Toradze, David (Alexandrovich)

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Toradze, David (Alexandrovich)

Toradze, David (Alexandrovich), noted Russian composer, father of Alexander (David) Toradze; b.Tiflis, April 14, 1922; d. there (Tbilisi), Nov. 7, 1983. He studied composition with Barkhudarian and piano with Virsaladze at the Tbilisi Cons.; after pursuing composition studies with Guère at the Moscow Cons., he completed postgraduate work at the Tbilisi Cons. (1948-51). Then in 1952 he joined its faculty, being made a reader in 1966 and a prof, in 1973. He received various honors, including the State Prize (1951), People’s Artist of the Georgian S.S.R. (1961), and the Order of Lenin.

Works

dramatic: Opera: The Sumarmi Fortress (1942); The Call of the Mountains (Tbilisi, Nov. 20, 1947); The Bride of the North (Tbilisi, 1958). Ballet: Gorda (Tbilisi, 1949); For Peace (Tbilisi, lune 17, 1953; rev. as The Unsubdued, 1970). Musical Comedies: Natel (1948); The Avengers (1952). Other: Film scores. ORCH.: Festival, overture (1944); 2 syms. (1946, 1968); Afrikanskiye eskizi, symphonic poem for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1962); Georgian Folk Refrains, choral sym. (1972). OTHER: Chamber music; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire