Yan Abramovich Frenkel (russian: link=no, Ян Абрамович Френкель) (November 21, 1920,
Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe.
Kyi ...
– August 25, 1989,
Riga,
USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
) was a popular Soviet Ukrainian composer and performer of Jewish descent.
Biography
Yan Frenkel was a Russian Soviet composer born in
Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe.
Kyi ...
, Ukraine. He was originally taught violin by his father, and later studied classical violin at the
Kiev Conservatory
Pyotr Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine ( uk, Національна музична академія України імені Петра Чайковського) or Kyiv Conservatory is a Ukrainian state institution of higher music e ...
under , and the piano. During the Second World War he was evacuated to
Orenburg, where he entered at the Orenburg Antiaircraft Military School (Zenitnoe Uchilishche), and played the violin in the orchestra of the ''Avrora'' Cinema. In 1942 served at the front lines, was wounded. After the hospital, since 1943 played in the military orchestra. After the war, since 1946 he lived in Moscow, where he wrote orchestral arrangements and played the violin in small orchestras.
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
Mikhail Tanich
Mikhail Isaievich Tanich (Tankhilevich) (russian: Михаил Исаевич Танич) (September 15, 1923 – April 17, 2008) was a popular Russian song lyrics writer, a laureate of the Interior Ministry Award (1997), a laureate of the jubilee ...
,
Igor Shaferan, and the husband and wife team
Konstantin Vanshenkin and ]. Thanks to
Mark Bernes
Mark Naumovich Bernes (russian: link=no, Ма́рк Нау́мович Берне́с) (,This date: – is a mistake found in the '' Great Soviet Encyclopaedia''. True date: – was engraved on the Bernes's gravestone at Novodevichy Cemeter ...
his song ''
Zhuravli'' ('The Cranes', lyrics by
Rasul Gamzatov
Rasul Gamzatovich Gamzatov ( av, ХӀамзатазул Расул ХӀамзатил вас, Ħamzatil Rasul Ħamzatil vas, ; russian: Расу́л Гамза́тович Гамза́тов, p=rɐˈsul ɡɐmˈzatəvʲɪtɕ ɡɐmˈzatəf, a=Rasu ...
) 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'' (russian: Неуловимые мстители, translit. ''Neulovimye mstiteli'') is a 1967 Soviet adventure film directed by Edmond Keosayan and made by Mosfilm. It is loosely based on the novel ''Red Devils'' b ...
'', for which he composed a score.
Yan Frenkel died on August 25, 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.
Trivia
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 Ilyich Brezhnev; uk, links= no, Леонід Ілліч Брежнєв, . (19 December 1906– 10 November 1982) was a Soviet politician who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1964 and ...
, who decreed "acceptable to perform, but not too often".
[http://www.holyofholies.narod.ru/21_November.htm]
Frenkel was the prototype for
Gena the Crocodile
Gena the Crocodile (russian: links=no, Крокодил Гена, Krokodil Gena) is a fictional friendly crocodile in the series of animation films '' Gena the Crocodile'', '' Cheburashka'' and ''Shapoklyak'' by Roman Kachanov (Soyuzmultfilm stu ...
, a fictional, friendly crocodile in the series of popular animation films
Gena the Crocodile
Gena the Crocodile (russian: links=no, Крокодил Гена, Krokodil Gena) is a fictional friendly crocodile in the series of animation films '' Gena the Crocodile'', '' Cheburashka'' and ''Shapoklyak'' by Roman Kachanov (Soyuzmultfilm stu ...
,
Cheburashka
''Cheburashka'' (russian: links=no, Чебурашка, a=ru-Cheburashka.ogg, p=tɕɪbʊˈraʂkə), also known as ''Topple'' in earlier English translations, is a fictional character created by Soviet writer Eduard Uspensky in his 1965 child ...
and
Shapoklyak
Old lady Shapoklyak (russian: links=no, Шапокляк) is a popular villain from a story about Gena the Crocodile written by Russian writer Eduard Uspensky. Her first appearance in the movie was in the animated film '' Gena the Crocodile'' (1 ...
.
Selected filmography
*''
Adventures of the Yellow Suitcase
''Adventures of the Yellow Suitcase'' (russian: Приключения жёлтого чемоданчика, Priklucheniya zheltogo chemodanchika) is a 1970 children's film directed by Ilya Frez based on the eponymous story by Sofia Prokofieva. P ...
'' (1970)
*''
'' (1971)
*''
Incorrigible Liar
''Incorrigible Liar'' (russian: Неисправимый лгун, Neispravimiy lgun) is a 1973 Soviet comedy film directed by Villen Azarov.
Plot
Alexei Ivanovich Tyutyurin ( Georgy Vitsin) is a very kind and gentle person who has been working as ...
'' (1973)
References
External links
Yan Frenkel's tomb
Sources
* The original version of this page was translated from the
corresponding page in the Russian language Wikipedia
Yan Frenkel(fansite in Russian)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frenkel, Yan
1920 births
1989 deaths
Musicians from Kyiv
Ukrainian Jews
Jewish classical composers
Soviet male composers
20th-century classical composers
Male classical composers
People's Artists of the USSR
People's Artists of the RSFSR
Recipients of the Order of Friendship of Peoples
Recipients of the USSR State Prize
Soviet Jews
Deaths from lung cancer
20th-century male musicians