Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues & Children's Albums Nos. 1 & 2 Charlene Farrugia

• Aram Khachaturian (1903 - 1978): 7 Recitatives & Fugues:
• 1 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Recitative No. 1, Allegro, ma non troppo 02:37
• 2 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Fugue No. 1, Moderato 02:44
• 3 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Recitative No. 2, Moderato 02:13
• 4 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Fugue No. 2, Allegro giocoso 01:36
• 5 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Recitative No. 3, Allegro giocoso 01:12
• 6 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Fugue No. 3, Adagio 04:35
• 7 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Recitative No. 4, Allegro vivace 01:52
• 8 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Fugue No. 4, Allegro non troppo 02:25
• 9 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Recitative No. 5, Allegro non troppo 01:19
• 10 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Fugue No. 5, Allegro moderato 01:56
• 11 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Recitative No. 6, Allegro poco sostenuto 01:43
• 12 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Fugue No. 6, Andante sostenuto 04:41
• 13 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Recitative No. 7, Allegro non troppo 01:16
• 14 Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues: Fugue No. 7, Allegro marcato 01:26
• Children's Album No. 1 "Pictures of Childhood":
• 15 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 1 "Pictures of Childhood": No. 1, Andantino 01:36
• 16 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 1 "Pictures of Childhood": No. 2, No Going for a Walk Today 01:22
• 17 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 1 "Pictures of Childhood": No. 3, Liado Is Very Ill 02:27
• 18 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 1 "Pictures of Childhood": No. 4, On a Birthday 01:51
• 19 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 1 "Pictures of Childhood": No. 5, Etude 01:27
• 20 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 1 "Pictures of Childhood": No. 6, Musical Picture 01:53
• 21 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 1 "Pictures of Childhood": No. 7, The Cavalry 01:07
• 22 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 1 "Pictures of Childhood": No. 8, Intervention 03:47
• 23 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 1 "Pictures of Childhood": No. 9, In the Folk Style 01:57
• 24 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 1 "Pictures of Childhood": No. 10, Fugue 01:55
• Children's Album No. 2 "Sounds of Childhood":
• 25 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 2 "Sounds of Childhood": No. 1, Skipping-Rope 00:36
• 26 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 2 "Sounds of Childhood": No. 2, An Evening Tale 01:22
• 27 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 2 "Sounds of Childhood": No. 3, Eastern Dance 01:09
• 28 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 2 "Sounds of Childhood": No. 4, Barsik on the Swing 01:13
• 29 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 2 "Sounds of Childhood": No. 5, Playing the Tambourine 01:22
• 30 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 2 "Sounds of Childhood": No. 6, Two Funny Aunties Argued 01:24
• 31 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 2 "Sounds of Childhood": No. 7, Funeral March 03:12
• 32 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 2 "Sounds of Childhood": No. 8, Rhythmic Gymnastics 01:15
• 33 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 2 "Sounds of Childhood": No. 9, Toccata 02:35
• 34 Khachaturian: Children's Album No. 2 "Sounds of Childhood": No. 10, Fugue 01:55
• Total Runtime 01:07:00

Info for Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues & Children's Albums Nos. 1 & 2

Aram Il’yich Khachaturian was considered the ‘mouthpiece of the entire Soviet Orient’ and remains the most renowned of 20th-century Armenian composers. His unmistakable style came with an urge to invent new forms that reconciled Western practice with Eastern idiom. His ‘apprentice’ Fugues were revised and enriched with Recitatives that conjure the colourful voices of Khachaturian’s childhood in Tbilisi. Refreshingly original, amusing and provocative, the Children’s Albums belong to a tradition that reaches back to Bach, Schumann and Tchaikovsky.

"Aram Khachaturian would have described himself as ‘a competent pianist’ who left a modest seventeen works for the instrument he composed through much of his life.

Though his scores, in every genre, followed the latest trends and styles, he was a ‘commercial’ composer who looked to please his listeners, and at the same time wishing to remain in a favourable relationship with the Soviet musical authorities. To enrich that relationship he frequently used folk music as the thematic content of his scores, and, if not actually quoted, the seven fugues composed as a student exercise infer that background. As a composer his musical education did not begin until he was twenty-two, and he did not rediscover these scores until forty years later when he decided to enlarge them by adding seven ‘Recitatives’. The shift in time-frame between the two being more than obvious as they bear little or no relationship. As the pianist, Charlene Farrugia, was to discover, they are rarely performed, and this may well be the first generally available recording. There was also a long time gap between the two Children’s Albums, the first belonging to that period after the Second World War when the education of those born during the war became of paramount importance. Most have a ‘title’ that describes the piece, some technically simple so that they could be played by a young person. Published in 1948, the Second Book, of similar length, appeared some seventeen years later and require a more skilled performer. I have much enjoyed the unassuming approach taken by the Maltese-born Farrugia with her obvious affection for the Children’s pieces. The recording in London’s Henry Wood Hall is of outstanding quality." (David’s Review Corner)

Charlene Farrugia, piano

Charlene Farrugia
Praised by musicians, audiences, and music critics as an “enfant terrible of Maltese piano”, Charlene Farrugia is one of the most prominent performers of the younger generation. Her extensive performances took off after her debut with the National Orchestra of Malta at the age of 13. She was the youngest soloist to ever perform with the National Orchestra of Malta, and her performance, which was received by a standing ovation, is still very well remembered by critics and audience alike up to this day. Since then, she has been a regular soloist with the orchestra, being asked to open the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra season on several occasions. Her solo appearances with the Orchestra include Mendelssohn’s 1st Piano Concerto, Poulenc’s Concerto for 2 pianos, Grieg’s Piano Concerto, the Bicentenary Celebration of Chopin’s birth in 2010 performing Chopin’s 2nd Piano Concerto, Rachmaninov’s 4th Piano Concerto, Ravel’s Concerto pour la main gauche… Her debut CD, recorded for NAXOS, features the 1st Piano Concerto by Maltese national composer Charles Camilleri, played alongside the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

Charlene is the first prize winner of 10 national and international piano competitions. She has been invited to perform solo recitals, namely in France, Ireland, Malta, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, Holland, Belgium, Philadelphia, Virginia, Italy, Portugal, Monaco, Russia, Romania, U.K… She has also appeared as soloist with Blackheath Halls Orchestra (London), Rotterdam Ensemble (Netherlands), WinterGreen Orchestra (Virginia, USA), Kaliningrad Philharmonic Orchestra (Russia), Arad Philharmonic Orchestra (Romania), Camerata Austriaca (Austria), Malta Philharmonic Orchestra (Malta)… She has premiered several works for solo piano and chamber music. Amongst others, one can mention the premiere of Karl Fiorini’s Trois Piece pour Piano et Orchestre with the Rotterdam Ensemble, the UK premiere of Fur Balant Andras Varga, by renowned Austrian composer Johannes Maria Staud and Bashkim Shehu’s Allegro Barbaro with Kaliningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. On many occasions, she has been invited to conduct masterclasses and sit as a jury member in piano competitions in Europe.

Charlene’s performances have led her to several European and US tours. At the age of 14, she toured Philadelphia USA, and gave several recitals to great public acclaim. Her second USA tour in Virginia included two performances of Chopin’s 2nd Piano Concerto which were both received by standing ovations. Other notable performances include piano recitals for several Heads of State on their official visit to Malta, including Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester; a piano recital at Château St. Anne in Brussels; The Story Of London series organized by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, and many others.

After finishing her musical education in Malta with Ms Amodio Chircop, Charlene was a top honours graduate from the University of Malta. She then continued her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, graduating with an MA in Piano Performance from the class of Diana Ketler, together with a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music (LRAM). She has recently been awarded a Doctorate in Piano Performance from the class of Kenneth Hamilton (University of Cardiff). Charlene currently teaches a Degree Plus piano course at the University of Malta. She has also been listed as one of the world’s great women pianists and is also an EMMA for peace artist. Her mentor is Boris Petrushansky.

She is kindly supported by the Malta Arts Fund, MGSS, Janatha Stubbs, Ian Tomlin, Malta Piano Trust, Friends of the RAM, and Mr. Christopher Elton.

Booklet for Khachaturian: 7 Recitatives & Fugues & Children's Albums Nos. 1 & 2