Gradsky Alexander
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Biography
Alexander Gradsky was born on November 3, 1949 in the city of Kopeisk, Chelyabinsk region.His father worked as an engineer at a factory, his mother was an actress in a drama theater. At one time she was invited to play in the Moscow Art Theater, but she was forced to leave with her husband to the Urals, where he was assigned after graduation.
The Gradskys returned to Moscow in 1957. Alexander's father worked at a factory (mechanical engineer), his mother directed theatrical circles, and then was a literary contributor to the magazine "Theater Life". Due to the excessive employment of his parents, Alexander lived with his grandmother in the suburbs of Moscow, in the village of Rastorguevo, Butovo district, before school.
In Moscow, the family for several years, until the early death of the mother (1963), lives in an 8-meter basement at the corner of the Frunzenskaya embankment, in the "company" of 9 more families. From 1958 to 1965, Gradsky, at the insistence of his parents, studied violin at a music school (teacher "student of EF Gnesina" VV Sokolov). About how good this teacher was, the following fact speaks: when Sokolov, for some purely everyday reasons, was forced to move to a less prestigious school named after. Dunaevsky - almost all of his "Gnessin" class followed him. The boy really liked the music lessons at school, but the need for hours of home exercise was depressing.
In a general education school, the relationship with the subjects took shape somehow at once. Sasha did not like all mathematical disciplines, physics and chemistry, but history and literature immediately became his element. He read avidly prose and poetry, and at the age of thirteen he wrote his first poem. Early (at that time) he got acquainted with Western music (E. Presley, B. Haley, E. Fitzgerald, L. Armstrong, F. Sinatra), in the Soviet stage he prefers songs performed by M. Bernes, K. Shulzhenko, L. Ruslanova, enjoys classical singing (Caruso, Chaliapin, Gigli, Callas).
Sasha's uncle (mother's brother) worked in the Moiseevsky ensemble (folk dance ensemble of the USSR), one of the few collectives that were allowed to tour abroad not only in the countries of the socialist camp, but also in the major capitalist powers. Thus, the uncle was among those who were fortunate enough to participate in a three-month tour of America. When my uncle returned from abroad, he brought not only foreign things, but also records with outlandish music, which in the Soviet Union only party apparatuses and diplomatic workers had the opportunity to listen to. In my uncle's collection there were as many as five or six (at that time - a rarity!) Records: Elvis Presley '57, Louis Armstrong, an album of saxophonist Steve Goetz, some blues. So, thanks to his uncle's excellent records and a luxurious "proprietary" stereo system, at the age of 10 - 12, Sasha got the opportunity to listen to the most modern, by world standards, music. But he was a novice musician, he could appreciate the quality of sound and voice ... Alexander himself believes that it was then that he received the first rock and roll impulse that fell on fertile soil - he was already fascinated by the work of domestic performers such as Mark Bernes, Claudia Shulzhenko and Lydia Ruslanova. And one more interesting fact: at the age of thirteen, young Gradsky went to the studio of "sound letters" on Gorky Street (now Tverskaya) and recorded Little Richard's song "Tutti-Frutti". However, under socialist conditions, Presley's lucky chance did not happen again, and the flexible gramophone record, according to Alexander, "is still lying around somewhere."
All this was subsequently reflected in the composition and manner of singing. Already while studying at school, Gradsky tries his hand at school evenings, sings, accompanying himself on the guitar and piano, plays in a theater group ...
At the end of 1963, Gradsky appears in the Moscow State University interclub and sings with a group of Polish students "COCKTS" at several concerts (the repertoire includes two blues and one rock and roll by E. Presley). The first song that Alexander Gradskiy performed as part of “Cockroaches” is A. Babajanyan’s twist “The best city in the world”.
1964 - the time of moving to a more or less decent apartment and ... THE BEATLES ...
At this time, it was decided to become a musician, singer, guitarist, composer, poet, in short - Alexander Gradsky ...
In 1965 A. Gradsky and Mikhail Turkov organized a group called SLAVYANE. Later they were joined by Viktor Degtyarev (bass guitar) and Vyacheslav Dontsov (drums). Two months later, Vadim Maslov (electric organ). SLAVS is the third, in terms of time of creation, Soviet rock group (after the BROTHERS and SOKOLOV), which became famous and popular (existed in this composition for no more than a year). The band's repertoire consists almost entirely of the songs "The Beatles" and "The Rolling Stones". Alexander Gradsky decided that only the Russian language should be the basis for his future music and songs, hence the creation of the SKOMOROKHI group (1966), focused exclusively on songs and compositions of his own composition and in Russian. In 1965, another significant event took place: Gradsky wrote one of his famous early songs "Blue Forest", which later became his trademark. At the same time, he continues to work with Degtyarev and Dontsov in a group called SKIFS. Initially, this group consists of Sergei Sapozhnikov (bass), Yuri Malkov (drums) and Sergei Dyuzhikov (guitar) plus Gradsky. Landmarks - instrumental (big beat) music. A couple of months later, Sapozhnikov and Malkov were changed to Degtyarev and Dontsov, then, instead of Gradsky, Yuri Valov came (later a member of the American group SASHA and YURA). It is interesting that after the departure of A.G. from SKIFS, his relationship with Dontsov and Degtyarev did not stop, on the contrary, they organized a group called LOS PANCHOS and, until 1968, played Western hits at dances in clubs and schools.
The first SKOMOROKHI (except for Alexander Gradsky) are Vladimir Polonsky (drums), who subsequently played for a long time in VIA VERY FUNNY GUYS, and Alexander Buinov (piano), he also got into VIA VERY GOOD GUYS, after which he made a solo career. The uniqueness of this group consisted, first of all, in the fact that they "walked along the paths, unknown to anyone before them." Gradsky defined the "purity" of the idea, but otherwise everyone was equal. Songs by A. Buinov ("Alyonushka" and "Trava-Murava") and hits of bass-guitarist Yuri Shakhnazarov ("Memoirs" and "Beaver"), who later became part of the group, were also performed. Immediately after that A. Buinov was drafted into the army and never returned to the group ...
The eternal lack of money for the purchase of equipment pushes the band's musicians to work in the philharmonic societies. Gradskiy accepts the offer of the then novice composer and pianist David Tukhmanov and goes on a short tour of the country, playing the guitar and diligently not showing the vocals, so as not to "light up". Sometimes (already without Tukhmanov) Buinov and Polonsky join him, sometimes they work on a trip, and A.G. "conquers" Moscow with LOS PANCHOS; in 1968, Gradsky even got a temporary job at the famous VIA ELECTRON, where he replaced Valery Prikazchikov on the solo guitar and again did not sing ...
During these two or three years, he traveled almost half of the Union with a very different repertoire and with a variety of musicians and soloists, and almost never and nowhere sang ... Only once, under the roar of a stunned audience, he sang a solo concert instead of a sick philharmonic soloist, calling himself a false name ...
That was the idea to make money for equipment on trips, then come to Moscow, prepare a repertoire and "give out" Russian rock and roll ...
1969 "the year of A. Gradsky's admission to the Gnessin State Pedagogical Institute. The faculty of solo singing to the teacher L. V. Kotelnikova. Subsequently he improves his skills in the class of N. A. Verbova. Orentlicher; in the opera class, such masters as S.S. Sakharov, N.D. Shpiller and M.L. Meltzer. Gradsky begins a solo career in parallel, performing alone, with a guitar. By this time there are "Ballad about a poultry farm", "Skomorokhi" and a small rock opera "Mukha-Tsokotukha".
A significant period begins when Gradsky, in fact, becomes one of the first experimenters in rock with texts in Russian (his own and famous poets). He also turns to Russian folklore.
In 1969. SKOMOROKHI still play three (A.G. plus Polonsky and Shakhnazarov), in 1970 Alexander Lerman, an intellectual, linguist and professional musician, leader of the VETRY OF CHANGE group, joined them (later, together with Y. Valov, worked in the USA in the group SASHA and YURA, at the same time teaches linguistics at an American University), and instead of V. Polonsky, who switched to VIA VERY GOOD GUYS, comes the breathtaking drummer Yuri Fokin (then left for the USA, now a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church in a parish near New York ). This is the stellar group composition of SKOMOROKHOV. They freely sing in three, four voices songs of their own composition. Moscow has been conquered once and for all. Equals, as they say, no. Unfortunately, almost no records of that period have survived ...
At the end of 1971, A. Lerman and Y. Shakhnazarov (later the founder of the ARAKS group of the Lenin Komsomol Theater, whose name is associated with all subsequent musical successes of Lenkom, the man who then worked as the head of the music group A. Pugacheva) 10 days before the start of the all-Union festival in St. Gorky leave Gradsky and Fokine ...
Fokin brings pianist Igor Saulsky, the son of a famous composer and jazzman, to Gradsky, and on the Moscow-Gorky train, Gradsky teaches Igor to play the bass guitar and at the All-Union festival of beat groups “Silver Strings” in Gorky, sharing first place with Chelyabinsk “Ariel” ”,“ Skomorokhs ”won 6 first prizes out of 8. And three of them -“ for guitar ”,“ for vocals ”and“ for composition ”- were received by Gradsky personally. All the previous seven years fit into twenty minutes of a fantastic show on the stage of the Gorky Palace of Culture. After the festival, from time to time, the group is joined by flutist, pianist and vocalist Gleb May, who later made an author's career as a composer, and drummer from Yerevan Armen Chaldranyan ...
The period of the first recording experiments begins. One of the jury members of the Gorky competition, musicologist Arkady Petrov, who was working at the radio station "Yunost" at that time, at his own peril and risk, organizes studio recordings of Gradsky and SKOMOROKHOV on the radio. Alexander Gradsky was the first among Soviet rock musicians to create a cycle of compositions based on poems by Burns and Shakespeare - a kind of encyclopedia of rock styles: from blues to rock and roll (recorded on a disc 10 years later).
Here it becomes finally clear: SKOMOROKHI is Alexander Gradsky. "Voice of America" and Moscow Radio speak about him and the group, his first songs are heard throughout the Union.
Since 1972, the group has become an individual (along with guitar, vocals, etc.) instrument of Gradsky for the approval of his musical and poetic ideas. The first recordings of Gradsky in the studio became the only and the first of its kind rock compositions in the USSR, recorded in a studio multichannel way, in which he acted as a multi-instrumentalist, the author of all the music, some poetry, a supervocalist, who for the first time in the USSR performed multiple layering of four parts, and one composition ("Only you believe me"), for the first time after Paul McCartney, was recorded by him entirely (parts of all instruments and voices) ... In the same 1972, at the suggestion of Tukhmanov, he recorded two of his songs for LP "How beautiful is this mir "(" La Gioconda "and" I lived "), for the first time in the Union 16-channel equipment is used.
In the same year, SKOMOROKHI went on tour to Kuibyshev and Donetsk. At the same time, A. Buinov, Y. Shakhnazarov, G. May, drummer Boris Bogrychev appear in their composition, especially for the trip ...
At the end of 1972, next to Gradsky, for the first time on the stage, we see bass-guitarist Yuri Ivanov, who, practically to this day, is included, as needed, in the SKOMOROKHOV.
At the beginning of 1973, Gradsky and Ivanov (I. Saulsky by that time was engaged in a number of other projects, playing alternately with different musicians and groups, as well as Y. Fokin) performed constantly together, changing drummers and inviting Fokin and Chaldranyan to different concerts (currently Igor Saulsky lives in the USA, having made a fantastic career as a professional computer engineer, manager and composer).
Leapfrog with the composition, given that the group (according to A.G.) should consist of no more than 4 people, leads to searches, and then to the invitation to the group of new members, as it turned out, permanent and forever true friends of Alexander Gradsky, with whom he recorded all the main songs, compositions, music for films, performances, vocal suites and much more ... The outstanding drummer, superjazzman and stylist Vladimir Vasilkov and one of the most powerful saxophonists and flutists of the Union Sergei Zenko, together with Gradsky and Ivanov, compiled those SKOMOROKHOV, whom we can hear in the recording and be convinced of the skill of the whole group and each individually.
In 1973 the first solo EP by Alexander Gradskiy was released with the compositions “Spain”, “Skomorokhi”, “Blue Forest”, “The Coal Miner's Friend”. In the same year, on one of the studio recordings, again organized by Arkady Petrov, the director of the future film "Romance of Lovers" Andron Mikhalkov - Konchalovsky, invited by Petrov, appears in the control room. He immediately makes Gradsky an offer to participate in the film, first as a singer, and then as a songwriter, part of poetry and all the music ...
An unprecedented case at that time: a 23-year-old composer (not a member of the Composers' Union!) Receives an order for music for a 2-part musical film by one of the most famous and talented directors of the country ...
The picture was released on the screens of the Union in 1974, in the same year A. Gradsky's first LP with music from "Romance", for which Billboard (an international music super magazine) awarded Gradsky the title "Star of the Year" for 1974 for "outstanding contribution into world music "(quote).
In the same year, Gradsky received a diploma from the Institute. Gnesins as an "opera and concert-chamber singer" (quote). In the same year he became a laureate of the international pop song competition Bratislava Lyra.
Career A.G. unfolds at a dizzying speed. He gets the opportunity to tour the country, while his concerts are held in overcrowded halls with a huge excitement of the public.
In huge sports palaces, he works three or four solo two-hour concerts a day, shaking the audience with a three-octave voice range, a completely unusual repertoire for that time, harsh, hard rock accompaniment (in those cases when the SKOMOROKHI group is with him), an extraordinary acting manner etc. All this work is organized through the Philharmonic, and the "stamp" of official art appears on the work of Gradsky, i.e. rock music may be officially permitted. Few remember that A.G. "broke" this insurmountable wall first, and behind him, into the "gap" formed, rushed all the other rockers ...
In 1974 Gradskiy finished work on the cycle of songs "The Reflections of a Jester".
In 1975 he works (in the footsteps of "Romance ...") on several films, not forgetting about the recordings, even participating in projects of other authors (G. Gladkov, V. Terletsky, E. Kolmanovsky, M. Fradkin, M. Minkov and etc.). At the same time, he entered the Moscow Conservatory in the composition class of T.N. Khrennikov and ... writes down "How young we were" by A. Pakhmutova and N. Dobronravov (you know the result ...). By the way, this song performed by Gradsky is the only one that was "promoted" by TV and Radio. All the rest of his works are still "clamped down", despite any changes in politics and everyday life ...
In 1976, Gradsky composes and records the first part of the suite "Russian Songs", and in 1978, on the advice of A. Petrov, the second part. "Russian Songs" was the first rock record in the USSR (published in 1980), which became one of the most significant works in rock music of that time. The style of the album is defined as "vocal-instrumental suite".
Since that time, Gradskiy "gives out" one studio work after another, vocal suites: "Utopia AG", "Satires", "Life itself", "Star of the fields", "Nostalgia", "Flute and Royal" on the verses of the classics, "Concert Suite", "The Reflections of a Jester" (collection of recordings 1971 ... 74 years, in which A.G. proves the possibility of singing in Russian in different rock styles), "Monte Cristo", "Expedition" to his poems, the opera "Stadium" (libretto by A. G. and Margarita Pushkina), ballet "Man" (libretto by A. G.), intended for LP, but their publication is constantly delayed for "understandable reasons" ... "Record "here belongs to the suite" The Reflections of a Fool "; despite the release of the single in 1978, the entire work was published 16 (!) years after the recording.
A.G. continues touring, songs based on his poems, sometimes satirical, sometimes just dangerous for the existing regime, appear in his repertoire ... He writes a number of articles in defense of the rock music genre, actively polemicizing with retrogrades and ... making himself a bunch of enemies.
Gradsky begins teaching, for several years at the Gnessin School, he releases a course; the next few years, already at the Gnessin Institute, another course was released. This stage of his work ended with two years of heading the vocal department as a professor at RATI (GITIS). According to him, further teaching is possible only if you have an exclusively own class, most likely, you will have to create something like an educational institution ...
1980 - the year of Vysotsky's death becomes a turning point for A.G. He completely passes into the category of "Protestants", "kneading" on a fatal musical basis, tragic satire and dramatic lyrics ("Song of a Friend", "Song of TV", "Monologue of a loaf for 28 kopecks from premium flour", "A man's story, who could not go on vacation to the Canary Islands ", etc.). At first, he is not "touched", then, in 1983 ... 84. some "troubles" happen, but always the voice and talent are "taken into account" ... Gradsky "with a scratch" was admitted to the Union of Composers only in 1987, and the first trip abroad (to the USA) took place only in 1988. to the conference, together with a group of artists, cinema and politics. He sings brilliantly at the closing of the conference, the Americans give him a 15-minute standing ovation ...
1987 year. Work at the radio station "Youth". Alexander leads the "Hit-Parade of Gradskiy". It was there that the songs “Kino”, “Alisa”, DDT, “Cloudy Territory”, Bashlachev, “AVIA”, “Zoo”, “Secret” sounded for the first time. According to the composer's definition, his hit parade was in opposition to the "boring officialdom".
In the same 1988, he already heard a 25-minute ovation in his address and, naturally, in the address of the famous conductor Yevgeny Svetlanov and stage partners, participants in the Bolshoi Theater performance "The Golden Cockerel", one of the most difficult operas to perform by Rimsky-Korsakov ... The part of "Astrologer", the most difficult part of the world opera repertoire, A.G. "clicks" like a nut ...
By this time, thanks to the support of Valery Suhorado, director of "Melodiya", he published almost all of his works in the form of LP, wrote music for the films "Prisoner of the If Castle" and "The Art of Living in Odessa", thus bringing the number of films from his music and songs up to 38! Since that time, he gradually reduced his touring activities, completely switching to the creation of the Theater of Contemporary Music in Moscow. With the support of the Moscow Government, he receives a building in the city center, begins its reconstruction ...
The Moscow Theater and Concert Musical Association (MTKMO), under his leadership, implements a number of complex projects, including: the organization of two "crazy" solo concerts in Moscow (January 25, 1990 and March 17, 1995) with the participation of symphony orchestras and orchestras of Russian folk instruments, rock bands and their friends in the "workshop", the release of the "Collections AG", i.e. 13 CDs with a complete collection of works and recordings by Alexander Gradsky, creation of two musical films "Anti-Perestroika Blues" (1991) and "We Live in Russia" (1996).
The first trips abroad are yielding results. Gradskiy works in joint projects and concerts with such "whales" of Western music as Liza Minnelli, Charles Aznavour, John Denver, Chris Christophersson, Dayana Warwick, Sammy Davis, GRATFUL DED, Cindy Peterson in the USA, Germany, Spain, Greece, Sweden. Finally, in 1990, after one of his concerts with John Denver in Japan, Gradsky received a contract with VMI (VICTOR), a leading Japanese company, released two CDs under its label (Metamorphoses and The Fruits From The Cemetery) and gave several concerts in Japan with the most varied repertoire, starting with his own songs in Russian and ending with Western hits and Japanese classical romances ... Three of his ballets ("The Man", "Rasputin" and "Jewish Ballad") are staged by the Kiev Ballet Theater (choreographer G Kovtun), and the last two - the Ice Ballet Theater (artistic director I. Bobrin). All these performances are "fiddling" across Europe and America with tremendous success. In spite of everything, he does not stop there and persistently continues, in the literal and figurative sense, the "construction" of his musical theater.
The wife of Alexander Gradsky's name is Marina Kotashenko. The girl was born in Kiev on November 22, 1984 and from childhood dreamed of popularity. In graduation classes, Marina combined her studies and work as a model, and then moved to the capital and began filming for magazines. In 2003, Marina entered the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography and as a student she received several episodic roles in serials, and after her studies she continued her career as an actress.
Today Kotashenko temporarily interrupted filming and devoted herself to raising her son Sasha. But soon the girl plans to return to creativity. The modeling business is out of the question, and proposals for filming in films are being received right now.
Alexander Gradsky: biography, personal life
Russian composer, songwriter and singer was born on November 3, 1949 in the Chelyabinsk region in the family of a mechanical engineer and artist. Alexander Borisovich Gradsky (nationality - Russian) was educated at the State Pedagogical Institute. Gnesins, studied at the Moscow Conservatory. His parents were not against the creative career of their son and even before the age of majority, the guy founded the groups "Slavs" and "Skomorokhi", which brought him fame.
The artist wrote music for feature films and documentaries, released over 18 discs, was a mentor in the "Voice" television project. Gradskiy was awarded the titles People's Artist and Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, became a laureate of the state prize. The musician was married three times, now lives in a civil marriage.
Gradsky's first wife - Natalia
Even in his student years, Alexander touchingly and romantically courted Natalia Smirnova. Young people spent a lot of time together, but gradually the passion went away, the peppercorn disappeared from the relationship and it was decided to get married. At that time, the lovers believed that this was the ideal option that would save the situation.
Relatives and friends did not suggest that such a marriage would quickly fall apart. As a result, the family lasted only 3 months, after which the young couple realized that it was useless to try to revive their feelings and parted. Subsequently, Natalia married a colleague of Alexander - Gleb May from Skomorokh and was able to create a happy union with him.
Second wife - Anastasia Vertinskaya
The next beloved of the composer was the beautiful actress Anastasia Vertinskaya, who became famous after the movie "Amphibian Man". The couple said that they were both too independent and bright to get along together, so two years later they decided to file for divorce. The parting passed peacefully and without mutual pretensions.
Later, Nastya said that this act was short-sighted and the relationship should not have gone beyond a short-lived hobby. The girl was brought up in the family of the famous pop singer Alexander Vertinsky, and Gradsky grew up in a completely different environment. A beautiful novel collided with real life and a break occurred.
Olga Fartysheva - the third wife of Gradsky
The next marriage lasted much longer than the previous ones; the composer lived with his beloved for over 20 years. Gradsky met Olga Semyonovna even before his divorce from Anastasia Vertinskaya. The 18-year-old girl conquered the musician, he fell in love and remained in euphoria until Olya announced her pregnancy.
Doctors forbade abortion, so Alexander acted decently and married again. The first child was the boy Daniel, and 5 years later Masha was born, but even they could not save the family. The couple divorced, but today they are trying to maintain friendly communication.
Alexander Gradsky and his wife - model and actress Marina Kotashenko
The composer has been living with Marina Kotashenko for 14 years, but there is no photo of the wedding yet, because he is in no hurry to make the chosen one a new official wife. Gradsky met a girl on the street and gave him his business card. Marina did not know anything about the man, but she was intrigued, so she called him after 2 weeks, and the first date took place.
The age difference between them is a little more than 30 years, but there are no problems with mutual understanding. Gradsky's young beloved settled at his home soon after they met and quickly found a common language with the children, although she is almost the same age as the eldest son. The couple is comfortable and calm with each other, and so far there can be no question of breaking up, although this is often discussed in the get-together.
Children
In the third marriage, Daniel (1981) and Maria (1986) were born to Gradsky. The son has his own business, and the daughter makes a career in television, works as an art manager.
On September 1, 2014, Marina Kotashenko gave birth to a son, Sasha. The child is only 4 years old, but he is already trying to play songs from cartoons on the guitar. Alexander plans to develop the baby's talent and send him to a music school when he grows up a little.
Gradsky with his wife: family photos at sea
Fans constantly discuss the relationship between Sasha and Marina, and an especially strong wave of negativity was caused by intimate photos on vacation. The common-law spouses are captured on the beach, where almost naked Marina in a swimsuit hugs a man. Commentators left unflattering reviews about the composer's figure and wrote that the musician's last chosen one is only a hunter for money and there is no love in a relationship.
Gradsky Alexander Borisovich is a famous Russian singer, composer and poet, as well as a musician. He is one of the founders of rock in Russia. Since 1999 he has become the People's Artist of the Russian Federation.
Childhood and youth
Alexander Fradkin (surname at birth) was born in the Chelyabinsk region in 1949, in an intelligent family. The boy's father, Fradkin Boris Abramovich (years of his life - 1926-2013), worked as a mechanical engineer. Mother, Gradskaya Tamara Pavlovna (years of life - 1928-1963), was an actress and director, who was a graduate of GITIS.
It was the mother who instilled in her son a love of music. She was engaged in collecting various records. Two operas - "The Barber of Siberia" and "Carmen" performed by Firsova and Kozlovsky, Sasha knew by heart.
Sasha's early childhood years passed beyond the Urals. From the age of four, the boy began to read. In 1957, the family moved to Moscow. A year later, at the age of nine, the boy began attending a music school, violin class. Despite his great love for music, Sasha did not like classes at a music school.
In a comprehensive school, Sasha did not differ in particular achievements. He loved humanitarian subjects, especially literature lessons. Already at the age of 14 he began to write poems. After the death of his mother in 1963, he took her last name. During these years, the young man lived with his grandmother Maria Ivanovna in the Moscow region. He was fond of western music. He was a fan of the musical quartet "The Beatles", as well as the work of Elvis Presley.
At the age of 16, the young man already knew for sure that he would devote his life to music and be a singer. Begins performing in the Polish (student) group "Cockroaches". His first song "The best city in the world" sounded at many regional concerts.
From 1969 to 1974, the young man studied at the Gnessin Academy of Music at the faculty of academic singing. During his studies at a music university, he gained the experience of solo performances. Later he studied at the Moscow Conservatory under the teacher and composer Khrennikov Tikhon Nikolaevich, specializing in composition (1976-1977).
Professional activity
In his student years, he created the Skomorokhi group, which performed only Alexander's songs. He toured with the ensemble throughout the country and gave several solo performances every day. The concerts were always sold out, Alexander's popularity was off the charts.
In 1971, the Skomorokhs took part in the Silver Strings festival, where they triumphantly won six music prizes out of eight. The young man's career skyrocketed. He became one of the first experimenters on the Russian stage, performing music and songs in the style of rock.
A breakthrough in the creative biography of Alexander was the writing of musical scores for films. The "Romance of Lovers" especially stood out for the director's film of the same name. For this song, 25-year-old Alexander was named "Star of the Year" by Billboard magazine for his outstanding contribution to world music. The artist's earnings at that time were much more than other famous and popular singers on television.
Interesting notes:
Alexander wrote a huge number of musical scores for cartoons and feature films. In 1973 he released his first LP "Blue Forest". Alexander also took part in feature films as an actor, among them: "A Visit of Courtesy", "Tuning Fork", "Genius" and others.
Took part in the work on the rock opera Mukha-Tsokotukha (1967-1969). His rock opera "Stadium" (1973-1985) became famous, the plot is based on the fate of the singer Viktor Haar, who was portrayed by Alexander in the opera. Such star artists as I. Kobzon, M. Boyarsky, A. Pugacheva and A. Makarevich also took part in the musical composition. From 1979 to 2009 he worked on the rock opera The Master and Margarita. Since 1987 - a member of the Union of Composers.
At the age of thirty, Alexander released several records and began teaching at GITIS (at the vocal department) and at his own institute of the Gnesins. Since 1985 he has been working on music for the rock ballets Rasputin, Man, and Jewish Ballad.
In the 90s he began touring abroad with an abbreviated program. He performed in such countries: USA, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Greece, Japan and others. Collaborated with world famous artists such as Liza Minnelli, Chris Christophersson, John Denver, Diana Warwick, Charles Aznavour and others. More than 18 author's albums were released by Alexander, among them:
- "Only you believe me" (1979);
- Monte Cristo (1989);
- The Master and Margarita (2009);
- "Romances" (2014).
Alexander is the owner of a large number of state awards, awards for his contribution to the development of musical and theatrical art. Today the musician continues to be active in his creative work. From 2012 to 2015 he was the mentor of the vocal project "The Voice". In 2014, he founded the Gradsky-Hall musical theater, whose team members were the best performers of the Voice competition.
After a break in 2017, Alexander returned to the "Voice" project as a mentor and led his ward, Selim Alakhyarov, to a triumphant victory on the show (season 6). Today Alexander is one of the most respected professionals in the music field in Russia.
Personal life
Alexander has always enjoyed success with women. He was married three times, you can learn more about Gradsky's personal life. The first wife of a still young composer was a student Natalya Mikhailovna Smirnova. Alexander's official marriage with a girl lasted three months in 1973.
The second wife was the actress Vertinskaya Anastasia. We met at a party. Young people got married in 1976, separated in 1980. The third wife was Olga Semyonovna Fartysheva (born in 1960), with whom Alexander lived in official relations from 1980 to 2003. At the time of meeting Olga was 18 years old. She was a student at Moscow State University and studied at the Faculty of Economics, lived in a hostel.
The family had two children: son Daniel (born in 1981) and daughter Maria (born in 1986). Olga was the initiator of the divorce in 2003, the children stayed with Alexander. The musician maintains friendly relations with his wife.
Since 2004, the musician has been in a civil marriage with model and actress Kotashenko Marina Vladimirovna. The year of birth of Alexander's common-law wife is 1980. In the mid-2000s, the girl graduated from VGIK, where she studied at the acting department. Marina does not work by profession; she devotes all her time to her family. They met on the street. The self-confident composer himself approached Marina to make her acquaintance. Then the girl was completely unfamiliar with the work of the singer and composer. Marina graduated from the Law Faculty of Kiev University before meeting the musician.
In 2014, on September 1, Marina gave birth to a son to the musician, who was named Alexander. The boy was born in one of the prestigious New York clinics. In November 2018, the wife gave birth to Alexander's second son, Ivan.
The spouses are happy in marriage and today they live in the village of Novoglagolevo in the Moscow region, where they have a house with an area of 400 sq. m. Son Daniel today is a musician and businessman. Daughter Maria graduated from Moscow State University and lives in Miami, an art director and TV presenter by profession.
- Alexander has a lyric tenor, tenor alto. He is fluent in playing such musical instruments: piano, guitar, drums, violin, celesta. All his life he has worked mainly in such musical genres: rock-opera, blues-rock, rock-n-roll, and progressive rock.
- He likes to watch sports channels on TV.
- He loves football, since the age of five he has been a fan of the Moscow club "Spartak".
- Uncle Alexander (mother's brother) - Boris Pavlovich (1930-2002) was the soloist of the Moiseyev Dance Ensemble.
- In 2013, the first biographical book about the musician was published, entitled “Alexander Gradsky. The Voice "
- The artist considers himself a marginal and apolitical person. He dislikes journalists. Likes to be the master of the situation in everything.
- The musician knows how to cook well. He loves to cook and eat cutlets. All his friends come to his delicious cutlets.
- Alexander has his own official website, where you can find out all the relevant information about the musician's creative activity today. He has no Instagram account.
Alexander Borisovich Gradsky. Born on November 3, 1949 in Kopeisk, Chelyabinsk Region. Soviet and Russian singer, musician, poet, composer. One of the founders of Russian rock. People's Artist of Russia (1999).
Mother - Tamara Pavlovna Gradskaya (1929-1963), actress, director, later a literary employee of the magazine "Theater Life". A graduate of GITIS (course of N. Plotnikov).
Father - Boris Abramovich Fradkin (1926-2013), graduated from MAMI, mechanical engineer.
The maternal grandfather - Pavel Ivanovich Gradsky - was a master of sewing leather products, tragically died in 1948. Maternal grandmother - Maria Ivanovna Gradskaya (nee Pavlova), a housewife.
Paternal grandmother - Rosalia Ilyinichna Fradkina (nee Chvertkina), worked as a secretary-typist for about 50 years, died in Moscow at the age of 100, in 1996. She was called "the grandmother of Russian rock and roll" - she always supported her grandson and his colleagues, warmly received them in her home, for which she deserved this honorary title among them.
The paternal grandfather, Abram Semenovich Fradkin, was divorced from his grandmother, worked as a manager of a house in Kharkov, and died there at an advanced age.
Uncle - Boris Pavlovich Gradsky - mother's brother, soloist of Igor Moiseev's ensemble, dancer, played the button accordion perfectly, composed pieces for the button accordion, died in 2002. Cousin - Natalya Gradskaya.
Aunt - Irina Abramovna Sidorova (Fradkina), died in 2006 at the age of 84. Second cousin - Ivan Yegorovich Fradkin.
Half-sister - Galina Ambrosovskaya.
In 1957, the family returned to Moscow.
His mother, a GITIS graduate Tamara Pavlovna Gradskaya (Shitikova), greatly influenced the development of the future musician. Until the age of 14, he bore his father's surname - Fradkin. The surname Gradsky was taken immediately after the death of his mother in 1963 in memory of her.
For several years he lived with his grandmother in the village of Rastorguevo, Leninsky District, Moscow Region.
In 1965, Gradsky became the founder of the third - after "Brothers" and "Falcon" - Soviet rock group "Slavs".
In 1966 he founded a rock band "Buffoons" which brought him the most popularity.
He also took part in the groups "Los Panchos", "Scythians", a group of Polish students of Moscow State University "Cockroaches"... As part of "Cockroaches" he performed songs and a twist by Arno Babajanyan "The Best City of the Earth".
In the early 1970s, the director began his work on the film Romance of Lovers. Murad Kazhlayev was supposed to be the composer of the Romance of Lovers, but he refused. Then Arkady Petrov proposed the candidacy of Gradsky. Gradsky in this film not only composed music, but also performed vocal parts.
Released in 1974, the film was a significant success and brought fame to the creator of the film's music.
Music magazine "Billboard" in 1974 declared Gradsky "Star of the Year" "for his outstanding contribution to world music."
In the same 1974 he graduated from the faculty of academic singing of the State Museum of Pedagogy. Gnesins.
Since 1987 - a member of the Composers' Union.
In 1988, for the first time, he was allowed to travel abroad - to the United States.
Author of music for more than 40 feature films, dozens of documentaries and cartoons. Has released over 15 LPs, is the author of several rock operas and rock ballets, many songs.
In 1988 he sang the role of Astrologer in Rimsky-Korsakov's The Golden Cockerel in the Bolshoi Theater production (conducted by Evgeny Svetlanov).
Alexander Gradsky - How young we were
Participated in the TV program "White Parrot".
He positions himself as a marginal, he is demanding to his colleagues in the shop, he does not welcome journalists. According to some reports, it was Gradsky who launched the word "journalist" in the media.
Took part in the "Time Machine" tribute album "Typing", where he sang the songs "My friend (plays the blues best of all)" and "Snow".
In 2009, Alexander Gradsky released the rock musical The Master and Margarita. The musical was not staged on the stage, it exists in the form of the only audio recording of 2009, made with a star cast: the most famous Russian artists and friends of Gradsky, Iosif Kobzon, Lyubov Kazarnovskaya, Vladimir Zeldin, Alexey Petrenko, Valery Zolotukhin, Alexander Rosenbaum, Lolita Milyavskaya took part in the recording , Arkady Arkanov and many others. One of the parts is composed of phonogram fragments with the voice of Georgy Millyar.
In 2012-2015 he took part in the “Voice” TV project on Channel One as a mentor. At the same time, in the first three seasons of the program, the participants of his team won - Dina Garipova, Sergey Volchkov and Alexandra Vorobyova, respectively. In 2015, his ward, Mikhail Ozerov, took second place in the final. Left the show, as the media wrote, in view of the fact that.
Alexander Gradsky in the program Pozner
The growth of Alexander Gradsky: 170 centimeters.
Personal life of Alexander Gradsky:
The first wife is Natalya Mikhailovna Gradskaya. The singer himself called his first marriage a "youthful act".
"We were few years old, and at first Natasha and I had a wonderful relationship, which gradually began to disappear. And we decided: now let's go, get married, and everything will be restored. Let's go, get married, and three months later, when we realized that there was nothing is recovering, shook hands, kissed and parted, "he recalled about his first marriage.
Filmography of Alexander Gradsky:
1972 - A courtesy call
1974 - At home among strangers, a stranger among friends (vocals)
1974 - Romance of Lovers (vocals)
1975 - Concerto for two violins (vocals)
1975 - Concerto for two violins
1976 - The sun, the sun again (vocals)
1976 - Songs under the Clouds (vocals)
1976 - My love in the third year (vocals)
1976 - Blue Puppy (cartoon) - vocals of the Sailor, Sawfish
1977 - The Legend of the Old Lighthouse (cartoon) (vocals)
1977 - The Princess and the Eater (cartoon) (vocals)
1978 - Let's talk, brother ... (vocals)
1979 - Do not part with your loved ones (vocals)
1979 - Alexandra Pakhmutova - "My life is in the song ..." (documentary)
1979 - "Feat. Code 12080 "
1979 - Tuning Fork - cameo
1980 - Oh sport, you are the world! (vocals)
1985 - Stained glass master
1986 - The Life of Klim Samgin (vocals)
1988 - Pass (cartoon) (vocals)
1989 - Prisoner of the Castle If (vocals)
1989 - Stereotypes (cartoon) (vocals)
1989 - The Art of Living in Odessa (vocals)
1989 - "And the Line Doesn't End" (documentary)
1991 - Genius
2000 - Gangster Petersburg. Movie 1. Baron
2000 - In August 44th ... (vocals)
2012 - Living Soul (documentary)
2014 - “Alexander Gradsky. Turn around "(documentary)
Discography of Alexander Gradsky:
1972 - How beautiful this world is
1973 - Alexander Gradsky sings
1974 - Romance about lovers
1976 - Alexander Gradsky sings songs from the movie "The Sun, Again the Sun"
1977 - Alexander Gradsky sings songs from the movie "My love in the third year"
1978 - Alexander Gradsky and the Skomorokhi ensemble
1979 - Alexander Gradsky sings
1979 - Only you believe me
1980 - Russian songs
1980 - We cannot live without each other
1981 - Bird of Happiness
1984 - Life Itself
1985 - Stadium
1986 - Star of the fields
1987 - Satyrs
1987 - Let's get started
1987 - Utopia of Alexander Gradsky
1987 - Reflections of the Jester
1988 - Flute and piano
1988 - Nostalgia
1988 - Man
1989 - Monte Cristo
1989 - Concert Suite
1990 - Expedition
1991 - Metamorfhoses
1994 - Untimely songs
1994 - Fruit from the cemetery
1995 - The fruits from the cemetery
1996 - LIVE in "Russia"
1996 - Gold Junk
1996 - Collection of Alexander Gradsky
1997 - Legends of Russian Rock
2000 - LIVE in "Russia" - 2
2003 - Reader
2003 - Songs for Ira
2004 - LIVE in "Russia" -2. Anniversary video concert
2009 - The Master and Margarita
2010 - LIVE in "Russia". Anniversary video concert
2010 - Anti-perestroika blues
2011 - "Favorites" by Alexander Gradsky
2011 - Unformat
2014 - Concert-2010
2014 - Romances
Video clips of Gradsky:
1987 - Closing the circle
2007 - Closing the circle
Rock operas by Alexander Gradsky:
1967-1969 - Fly-Tsokotukha
1973-1985 - Stadium
1979-2009 - The Master and Margarita
Ballets by Alexander Gradsky:
1985-1988 - "Man"
1987-1990 - Rasputin
1988-1990 - "Jewish Ballad"
Songs of Alexander Gradsky:
"Anti-Perestroika Blues" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
"Aria Cavaradossi" (Recondita armonia ...) (D. Puccini) from the opera "Tosca";
"Aria Calafa" (D. Puccini) from the opera "Turandot";
Jose's Aria (J. Bizet) from the opera Carmen;
“The Ballad of the Ayu Fishing Village” (Yu. Saulsky - E. Yevtushenko) from the film “The Sun, Again the Sun”;
"God of Rock-n-Roll" ("Epitaph", music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
“There Will Be A Soft Rain” (words by S. Tisdale, trans. L. Zhdanov);
"Waltz" (From this) (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
"Return" (lyrics by B. Okudzhava) from the film "Romance of Lovers";
“In the fields under snow and rain” (words by R. Burns, translation by S. Marshak);
“In Your Eyes” (lyrics by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite “Star of the Fields”;
“I go out on the road alone” (E. Shashina - M. Lermontov) Romance;
"Burn, burn, my star" (P. Bulakhov - V. Chuevsky) Romance;
“Let's start” (music and lyrics by J. Denver) - isp. Alexander Gradsky (in English);
"The Double" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
"Until the end, until the quiet cross" (words by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite "Star of the Fields";
"Road" (words by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite "Star of the Fields";
La Gioconda (D. Tukhmanov - T. Sashko);
"Yellow House" (words by S. Cherny) from the vocal suite "Satire";
“Once upon a time I lived” (D. Tukhmanov - S. Kirsanov);
"Star of the Fields" (lyrics by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite of the same name;
"Winter Morning" (lyrics by B. Pasternak);
"Winter Night" ("Melo, Melo ...") (words by B. Pasternak);
“How young we were” (A. Pakhmutova - N. Dobronravov) from the film “My love in the third year”;
"Lullaby" (lyrics by N. Konchalovskaya) from the film "Romance of Lovers";
“With my face pressed against the glass ...” (words by P. Eluard);
"Lamentation" (words by Sasha Black) from the vocal suite "Satire";
"Showers at Sea (Blues)" (music by T. Waits, lyrics by A. Gradsky);
"Darling, sleep" (music by E. Kolmanovsky, lyrics by E. Yevtushenko);
"Love" (lyrics by B. Okudzhava) from the film "Romance of Lovers";
“I have dreamed about height since childhood” (A. Pakhmutova - N. Dobronravov) from the film “Oh sport, you are the world!”;
"Prayer" (words by S. Black) from the vocal suite "Satire";
"Monologue of a loaf for 28 kopecks from high-grade flour" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
“We poured red wine (hit)” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
“We Didn't Expect Changes” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
“We cannot live without each other” (A. Pakhmutova - N. Dobronravov) from the film “O sport, you are the world!”;
Our Old House (words by R. Burns, trans. S. Marshak);
"Don't Sing, Beauty" (S. Rachmaninov - A. Pushkin) Romance;
"Nobody" (Yu. Saulsky - E. Yevtushenko) from the movie "The Sun, Again the Sun";
"Nothing in the Pole" (Russian folk song);
"The Drunkard's Night Song" (lyrics by Sasha Black) from the vocal suite "Satire";
"Night" (lyrics by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite "Star of the Fields";
"Situation" ("My son roars. Beaten for a deuce with a plus ...") (words by Sasha Cherny);
"On Dogs" (lyrics by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite "Star of the Fields";
"In memory of the poet" (about V. Vysotsky) (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
The Duke's Song (G. Verdi) from the opera Rigoletto;
"Song about Dolphins" (Yu. Saulsky - E. Yevtushenko) from the movie "The Sun, Again the Sun";
"Song of a Friend" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
"Song of Friendship" (lyrics by B. Okudzhava) from the film "Romance of Lovers";
"Song of Gold" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the film "Prisoner of the Castle of If";
"Song of the Ship" or "Grandfather's Boat" (E. Artemiev - N. Konchalovskaya) from the film "One of our own among strangers, a stranger among our own";
"Song of the Mother" (lyrics by N. Konchalovskaya) from the film "Romance of Lovers";
"Song of the Pendulum" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the film "In August 1944 ...";
"Song of Freedom" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the film "Prisoner of the Castle of If";
“Song of the“ Crazy ”” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the film “Prisoner of the If Castle”;
"Song of Monte Cristo" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the film "Prisoner of the Castle of If";
"Farewell" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the film "Prisoner of the If Castle";
"Song of Birds" (lyrics by N. Glazkov) from the film "Romance of Lovers";
"Song of Conscience" (Yu. Saulsky - E. Yevtushenko) from the film "The Sun, Again the Sun";
“A Song Like All Songs” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
"The Fool's Song" (words by R. Burns, translated by S. Marshak);
“The Coal Miner's Friend” (words by R. Burns, trans. By S. Marshak);
"Under the Sardine" ("I want to take a break from satire") (words by Sasha Black) from the vocal suite "Satire";
“Descendants” (words by Sasha Black) from the vocal suite “Satire”;
"Santa Lucia" (J. Cottro) Neapolitan song;
"Blue Forest" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
"Skomorokhs" (lyrics by V. Sautkin);
Sonnet (E. Krylatov - A. Gradsky);
"Sports" - a song about the 2014 Sochi Olympics;
"Theater" (words by S. Black) from the vocal suite "Satire";
“There are meetings only once in life” (B. Fomin - P. German) Romance;
“Only you trust me”;
“A photo with me and you (rock ballad)” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
"Southern Farewell" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky);
“I am Goya” (lyrics by A. Voznesensky);
"Furious Construction Team" (A. Pakhmutova - N. Dobronravov) from the film "My Love in the Third Year";
“I will die in the Epiphany frosts” (words by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite “Star of the Fields”;
Closing the Circle (K. Kelmi - M. Pushkin)
The writer Ilya Voitovetsky recalled the People's Artist:
- I nursed Sasha at the time when we were housemates with his parents. His dad worked late, and his mother studied in a drama club and ran away to classes in the evenings. And they asked me to sit with Sasha. Years passed, and he, a recognized artist, came on tour to Israel, where I already lived. And I just got the story Maestro, where I remembered Gradsky's parents with a kind word. And I called Sasha, reminded of myself. He told about the book and suggested reading it. He refused, and rather rudely: "I can't read everything written by various graphomaniacs!" "Alexander Borisovich," I replied, "but I nursed you a little, and you wrote very warmly on my knees." “Since then, I have managed to justify the whole of Russia ...”, - the singer answered unkindly. I excused myself and hung up.
And here is what the Muscovite, now the famous astrologer Vadim Levin told "ZhG".
In the distant 70s, he and Gradsky were part of a musical get-together.
The group "Skomorokhi", which was created by the singer, thundered all over the country.
“The halls were packed, there were a lot of girls,” Levin told us. - As soon as Gradsky began to sing, the girls began to take off their bras and, with a squeal, threw them at his feet. Gradsky played the guitar with his teeth on his knees. Many girls after concerts caught him and were ready to surrender. But he turned them off very unkindly.
For example, he could say that the girl has crooked teeth or legs. His bandmates called him a charming insolent. By the way, they sometimes got girls whom Alexander had rejected before.
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First wife ran away to her best friend
It is known that Alexander Gradsky had three wives. In the crowd they chatted, as if from each he went to young fans. But this is not the case.
- The first wife, Natasha Smirnova, was able to withstand his extremely difficult character only three days after the wedding. And then she ran away, - Vladimir Mikhailovich Polonsky, who worked in Skomorokh, admitted in an interview. -
Subsequently, she married Gleb May, also from the Skomorokhs. And I am happy with him to this day.
May was Gradsky's best friend. Now he lives in the Moscow region, teaches vocals at a music school, writes classical music. Gleb Borisovich told us that they have not communicated with Gradsky for many years. But Gleb Borisovich flatly refused to remember the past!
The second wife of the maestro, the famous actress Anastasia Vertinskaya, still calls the ex-faithful only Gadsky. Together they lived for only 4 months.
The marriage with his third wife was a guest - they lived in different apartments. Apparently, this was the secret of a relationship that lasted as much as 20 years.
The singer has a son and a daughter from his third wife. Daughter Maria was seen by the audience of the "Voice" show. The son is an economist, is fond of extrasensory perception. According to the stories of friends, he is a fan ... of the American Vita Mano, the star of the Battle of Psychics-13, and even is a member of his fan club.
The fourth, civilian, wife of 63-year-old maestro Marina managed to hold out for almost 10 years. Moreover, they live together. The artist himself voices the secret of a long relationship as follows: both of us, according to the Scorpio horoscope, “bite” and understand each other without words.
Gossipers talk as if a native of Kiev is just comfortable next to the famous and wealthy. Marina works in one of the modeling agencies in Moscow. She graduated from VGIK, but played only small roles in the films through passage. And as a model, she is not so in demand - after all, she is already 30. It is highly likely that her wife will head the Gradsky Theater, which the maestro plans to create this year.
reference
Alexander Gradskiy - People's Artist, owner of a unique voice, worked with Western stars: Liza Minnelli, Charles Aznavour and others. The maestro is also known for his harsh negative statements about colleagues and show business in general.
So, he called the stage "well ... by business", and the artists - "gov ... o-stars." Many artists dislike Gradsky. For example, the Presnyakov family. Somehow Gradsky unflatteringly spoke about the vocal data of the wife of Vladimir Presnyakov Jr. Natalia Podolskaya. “Yes, I heard something squeaked,” he commented on her number in Eurovision. But in The Voice we saw a completely different Gradsky: not aggressive and even a little sentimental. Getting old?
