Kurken M. Alemshah (Armenian: Գուրգէն Մ. Ալէմշահ; 22 May 1907 – 14 December 1947) was an Armenian composer and conductor.^[1]

Biography

Alemshah was born in Bardizag ^[2] (now Bahçecik, near İzmit, Turkey). He began schooling in his own hometown, but during the Armenian Genocide his parents sent the young boy to Italy to continue his education at the Murat-Raphaelian Armenian School^[3] in Venice. In 1923, when his teachers there became aware of his striking musical gifts, they registered him at the Milan Conservatory to study music.

Following his graduation, Alemshah joined the faculty of the Paris branch of the Murat-Raphaelian school, where he organized the Giligia choir, performing not only in Paris, but also traveling to Venice, directing the choir in an all-Komitas program at St. Mark's Square. Alemshah continued to introduce the Armenian song to all music lovers: he presented Tchouhadjian's popular comic opera Leblebidji Hor-Hor Agha (The Chickpea Vendor), and Haygagan harsanik (The Armenian Wedding), a composition put together by combining Alemshah's own melodies with popular songs. In 1937, Haygagan harsanik received second prize in an international competition in which twenty nations participated.

Concurrently, Alemshah conducted the Alakyaz Choir on a number of occasions, initially to mark the establishment of the Soviet regime in Armenia, and later to benefit the Armenian War Relief efforts. In 1939, he was appointed conductor of the Sipan-Komitas Chorus.^[4] He conducted Tigranian's opera Anush and performed the Armenian Divine Liturgy in a number of French cathedrals.

In the fall of 1947, Alemshah visited the United States for a series of appearances. In October, he conducted a concert at Town Hall, NY, devoted to Armenian orchestral and choral music. On 14 December 1947 he died in Detroit of a heart attack, a day before he was scheduled to perform in the city.^[5]

Alemshah sang with an individual voice. His music exhibits fluid and elegant melodies, exquisite refinement and poise. His feeling for poetic atmosphere—and the craftsmanship he used to communicate it—was unique, giving his songs a rare musical substance and emotional intensity.

Some of his scores were published in Paris in 1947 and his manuscripts are reposited in the Charents Museum of Literature and Arts in Armenia. A CD of Alemshah's complete solo songs, performed by Elisabeth Pehlivanian, and some of his choral works rendered by Komitas Chamber Choir have been released.

Selected works

References

CD Recordings

• Elisabeth Pehlivanian - Songs with piano Archived 2011-07-08 at the Wayback Machine
• Armenian Composers of Asia Minor - Choral works
• Komitas
• The Battle of Avarayr

Further reading

• Բրուտեան, Ցիցիլիա (1968). Սփյուռքի հայ երաժիշտները. «Հայաստան» հրատարակչություն, Երևան. pp. 55–60.