(b. 27 January 1939, Beirut).

Armenian composer, born in Lebanon, of mostly orchestral, chamber, choral, and vocal works that have been performed throughout the world.

Prof. Mansurian studied composition with Edvard Baghdasaryan at the Romanos Melikian College of Music in Yerevan from 1956–60 and with Ghazaros Saryan at the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan from 1960–65, with whom he then had postgraduate studies there from 1965–67.

Among his honours are First Prize twice in the competition All-Union in Moscow (c. 1966, for Partita; c. 1968, for Four Hayrens).

He taught theory of modern music at the Komitas State Conservatory from 1967–86, where he has taught composition as a professor since 1986. He also served as its rector from 1992–95.

He has lived in Armenia since 1947.

SELECT LIST OF WORKS

STAGE:

The Ice Queen (ballet in 2 acts, scenario by Vilen Galstyan, after Hans Christian Andersen), 1989

ORCHESTRAL:

Concerto, organ, small orchestra, 1964

Partita, large orchestra, 1965

Music for Twelve Strings, 12 strings, 1966

Preludes, large orchestra, 1975

To the Memory of Dmitri Shostakovich (concerto no. 1), cello, large orchestra, 1976

Canonical Ode, 4 harps, organ, 2 string orchestras, 1977

Concerto No. 2, cello, string orchestra, 1978

Double Concerto, violin, cello, string orchestra, 1978

Tovem, small orchestra (15 players), 1979

Nachtmusik, large orchestra, 1980

Because I Do Not Hope (in memoriam Igor Stravinsky), small orchestra (15 players), 1981

Concerto No. 1, violin, string orchestra, 1981

Concerto No. 3, cello, small orchestra (2 flutes, oboe, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, bassoon, contrabassoon, 2 French horns, trumpet, trombone), 1983

Postludio Concerto, clarinet, cello, string orchestra, 1993 (version of Postludio)

Concerto, viola, 18 strings, 1995

Fantasy, piano, string orchestra, 2003

Autumn fantasy, piano, string orchestra, 2004

Four serious songs (concerto no. 2), violin, string orchestra, 2006

Three Arias, viola, large orchestra, 2008

Romance, violin, string orchestra, 2011

Quasi parlando, cello, string orchestra, 2012

CHAMBER MUSIC:

Sonata, viola, piano, 1962

Sonata, flute, piano, 1963

Sonata No. 1, violin, piano, 1964

Allegro barbaro, cello, 1964

Sonata No. 2, violin, piano, 1965

Piano Trio, violin, cello, piano, 1965

Psalm, 2 flutes, violin, 1966

Interior, string quartet, 1972

Silhouette of a Bird, harpsichord, percussion, 1971–73

Sonata No. 1, cello, piano, 1973

Sonata No. 2, cello, piano, 1974

Wind Quintet, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1974

The Rhetorician, flute, violin, double bass, harpsichord, 1978

Capriccio, cello, 1981

String Quartet No. 1, 1983–84

String Quartet No. 2, 1984

Five Bagatelles, violin, cello, piano, 1985

Tombeau, cello, percussion, 1988

Postludio, clarinet, cello, 1991–92 (also version as Postludio Concerto, clarinet, cello, string orchestra)

String Quartet No. 3, 1993

Concerto, English horn, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 1995

Hommage à Anna Akhmatova, bass clarinet, qanun (zither from the Middle East), viola, marimba, 1997

Duo, viola, percussion, 1998

Dance, viola, percussion, 1998

Lacrimæ, soprano saxophone, viola, 1999

Lamento, violin, 2002 (also version for viola, 2002)

Three Mediaeval Tagher, viola, percussion, 1998–2004

Testament, string quartet, 2004

Con anima, 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, 2005

String Trio, violin, viola, cello, 2008

CHORAL:

Three Poems (text by Gostan Zarian), mixed chorus, 1969

Spring Songs (text by Hovhannes Tumanyan), mixed chorus, 1996

Confessing with Faith (text by St. Nerses IV the Gracious), 4 male voices, viola, 1998

Ars Poetica (concerto, text by Yeghishe Charents), mixed chorus, 1996–2000

Motet (text by Gregory of Narek), 2 mixed choruses, 2000

On the Shores of Eternity (text by Avetik Isahakyan), mixed chorus, 2003

Requiem, soprano, baritone, mixed chorus, string orchestra, 2011

VOCAL:

Three Romances (text by Federico García Lorca [translated by Hamo Sahyan]), mezzo-soprano, piano, 1966

Four Hayrens (text by Nahapet Kuchak), mezzo-soprano, piano, 1967

Intermezzo (text by Vladimír Holan), soprano, ensemble, 1972–73 (lost)

I am Giving You a Rose (text by Mateos Zarifian), soprano, flute, cello, piano, 1974

Three Nairian Songs (text by Vahan Teryan), baritone, large orchestra, 1975–76

Three Madrigals (text by Razmik Davoyan), soprano, flute, cello, piano, 1974–81

Sunset Songs (song-cycle, text by Hamo Sahyan), soprano, piano, 1984–85

The Land of Nairi (song-cycle, text by Vahan Teryan), soprano, piano, 1986

Miserere (texts by St. Mesrop Mashtots, the Bible [Armenian translation]), soprano, string orchestra, 1989

Madrigal IV (text by Alisa Kirakosyan), soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, tubular bells, 1991

Canti Paralleli (texts by Paghtasar Dpir, Yeghishe Charents, Avetik Isahakyan), soprano, piano, 2007–08

PIANO:

Sonatina No. 1, 1963

Petite Suite, 1963

Sonata, 1967

Miniatures, 1969

Three Pieces, 1970–71

Nostalgia, 1976

Three Pieces for the Low Keys, 1979

Sonatina No. 2, 1987

FILM SCORES (DIRECTOR):

Sayat-Nova – The Colour of Pomegranates, 1968 (Sergei Parajanov)

We and Our Mountains, 1969 (Henrik Malyan)

Ashnan arev – Autumn Sun, 1977 (Bagrat Oganesyan)

The Legend of the Clown, 1980 (Levon Asatryan, Edmond Keosayan)