Alexander Gorodnitsky
Encyclopedia
Alexander Moiseevich Gorodnitsky (Алекса́ндр Моисе́евич Городни́цкий) (b. March 20, 1933 in Leningrad
) is a well-known Soviet and Russian bard
and poet. Professionally, he is a geologist
and oceanographer.
Gorodnitsky graduated with a degree in Geophysics
from Leningrad Mining Institute
in 1957, and received a Ph.D.
in geological and mineralogical sciences in 1982. He became a professor in 1991 and has published over 130 scientific papers.
Since 1962, he has participated in Arctic geological expeditions and sailed on board various scientific research vessels. Gorodnitsky’s first songs appeared during his expedition in 1953. For a long time his songs were distributed via samizdat
tape recordings, and often performed by other singers. Like Alexander Galich, and unlike other bards, Gorodnitsky composed and sang his songs a cappella
for several decades; later, he started playing the guitar. Most of his songs are of the Tourist Song sub-genre and are based on his personal experiences. In concert, he usually performs with a professional guitarist accompanying him.
Gorodnitsky currently resides in Moscow
and regularly performs at concerts and various bard festivals.
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
) is a well-known Soviet and Russian bard
Bard (Soviet Union)
The term bard came to be used in the Soviet Union in the early 1960s, and continues to be used in Russia today, to refer to singer-songwriters who wrote songs outside the Soviet establishment, similarly to beatnik folk singers of the United States...
and poet. Professionally, he is a geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and oceanographer.
Gorodnitsky graduated with a degree in Geophysics
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
from Leningrad Mining Institute
Saint Petersburg Mining Institute
The G. V. Plekhanov Saint Petersburg State Mining Institute and Technical University is Russia's oldest higher education institute devoted to engineering...
in 1957, and received a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in geological and mineralogical sciences in 1982. He became a professor in 1991 and has published over 130 scientific papers.
Since 1962, he has participated in Arctic geological expeditions and sailed on board various scientific research vessels. Gorodnitsky’s first songs appeared during his expedition in 1953. For a long time his songs were distributed via samizdat
Samizdat
Samizdat was a key form of dissident activity across the Soviet bloc in which individuals reproduced censored publications by hand and passed the documents from reader to reader...
tape recordings, and often performed by other singers. Like Alexander Galich, and unlike other bards, Gorodnitsky composed and sang his songs a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
for several decades; later, he started playing the guitar. Most of his songs are of the Tourist Song sub-genre and are based on his personal experiences. In concert, he usually performs with a professional guitarist accompanying him.
Gorodnitsky currently resides in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and regularly performs at concerts and various bard festivals.