Mikael Tariverdiev, author of the haunting score for Seventeen Moments of Spring was one of the greatest modern Soviet film composers. The score, which is held to have helped elevate the series to its unprecedented success, remains one of the most popular works of film music. For this very special event, Vera Tariverdieva, Mikael's widow and the guardian of his legacy, will join Alex Kan and Stephen Coates in conversation to provide a rare and intimate glimpse into the life and work of a modern musical genius. This event is part of the Pushkin House Seventeen Moments of Spring Two Day Marathon.
The score, which is held to have helped elevate the series to its unprecedented success, remains one of the most popular works of film music. Together with the music for hugely popular films such as 'The irony of Fate’, it catapulted him to fame in Soviet Russia. During his lifetime, the Georgian / Armenian composer received only a fraction of the accolades awarded to Western peers such as Morricone, John Barry or Michel Legrand but his reputation is steadily growing due to a series of high quality releases made over the past three years and recognition by contemporary composer such as Nils Frahm.
For this very special event, Vera Tariverdieva, Mikael's widow and the guardian of his legacy, will join Alex Kan and Stephen Coates in conversation to provide a rare and intimate glimpse into the life and work of a modern musical genius.
Young piano virtuoso George Harliono will open the evening with a performance of Prelude, from the famous cafe scene in 17 Moments of Spring.
This event is part of Pushkin House Seventeen Moments of Spring Two Day Marathon.
Vera Tariverdieva is a musicologist, president of the Charitable Foundation Mikael Tariverdiyeva, author of the book "Biography of Music" (about the life and work of Mikael Tariverdiev) and the art director of the International Organ Competition named after Mikael Tariverdiyev.
Alexander Kan is the BBC Russian Service Art and Culture Correspondent. He is the author of three books about the cultural underground in the Soviet Union ("Poka ne nachalsya Jazz" (2008), "Kuryokhin" (2012), "Pop-Mekhanika" (2014), as well as many articles in the Western and Russian media. He was a music critic, journalist and producer in Leningrad in the 1970s-1990s. Since 1996 he has lived in London and works as the BBC Russian Service Art and Culture Correspondent. He also continues to produce festivals and concerts in Russia and in the UK.
Stephen Coates is a musician and arts producer. He has released many albums and tours internationally as The Real Tuesday Weld. His arts company Antique Beat have been publishing the music of Mikael Tariverdiev in the West since 2012. It is one of several Russian cultural projects they curate.
Photograph: Alexander Von Busch & Kir Simakov
British pianist George Harliono was invited to make his first solo recital at the age of nine and since then has performed in numerous locations in the UK, USA, Europe and Asia, including Wigmore Hall, The Royal Festival Hall, The Royal Albert Hall and Chicago Symphony Centre. Since his concerto debut at the age of 12 he has been a regular performer with orchestras including the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra and the Mariinsky Orchestra.
For those interested to learn more about Tariverdiev and his work the New East Cinema will be showing a screening of Goodbye, Boys by Mikhail Kalik, the soundtrack of which was composed by Mikael Tariverdiev. The screening will be held on 26 Sep 2018 at 18:30 at the Barbican.