"Eem yerazheshdutyoones ghoshd eh." remarked Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian (1903-) , when I met him in early 1972. He says his music is coarse, straightforward and should be played without affected refinement. It is totally unpretentious, virile and strong. His emotions are to be projected without mannerism, in an uncluttered and completely unabashed way. The two albums recorded here give ample opportunity to sample Khachaturian's musical language and its attributes. Although composed for advanced youngsters, creatively they are sufficiently well-rounded to demand commitment from the listener. --from notes by Sahan Arzruni
