Yan Frenkel
Encyclopedia
Yan Abramovich Frenkel (November 21, 1920, Kiev
- August 25, 1989, Riga
, USSR) was a popular Soviet
composer and performer.
, Ukraine
. He was originally taught violin by his father, and later studied classical violin at the Kiev Conservatory
under Yakob Magaziner
. During the Second World War he was evacuated to Orenburg
, where he studied at the Orenburg Zenitnoe Uchilishche, and played the violin in the orchestra of the Avrora Cinema. After the war he lived in Moscow
, where he wrote orchestral arrangements and played the violin in various restaurants of the city.
He began composing songs in the 1960s. His first was the song Gody ('The Years'), written to lyrics by Mark Lisianski. During his later career he worked in collaboration with many prominent Soviet musicians, including Mikhael Tanich, Igor Shaferan, and the husband and wife team Konstantin Vanshenkin and Inna Goff. Thanks to Mark Bernes
his song Zhuravli
('The Cranes', lyrics by Rasul Gamzatov
) became a major hit. Frenkel gave concerts in which he performed his own music. During these concerts the audience would generally join in. His songs were included in the repertoire of many Soviet performers. He also appeared in the movie The Elusive Avengers
, for which he composed a score.
Yan Frenkel died on August 5, 1989 in Riga
(as foreshadowed in his song Avgust ('August') to the lyrics of Inna Goff). His wife Natalia died in the mid 1990s, but his daughter Nina has lived in Italy since the 1980s. His grandson Ian Frenkel is a musician (pianist and arranger) in the United States Coast Guard Band http://www.uscg.mil/band/Bios/frenkel.asp.
character of children's books and animation
s http://www.holyofholies.narod.ru/Prodolzhenie.html.
As reported by composer's fan site, members of Soviet ruling bureaucracy orchestrated a campaign against 'The Cranes', citing the song's religious undertones. The case was elevated all the way to the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev
, who decreed "acceptable to perform, but not too often" http://www.holyofholies.narod.ru/21_November.htm.
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
- August 25, 1989, Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, USSR) was a popular Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
composer and performer.
Biography
Frenkel was born in KievKiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. He was originally taught violin by his father, and later studied classical violin at the Kiev Conservatory
Kiev Conservatory
The Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music is a Ukrainian state institution of higher music education. Its courses include postgraduate education.-History:...
under Yakob Magaziner
. During the Second World War he was evacuated to Orenburg
Orenburg
Orenburg is a city on the Ural River and the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast, Russia. It lies southeast of Moscow, very close to the border with Kazakhstan. Population: 546,987 ; 549,361 ; Highest point: 154.4 m...
, where he studied at the Orenburg Zenitnoe Uchilishche, and played the violin in the orchestra of the Avrora Cinema. After the war he lived 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...
, where he wrote orchestral arrangements and played the violin in various restaurants of the city.
He began composing songs in the 1960s. His first was the song Gody ('The Years'), written to lyrics by Mark Lisianski. During his later career he worked in collaboration with many prominent Soviet musicians, including Mikhael Tanich, Igor Shaferan, and the husband and wife team Konstantin Vanshenkin and Inna Goff. Thanks to Mark Bernes
Mark Bernes
Mark Naumovich Bernes was a Soviet actor and singer of Jewish ancestry , who performed some of the most poignant songs to come out of the World War II, including Tyomnaya noch and Zhuravli...
his song Zhuravli
Zhuravli
Zhuravli , composed in 1968, is one of the most famous Russian songs about World War II.The Dagestani poet Rasul Gamzatov, when visiting Hiroshima, was impressed by the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the monument to Sadako Sasaki...
('The Cranes', lyrics by Rasul Gamzatov
Rasul Gamzatov
Rasul Gamzatovich Gamzatov was probably the most famous poet writing in the Avar language. Among his poems was Zhuravli, which became a well-known Soviet song....
) became a major hit. Frenkel gave concerts in which he performed his own music. During these concerts the audience would generally join in. His songs were included in the repertoire of many Soviet performers. He also appeared in the movie The Elusive Avengers
The Elusive Avengers
The Elusive Avengers is a 1966 Soviet film directed by Edmond Keosayan and made by Mosfilm. It is based on the novel Red Little Devils by Pavel Blyakhin....
, for which he composed a score.
Yan Frenkel died on August 5, 1989 in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
(as foreshadowed in his song Avgust ('August') to the lyrics of Inna Goff). His wife Natalia died in the mid 1990s, but his daughter Nina has lived in Italy since the 1980s. His grandson Ian Frenkel is a musician (pianist and arranger) in the United States Coast Guard Band http://www.uscg.mil/band/Bios/frenkel.asp.
Trivia
According to Eduard Uspensky Yan Frenkel is the prototype of his Crocodile GenaCrocodile Gena
Crocodile Gena is a fictional, friendly crocodile in the series of animation films “Gena the Crocodile”, “Cheburashka” and “Shapoklyak” by Roman Kachanov ....
character of children's books and animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
s http://www.holyofholies.narod.ru/Prodolzhenie.html.
As reported by composer's fan site, members of Soviet ruling bureaucracy orchestrated a campaign against 'The Cranes', citing the song's religious undertones. The case was elevated all the way to the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
, who decreed "acceptable to perform, but not too often" http://www.holyofholies.narod.ru/21_November.htm.
Sources
- The original version of this page was translated from the corresponding page in the Russian language wikipedia
- Yan Frenkel (fansite in Russian)