachaturian was asked to write music for a production of Masquerade being produced by the director Ruben Simonov.[9] The famous waltz theme in particular gave Khachaturian much trouble in its creation: moved by the words of the play's heroine, Nina – "How beautiful the new waltz is! ... something between sorrow and joy gripped my heart." – the composer struggled to "find a theme that I considered beautiful and new". His former teacher, Nikolai Myaskovsky, attempted to help Khachaturian by giving him a collection of romances and waltzes from Lermontov's time; though these did not give immediate inspiration, Khachaturian admitted that "had it not been for the strenuous search" for the appropriate style and melodic inspiration, he would not have discovered the second theme of his waltz which acted "like a magic link, allowing me to pull out the whole chain. The rest of the waltz came to me easily, with no trouble at all."[10] Khachaturian dedicated the waltz to the actress who played Nina, Alla Kazanskaya.[1]

Masquerade premiered on 21 June 1941 in the Vakhtangov Theater in Moscow,[11] directed by Andrei Tutyshkin and starring Iosif Tolchanov as Arbenin and Alla Kazanskaya as Nina. On the following day Germany invaded the Soviet Union and its production run was cut short.[1] On 23 July 1941 German air-bombing completely destroyed the Vakhtangov Theatre, killing many actors and personnel, and destroying the elaborate stage decorations. Tutyshkin continued successful performances of Masquerade while in evacuation in Siberia.

In the Soviet Union, along with Khachaturian's Violin Concerto and excerpts from the ballet Gayane, the Waltz from Masquerade was often played at concerts and on the radio during World War II.[12]

Later, in 1944, Khachaturian extracted five movements to make a symphonic suite.[13] The movements are:[2][14]

Alexander Demchenko described the suite as an "absolutely Russian classic."[15] Peter J. Rabinowitz of Fanfare described it as a "certified hit with a strong back catalog."[16] Another Fanfare reviewer, Phillip Scott, called it "Khachaturian’s light music at its best."[17] Critic Maya Pritsker noted that it is considered Khachaturian's "best known score of incidental and film music."[18] Ronja Persson distinguished the three dance movements (Waltz, Mazurka, and Galop) from the two sentimental movements in between (Nocturne and Romance).[19]

In 1948 several recordings of the suite were made in the United States. Then Billboard wrote that the composer of the Masquerade Suite is "Khachaturian, the Russian, brooding, colorful, nationalistically melodic" and not "[Khachaturian], the Armenian, swirling, rattling and temperamentally heady" and that only "Galop" "rings out what presumably is the popular" Khachaturian.[14] Maurice Hinson agreed that it "contains little evidence of Khachaturian's Armenian background, as it was written to convey the atmosphere of the Romantic period of the play."[20]

The Youngstown Vindicator wrote that it is in the tradition of Tchaikovsky and Glinka, "rich in color and melody."[21] Deseret News wrote that "Although there is nothing original or particularly great about the 'Masquerade,' it is a lively and attractive suite."[22] St. Petersburg Times noted that in writing the suite Khachaturian was influenced by Russian composers and called it "swirling, flamboyant." It noted that the five pieces are "so different from each other as to mark them as individual entr'actes rather than as an entire suite." It continued, "The graceful melting rhythm predominant in both the 'Waltz' and 'Romance' gives way to wistfulness in the brooding sentiment shadowing the 'Nocturne' and 'Romance' [...] 'Galop,' runs rampant with irresistible joyousness."[23]

Harry van Vugt, a Windsor Star reviewer, opined in 1973 that Khachaturian's Masquerade Suite is written in a "conservative idiom" although by a composer who is still living. He called the Waltz "both burly and deflated", the Mazurka "lighthearted", and the Galop "mercurial".[24] Arenstein described the suite as a "bit of Russian pop" and the Galop as "comically dissonant."[25] Hilary Finch, of The Times wrote: "the loudest and longest waltz you’d ever heard, a wild carousel of a mazurka, complete with raspberry-blowing trumpets — and, at its heart, a sophisticated salon nocturne."[26] Steven J. Haller, writing in the American Record Guide, noted that the Waltz has a "glorious sweep, a richness of string sound and texture" that "immediately compels attention." He called the Mazurka "bracing", the Romance "wisftul" and the final Galop as having a "raucous circus atmosphere and heady high spirits."[27] Chetel described the Waltz as "fully romantic", the Mazurka as "energetic", and the Galop as "kinetic."[2]

The opening Waltz, which runs for around four minutes,[2][28] has become a popular piece[29][25] and is often played on its own.[30] Anthony Tommasini described it as "seldom-heard,"[31] while Anne Midgette opined that it is "music that you know even if you think you don't."[32] Rossiyskaya Gazeta wrote that "probably everyone has heard it at least once."[33]

Irakly Andronikov, a scholar of Lermontov, praised it as a "culmination of romantic waltz-like essence, its quintessence."[6] Writing for BBC Music Magazine, David Nice argued that the Waltz is "up there with the best of Prokofiev’s."[34] Bachtrack's Jane Shuttleworth opined that "Khachaturian cleverly evokes the style and atmosphere of the early 19th-century ballroom, whilst adding a large dash of menace."[35] Spokesman-Review's Lonna Baldwin argued that Khachaturian's Waltz is "not a light Viennese romp but a heavy, wonderfully ornate work."[36] Ivan March said it has an "engaging carousel flavour"[37] and Jim Waddelow praised its "unforgettable sweeping melodies."[38]

Other critics have characterized it as "slightly menacing",[39] "eerie",[40] "circusy",[17] "lush and slightly portentous",[41] "weighty, boisterous, and energetic",[30] "heavy and borderline militaristic",[30] and as having "visceral edginess."[42] Maya Pritsker, a Russian-American music critic, asked rhetorically in a New York Times piece, "Is it shameful to be moved to tears by the Waltz from Masquerade?"[18]

It has been listed as a "spooky" piece of classical music.[43] Jay Nordlinger has described the waltz as "spooky, haunting, marvelous",[7] and "dark, Halloweeny",[44] while Charles Lavazzi said it has a "tinge of darkness" to it.[45] Baldwin called the opening passage by the cellos "haunting."[36] Consequently, it has often been recommended for[lower-alpha 2][43] and played in Halloween concerts.[46][47]

Jim Waddelow recommended the waltz for both teachers and students of string instruments: "Students will like this hypnotic tune, and this is a great intermediate piece for the teacher who wants to introduce a waltz style." He also wrote that it is a "great piece for a director who wants to work style."[38]

The Waltz was performed at Khachaturian's funeral services in May 1978 by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Yevgeni Svetlanov, at the Moscow Conservatory's Grand Hall.[13][48]

In 1954, Khachaturian recorded the Waltz, Nocturne, and Mazurka from the Suite, conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra for Columbia (also setting down some of his other scores in the same sessions).

• 1948, Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of New York, Leopold Stokowski (Columbia MM-729, 3-12" Records)[14]
• 1948, Boston Pops Orchestra, Arthur Fiedler (RCA Victor 12-0209)[49]
• 1958, RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin (CD), RCA 09026 63302 2
• 1992, Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Järvi (CD), Chandos 8542
• 2008, Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Loris Tjeknavorian (CD), ASV CDDCA 773

Khachaturian offered a solo piano arrangement in 1952,[4] but earlier, in 1946, he had approved Alexander Doloukhanian's version for solo piano.[50][20]

In 1986 Irish flautist James Galway made a flute transcription of the Waltz along with other works of Khachaturian.[51]

Based on Khachaturian's suite, in 1982 Edgar Oganesian composed music for a ballet in three acts with a libretto by Lydia Vilvovskaya, Mikhail Dolgopolov, Natalia Ryzhenko, and Viktor Smirnov. It premiered at the Odesa Opera and Ballet Theatre. Oganesian, a former student of Khachaturian, used his other works, including Symphony No. 2, the Sonata-Fantasy for cello solo, and the Suite for Two Pianos for the ballet.[52][53]

In 1985 a film was produced by Studio Ekran based on the ballet starring Nikita Dolgushin and Svetlana Smirnova as Nina.[54][39] At 64 minutes long, it featured the Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet National Theatre of Yerevan under the direction of Hakob Ter-Voskanian.[54] It was released by Video Artists International (VAI) on DVD in 2007.[55] Lawrence Hansen, reviewing for American Record Guide, noted that Khachaturian' suite is less than 20 minutes long and "much of the other music is arrangements of the catchy, slightly menacing Waltz that opens the suite, including one stretch with a choral vocalise added. Pretty music, but it outstays its welcome."[39]

The Waltz was among the pieces of classical music featured during the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia on February 7, 2014, along with "Sabre Dance", another work of Khachaturian.[73]

Figure skating

In recent decades, the Waltz has become highly popular with figure skaters. It has been used by dozens of figure skaters from at least ten countries.

Season(s)	Skaters	Country	Competition	Ref
2002–03	Nathalie Péchalat Fabian Bourzat	France	Short program	[74]
2002–03	David Mitchell Loren Galler-Rabinowitz	United States	Short program	[75]
2003–04	Tommy Steenberg	United States	Short program	[76]
2006–07	Adam Rippon	United States	Short program	[77]
2008–09	Nobunari Oda	Japan	Short program	[78]
2008–09 2009–10	Mao Asada	Japan	Free skating Short program	[79][80][81]
2009–10	Véronik Mallet	Canada	Free skating	[82]
2010–11	Maria Borounov Evgeni Borounov	Australia	Short program	[83]
2012–13	Yaroslav Paniot	Ukraine	Short program	[84]
2012–13	Yan Han	China	Free skating	[85]
2012–13	Elliana Pogrebinsky Ross Gudis	United States	Free skating Short program	[86][87]
2013–14	Tatiana Volosozhar Maxim Trankov	Russia	Short program	[88][89]
2014–15	Alisson Perticheto	Philippines	Free skating	[90]
2014–15	Yuhana Yokoi	Japan	Short program	[91]
2015–16	Ekaterina Bobrova Dmitri Soloviev	Russia	Short program	[92]
2015–16	Mariia Holubtsova Kyryl Bielobrov	Ukraine	Short program	[93]
2015–16	Darya Popova Volodymyr Nakisko	Ukraine	Short program	[94]
2016	Johnny Weir	United States	Medal Winners Open	[95]
2017–18	Andrei Lazukin	Russia	Free skating	[96]
2017–18 2018–19	Júlia Láng	Hungary	Short program	[97][98]
2017–18 2021–22	Dmitri Aliev	Russia	Short program	[99][100]
2018–19	Audrey Lu Misha Mitrofanov	United States	Short program	[101]
2020–21	Evgenia Medvedeva	Russia	Short program	[102][103]

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

• Yuzefovich, Victor (1985). Aram Khachaturyan. Translated by Nicholas Kournokoff and Vladimir Bobrov. New York: Sphinx Press. ISBN 0-943071-00-3.
• Kushner, David Z. (October 2018). "Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978): A Retrospective" (PDF). Athens Journal of Humanities and Arts. Arts, Humanities and Education Division of the Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER). 5 (4): 373–400. doi:10.30958/ajha.5-4-1. S2CID 187086691. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-07-04.