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Alexander Gradsky is the author of a modern arrangement of the Russian anthem, which he polished for 6 months.
On November 28, 2021, at the age of 72, Alexander Gradsky died, a composer, singer, people’s artist of Russia and the creator of one of the first Soviet rock bands.
He was an amazing vocalist, there was no other vocalist. His talent was obvious, his vocal superiority was phenomenal, says composer Vladimir Matetsky. In memory of the master of the national stage, we want to recall little-known and simply interesting facts about his life and work.
Alexander Gradsky – composer Change of surname Sasha Fradkin was born on November 3, 1949 in Kopeysk, Chelyabinsk region. After 14 years, Alexander’s mother, Tamara Pavlovna Gradskaya, died. At the same time, to honor her memory, the young man decided to change his name.
Already 2 years later, while still a schoolboy, young Gradsky founded one of the first Soviet rock bands "Slavs", and then the group "Skomorokhs". By the way, the keyboardist in “Skomorokh” was none other than Alexander Buinov, who is now quite far from rock.
The musical taste of the future star was formed under the influence of the family. Alexander’s mother graduated from GITIS, was a man of fine artistic taste, an actress, worked as a director and literate of the magazine “Theatrical Life”. And the uncle almost 25 years performed in the ensemble of Igor Moiseev, bringing from foreign tours records of Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald and, of course, the Beatles.
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Posted by Anna Martazova (@annamartazova1)
To the “Liverpool four” Gradsky had a special attitude. He was a big fan of the British band and, according to Andrei Makarevich, often compared himself to John Lennon. To look like an idol in everything, Alexander Borisovich even began to wear glasses and long hair.
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He later met the widow of the Beatles founder, Yoko Ono. To Gradsky’s surprise, she said that she had heard the song “Joconda” (music by David Tukhmanov) performed by him and found it very talented.
In 1969, Gradsky entered the vocal faculty of the Gnesin Institute. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory in composition class. He is almost the only one of the domestic (and perhaps world) rockers who received a full-fledged classical vocal education.
In the official career of Gradsky you can find amazing details. So, in 1967, Alexander worked two months in the Donetsk Philharmonic as a saxophonist.
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Publication by Ilya Varenov (@ilya_varenov)
And 20 years later he was officially enrolled in the troupe of the Bolshoi Theatre and performed the part of the Stargazer in the opera “Golden Cockerel” by Rimsky-Korsakov. How about that, Sir Paul McCartney?
Real fame came to Gradsky at the age of 23, when he wrote the music for the film by Andrei Konchalovsky “Romance about lovers”. It was unheard of: known only to a narrow rock party performer and not even a member of the Union of composers!
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Publication from Theatre, Cinema and Beyond (@kinoteatral.ka)
Later compositions from the film were included in the first solo album of the artist. American music magazine Billboard named Alexander Gradsky star of the year. Today, the composer is the author of music for more than 40 films.
It is unknown how the future career of the future master of the Soviet stage would have developed if Andrei Konchalovsky had not seen the spark of talent behind the daring self-confidence of the student Gnesinka. But we run ahead, and meanwhile, the story of the acquaintance of two geniuses is interesting enough to dwell on it a little more.
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Publication by ASTROLOG | Elena Schatz (@astrolog_elenaschatz)
Konchalovsky came to the studio to Gradsky at the moment when there was a recording. And he was quite surprised when he was asked to come out and not interfere with his work. The director translated everything into a joke and asked if Alexander could write the music for the film. The young man replied that he had not done this yet, but, of course, he will cope.
"I'm brilliant, I know how to do everything," - such audacity struck the director in the face. However, what they saw in the studio suggested that the young talent should be taken a closer look. "Even if he's crazy, I need him," Konchalovsky decided in the end and, as we know, did not lose out.
In addition to music for films, Alexander created several operas and ballets. And the most famous of his rock opera “Stadion” wrote more than 10 years. Today this work is undeservedly forgotten. And few people know that the main opera roles in it, in addition to Gradsky himself, were performed by Alla Pugacheva, Mikhail Boyarsky and Joseph Kobzon.
In 1988, Gradsky visited the United States and performed at Carnegie Hall with such stars as Charles Aznavour and Lisa Minnelli.
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Publication by Nikolai Klimenko (@niklimenko78)
Later, harsh and direct Alexander stated that Minnelli sang badly, but the woman she is very interesting.
Gradsky’s most famous songs were not written by Alexander Gradsky during his lifetime, but the works that became his hallmark were not written by him. Cult “How young we were” – music by Alexandra Pakhmutova, lyrics by Nikolai Dobronravov.
about:blank
“Lived and Was I” is a song by David Tukhmanov on poems by Semyon Kirsanov. And even “Song about the ship” from the film “His own among strangers, a stranger among his own” was written by Eduard Artemyev to the words of Natalia Konchalovskaya.
"Hit parade of Alexander Gradsky" In the author’s radio program “Hit parade of Alexander Gradsky” thanks to Alexander Borisovich, a whole generation of rock performers received their first broadcasts: Alexander Bashlachev, Yuri Shevchuk, Konstantin Kinchev and Viktor Tsoi. At the same time, Gradsky’s own songs were not broadcast in principle.
In 2012, Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky asked Gradsky to make a new arrangement of the Russian anthem.
View this post on Instagram
Publication by Romanos Msrlyan (@romanos.live)
But the composer went further and offered the government his version of the anthem based on the official anthem of the Russian Empire “God Save the Tsar”.
Since 2012, Gradsky became one of the mentors in the popular TV project “The Voice”, in three seasons of which the members of his team won.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by Elena Bovykina (@elenabovykina)
In September of this year, Alexander Borisovich suffered a coronavirus, but did not leave the judge’s chair, and he came to the recording of the latest issues accompanied by doctors.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by Star Ribbon (@zvezdy.showbiz)
“So that you are not lost on Earth, try not to lose yourself!” – once sang Gradsky. And this, according to Ivan Urgant, unyielding, restless, fearless, independent, fragile and gentle man until his last days tried not to lose himself, staying with the pupils. We will always remember him that way.
He was an amazing vocalist, there was no other vocalist. His talent was obvious, his vocal superiority was phenomenal, says composer Vladimir Matetsky. In memory of the master of the national stage, we want to recall little-known and simply interesting facts about his life and work.
Alexander Gradsky – composer Change of surname Sasha Fradkin was born on November 3, 1949 in Kopeysk, Chelyabinsk region. After 14 years, Alexander’s mother, Tamara Pavlovna Gradskaya, died. At the same time, to honor her memory, the young man decided to change his name.
Already 2 years later, while still a schoolboy, young Gradsky founded one of the first Soviet rock bands "Slavs", and then the group "Skomorokhs". By the way, the keyboardist in “Skomorokh” was none other than Alexander Buinov, who is now quite far from rock.
The musical taste of the future star was formed under the influence of the family. Alexander’s mother graduated from GITIS, was a man of fine artistic taste, an actress, worked as a director and literate of the magazine “Theatrical Life”. And the uncle almost 25 years performed in the ensemble of Igor Moiseev, bringing from foreign tours records of Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald and, of course, the Beatles.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by Anna Martazova (@annamartazova1)
To the “Liverpool four” Gradsky had a special attitude. He was a big fan of the British band and, according to Andrei Makarevich, often compared himself to John Lennon. To look like an idol in everything, Alexander Borisovich even began to wear glasses and long hair.
about:blank
He later met the widow of the Beatles founder, Yoko Ono. To Gradsky’s surprise, she said that she had heard the song “Joconda” (music by David Tukhmanov) performed by him and found it very talented.
In 1969, Gradsky entered the vocal faculty of the Gnesin Institute. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory in composition class. He is almost the only one of the domestic (and perhaps world) rockers who received a full-fledged classical vocal education.
In the official career of Gradsky you can find amazing details. So, in 1967, Alexander worked two months in the Donetsk Philharmonic as a saxophonist.
View this post on Instagram
Publication by Ilya Varenov (@ilya_varenov)
And 20 years later he was officially enrolled in the troupe of the Bolshoi Theatre and performed the part of the Stargazer in the opera “Golden Cockerel” by Rimsky-Korsakov. How about that, Sir Paul McCartney?
Real fame came to Gradsky at the age of 23, when he wrote the music for the film by Andrei Konchalovsky “Romance about lovers”. It was unheard of: known only to a narrow rock party performer and not even a member of the Union of composers!
View this post on Instagram
Publication from Theatre, Cinema and Beyond (@kinoteatral.ka)
Later compositions from the film were included in the first solo album of the artist. American music magazine Billboard named Alexander Gradsky star of the year. Today, the composer is the author of music for more than 40 films.
It is unknown how the future career of the future master of the Soviet stage would have developed if Andrei Konchalovsky had not seen the spark of talent behind the daring self-confidence of the student Gnesinka. But we run ahead, and meanwhile, the story of the acquaintance of two geniuses is interesting enough to dwell on it a little more.
View this post on Instagram
Publication by ASTROLOG | Elena Schatz (@astrolog_elenaschatz)
Konchalovsky came to the studio to Gradsky at the moment when there was a recording. And he was quite surprised when he was asked to come out and not interfere with his work. The director translated everything into a joke and asked if Alexander could write the music for the film. The young man replied that he had not done this yet, but, of course, he will cope.
"I'm brilliant, I know how to do everything," - such audacity struck the director in the face. However, what they saw in the studio suggested that the young talent should be taken a closer look. "Even if he's crazy, I need him," Konchalovsky decided in the end and, as we know, did not lose out.
In addition to music for films, Alexander created several operas and ballets. And the most famous of his rock opera “Stadion” wrote more than 10 years. Today this work is undeservedly forgotten. And few people know that the main opera roles in it, in addition to Gradsky himself, were performed by Alla Pugacheva, Mikhail Boyarsky and Joseph Kobzon.
In 1988, Gradsky visited the United States and performed at Carnegie Hall with such stars as Charles Aznavour and Lisa Minnelli.
View this post on Instagram
Publication by Nikolai Klimenko (@niklimenko78)
Later, harsh and direct Alexander stated that Minnelli sang badly, but the woman she is very interesting.
Gradsky’s most famous songs were not written by Alexander Gradsky during his lifetime, but the works that became his hallmark were not written by him. Cult “How young we were” – music by Alexandra Pakhmutova, lyrics by Nikolai Dobronravov.
about:blank
“Lived and Was I” is a song by David Tukhmanov on poems by Semyon Kirsanov. And even “Song about the ship” from the film “His own among strangers, a stranger among his own” was written by Eduard Artemyev to the words of Natalia Konchalovskaya.
"Hit parade of Alexander Gradsky" In the author’s radio program “Hit parade of Alexander Gradsky” thanks to Alexander Borisovich, a whole generation of rock performers received their first broadcasts: Alexander Bashlachev, Yuri Shevchuk, Konstantin Kinchev and Viktor Tsoi. At the same time, Gradsky’s own songs were not broadcast in principle.
In 2012, Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky asked Gradsky to make a new arrangement of the Russian anthem.
View this post on Instagram
Publication by Romanos Msrlyan (@romanos.live)
But the composer went further and offered the government his version of the anthem based on the official anthem of the Russian Empire “God Save the Tsar”.
Since 2012, Gradsky became one of the mentors in the popular TV project “The Voice”, in three seasons of which the members of his team won.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by Elena Bovykina (@elenabovykina)
In September of this year, Alexander Borisovich suffered a coronavirus, but did not leave the judge’s chair, and he came to the recording of the latest issues accompanied by doctors.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by Star Ribbon (@zvezdy.showbiz)
“So that you are not lost on Earth, try not to lose yourself!” – once sang Gradsky. And this, according to Ivan Urgant, unyielding, restless, fearless, independent, fragile and gentle man until his last days tried not to lose himself, staying with the pupils. We will always remember him that way.
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