Stéphan Elmas

The life and work of the pianist, composer, and teacher Stéphan Elmas took place in different cities in Western Europe. Stéphan Elmas was born in the city of Smyrna (now Izmir, Turkey) in the family of an Armenian merchant. The father had the company «Elmas», hence the name of the musician was borrowed. Having left his homeland as a child, he lived most of his life in the cities of Germany, Austria, and France, and for the last 25 years in Geneva.

The first piano teacher of Stéphan Elmas was an experienced teacher Mr. Moseer. Significant public performance of 13-year-old Stéphan Elmas — free, brilliant performance of Franz Liszt’s works made an indelible impression on the musical community, and at the age of 17, he had the good fortune to become (albeit not for long) a student of the great Franz Liszt. After he improved in Vienna with prominent Austrian professors Anton Door (a student of Carl Czerny) and Franz Krenn.

Almost three decades (1885 — 1912) continued successful concert performances by Stéphan Elmas in Paris, London, Venice, and Constantinople. In the life of Stéphan Elmas, there were victories and great achievements, but the last period of his life was overshadowed by a gradually increasing deafness. A great test of the health and will of the composer was the fire, as a result of which some of his works burned down. Stéphan Elmas died in Geneva and is buried in the city’s Pantheon.

Unfortunately, due to a growing illness, in 1912, the successful concert activity of S. Elmas was interrupted, and he devoted himself entirely to composing. The legacy of Stéphan Elmas includes more than 120 compositions written mainly for the piano and unusually diverse in terms of genre — numerous cycles of preludes, nocturnes, mazurkas, waltzes, polonaises, ballads, improvisations, fantasies, as well as works of large form — four concertos for piano and orchestra, three piano sonatas, a piano trio, and a piano quartet.

Stéphan Elmas is the author of arrangements of 12 folk melodies, six of which the composer combined into a cycle called “Armenian melodies”. “Armenian” works also include “Տրտունջք” (Complaint) for voice and piano based on the verses of the famous Western Armenian poet Bedros Tourian.

Living far away from his homeland, Stéphan Elmas was spiritually connected with Armenia. The Armenian theme in the work of Elmas was a reflection of his deep patriotic feelings, which were also expressed in his social activities. So, for example, Elmas, like the outstanding Armenian cultural figures Ivan Aivazovsky Edgar Chahine, and Vardges Sureniants, helped Armenian refugees during the massacre in Turkey (Armenian Genocide in 1915).

At the end of the 20th century, the Foundation was founded in Switzerland of Stéphan

Elmas, the purpose of which was to promote the works of the composer, release recordings with performances of these works, and organize competitions named after S. Elmas. It should be noted that Alexander Siranosyan, an Armenian conductor from France, rendered active assistance to the foundation.

The famous pianist, and laureate of international competitions Armen Babakhanyan performed the Second and Third Piano Concertos of Stéphan Elmas, and two CDs with recordings of these works were released. Since 1996, with the assistance of the Foundation. Stéphan Elmas in Armenia, a national competition named after him began to be held in various musical and performing specialties. The compulsory program of the piano course includes works by Stéphan Elmas.

Another step towards the recognition of the remarkable creative personality of Elmas was the opening of a permanent exhibition at the Museum of Literature and Art named after the great Armenian poet Yeghishe Charents. The composer’s favorite piano stands in a small hall, and various exhibits relating to his life and work are exhibited here. Among them: a picturesque portrait of Stéphan Elmas, made in 1917 by Aimée Rapin, a bronze bust, a cast of the composer’s hand, as well as a lot of archival materials, family photographs, music albums with Stéphan Elmas’s works, etc.