Lili
Iashvili
Lili Iashvili
(1920 – 1983)
Lili Iashvili – Georgian Composer, Teacher. One of the prominent representatives of Georgian Pop Music Art, Honored Worker of Georgian Art (1966), People’s Artist of Georgia (1981).
Date of birth – May 10, 1920
Place of birth – Tbilisi, Georgia
Date of death – November 30, 1983
Place of death – Tbilisi, Georgia
He is buried in the Saburtalo cemetery – Tbilisi
BIOGRAPHICAL DATA
1953 – Graduated from Tbilisi State Conservatory named after Vano Sarajishvili (class of Iona Tuskia);
1940 – 1961 – Concertmaster of the Central Sports School;
1960 – 1975 – Teacher of Meliton Balanchivadze Music School (composition);
He is the author of the first children’s musical comedy “Babajana Koshebi”;
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
1962 – Union of Composers of the Soviet Union, member
1966 – Honored Art Worker of Georgia
1981 – People’s Artist of Georgia
Lili Iashvili
(1920 – 1983)
SELECTED WORKS
MUSIC FOR THE THEATER
1967 – “Babajana’s Slippers” – Children’s Operetta in 3 Acts – (libretto – M. Tarkhnishvili)
1967 – “Irmisa” – Children’s Musical Comedy in 3 Acts – (libretto – V. Gogolashvili) – Based on Georgian Folk Tales
ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
1953 – Suite for Symphony Orchestra
CHAMBER-INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
1953 – Sonata for Violin and Piano
VOCAL AND VOCAL-INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
1961 – “Toast” – Song-Cantata for Soloists, Choir and Symphonic Orchestra – (text – T. Kakushadze)
AUTHOR OF UP TO 70 SONGS. BETWEEN THEM:
“Song to Batumi” – (text – K. Sanadze), “Youth” – (text – A. Shanidze), “Love Tale” – (text – K. Bobokhidze), “Tbilisi evenings” – (text – L. Chubabria), “Lily” – (text – N. Kilasonia), “Violets” – (text – Sh. Apkhaidze), “Firefly” – (text – N. Kilasonia), “Little Song” – (text – N. Kilasonia). ..
THE CHILDREN’S SONG GENRE HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN LILI IASHVILI’S WORKS.
SONGS FOR CHILDREN
BETWEEN THEM:
1950-1959 – “Nana” – (text – Sh. Mgvimeli), “Autumn”, “Forest” – (text – G. Abashidze), “Khotora” (“Trimmed Boy”) – (text – N. Kilasonia), “Spring” – (text – K. Sanadze) …
1961-1969 – “Children of the Whole World” – (text – N. Kereselidze), “As if I grew up” – (text – M. Chkhetiani), “Pioneer Marching” – (text – M. Tarkhnishvili), “Barber Fox” – (text – G. Chichinadze), “To Mother” – (text – N. Shamanidze)…
1972-1978 – “Spring”, “Georgia, Sunny Kingdom” – (text – B. Ashilava), “Song about Tbilisi” – (text – I. Abashidze), “Song about Georgia”, “Tushi woman”, “Strange doll”, “Gift” , “Goose Chick”, “Kokrochina’s ship”, “Rain is comming” – (text – Ts. Kitiashvili)…
Lili Iashvili
(1920 – 1983)
Iashvili, Lili. Her entrance into the Georgian musical world was accompanied by those associations, which scientists refer to as the idea and category of aesthetic. Lili Iashvili, the author and performer of her works, evoked a sense of beauty, charm, and harmonious wholeness. Perhaps this explains Lily Iashvili’s spectacular rise to fame. His songs, “Ai,ia,” “Song of Tbilisi,” “Song of Batumi,” “Tbilisi evenings,” “We invite everyone,” and “Endzelebi,” were originally taken up by famous Georgian pop music representatives, and then became universal property.
Generations were raised on Lili Iashvili’s songs. Many people now may not even know, that the composer accompanying herself songs of childhood – “Koshi, Koshi, Komara,” “Krichi-Krichi,” “Kochaghe,” “Strange Doll,” “Tsvima modis,” and so on. Her songs were in the repertoire of the incredibly successful children’s vocal-instrumental ensemble “Mziuri” (formed in the 1970s), which toured almost the entire world with this programme.
For many years, Lili Iashvili’s operetta “Babajana Koshebi” (1968, libretto by M. Tarkhnishvili, based on I. Grishashvili’s lyrics) attracted audiences of all ages to the Tbilisi Muscomedia Theater. It was one of the earliest Georgian operettas for youngsters (after “Komble” by Revaz Laghidze). According to musicologist Anton Tsulukidze, “the images of old Tbilisi were offered to us with lyrical authenticity and melodic representation in Lili Iashvili’s children’s opera “Babajana Koshebi.” This work was also performed in Gdynia, Poland (1968).
Another Lili Iashvili children’s operetta, “Irmisa,” with libretto by Vakhtang Gogolashvili, was successfully produced in Tbilisi Music Comedy Theater.
Lili Iashvili contributed significantly to the development of Georgian pop art, both creatively and pedagogically. She was a teacher at Tbilisi’s Theater and Circus School for many years (1970-83). The clock at Batumi’s “Piazza” still plays Lili Iashvili’s song “Batums katkatas.”
Musicologist
Tamar Tsulukidze
English Language Translator
Tamar Kharadze
Photo Gallery
