End of an Era: Giya Kancheli, Legendary Composer, Passes Away

Aged 84, the world-renowned legendary Georgian composer Giya Kancheli passed away on October 2, following an illness he had been suffering for the past few years.

The Georgian maestro was distinguished for his deep and breathtaking musical compositions which were able to transport listeners to a completely different universe, as well as change their mood and enable them ‘travel’ to various dimensions.

Giya Kancheli launched a totally new epoch in the field of music and presented Georgia to the rest of the world from a new perspective. A number of Kancheli’s creations have accompanied some of the most iconic Georgian films, leaving an unforgettable footprint in the native cinematography that maintains its popularity even decades later. His works also beautified various theater plays of equally great Georgian directors. Yet Georgia was not the limit of Kancheli’s success, as, through his talent and mesmerizing compositions, he obtained recognition on the international stage worldwide. His naming as among the three greatest film composers, along with prominent Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota, is certainly the best proof of the fact.

Alongside his talent, Kancheli was also outstanding for his interesting personality. In one interview, the maestro recalled memories of the past, noting that, taking into account his successful career and the opportunity to work with the most brilliant professionals in the field, his having witnessed his music played in the most famous venues worldwide, he had lived a happy life. But when asked about the sad flow of his music, Kancheli stated. “I write tragic music, regardless of my happy life, as everything that is happening in my homeland, as well as in the entire world, has never given me the right to write music of another kind.”

Yet another distinctive feature of Kancheli’s music is that it is loved by all, regardless of age, nationality or profession. Through the death of the great Georgian maestro, Georgia is experiencing a huge loss and the true end of an era.

By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya