Riga Piano Duo
NORA & RAFFI

(Nora Novik, Raffi Kharajanyan)

Adresses:
Nora Novik
Viestura pr. 5-4
LV1005, Riga
Latvija
ph: 371-7391183

 Raffi Kharajanyan
Terbatas 6/8-28a
LV1050, Riga,
Latvija
ph.: 371-7284543
Fax: 371-7331920
 
 
 
 
 
 

The piano duo of St. Peterburg conservatoire's graduated (prof. P. Serebryakov's class) Nora Novik and Raffi Kharajanyan is striking example of mastership of co-submitting in art when two splendid musicians with bright but different individualities compound unite and unique ensemble. „To blow up an audience emotionally" - that is the private motto of the duo.
Nora and Raffi are playing together since 1968. They gave over 1000 recitals (in Germany, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Russia, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Chekho-Slovakia, Korea, Zwitzerland, Yugoslavia, Taiwan etc.) and performanced concerts with well-known conductors (K. Kondrashin, S. Sondeckis, A. Ameller, K. Goleminov, A. Jansons, P. Mägi and others). The duo had several invitations to music festivals in Moscow, St. Peterburg, Helsinki, Zagreb, Budapest, Varna, Vilnius, Pyonyang, Schleswig-Holstein etc.
15 records and over 20 editions were made by this Duo-

 Their repertoire: from J. S. Bach and W. A Mozart up to W. Lutoslawsky, E. Bergman, J. Cage, G. Crumb.
Some programs are specially devoted to children audience. Composers as P. Hellawell (England), T. Buchholz, G. Wohlgemuth (Germany), P. Vasks (Latvia), J. Rääts, R. Kangro (Estonia), B. Kutavicius, O. Balakauskas (Lithuania), J. Butcko, V. Gavrilin (Russia), A. Arutjunyan (Armenia), N. Stoikov (Bulgaria) cooperate with the duo often.
Beside the concert activity the pianists are teaching at Riga Music Academy.

From 1990 the pianists are co-presidents of piano duo Assotiation. R. Kharajanyan is president of Assotiation of People's Cultural Societes of Latvia.

 „Their interpretations are characterized by smooth phrasing and dynamically subtle gradation of tone, rich and multi-timbre. „Your mastery produced an indelible impression on me." (conductor Saulus Sondezkis, „Music in the USSR"; Moscow).

 „In Nora Novik's and Raffi Kharajanyan's interpretation there were both powerful indomitability and brilliant technique and melancolic feeling". („Helsingin Sanomat", Helsinki)

 „Nora Novik and Raffi Kharajanyan from Riga proved to be a fabulous duo with absolute technical syncronization and identical artistic thiking."(„Westfälische Nachrichten", Münster)

 „That, about what to be spoken specially, are the pianists Nora Novik & Raffi Kharajanyan, a really outstanding duo which added to the concert unrivalled professional level." („Dagens Nyheter", Stockholm)

 „Liberty of playing, joy of playing. These qualities accompany performances of the duo Nora Novik & Raffi Kharajanyan from year to year, from concert to concert." („Literatura un maksla", Riga)

 Nora Novik & Raffi Kharajanyan Discography

 Gavirilin: Twelwe Sketches for fourhand piano: Valse, New French Song, Dream, Little Waltz, Small Watch, Musketeers, Warlike Song, Lonely Harmonica, Bells Pealing, The Troika Ride, Coachman Song
C 10 18459 001

Kangro: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra
Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra
Conductor Saulius Sondeckis
C 10 17525 004

 Kangro Sonata for Two Pianos, Op. 28, Notturno
C 1022687 003

 Liszt Piano Duets: Concerto pathétique, The Sombre Steppe, Réminiscencés de Don Juan, In Memory of Petöfi
C 10 17103 005

 Rääts Marginalias for Two Pianos
C 10 2423639 000

 Zarinš Concerto grosso Nora Novik (harpischord), Raffi Kharajanyan (piano), Latvian Symphony Orchestra Conductor Vasili Sinaisky
C 10 19181 000

Shchedrin-Kharajanyan Little Sonata
Barkauskas Variations
Arutyunyan-Babajanyan Armenian Rhapsody, Festive Song
Lesur Fantasia
Auric Valse, Partita
C 10 02691 000

 Britten Introduction and Rondo alla burlesca, Elegiac Mazurka, Op 23, Nos. 1 and 2
Lutoslawsky Variations on a Theme by Paganini
Plakidis Quintes Invention
Hovhaness Mihr, KO-OLA-U
Terzyan Atmospheres
C 10 08661 007

 Balasanyan Four Novellas:
A. Davtyan Poem
Tieknavoryan Youth Dance
A. Khachaturyan Three Pieces:
C 10 13753 001

 Kutavicius Two Collages
Kangro Music in beat
Balakauskas Studi sonori
Zemzaris Three Sisters, fantasia
Vasks In memoriam
C 10 17925 006

 P. Dambis „Plays"(10 Pieces)
C 10 26567 003

 Pêteris Vasks "Botschaft"
for pianos, Stringorch, Percussions
CD - "Wergo" - WER 6220 - 2/286220 - 2/

 Pêteris Vasks "Message"
for 2 pianos, stringorch, Percussions
CONFIER 75605 512362 UK: CDCF 236

 Raimo Kangro Konzert für 2 Klaviere
und orc. N 2, op. 36
BM - CD - 319070 ANTES

 Jaan Rääts 24 Marginalien für 2 Klaviere
BM CD 319064 ANTES
 
 




BASIC - REPERTOIRE FOR ONE PIANO 4 HANDS



J. Chr. Bach                    3 Sonatas

W. A. Mozart                    Sonatas N° 1, 2

J. Haydn                        Sonata F-dur

F. Schubert                     3 Military marches op. 51

                                     4 Polonaises op. 75

J. Brahms                       Suite „Russian souveniere"
                                Walzer op. 39
R. Wagner                       Polonaise D-dur

G. Rossini                      „Petite fanfare"

M. Clementi                     Sonata C-dur

J. Field                        Variations on a russian theme

P. Tchaikovsky                  12 russians folk songs

A. Dvorak                       6 Legends, Scotch dances, slavonic dances
G. Bizet                        Pieces from „Children's Play"

S. Rachmaninoff                 6 pieces op. 11

F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy        7 Songs Without Words

A. Bruckner                     Quadrille

P. Hindemith                    8 Waltzer „Drei wunderschönen Mädchen in Schwartzwald" op. 6

E. Satie                        „Pieces in the shape of a pear"

M. Ravel                        Suite „Ma Mere l'One"

F. Poulenc                      Sonata

G. Fr. Malipiero                Suite „Armenia"

A. Schönberg                    6 pieces

A. Berg                         Variation from „Lulu"

I. Stravinsky                   Three pieces

G. Crumb                        Macrocosmos IV

V. Gavrilin (St. Peterburg)     17 Sketches

V. Bibergan (St. Peterburg)     Pieces
V. Barkauskas (Lithuania)       Suite „Winter-82"

A. Kjeldas (Norvegen)           3 Miniatures

J. Tiensuu (Finland)            „... for two"

A. Casella (Italia)             Suite:  „Pupazzetti"

                                        „Fox-trot"



BASIC-REPERTOIRE FOR TWO PIANOS



G. F. Händel               Sonata G - dur(HWV 579), "From Water Music"
W. Fr. Bach                     Sonata F-dur

W. A. Mozart                    Sonata D-dur

                                        Fugue c-moll
L. Krebs                        Concerto A - moll
F. Liszt                        Concerto patetique

                                        Reminiscences de „Don Juan"

                                        Reminiscences de l'Opera "Norma"

R. Schumann                     Andante with variations F-dur

M. Ravel                        Spanish Rhapsody

S. Rachmaninoff                 Symphonic Dances (author's transcr.)

                                        Fantasy op. 5

                                        Russian Rhapsody

J. Brahms                       Variations on a theme by J. Haydn
K. Saint - Saëns                Minuett nd Gavotte op. 65 
                                Dance Macabre op. 40
I. Stravinsky                   Sonata

                                        Concerto

F. Poulenc                      Sonata

                                        Capriccio

                                        Elegy

B. Britten                      Introduction and Rondo alla Burlesca

                                        Elegiac mazurka

D. Milhaud                      Suite „Scaramoush"

G. Gershwin                     „An American in Paris"

                                        Cuban ouverture

A. Copland                      Dancon cubano

W. Bolcom                       „Recreations"

A. Hovhaness                    4 pieces

J. Cage                         Experiences

G. Wohlgemuth                   Variations on theme by G. Fr. Händel

W. Lutoslawsky                  Variations on theme by Paganini

B. A. Zimmermann                „Monologe"

D. Shostakovitsh                Concertino

                                        4 pieces

A. Khachaturyan                 Suite

                                        Dances from ballett „Spartacus"

S. E. Bäck                      „Tollo"

R. Shchedrin                    Little Sonata

                                        Quadrille

H. M. Górecki                   Five Pieces
Luk. Ferrari                    Comme une Fantaisie


ODERN MUSIC OF BALTIC REPUBLICS (2 PIANOS)



ESTONIA:        J. Rääts                24 Marginalia

                R. Kangro               Sonata

                                        Display VI
                                        6 pieces op. 20
                L. Sumera               3 pieces
LITHUANIA:      O. Balakauskas          Studi sonri

                V. Barkauskas           Variations

                B. Kutavicius           Two Collage

                                        Sonata for two pianos and Clarinetto

LATVIA: P. Vasks                        „In memoriam"

                P. Dambis               „Plays" (10 peaces)
                P. Pearidis             3 peaces

BASIC-REPERTOIRE FOR ONE PIANO 6 HANDS:



W. Fr. E. Bach                          „Dreyblatt"

A. Schnittke                            „Dedication I. Stravinsky, S. Prokofjeff and 

D. Shostakovitsh"

G. Belov (St. Peterburg)                Suite „3 × 6"

K. Èerni                                Variations on a theme by Donicetti



BASIC-REPERTOIRE FOR TWO PIANOS 8 HANDS



B. Smetana                              Rondo
F. Liszt                                Grand Galop chromatique op. 12
A. Rubinstein                           Tarantelle

O. Balakauskas (Lithuania)              „New turkish march"

G. Sviridoff (Russia)                   Military march

R. Kangro (Estonia)                     Display II

M. Wilberg                              Fantasy on Themes from Bizet's Carmen

COMPOSITIONS FOR TWO PIANOS AND PERCUSSIONS



B. Bartok                               Sonata

E. Bergmann                             „Borealis"

J. Crumb                                Macrocosmos III

E. Denisoff                             „Silhouettes"

R. Kangro (Estonia)                     Display I

V. Bibik (St. Peterburg)                „Abendmusik"

A. Dzenitis (Latvia)                    Compozition (1997)


CONCERTOS FOR PIANO DUO WITH ORCHESTRA



J. S. Bach                              3 Concertos (c-moll, C-dur, c-moll)

J. S. Bach                              2 Concertos for 3 piano (C-dur, d-moll)

C. Ph. E. Bach                          Sonatina (2 pianos, String orch., 2 Flute, 2
                                        B - aur
W. A. Mozart                            Concerto Es-dur

W. A. Mozart                            Concerto F-dur for 3 pianos

C. Saint-Saëns                          „Le carnaval des Animaux"
M. Bruch                                Concerto for 2 pianos (width Symph.
                                        orc)op 88cav
F. Poulenc                              Concerto d-moll

B. Bartok                               Concerto

B. Britten                              Scotland ballade (with Symph. orch.)

L. Berio                                Concerto (with Symph. orch.)

A. Schnittke                            Concerto for one piano 4 hands (1988, with little 

symph. orch.)



R. Kangro (Estonia)                     Concerto N° 1 (with string orch.) - 1978

                                        Concerto N° 2 (with string orch. and perc.) - 1988

                                        Concerto N° 3 (with string orch., perc. and 2 Trombe,

 2 Corno) -                                     1993
J. Rääts (Estonia)                      Concerto for one piano 4 hands (with string 

orch.) - 1993

M. Zarinš (Latvia)                      Concerto grosso for virginal, piano and symph. 

orch. (1977)

E. Straume (Latvia)                     Concerto „Ch-Ch" (Chernobil-Chellenger) (2 pianos, 

saxophon,                                       string orch., 1986)

P. Vasks (Latvia)                       „Message" for 2 pianos, percussion and string 

orch. (1982)

Z. Virkšas (Lithuania)                  Serenade (1990) for 2 pianos and string orch.

V. Kobekin (Russia)                     „Blagovest" for 2 pianos (with symph. orch., 1988)
 

 
 
 

Das bekannte Klavierduo aus Riga
NORA & RAFFI

(Nora Novik & Raffi Kharajanyan)

Nora Novik und Raffi Kharajanyan sind Absolventen des St. Peterburger Konservatoriums (Klasse Prof. Scherebrjakov) und ein glänzendes Vorbild für Unterordnung in der Kunst, wie zwei vorzügliche Musiker mit reichen doch differenten Individualitäten ein gemeinsames unisones Ensemble gebildet haben.
Die Zuhörer emotional zu berühren ist die Devise der Musiker - ihr großes technisches Können, prägnante Darstellung, Virtuosität und wunderbarer Synchronismus ermöglicht das zu erreichen.
Mehr als 20 Jahre spielen Nora und Raffi zusammen. Gastkonzerte (in Deutschland, Italien, Schweden, Finnland, ehem. Sowjetunion, Polen, Ungarn, Bulgarien, ehem. Tschechoslowakei u. a.) und gaben Konzerte unter der Leitung von bekannten Dirigenten (Kondraschin, Sondeckis, Ameller, Goleminov u. a.). Das Duo hat bei bekannten Musikfestspielen (in Moskau, St. Peterburg, Helsinki, Zagreb, Budapest, Varna, Vilnius, Pjöngjang, Schleswig-Holstein u. a.) musiziert. Sie haben bei 15 Schallplattenaufnahmen mitgewirkt und haben über 20 Werke herausgegeben.

 Nora und Raffi verfügen über ein sehr umfassendes Repertoire: von J. S. Bach und W. A. Mozart bis W. Lutoslawsky, E. Bergmann, G. Crumb. Es gibt auch Konzertprogramme, die Kindern gewidmet sind.

 Komponisten wie J. Buzko, V. Gavrilin, A. Holminow (Russland), O. Balakauskas, B. Kutavicius (Litauen), R. Kangro (Estland), L. Astwazatrjan (Armenien), P. Vasks (Lettland), G. Wohlgemuth (BRD), N. Stoikow (Bulgarien) haben für das Duo verschiedene Werke gewidmet.

 Neben der intensiven Konzerttätigkeit sind die Pianisten als Lehrkräfte an der Rigaer Musikakademie tätig.
Seit 1990 sind Nora und Raffi Mitvorsitzende der Assoziation des Klavierduos. R. Kharajanyan bekleidet das Amt des Vorsitzenden der Assoziation der nationalen Kulturvereine Lettlands.

 Presse

 „In Noras und Raffi Interpretation gibt es sowohl kraftvolle Unbändigkeit, brillante Technik als auch ein melancholisches Gemüt." „Helsingin Sanomat", Helsinki

 „Es stellte sich heraus, daß Nora Novik und Raffi Kharajanyan ein... fabelhaft aufeinander eingespieltes Klavierduo ist." „Westfälische Nachrichten", Münster, BRD

 „Das, was man speziell sagen sollte, waren die Pianisten Nora Novik & Raffi Kharajanyan, ein wirklich außerordentliches Duo, das dem Konzert eine einzigartiges professionelles Profil gegeben hat." „Dagens Nyheter", Stockholm

 Unbegrenzte freie Schaffenslust zum Musizieren, ist das Kennzeichen der Konzerte Noras & Raffi von Jahr zu Jahr." „Literatura un maksla", Riga, Lettland

Adresse:

 Nora Novik
Viestura pr. 5-4
LV1005, Riga
Latvija
ph: 371-7391183

 Raffi Kharajanyan
Terbatas 6/8-28a
ph.: 371-7284543
Fax: 371-7331920