Famous Armenian Composer

THE MUSEUM was being renovated in 2023 when I went to try to see it, finally got to visit and it was free entry to Museum day until midnight so took advantage of it!

This museum was founded in 1963 by daughter Marina, after seeing the love of the local Armenians for the composers work, she applied to have his apartment converted into a house-museum

WEBSITE -> http://www.spendiaryanmuseum.am

GOOGLE MAPS -> https://maps.app.goo.gl/eBPfFsTWJR2Anyr38

Found the museum on the top floor of the building and walked in…

In 1924 Spendiaryan moved to Armenia from Crimea, Yerevan was very small and muddy “city” and in 1926 he was given an apartment on Nalbandyan street by Alexandr Tamanyan (architect) and was in the nicely new building designed by Nikoghayos Buniatyan and built in 1925-26 and was the first apartment building in Soviet Armenia

This is the old house where he lived, I cant believe how different it looks to the building that is there now!

This is the house now and the square infant, just doesn’t look as elegant and stately as it did before

The opening ceremony of the museum on the steps leading up to the museum – the same signs are still there out front of the doorway

This painting is the first thing you see as you walk into the museum

Painter Martiros Saryan presents Al. Spendiaryan’s portrait to the new-opened museum (1967)

The steps and entrance to the House-museum – there are many concerts held in the museum courtyard to this day, there was one that night actually which I had a quick listen to

Walking up the steps towards the museum on the top floor – the red markings mark the way

One of the rooms of the apartment

The composers violin

Displayed in the museum are Spendiaryan’s personal belongings, handwritten and printed notes, letters, documents, photos, press and books.

Spendiaryan was born Nov 1st 1871 in Kahhovka town (nowadays in Ukraine) and his ancestors were from Ani, the ancient capital of Armenia

The balcony overlooks Nalbandyan St and the Museum Square

His room in the apartment with his original furniture

In 1890-1895 He studied at Imperial Moscow University, first in the Natural Sciences, then the faculty of Law but he never did work as a layer

During these years, he was the concertmaster of the student orchestra and he ended up studying theory of composition, due to family ties, he came to meet Alexander Tsaturyan who composed a poem which was his first composition based on Armenian poetry lyrics

Some private items on display

In 1896-1900 he took private lessons with famous Russian composer and he gradually became friends with him which brought him into the Russian elite classical music lifestyle and he gradually became known in Petersburg and Moscow, he was an excellent and interesting speaker with a sense of humour which made him someone people wanted to get to know

at the end of his studies in 1900, he composed his first outstanding symphonic composition “The Concert Overtune” dedicated to his teacher

The other room in the apartment

In 1901, Spendiaryan married Varvara Mazirova – his father donated a mansion in Yalta to him and his family (he had 4 daughters 2 sons) and the house was their family home where there were many gatherings and intellectual parties

His original cutlery and crockery

In 1916 he sold his mansion in Yalta and moved to Sudak summerhouse with his family

He left for Tiflis and had the opportunity to listen to Eastern melodies

he met Hovhanes Tumanyan – he started working on Operas upon his return to Sudak, many artists worked and united with him on his work – during WWI he organised many concerts for the benefit of people who suffered from the war

ARMENIAN ERA

By invitation of the Armenian government, he moved to Armenia in 1924 and started to develop the Armenian musical culture at Yerevan Conservatory, and an orchestral class was founded and the first symphonic orchestra was organised and first concert took place 10 DEC 1924

The composer was the first in Armenia who was awarded the title of the Peoples Artist of Soviet Armenia and title of professor of Yerevan Conservatory

Was a quirky idea! a hat and stick im guessing might not be his but gives a nice aesthetic and fun look

In 1925 he wrote his last creation and he dies 7 May 1928 leaving many creative projects unfinished.

he was buried in the garden near the Opera House