Delos Diary

Chapter Two of our recent trip to New York.
On Friday, October 10th, the Khachaturian Centennial Concert was held at Carnegie Hall. Featured artists included the Philharmonia of Russia conducted by Constantine Orbelian, Russian mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko, the Yale Alumni Chorus and Yale Glee Club, members of the Philharmonia Orchestra of Yale, and pianist Dora Serviarian-Kuhn. Special guests included Khachaturian's son, his son's wife and their son who had flown in from Russia, plus over 2,000 other enthusiastic audience members.
From where we sat in a first-tier box, the house looked like a sell-out… a gratifying sign that Khachaturian's great gift — music that communicates directly to almost everyone's emotional center — still has the power to bring in a large audience.
The new Delos release Khachaturian Centennial Album (DE 3328), recorded earlier this year in Moscow by most of the same personnel, offers most of the music heard in Carnegie Hall. The early Piano Concerto, played by Dora Serviarian-Kuhn, a specialist in this piece, was added for the New York concert; plus three rousing orchestral encores (all of which are featured on the Delos release Vodka & Caviar -- The Ultimate Russian Spectacular DE 3288): the Lezginka and Sabre Dance from Gayaneh (audience favorites), and the famous Waltz from the Masquerade Suite.
By the end of the evening the audience was in a virtual tumult with standing ovations, many flowers, and shouts of bravo. Any reservations one might have had about Khachaturian's music — its open emotional appeal, its almost too obvious melodic and rhythmic thrust — were swept away by the total involvement of everyone on stage. The huge Yale Chorus made gorgeous sounds backing up beautiful Marina Domashenko's luscious mezzo-soprano voice in the Ode of Joy. Add to this five harps and a large orchestra and you had a musical tribute to Mother Russia that makes God Bless America sound timid.
The Lenin Ode and the Suite of highlights from Spartacus both received definitive performances. The concerto performance in Dora Serviarian-Kuhn's hands was both brilliant and idiomatic. Constantine Orbelian presided over the entire evening with his usual authority (in his earlier career as a concert pianist he had played and recorded the Khachaturian Concerto himself on an award-winning disc).
Lots of dressing room kudos followed until the privileged faithful were almost forcibly shoved out by Carnegie Hall personnel, anxious to close up and go home. Still later a small nucleus of friends met for a midnight celebratory supper which continued until the tired staff of Shelly's practically begged everyone to leave so that they could shutter the restaurant for the night.
I think Khachaturian, who treasured convivial gatherings and loved celebrations, would have had a great time if he had been present. The easiest way for the rest of us to recapture the feel of this special evening is to listen to the Delos Khachturian CD (DE 3328). Try it with a little vodka on the side and you'll see what I mean.