Alemdar Karamanov

[TheJoe]

I did a search for this composer and found nothing.  Has anyone heard anything by or even about this composer?

Here's some information:  http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/lennon/13/unknown.htm

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Norman Lebrecht: "UNKNOWN - BUT NOT FOR LONG..."

(Monday 2 October 1995, "The Daily Telegraph", London)

The foremost living Russian composer is, by common consent, Alfred Schnittke. Ask Schnittke, and he will tell you that the outstanding Russian composer of our day is Alemdar Karamanov. Who's Karamanov? A composer unlisted in reference works, unheard on the radio, unrecorded on disk. He is as near to being a non-person as any musician can possibly be in the Internet era.

Not, however, for much longer. Within the next year, three major labels will record Karamanov syphonies, each believing it has cornered the next Gorecki. Schnittke, in a forthcoming biography, will restate his startling conviction that "Karamanov's gift as a composer is no less significant than of Messiaen or Ligeti." And the music will speak for itself- strong, spiritual, pungently original. The first British performance of any of Karamanov,s orchestral works is being played tomorrow in the off-centre setting of Central Hall, wesminster.

Karamanov, now 61, was silenced in the Soviet Union because he proclaimed the supremacy of God in a voice so compelling that even Politburo members took note. He remains in limbo in Yeltsin's Russia because his message is still unpalatable. "Russia is being commercialised,' he grubbies in a deep, emotonless voice, "and my music does not fit in."

A misfit from boyhood, Karamanov almost starved after his Turkish-born father was purged by Stalin in 1937 as head of the Crimean regional government. Under Germsn occupation, he harrowly escaped being shot for stealing apples. A Wehrmacht officer, billeted in the Karamanov's home, brought him music paper and put him on the radio at seven years old to make his debut as pianist and composer. When the Germans retreated they tried to take the Wunderkind back for a Berlin education, but he mother resisted. When the Red Aemy returned, his father was exiled to Central Asia as Stalin cleansed the Crimea of non-Russians.

The shabby orphan from Simferopol drew sniffs from professors at the Moskow Conservatoire- until he played them Beethoven's Fifth Symphony on the piano without ever having seen a score. The morning after the premiere of Shostacovich's Tenth Symphony, he repeated the work note-perfect from memory. Shostacovich, who attended college concerts of Karamanov's music, described him in a article as " one of the most original and unique composers of our time".

Karamanov was then writting what he calls "avant-garde music", reflective atonalities influenced by Western trends and anathema to doctrines of socialism realism. He formed a philosophical friendship with Schnittke, who convinced him of his duty to compose.

On January 7, 1965, Karamanov was walking down Gorky Street when he heard a trumpet sound from the top of telegraph building and saw a vision of his Saviour. " It was as if I had returned home," he says. "From that moment, Christianity, my music and myself became one."

He wrote a cycle of four symphonies based on the gosples, and another six with such titles as He Who Loves Us, Let It Be and I am Jesus - provacatively unperformable stuff an atheist state. "I always heard the music in myself," he says. "I didn't squeeze it out from my fingers like accountacy books. I don't play depraved political games, smile at mediocrity, or touch the dirty hands of dirty musical businessmaen."

In the early 1980s, anticipating political changes, his teasher Tikhon Hrennikov got the radio conductor Vladimir Fedoseev to prepare an audition tape of two Karamanov's symphonies for the composer's Union. To the composer,s mortification, the playback was sabotaged by party engineers.

Listening to Fedoseev's semisamizdat tape of Blessed Are the dead, Karamanov's 2, one quickly discerns the reasons for Soviet alarm and Schnittke's praise. Karamanov has a knack of devising sugarsweet Tchaikovsky melodies that decompose seditiously into the chaos of modernity, before finding comforting resolution in a simple, quasi-minimalist affirmation of devout tonality.

Schnittke was hailed as a pioneer when he deconstructed musical sequences in this fashion a decade later in such 1980s scores as Kein Sommernachistraum.Gorecki made his breaktrough with prayerful music of a kind that the unknown Karamanov had apparently been writting for two decades.

A fornight ago, a performance of the 23rd Symphony by Vlsdimir Ashkenazy and the Deutshces Sinfonie was ovated in Berlin and is deing recorded by Decca. Sony have booked Winchester Cathedral next May to capture the 20th Syphony and Stabat Mater, and Naxon are planning to release a recent Moscow performance of the Seventh Symphony. Recognition is beginning to dawn. Asked if he is composing at the moment, Karamanov nods, but adds: "I don't write anything down. I believe I am now composing my greatest works."

[pjme]

1995 : rumours, a few recordings ....since then : silence.
I bought the Olympia CD ( CD Olympia OCD 486: USSR Radio SO, V. Fedoseyev (cond) for almost no money in a cut out bin.

I found the music chaotic, a hotch potch of styles & frills - close to kitsch. But that is my point of view.

I listened to some Verdi this morning and my faith in humanity was immediately restaured.

Peter

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Enjoying Blessed Are the Dead and PC3.
Solid compositions and unique aesthetics.

[vandermolen]

Enjoying Blessed Are the Dead and PC3.
Solid compositions and unique aesthetics.

I have both these CDs but need to give them another listen to.

[Roy Bland]

His web page
http://www.karamanov.ru/

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

His web page
http://www.karamanov.ru/

Thank you, Roy. Very informative site!

[relm1]

I really enjoyed hearing this composer's Symphony No. 20.  To me, I heard a lot of Scriabin, Ravel, Gliere, and Shostakovich.  Composers I deeply adore.  Here is his symphony no. 20:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAW2LJT5QXw

I believe this Ukranian composer deserves to be better known.  The closest I can find to a list of works from his website but it is clearly incomplete:

Five Preludes for piano (1953)
String Quartet No. 1 (1953)
Piano Sonata No. 1 (1953)
Eight Pieces (Variations) for piano (1954)
"The Seasons of the Year (Vremena goda)", twelve pieces for piano (1954)
Four Pieces for clarinet and piano (1954)
Variations for oboe and piano (1954)
Five Pieces for two oboes and piano (1954)
String Quartet No. 2 (1954)
"Fairy Tale (Skazka)", symphonic poem (1954)
Symphony No. 1 (1954)
In five movements.

Piano Sonata No. 2 (1954-1955)
Partly lost, except Finale movement "Rondeau").

Symphony No. 2 (1955)
In two movements.
Revised in 1975.

"Five Children's Pieces" for piano (1956)
"Forest Pictures (Lesnye kartinki)", suite for orchestra (1956)
Symphony No. 3 (1956)
In four movements:
1. Andantino – 17'37"
2. Moderato – 5'38"
3. Andantino – 7'55"
4. Allegro – 8'58"

CD Marco Polo 8.223796: Moscow SO, A. de Almeida (cond)

Symphony No. 4 "May" (1956)
In four movements.

Symphony No. 5 "W. I. Lenin" for narrator, solo voices, chorus and orchestra (1957)
Dramatorio on verses by Vladimir Majakovsky (in Russian) in three movements.

"Komsomolija", one-act ballet (1957)
Composed with E. Krylatov.
Libretto by V. Varkovicky.

"Angarstroj", symphonic poem (1957)
Symphony No. 6 "Sinfonietta" (1957)
In four movements.

Symphony No. 7 "Lunnoe more (Moon Night)" (1958)
In three movements.

Piano Concerto No. 1 (1958)
"The Seasons of the Year (Vremena goda)", choral cycle for mixed a cappella chorus (1959)
Lost.

"Ballade" for voice and piano (1950s)
"Romances" for string quartet and piano (1950s)
"Ave Maria" for piano (1950s)
"Two Dances" for piano (1950s)
Published in 1959.

"Rodina" ("Fatherland") for chorus (1950s)
On verses by Konstantin Simonov (in Russian).

Symphony No. 8 "Classical" (1960)
In four movements.

"To Slavs (Slavjanam)" for chorus (1960)
Suite for jazz orchestra (1960)
Piano Sonata No. 3 (1960)
Piano Sonata No. 4 (1961)
Variations for piano (1961)
"Heroic Dances (Geroicheskie tancy)", symphonic poem-suite for orchestra (1961)
In five movements.

"Stronger than Love (Sil'nee lubvi)", ballet (1961)
Libretto by B. Lavrenev.
Production: Malegot Theatre of Leningrad.

Piano Concerto No. 2 (1961)
Violin Concerto No. 1 (1961)
Oriental Capriccio for violin and orchestra (1961)
Six Etudes for piano 1960-1962
Symphony No. 9 "Liberation (Osvobozhdenie)" (1962)
In four movements.

"Music (Muzyka)" for cello and piano (1962)
"Prologue, Thoughts and Epilogue (Prolog, Mysl' i Epilog)" for piano (1962)
"African Songs (Afrikanskie pesni)", vocal cycle for baritone and piano (1962)
On verses by African poets (in Russian translation).
"Music (Muzyka)" No. 1 for piano (1962)
"Music (Muzyka)" No. 2 for piano (1962)
Symphony No. 10 "Youth of the World" (1963)
In three movements.

"Song of Married Soldier (Pesnja zhenatogo soldata)", cantata for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1963)
On text by A. Machado-y-Ruiz (in Russian).

"The Crime was in Granada (Prestuplenie bylo v Granade)" for soprano, violin, flute and two pianos (1963)
To the memory of Federico Garcia Lorca.
On text by M. Hernandez (in Russian).

"Music (Muzyka)"for violin and piano (1963)
String Quartet No. 3 (1963)
"When You are Passing By (Kogda ty prokhodish' mimo)", poem for tenor and piano (1963)
On text by L. Asampur (Alla Sampurova) (in Russian).

"Window into Music (Okno v muzyku)", sixteen children's pieces for piano (1963)
Three Preludes for piano (1963)
Scherzo for clarinet and piano (1963)
Four Pieces for trombone and piano (1964)
Overture "Heroic" – "12th April (Geroicheskaja" – "12-e Aprelja)" for orchestra (1964)
Overture "Festival (Prazdnichnaja)" for orchestra (1964) Violin Concerto No. 2 (1964)
Five Preludes and Nineteen Concert Fugues for piano (1964)
New version in 1984: Fifteen Concert Fugues.

"The Autumnal (Osennee)" for chorus (1964)
On text by V. Firsov (in Russian).

"The Sparkling World (Blistajushchij mir)", musical play with ballet (1962-1965)
After Aleksandr Grin.
Production: Crimean Music-Drama Theater of Simferopol.

Concerto for trumpet and jazz orchestra (1965)
Symphony No. 11 (1965)
Cycle of Symphonies Nos. 11-14 "Accomplished (Sovershishasja)" for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1965-1966)
After the Bible (Four Gospels and Psalm 117).
In ten movements with chorus in the Finale:
1. "Because God has Loved the World so Much (Ibo tak vozljubil Bog Mir)"
2. "Theirs Is the Kingdom of Heaven (Takovykh jest' Carstvo Nebesnoe)"
3. "In Hebrew, in Greek, In Roman (Po-Evrejski, Po-Grecheski, Po-Rimski)"
4. "It is Accomplished (Sovershilos')"
5. "He Who Was Pierced Through (Tot, Kotorogo pronzili)"
6. "Beating Himself with the Fist on the Chest (Udarjaja Sebja Kulakom v Grud')"
7. "With Clothes, Embrocated by Ointments (Odezhdami, Smochennymi Aromatami)"
8. "He is Not Here. He is Resurrected (Ego zdes' net. On voskres)"
9. "They Always Were in Church (Byli Vsegda v Cerkvi)"
10. "In the Glory of His Father (V slave Otca Svoego)"

Music to the Film "Ordinary Fascism (Obyknovennyj fashizm)" (1965-1966)
Produced by M. Romm.

Stabat mater for solists, chorus and orchestra (1967)
Piano Concerto No. 3 "Ave Maria" (1968)
In three movements:
1. Allegretto – 12'29"
2. Largo – 6'16"
3. Andantino – 14'37"

CD Marco Polo 8.223796: Moscow SO, A. de Almeida (cond), V. Viardo (piano)

"Requiem" for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1971)
Orchestral version in 1991.

"Messa" (1972)
Unfinished.

Symphonies Nos. 15-16 "In Amorem Et Vivificantem" (1974)
"Remembrances (Vospominanija)" for chorus (1974)
On text by Alla Sampurova (in Russian).

Symphony No. 17 "America" (1975)
"Return", "Dedication", "Flying Leaves", "Images-Pictures" ("Vozvrashchenie", "Posvjaschenija", "Letjashchie listki", "Obrazy-kartiny"), choral cycles (1975)
On texts by Alla Sampurova (in Russian).

"To You (Tebe)", seven songs (romances) for coloratura soprano and piano (1975)
On texts by Alla Sampurova (in Russian).

Four Romances on verses by Russian poets for bass and piano (1975)
"Stars (Zvezdy)", vocal cycle for medium-range voice and piano (1975)
On verses by S. Shchipachev (in Russian).

Cycle of Symphonies Nos. 18-23 "Was (Byst')" (1976-1980)
After St. John's Revelation in New Testament.
"Poema Pobedy"; "Poem of Victory"

Symphony No. 18 "To He Who loves us (Lubjashchu ny)" (1980)
"Putjami svershenij"; "Roads of Accomplishments"

Symphony No. 19 "Blood of the Lamb (Kroviju Agncheju)" (1976)
"Pobede rozhdennyj" or "Rozhdennye dlja pobedy"; "Born to Victory" or "The Born for Victory"

Symphony No. 20 "Blessed are the Death (Blazhennii mertvii)" (1977-1978)
"Velikaja zhertva"; "Great Sacrifice"

CD Olympia OCD 486: USSR Radio SO, V. Fedoseyev (cond)

Symphony No. 21 "The Great City (Grad Velij)" (1978)
"Vsego Prevyshe"; "Higher Than All"

Symphony No. 22 "Let It Be (Byst')" (1980)
"Retaliation"

CD Decca 452 850 2: Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Vladimir Ashkenazy (cond)

Symphony No. 23 "I am Jesus (Az Iisus)" (1980)
"Reborn from the Ashes" or "The Risen from the Ashes".

CD Decca 452 850 2: Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Vladimir Ashkenazy (cond)
CD Olympia OCD 486: USSR Radio SO, V. Fedoseyev (cond)

"Fountain of Love (Fontan lubvi)", musical (1982)
After A. Pushkin's poem "Bahcisaray Fountain (Bakhchisarajskij fontan)".

"Crimean (Krymskaja)", overture for orchestra (1982)
"Adzhimushkaj Legend-Fact (Legenda-byl' Adzhimushkaja)" for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1983)
On text by B. Serman (in Russian).

Symphony No. 24 "Adzhimushkaj" (1983)
"Spring (Vesennjaja)" for orchestra (1984)
Music to the Film "Strategy of the victory (Strategija pobedy)" (1985)
Music to the Film "Love with Privileges (Ljubov's privelegijami)" (1989)
Produced by V.Kuchins'ky.

"Hymn (Gimn)" (1992)
National Anthem of Crimean Republic.

"Khersones", mysteries (1994)

https://karamanov.net/

[foxandpeng]

Thanks for this. I have really enjoyed Karamanov's Third!