Born 27 July 1924 in Tbilisi. Died: February 1989. Studied at Tbilisi Music College from 1938-1942 and then at Georgian State Conservatory in Tbilisi from 1942-1947 (under Barkhudarian).

Style
Taktakishvili's music is characterized by his mild modality, the occasional parallelism and the folk instrument imitation. Sudden chromatic changes are common in his music. Modal alteration and alteration often function for tonal modulation.

Principal Works
Two symphonies, three pianoconcertos, violinconcerto, celloconcerto, trumpetconcerto, pianotrio, piano music, two oratorios, four operas ("Minidya", "The Robbery of the Moon" after Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, "The Woman-Chaser" and "The First Love"), vocal, incidental and film music.

Works
Hymn of the Georgian SSR (1946)
Text: A. Abasheli and G. Abashidse.
Symphony No. 1 "Youth Symphony" (1949) Vinyl LP Melodiya
"Samgori", symphonic poem (1950)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor (1950). Buy online sheet music (Two piano scores) - Piano concerto #1.
Poem for piano (1951)
"The Prisoner" for piano (1951)
Symphony No. 2 (1953)Vinyl LP Melodiya
Seven Romances after Pshavela for tenor and piano (1955)
Seven Romancen after Georgian Poets for singer and piano (1956)
Five Vocal Poems after G. Tabidze for mezzo-soprano, soprano and orchestra (1956)
"Mtsri" Symphonic poem after Lermontov (1956). Vinyl LP Melodiya
Violin Concerto No. 1 "Concertino" (1957)
Five Vocal Poems for mezzo-soprano, soprano and piano (1958)
Revised version of Five Vocal Poems after G. Tabidze for mezzo-soprano, soprano and orchestra (1956).
"Mindia", opera in three acts after Vajha Pshavela (1959-1960) Libretto: R. Tabukashvili and O. Taktakishvili. First performance: 1961 in Tbilisi.Vinyl LP Melodiya
Toccata for piano (1961)
Cycle of Romances after S. Chikovani for soprano, baritone and piano (1962)
Six Romances after Russian poet Pushkin for tenor, bass and piano (1963)
"Eternal Burning Fireside", oratorio after S. Chikovani for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra (1963)
"To the Steps of Rustaveli", oratorio for bass, mixed chorus, orchestra and organ after I. Abashidze (1964). Vinyl LP Melodiya
Sonata for flute and piano (1966)
"Three Tales", triptychon from three short operas (1967)
From: "Three Judgements", opera in one act after M. Djavakhishvili, "The Soldier", opera in one act after M. Djavakhishvili and "Higher the Flags", opera in three pictures with an epilogue after Georgian poet Tabidze. First performance: 1967 in Tblisi.
"Twilight above Mtazminda", poem for tenor, men's octet, chorus and orchestra (1968)
Poem and Allegro for cello and piano (1969)
Six Children's Pieces for piano (1969)
"Native Themes", four pieces for piano (1970)
Gurian Songs, cantata after Georgian folktexts for men's octet, mixed chorus and orchestra (1971)
Three Pieces for violin and piano (1971)
Nikolas Baratashvili - Georgian poet, oratorio for tenor, eight men's voices, chorus and orchestra (1972). LP Melodiya
"Three Lives" (1972)
Revision of "Three Tales (1967).
Revised in 1972. New opera No. 3: "Shikor" after M. Djavakhishvili. First performance in 1972 in Moscow.
Mingrelian Songs, suite for solo voice, eight men's voices and chamberorchestra (1972)
Piano Concerto "Youth Concerto" (1973)
"Imitation of Georgian Folkinstruments", suite for piano (1973)
"Love Songs "Lyric Songs", suite after M. Pozchishvili for soprano, tenor, men's octet and chamberorchestra (1974)
Choreografic Suite, ballet in one act of five parts. Libretto: G. Aleksidse. First performance: 1976 in Moscow.
Sonata for violin (1975)
Transcription of flutesonata (1966).
Piano Concerto No. 2 "Mountain themes" (1975)
Violin Concerto No. 2 in F minor (1976)
"The Robbery of the Moon", opera in three acts after K. Gamsakhurdia (1976) Libretto: O. Taktakishvili.First Performance in 1977 in Moscow.
Cello Concerto (1977)
"To the Holy Shushanik", Georgian hymn for baritone, men's chorus and percussion instruments (1979)
"Mususi (The Womanizer"), comic opera in one act after M. Djavakhishvili (1977-1980). Libretto: O. Taktakishvili and M. Tarkhnishvili. First performance in 1978 in Tblisi.
"The First Love, comic opera in two acts (1980). Libretto: R. Gabriadze. First performance in 1984.
Piano Concerto No. 3 for piano and chamberorchestra.
String Quartet in C minor (1985)
Concerto No. 2 for violin and chamberorchestra (1987)

Various works:
Chamber music Music to Films Music to the Play "Vassa Zjheleznova" after Russian writer M. Gorki
Music to the Play "King Oedipus" after Sophocles
Music to the Play "Wintertale" after Shakespeare
Orchestral works
Romances
Suites for piano
Works for chorus