Kancheli’s work was known in the West as early as the 1970s – his fourth symphony, “In Memoria di Michelangelo”, was performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1978, but especially in the 1990s t appeared world-famous masters of his music, including the ECM seal, as well as conductors Dennis Russell Davis and Kurt Masur, violinist Gidon Kremer, violinist Kim Kashkaschechan and Yuri Bashmetz, violinist Gidon Kremer, violinists Kim Kashkaschechan and Yuri Bashmet, Kronos Quartet and Croet. Giya Kancheli came from Georgia and the music he wrote, whether for a movie or a concert hall, was full of light, shadows and passion. Georgian Gia Kancheli wrote music full of light, shadow and burning nostalgia. Composer Gia Kancheli, ECM champion, died at the age of 84. One of the most famous composers of the late 20th century died. When the Soviet Union collapsed and Georgia was destroyed by the civil war, Kancheli moved to Europe, first to Berlin, then to Antwerp, w he became a permanent composer of the current Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. Having grown up in the Soviet Union, he dedicated himself to “writing theatrical and film music that gave him more freedom than concert music – mainly written and performed for the eyes and ears of censorship – and for two decades he was the musical director of the Rustaveli Theatre in Tbilisi. Although Kancheli has never been so clear that he is based directly on the Georgian folk tradition, the way he echoes the tones resembles the rich textures of Georgian polyphonic vocals. Georgian composer Gia Kancheli in an undated photograph. Kancheli’s death was declared his by an old ECM label; his son, Sandro Kancheli, told NPR that his father suffered from heart failure for a long time. When his music went west, Kancheli also went west. Kancheli died on Wednesday, at 84. But Kancheli’s beloved Georgia has always been close to her composer’s imagination. Kancheli was born in August in Tbilisi and died on Wednesday, at the age of 84, in his “native” city, Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.

Composer Giya Kancheli Kancheli