Aleksandr Shamilyevich Melik-Pashayev (; ; 23 October 1905,

Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...

– 18 June 1964,

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

) was a Soviet Armenian conductor, composer, pianist and pedagogue. He made numerous highly regarded recordings with

Melodiya Melodiya () is a Russian record label. It was the state-owned major record company of the Soviet Union. History Melodiya was established in 1964 as the "All-Union Gramophone Record Firm of the USSR Ministry of Culture Melodiya" in accordance wi ...

from the 1940s to the 1960s, including memorable versions of ''

Boris Godunov Boris Feodorovich Godunov (; ; ) was the ''de facto'' regent of Russia from 1585 to 1598 and then tsar from 1598 to 1605 following the death of Feodor I, the last of the Rurik dynasty. After the end of Feodor's reign, Russia descended into t ...

'', ''

War and Peace ''War and Peace'' (; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the work comprises both a fictional narrative and chapters in which Tolstoy discusses history and philosophy. An ...

'' and '' The Queen of Spades''.

Awards and honors

* Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR (1937) * Three Orders of the Red Banner of Labour (1937, 1951, 1955) *

Order of the Badge of Honour The Order of the Badge of Honour () was a civilian award of the Soviet Union. It was established on 25 November 1935, and was conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding achievements in sports, production, scientific research and socia ...

(1939) * Two Stalin Prizes, 1st class (1942, 1943) *

People's Artist of the RSFSR People's Artist of the RSFSR (, ''Narodnyj artist RSFSR'') was an honorary title granted to Soviet Union artists, including theatre and film directors, actors, choreographers, music performers, and orchestra conductors, who had outstanding achiev ...

(1947) *

People's Artist of the USSR People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to artists of the Soviet Union. The term is confusingly used to translate two Russian language titles: Народный арти ...

(1951) * Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" * Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow"

External links

Biography

1905 births 1964 deaths 20th-century Armenian musicians 20th-century Russian conductors (music) 20th-century Russian male musicians Musicians from Tbilisi People from Tiflis Governorate Academic staff of Moscow Conservatory Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni Georgian people of Armenian descent Russian people of Armenian descent People's Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the USSR Recipients of the Order of the Badge of Honour Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Recipients of the Stalin Prize Music directors (opera) Armenian classical composers Armenian classical pianists Armenian conductors (music) Armenian opera composers Russian classical pianists Russian male classical composers Russian male conductors (music) Russian music educators Russian opera composers Soviet classical pianists Soviet conductors (music) {{russia-conductor-stub Soviet male classical composers Soviet music educators Soviet opera composers Burials at Novodevichy Cemetery