COMPOSERS from Georgia

Top 6

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Georgian Composers of all time. This list of famous Georgian Composers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Aram Khachaturian (1903 - 1978)

With an HPI of 74.41, Aram Khachaturian is the most famous Georgian Composer.  His biography has been translated into 72 different languages on wikipedia.

Aram Ilyich Khachaturian (; Russian: Арам Ильич Хачатурян, IPA: [ɐˈram ɨˈlʲjitɕ xətɕɪtʊˈrʲan] ; Armenian: Արամ Խաչատրյան, Aram Xačatryan; 6 June [O.S. 24 May] 1903 – 1 May 1978) was a Soviet Armenian composer and conductor. He is considered one of the leading Soviet composers. Khachaturian was born and raised in Tbilisi (now the capital of Georgia). He moved to Moscow in 1921 following the Sovietization of the Caucasus. Without prior music training, he enrolled in the Gnessin Musical Institute, and subsequently studied at the Moscow Conservatory in the class of Nikolai Myaskovsky, among others. His first major work, the Piano Concerto (1936), popularized his name within and outside the Soviet Union. It was followed by the Violin Concerto (1940) and the Cello Concerto (1946). His other significant compositions include the Masquerade Suite (1941), the Anthem of the Armenian SSR (1944), three symphonies (1935, 1943, 1947), and around 25 film scores. Khachaturian is best known for his ballet music: Gayane (1942) and Spartacus (1954). His most popular piece, the "Sabre Dance" from Gayane, has been used extensively in popular culture and has been performed by a number of musicians worldwide. His style is "characterized by colorful harmonies, captivating rhythms, virtuosity, improvisations, and sensuous melodies". During most of his career, Khachaturian was approved by the Soviet government and held several high posts in the Union of Soviet Composers from the late 1930s, although he joined the Communist Party only in 1943. Along with Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich, he was officially denounced as a "formalist" and his music dubbed "anti-people" in 1948 but was restored later that year. After 1950 he taught at the Gnessin Institute and the Moscow Conservatory and turned to conducting. He traveled to Europe, Latin America and the United States with concerts of his own works. In 1957 Khachaturian became the Secretary of the Union of Soviet Composers, a position he held until his death. Khachaturian composed the first Armenian ballet music, symphony, concerto, and film score. He is considered the most renowned Armenian composer of the 20th century. While following the established musical traditions of Russia, he broadly incorporated Armenian and, to lesser extent, Caucasian, Eastern and Central European, and Middle Eastern peoples' folk music into his works. He is highly regarded in Armenia, where he is considered a "national treasure".

2. Zacharia Paliashvili (1871 - 1933)

With an HPI of 52.00, Zacharia Paliashvili is the 2nd most famous Georgian Composer.  His biography has been translated into 25 different languages.

Zacharia Petres dze Paliashvili (Georgian: ზაქარია ფალიაშვილი, Zakaria Paliaşvili), also known as Zachary Petrovich Paliashvili (Russian: Захарий Петрович Палиашви́ли, Zacharij Petrovič Paliašvili; August 16, 1871 – October 6, 1933), was a Georgian composer. Regarded as one of the founders of Georgian classical music, his work is known for its eclectic fusion of folk songs and stories with 19th-century Romantic classical themes. He was the founder of the Georgian Philharmonic Society and later, the head of the Tbilisi State Conservatoire. The Georgian National Opera and Ballet Theater of Tbilisi was named in his honor in 1937. Notably, Paliashvili's music serves as the basis of the National Anthem of Georgia. Although Paliashvili has composed works for symphony orchestra (e.g., Georgian Suite on Folk Themes), he is probably best known for his vocal music, which includes operas Abesalom da Eteri (based on a folk tale "Eteriani"), Daisi (Twilight), and Latavra.

3. Lev Knipper (1898 - 1974)

With an HPI of 51.61, Lev Knipper is the 3rd most famous Georgian Composer.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Lev Konstantinovich Knipper (Russian: Лев Константинович Книппер; 3 December [O.S. 21 November] 1898 – 30 July 1974) was a Soviet and Russian composer and OGPU/NKVD agent.

4. Mikael Tariverdiev (1931 - 1996)

With an HPI of 51.21, Mikael Tariverdiev is the 4th most famous Georgian Composer.  His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.

Mikael Leonovich Tariverdiev (15 August 1931 – 25 July 1996, also Mikayel Levoni Tariverdian) was a prominent Soviet composer of Armenian descent. He headed the Composers' Guild of the Soviet Cinematographers' Union from its inception and is most famous for his movie scores, primarily the score to Seventeen Moments of Spring.

5. Edvard Mirzoyan (1921 - 2012)

With an HPI of 49.28, Edvard Mirzoyan is the 5th most famous Georgian Composer.  His biography has been translated into 18 different languages.

Edvard Mik'aeli Mirzoyan (Armenian: Էդվարդ Միքայելի Միրզոյան; May 12, 1921 – October 5, 2012) was an Armenian composer. Edvard Mirzoyan was born in Gori, Georgia. He called himself an atheist, but added, "There is only one planet on which people live and are being born. And while it is, it's a miracle. A miracle, every leaf and every bug.... And it all depends on how you are able to enjoy this miracle. Some do not even think that they were born into a miracle." He is considered one member of the group called "Armenia's Mighty Handful", a reference to the 19th century collective known as the "Mighty Handful." He is also considered an integral part to the "Armenian School" of music composition alongside the composers Arno Babajanian and Alexander Arutiunian.

6. Vano Muradeli (1908 - 1970)

With an HPI of 47.85, Vano Muradeli is the 6th most famous Georgian Composer.  His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Vano Muradeli (Georgian: ვანო მურადელი; Russian: Вано Ильич Мурадели; 6 April [O.S. 24 March] 1908 – 14 August 1970), was a Soviet Georgian composer.