“The Iranian Epic in the Works of Loris Tjeknavorian: Opera «Rostam and Sohrab» and «Ballet Simorgh»”

Abstract

  Loris Tjeknavorian occupies a significant place among the artists who have played a considerable role in developing Iranian classical music. In his multi-genre artistic heritage, he widely reflected themes from the Iranian epic and folk legends. The article presents two large-scale works by the composer, the opera "Rustam and Sohrab" and the ballet "Simurgh," which testify to Tjeknavorian's great interest in Iranian national culture, as well as his deep knowledge and original concepts in that field. The mythical tales of the national epic, the Shahnameh by Ferdowsi, have acquired a variety of genre embodiments in the professional music of Iran. Rustam and Sohrab was the first opera composed in Iran to use the melodic and rhythmic features characteristic of Iranian folk, religious and folk-professional music. The composer does not employ direct quotations. However, the musical material develops in line with national musical thinking. In the ballet Simurgh, the composer included national musical instruments in the symphony orchestra, thereby discovering the unique potential for polyphonic sound inherent in them. Following the general trends in contemporary European music, Loris Tjeknavorian in the examined works, as well as in his other music and stage works, preserved and developed the tradition of creative reference to specific features of national music.