Description

Order of the Badge of Honor #10608 with Order Booklet and Presentation Box

Awarded to Gurgen Hovhannesi Mirzoyan (Գուրգեն Հովհաննեսի Միրզոյան) (Гурген Оганесович Мирзоян)

Bestowed to him after preforming in the Kremlin for STALIN, MOLOTOV and the rest of the Soviet government

Made of silver and enamels. Measures 46.17 mm in height, 33.42 mm in width and it weighs 36.7 gram without its screwplate.

In superb excellent condition with stunning enamels and crisp details. Even the higher laying parts such as the faces of the man and woman are well defined. Both sides show an appealing dark patina which matches the patina on screwplate perfectly well. The enamels have no repairs and all the separately soldered letters in ‘CCCP’ are original. Its screw has not been shortened and the order comes with its original and well fitted silver screwplate.

Its accompanying booklet is in great condition too with all pages present and firmly attached to its cover. Unfortunately his relatives blackened his name and removed his picture on the first page.

Short translation of the research:

Born: 20 May 1892, Tbilisi, Georgia.
Died: 27 November 1976, Yerevan, Armenia.

Also Known As
Գուրգեն Հովհաննեսի ՄԻՐԶՈՅԱՆ [birth name], Gurgen Hovhannesi MIRZOYAN [transliterated birth name], МИРЗОЯН Гурген Оганесович

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Decree of the Supreme Soviet USSR on 04.11.1939

Order “Badge of Honour”
“On bestowal of the participants of the Festival of Armenian Culture”

34. MIRZOYAN Gurgen Oganesovich – composer, artistic director of the folk music instruments.

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Mirzoyan participated at a banquet on 04.11.1939 in Kremlin (with STALIN, MOLOTOV, the rest of the Soviet government) where his folk music orchestra performed. It was here where he was bestowed with the order ‘Badge of Honor’. An article on this can be found here

Biography on Mirzoyan:

People’s Artist, kamancha player Gurgen Mirzoyan was born in 1911 on January 12th in Tbilissi (Georgia) to an intellectual family. He received his primary education in Tbilissi (Georgia), attended the “Hayartan” music studio, studied in the department of harmony and instrumentation, and by profession in the kamancha class of Professor Sasha Oganezashvili (Alexander Hovhannisyan). Gurgen Mirzoyan worked in Baku for many years, first as a concertmaster at the Radio Committee, then as a member of the Baku Orchestra of Eastern Folk Instruments under the direction of Hovhannes Ioannisyan. Later he moved to Armenia to work as a soloist in the folk instruments ensemble of the radio committee.

Mirzoyan also worked as a concertmaster in the Folk Instruments Orchestra led by Vardan Bunu (Buniatyan). In one of his articles, Bunu speaks with admiration about Mirzoyan’s performing art. “As soon as he takes the stage, he manages to attract the attention of the audience with his respectable wonderful appearance, to maintain a stony silence in the hall. He penetrates the emotional world of the listeners, leaving them with the impression that the musician is not one person, but a whole orchestra. ” Famous musicologist V. Belya praised G. Mirzoyan’s performing art, considering him a wonderful, virtuoso kamancha player. Famous musicologist Semyon Schlifstein spoke about Mirzoyan with praise.

Mirzoyan performed both as a skilled soloist and with the accompaniment of an orchestra and pianists. From 1935 Mirzoyan conducted the newly created orchestra of folk instruments of the “Armenian Philharmonic”. He performed with his God-given miraculous voice in that orchestra for many years. Mirzoyan’s life friend, incomparable singer, People’s Artist Shoghik Mkrtchyan.
In addition to being an performer, Mirzoyan was also a good pedagogue. He taught percussion at the Eastern Music Department of the Yerevan Conservatory, founded by Oganezashvili, at the Romanos Melikyan Music College.

Among the works performed by Gurgen Mirzoyan are the 3rd and 5th dances of Aram Khachaturian’s “Gayane” ballet, Alexander Harutyunyan’s “Overture for kamancha piano”, Sayat-Nova “Praised in every saz”, ”I have a word in Armenian”, “Apricot Tree”, “Chinar Es”, “Krunk” and many other works.
Filled with the desire to work, his art-loving, lively-cheerful artist, overcoming technical difficulties, also masterfully performed works by European composers among which: Haydn’s “Hungarian Dance”, Robert Schumann’s “Dreams” and Sergei Rachmaninov’s “Italian Regiment”.

Mirzoyan was awarded the Order of the “Badge of Honor”, diplomas of the Supreme Council, the diploma of the Transcaucasian Military Region and was awarded the title of Honored People’s Artist of Armenia. The great musician dreamed of creating departments of Eastern folk instruments at the conservatory. He passed away early in 1975, at the age of less than 65, not seeing his dream come true.

Also included in the picture gallery are: