I'm... really digging the sonata. I think you need to listen to it with fresh ears. I mean, I understand that it's not n the same tonal realm as mozart, but it's got more in common with Debussy or Mussorgsky than it does with Schoenberg or anything else fiercely atonal. maybe you should start asking yourself why you're phrasing things the way you are in the piece, what you like and don't like about that phrasing, and try to if not like the piece, then come to respect it. As to Khachaturian being a loner and a crackhead, he's not alone in being a damaged person in music. A person can have a shitty life, or be a shitty person (like Wagner) or be really crazy (Scriabin, Satie) and still create great works.
Oh please don't get me wrong, I'm not comparing him to Mozart! I've been in love with contemporaries from Scriabin to Satie for the longest time, and am not one of those Mozart & Bach Master Race musicians. as I told lil, it might just be a matter of me being tired of it after playing for a while, But to represent my country with such a wild and out-of-bounds sort of piece is just kinda wrong :P You guys are mature and open-minded.. I don't know if my audience will understand.
absolutely. As a performer though it's a bit unnerving knowing you very well could be one of the 80. Everybody wants to be the best ;)
The best way to help your audience understand is to "sell" the music as best you can, and really be passionate about it.