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 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 to attend a music school in the violin class. In spite of big love to music, classes in music educational institution Sasha didn't like it.

In a secondary school, Sasha did not differ in special achievements. He loved humanitarian subjects, especially literature lessons. At the age of 14 he began to write poems. After his mother's death in 1963, he took her last name. During these years, the young man lived with his grandmother Maria Ivanovna in the Moscow region. Interested in Western music. 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 to perform as part of the Polish (student) group "Cockroaches". His first song Best City earth” 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. While studying at a music university, he gained experience in solo performances. Later he studied at the Moscow Conservatory with the teacher and composer Tikhon Nikolaevich Khrennikov, majoring in composition (1976-1977).

Professional activity

AT student years created the group "Skomorokhi", which performed only Alexander's songs. He toured with the ensemble throughout the country and gave several solo performances daily. The concerts were always sold out, Alexander's popularity went through the roof.

In 1971, "Skomorokhi" took part in the "Silver Strings" festival, where they triumphantly won six out of eight music prizes. The young man's career skyrocketed. He became one of the first experimenters on the Russian stage, performing rock music and songs.

Breakthrough in creative biography Alexandra began writing musical accompaniment for films. The "Romance of the Lovers" for the film of the same name by the director stood out especially. For this song, 25-year-old Alexander was recognized as the “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 accompaniments for cartoons and feature films. In 1973 he released his first gramophone record, Blue Forest. Alexander also took part in feature films as an actor, among them: "Courtesy Visit", "Tuning Fork", "Genius" and others.

Participated in the work on the rock opera "Fly-Tsokotuha" (1967-1969). His rock opera Stadium (1973-1985) became famous, the plot was 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 participated in the musical work. From 1979 to 2009 he worked on the rock opera The Master and Margarita. Since 1987 he has been 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 the Gnesins' native institute. Since 1985 he has been working on music for the rock ballets Rasputin, The Man, and The Jewish Ballad.

In the 90s he began to tour abroad with a shortened program. He performed in such countries: USA, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Greece, Japan and others. Collaborated with world famous artists such as Liza Minnelli, Kris Christophersson, John Denver, Diana Warwick, Charles Aznavour and others. Alexander has released more than 18 author's albums, among them:

• "Only you believe me" (1979);
• "Monte Cristo" (1989);
• "Master and Margarita" (2009);
• "Romances" (2014).

Alexander is the owner of a large number of state prizes, 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 a mentor vocal project"Voice". In 2014, he founded the Gradsky-Hall musical theater, whose team members were best performers competition "Voice".

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 authoritative professionals in the musical field of Russia.

Personal life

Alexander has always been a success with women. He was married three times, you can read more about Gradsky's personal life. The first wife young composer became a student Smirnova Natalya Mikhailovna. Alexander's official marriage to a girl lasted three months in 1973.

The second wife was actress Anastasia Vertinskaya. We met at a party. The 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.

Two children were born in the family: son Daniel (born in 1981) and daughter Maria (born in 1986). The initiator of the divorce in 2003 was Olga, the children stayed with Alexander. The musician maintains friendly relations with his wife.

Since 2004, the musician has been in civil marriage with model and actress Kotashenko Marina Vladimirovna. The year of birth of the civil wife of Alexander is 1980. In the mid-2000s, the girl graduated from VGIK, where she studied at the acting department. Marina does not work in her specialty, she devotes all her time to her family. They met on the street. The self-confident composer himself approached Marina to get acquainted. Then the girl was completely unfamiliar with the work of the singer and composer. Marina graduated from the law faculty of Kyiv University before meeting the musician.

In 2014, on September 1, Marina gave birth to a musician son, 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 couple are happily married and today live in the village of Novoglagolev in the Moscow region, where they have a house of 400 square meters. m. Son Daniel today is a musician and businessman. Daughter Maria graduated from Moscow State University and lives in Miami, by profession an art director and TV presenter.

• Alexander has a lyric tenor, altino tenor. Owns the game on such musical instruments: piano, guitar, percussion, violin, celesta. All his life he works mainly in such musical genres: rock opera, blues rock, rock and 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 Alexandra (mother's brother) - Boris Pavlovich (1930-2002) was a soloist of the Moiseev Dance Ensemble.
• In 2013, the first biographical book about the musician was published under the title “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 meatballs. All his friends come to his delicious cutlets.
• Alexander has his own official website, where you can find out all up-to-date information about creative activity musician today. He does not have an Instagram account.

Alexander Borisovich Gradsky(born November 3, 1949, Kopeysk, Chelyabinsk region, RSFSR, USSR) - Soviet and Russian singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, poet, composer. One of the founders of Russian rock. Honored Art Worker of Russia (1997). - Alexander Gradsky laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation (1999). People's Artist of Russia (1999). People's Artist of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (2014).

Alexander Borisovich Gradsky
Name at birth - Alexander Borisovich Fradkin
Date of birth November 3, 1949
Place of birth - Kopeysk, Chelyabinsk region, RSFSR, USSR
Active years 1966 - present
USSR country → Russia
Professions - singer, poet, composer, film composer, musician
Singing voice Tenor altino, lyric tenor
Instruments guitar, drums, piano, bass guitar, violin, celesta
Genres Rock and roll, opera, rock opera, blues rock, progressive rock, pop music
Cooperation Slavs, Buffoons, Cheerful guys

Born November 3, 1949 in Kopeysk.
Father of Alexander Gradsky- Boris Abramovich Fradkin (1926-2013), mechanical engineer. In 1957 the family returned to Moscow. A great influence on the development of the future musician was his mother, a graduate of GITIS Tamara Pavlovna Gradskaya (Shitikova) (1929-1963). Until the age of 14, he bore the surname of his father Fradkin, the surname Gradsky was taken immediately after the death of his mother in 1963 in memory of her. Some years Alexander Gradsky lived with his grandmother in the village of Rastorguevo, Leninsky district, Moscow region.

Creative career of Alexander Gradsky

Alexander Gradsky- the founder of the third time creation (after the "Brothers" and "Falcon") of the Soviet rock group "Slavs" (1965) and brought him the greatest popularity - "Skomorokhi" (1966). He also took part in the groups: "Los Panchos", "Scythians", a group of Polish students of Moscow State University "Cockroaches", in which he performed songs by Elvis Presley and Arno Babajanyan's twist "Song of Moscow".
In the early 70s, director Andrei Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky began his work on the film Romance of the Lovers. The composer of "Romance of the Lovers" was supposed to be Murad Kazhlaev, but he refused. Then Arkady Petrov proposed a candidate 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. The music magazine Billboard announced Gradsky"Star of the Year" (1974) "for outstanding contributions to world music."
Graduate of the faculty of chamber solo singing of the GMPI. Gnesins (1974).

BUT Alexander Gradsky second in the rock opera Stadium (in memory of Victor Khara) (1985), music for the first Russian rock ballet The Man (based on the novel by Rudyard Kipling). The main roles in this opera were played by popular singers and actors of the Soviet Union: Alla Pugacheva, Iosif Kobzon, Elena Kamburova, Mikhail Boyarsky and others.
Since 1987 he has been a member of the Union of Composers.
In 1988 he was able to go abroad for the first time (to the USA).

Author of music for more than 40 feature films, dozens of documentaries and animated films. Released more than 15 long-playing discs, author of several rock operas and rock ballets, many songs.
In 1988 he performed the part of the Astrologer in Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Golden Cockerel in the play Bolshoi Theater(conductor - Evgeny Svetlanov).
In December 1997 in Great Hall The Moscow Conservatory hosted a concert "Hits of the outgoing century", in which Alexander Gradsky and Larisa Dolina performed popular songs of the 20th century.
Participated in the TV program "White Parrot".
He positions himself as a marginal, is demanding of his colleagues in the workshop, does not welcome journalists (according to Yevgeny Dodolev, it was Gradsky who launched the word “journalist” in the media).

He took part in the album-tribute "Time Machine" "Typewriting", where he sang the songs "My friend (plays the blues best)" and "Snow". In 2009, Alexander Gradsky released the rock musical The Master and Margarita. The musical was not staged on 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, Alexei Petrenko, Valery Zolotukhin, Alexander Rosenbaum, Lolita Milyavskaya took part in the recording , Arkady Arkanov and many others. One of the parties is composed of fragments of phonograms with the voice of Georgy Millyar.

In 2012-2014, he took part in the TV project "Voice" on Channel One as a mentor. At the same time, in the first three seasons of the program, the members of his team won - Dina Garipova, Sergey Volchkov and Alexandra Vorobyova, respectively. In 2015, he returned as a mentor to a television project, where his ward, Mikhail Ozerov, took second place in the final.

Family of Alexander Gradsky

Mother - Tamara Pavlovna Gradskaya (1929-1963) - graduated from GITIS (N. Plotnikov's course), actress, director, then a literary employee of the Theater Life magazine.
Father - Fradkin Boris Abramovich (1926-2013) - graduated from MAMI, mechanical engineer, worked until the age of 83.
Maternal grandfather - Gradsky Pavel Ivanovich - a master in tailoring leather goods, died tragically in 1948. Maternal grandmother - Gradskaya (nee Pavlova) Maria Ivanovna, housewife. She died in 1980.

Paternal grandmother - Fradkina (née Chvertkina) Rosalia Ilyinichna, worked as a secretary-typist for about 50 years, died in Moscow at the age of 100, in 1996, "grandmother of Russian rock and roll", welcomed all Gradsky's colleagues by profession, who were in their house, for which she earned this characteristic among them.
Paternal grandfather - Fradkin Abram Semenovich, was divorced from his grandmother from the age of 50, worked as a house manager in Kharkov, and died there at an advanced age.
Uncle - Boris Pavlovich Gradsky- mother's brother, soloist of the Igor Moiseev Ensemble, dancer, played the accordion beautifully, composed pieces for the accordion, died in 2002.
Aunt - Irina Abramovna Sidorova (Fradkina), died in 2006 at the age of 84.
Second cousin - Ivan Egorovich Fradkin.
Cousin - Natalya Gradskaya.

Half sister - Galina Ambrosovskaya.
Alexander Gradsky was married three times.
The first wife is Natalya Mikhailovna Gradskaya. He calls his first marriage a "youth act."
The second is Anastasia Vertinskaya (actress). They were married from 1976 to 1980, although they separated in 1978.
Third wife - Olga Semyonovna Gradskaya (were married from 1980 to 2003); two children from this marriage:
son Daniel Gradsky- (b. March 30, 1981) - businessman, musician;
daughter Maria Gradskaya - (b. January 14, 1986) - graduated from Moscow State University, TV presenter and art manager;
Since 2003, the actual wife is Marina Kotashenko (born November 22, 1980, in 2003 - a student at VGIK).
In September 2014, Alexander had a son, who was named Alexander.

Discography of Alexander Gradsky

1972 - How beautiful this world is (recorded 1971)
1973 - Alexander Gradsky sings (verses by R. Burns, N. Aseev, A. Gradsky, V. Sautkin to music by A. Gradsky, recorded 1969-1972)
1974 - Romance of lovers (verses by N. Konchalovsky, B. Okudzhava, A. Gradsky, N. Glazkov to music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1973)
1976 - Alexander Gradsky sings songs from the movie "The Sun, Again the Sun" (recorded in 1976)
1977 - Alexander Gradsky sings songs from the movie "My Love in the Third Year" (recorded in 1976)
1978 - Alexander Gradsky and the ensemble "Skomorokhi" (verses by R. Burns and A. Voznesensky to music by A. Gradsky, recorded 1971-1974)
1979 - Alexander Gradsky sings (verses by R. Burns, N. Aseev, A. Gradsky, V. Sautkin to music by A. Gradsky, recorded 1969-1972)
1979 - Only you believe me (verses and music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1972)
1980 - Russian songs (vocal suite on the theme of Russian folk songs, music, poetry and arrangement by A. Gradsky, recorded 1976-1978)
1980 - We can't live without each other (recorded in 1980)
1981 - Bird of Happiness (recorded 1980)
1984 - Life itself (vocal suite on poems by Paul Eluard, music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1981)
1985 - Stadium (rock opera in two acts and four scenes, libretto and poetry by M. Pushkina and A. Gradsky, music by A. Gradsky, recorded 1983-1985)
1986 - Star of the Fields (vocal suite on verses by Nikolai Rubtsov, music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1982)
1987 - Satires (vocal suite on verses by Sasha Cherny, music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1980)
1987 - Let's begin (music by A. Gradsky and D. Denver, lyrics by D. Denver and S. Tisdale, recorded 1985-1986)
1987 - Utopia Alexander Gradsky(vocal suite on verses by R. Burns, P. Shelley, P. Beranger, music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1979)

1987 - Reflections of a jester (vocal suite on verses by V. Shakespeare, R. Burns, N. Aseev, A. Voznesensky, A. Gradsky, V. Sautkin, music by A. Gradsky, recorded 1971-1974)
1988 - Flute and piano (vocal suite on verses by V. Mayakovsky and B. Pasternak, music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1983)
1988 - Nostalgia (vocal suite on verses by Vladimir Nabokov, music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1984)
1988 - Man (rock ballet, music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1987)
1989 - Monte Cristo (verses and music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1987)
1989 - Concert suite (verses and music by A. Gradsky, recorded 1979-1987)
1990 - Expedition (poetry and music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1990)
1991 - Metamorfhoses (recorded 1991)
1994 - Untimely songs (poetry and music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1990)
1994 - Fruits from the cemetery (poetry and music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 1991)
1995 - The fruits from the cemetery
1996 - LIVE in "Russia" (recorded on March 17, 1995 in the State Concert Hall "Russia", Moscow)
1996 - Golden junk
1996 - Collection of Alexander Gradsky
1997 - Legends of Russian rock. Alexander Gradsky and the group "Skomorokhi"
2000 - LIVE in "Russia" - 2 (recorded on November 3, 1999 at the State Concert Hall "Russia", Moscow)
2003 - Reader (verses by A. Gradsky, N. Oleinikov, D. Lennon, P. McCartney, V. Blake to music by A. Gradsky, T. Weitz, A. Jackson, C. Brooks, D. Cook, R. Dunn, S. Wonder, recorded in 2003)
2003 - Songs for Ira (Poems by A. Gradsky, V. Blake, N. Oleinikov to music by A. Gradsky, A. Jackson, K. Brooks, D. Cook, R. Dunn, recorded in 2003)
2004 - LIVE in "Russia" -2. Anniversary video concert (recorded on November 3, 1999 at the State Concert Hall "Russia", Moscow)
2009 - Master and Margarita (rock opera in two acts and four scenes, libretto by A. Gradsky based on the novel by M. Bulgakov, poetry and music by A. Gradsky, recorded 1979-2009)
2010 - LIVE in "Russia". Anniversary video concert (recorded March 17, 1995 at the State Concert Hall "Russia", Moscow)
2010 - Anti-perestroika blues (recording of the 1990 concert film)
2011 - "Favorites" by Alexander Gradsky
2011 - Neformat (poetry and music by A. Gradsky, recorded in 2010-2011)
2014 - Concert-2010 (recorded on November 28, 2010 at Crocus City Hall, Moscow)
2014 - Romances (recorded 2010-2011)

Some songs from the repertoire of Alexander Gradsky

"Anti-Perestroika Blues" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky)
Aria of Cavaradossi (Recondita armonia…) (D. Puccini) from the opera Tosca
"Aria Calaf" (D. Puccini) from the opera "Turandot"
"Jose's Aria" (G. Bizet) from the opera "Carmen"
"The Ballad of the Fishing Village of Ayu" (Yu. Saulsky - E. Yevtushenko) from the movie "The Sun, Again the Sun"
“The God of Rock-n-Roll” (“Epitaph”, music and lyrics by A. Gradsky)
“There will be gentle rain” (lyrics by S. Tisdale, trans. by L. Zhdanov)
"Waltz" (From this) (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky)
“Return” (lyrics by B. Okudzhava) from the film “Romance of the Lovers”
“In the fields under snow and rain” (lyrics by R. Burns, trans. by S. Marshak)
"In your eyes" (lyrics by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite "Star of the Fields"
“I go out alone on the road” (E. Shashina - M. Lermontov) Romance
“Burn, burn, my star” (P. Bulakhov - V. Chuevsky) Romance
"Let's Begin" (music and lyrics by J. Denver) - Spanish. Alexander Gradsky (in English)
"Double" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky)
“To the end, to the quiet cross” (lyrics by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite “Star of the Fields”
"Road" (lyrics by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite "Star of the Fields"
"Gioconda" (D. Tukhmanov - T. Sashko)
"Yellow House" (lyrics by S. Cherny) from the vocal suite "Satires"
“Once upon a time I was” (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 ...”) (lyrics by B. Pasternak)
“How young we were” (A. Pakhmutova - N. Dobronravov) from the movie “My love in the third year”
"Lullaby" (lyrics by N. Konchalovskaya) from the film "Romance of the Lovers"
“To Russia” (“Get off, I beg you!”) (lyrics by V. Nabokov)
“Cling your face to the glass ...” (lyrics by P. Eluard)
"Lamentations" (lyrics by Sasha Cherny) from the vocal suite "Satires"
“Showers on the sea (blues)” (music by T. Waits, lyrics by A. Gradsky)
“Beloved sleep” (music by E. Kolmanovsky, lyrics by E. Yevtushenko)
"Love" (lyrics by B. Okudzhava) from the movie "Romance of the Lovers"
“I dreamed of heights since childhood” (A. Pakhmutova - N. Dobronravov) from the movie “Oh sport, you are the world!”
"Prayer" (lyrics by S. Cherny) from the vocal suite "Satires"
“A monologue of a long loaf for 28 kopecks from premium flour” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky)
“We poured red wine (hit)” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky)
“We did not expect changes” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky)

“We cannot live without each other” (A. Pakhmutova - N. Dobronravov) from the movie “Oh sport, you are the world!”
"Our old house" (lyrics by R. Burns, trans. by S. Marshak)
"Do not sing, beauty" (S. Rachmaninov - A. Pushkin) Romance
"No one" (Yu. Saulsky - E. Yevtushenko) from the film "The Sun, Again the Sun"
"Nothing in a Polushka" (Russian folk)
“Night song of a drunkard” (lyrics by Sasha Cherny) from the vocal suite “Satires”
"Night" (lyrics by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite "Star of the Fields"
“Settings” (“The son is roaring. Beaten for a deuce with a plus ...”) (lyrics by Sasha Cherny) from the vocal suite “Satires”
"About dogs" (lyrics by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite "Star of the Fields"
“In memory of a poet” (about V. S. Vysotsky) (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky)
"Duke's Song" (G. Verdi) from the opera "Rigoletto"
"Song of Dolphins" (Yu. Saulsky - E. Yevtushenko) from the film "The Sun, Again the Sun"
"Song of a friend" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky)
"Song of Friendship" (lyrics by B. Okudzhava) from the movie "Romance of Lovers"
“Song of Gold” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the movie “Prisoner of If Castle”
"Song of the Ship" or "Grandfather's Boat" (E. Artemyev - N. Konchalovskaya) from the film "At Home Among Strangers, Stranger Among Our Own"
"Song of the Mother" (lyrics by N. Konchalovskaya) from the film "Romance of the Lovers"
“Song of the pendulum” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the movie “In August 44th ...”
"Song of Freedom" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the movie "Prisoner of If Castle"
"Song of the "crazy"" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the film "Prisoner of If Castle"
“Song of Monte Cristo” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the movie “Prisoner of If Castle”
“Farewell” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky) from the movie “Prisoner of If Castle”
"Song of the Birds" (lyrics by N. Glazkov) from the film "Romance of the Lovers"
"Song of Conscience" (Yu. Saulsky - E. Yevtushenko) from the film "The Sun, Again the Sun"
“A song similar to all songs” (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky)
"Song of the Jester" (lyrics by R. Burns, trans. by S. Marshak)
"Coal Miner's Friend" (lyrics by R. Burns, trans. by S. Marshak)
“On the Mute” (“I want to take a break from satire”) (lyrics by Sasha Cherny) from the vocal suite “Satires”
"Descendants" (lyrics by Sasha Cherny) from the vocal suite "Satires"
"Santa Lucia" (J. Cottro) Neapolitan song
"Blue Forest" (music and lyrics by A. Gradsky)
"Buffoons" (lyrics by V. Sautkin)
"Sonnet" (E. Krylatov - A. Gradsky)
"Sports" - a song about the Olympics in Sochi 2014
"Theatre" (lyrics by S. Cherny) from the vocal suite "Satires"
“Only once in a life there are meetings” (B. Fomin - P. German) Romance
"Only you believe me"
“Photo with me and with 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 Epiphany frosts" (lyrics by N. Rubtsov) from the vocal suite "Star of the Fields"
"Closing the Circle" (K. Kelmi - M. Pushkin) - Spanish. in a group of rock musicians (Chris Kelmi, Yuri Gorkov, Konstantin Nikolsky, Alexander Sitkovetsky, Vitaly Dubinin, Sergey Minaev, Hovhannes Melik-Pashaev, Andrey Makarevich, Alexander Monin, Grigory Bezugly, Evgeny Margulis, Marina Kapuro, Pavel Smeyan, Zhanna Aguzarova, Anatoly Alyoshin, Andrey Davidyan, Valery Syutkin, Yuri Davydov, Alexander Ivanov, Alexander Kutikov, Dmitry Varshavsky, Artur Berkut)

Rock operas by Alexander Gradsky

1967-1969 - Fly-Tsokotuha
1973-1985 - Stadium
1979-2009 - Master and Margarita

Ballets by Alexander Gradsky

1985-1988 - "Man"
1987-1990 - "Rasputin"
1988-1990 - "Jewish ballad"

Filmography of Alexander Gradsky

Roles in the cinema of Alexander Gradsky

1972 - Courtesy visit

1979 - Tuning fork
1985 - Stained glass master
1991 - Genius
2000 - Gangster Petersburg. Film 1. Baron

Vocal parts by Alexander Gradsky

1974 - One's own among strangers, a stranger among one's own
1974 - Romance of lovers
1975 - Concerto for two violins
1976 - Sun, sun again
1976 - Songs under the clouds
1976 - My love in the third year
1976 - Blue Puppy (cartoon) - vocals by Sailor, Sawfish



1978 - Let's talk, brother ...
1979 - Do not part with your loved ones
1980 - Oh sport, you are the world!
1986 - Life of Klim Samgin
1988 - Pass (cartoon)
1989 - Prisoner of the Chateau d'If


2000 - In August 44th ...

Composer filmography of Alexander Gradsky

1974 - Romance of lovers
1976 - Sun, sun again
1977 - Legend of the old lighthouse (cartoon)
1977 - The Princess and the Ogre (cartoon)
1978 - Let's talk, brother ...
1978 - Catch the wind (cartoon)
1978 - Diamond Trail
1979 - Tuning fork
1979 - Hunting
1985 - Connoisseurs are investigating. Fire
1986 - In a single life
1988 - Pass (cartoon)
1989 - Prisoner of the Chateau d'If
1989 - Rock and Fortune
1989 - Art of living in Odessa
1989 - Stereotypes (cartoon)
2000 - In August 44th ...
Descendants of Prometheus (TV)

Gradsky and his wife, the beautiful Marina Kotashenko, became parents on October 31, 2018, and three days later the artist turned 69 years old. This is Marina's second child, and Alexander became a father for the fourth time. He has an adult daughter and son, born in a previous marriage.

Gradsky and his wife are happy together

For the first time, Gradsky married Natalya Smirnova, but lived with her for only three months. Three years passed, and he married Anastasia Vertinskaya. This marriage also did not last long - they separated two years later, although the divorce was not filed immediately. But in the third marriage, with Olga Fartysheva, Gradsky lived for 23 years, and their separation came as a surprise to others. In this marriage, son Daniel and daughter Maria were born.

Now Alexander lives with Marina Kotashenko, who is 31 years younger than him. Gradsky and his wife have been living for 14 years, although they have not registered an official marriage. In 2014, on September 1, their son Sasha was born, and on the last day of October 2018, another boy, Ivan, was born.

About meeting his fourth wife, Gradsky said that on his part it was love at first sight. Alexander saw Marina walking along the sidewalk, passing by in a car. The beauty of the girl so struck him that he could not help but stop. Soon, Marina felt that next to her was a man of extraordinary attractiveness, with whom she was calm and comfortable. And communication with HIM brings joy.

Marina is proud that their eldest son is very similar to his father. Gradsky and his wife have already noticed the boy's remarkable musical abilities. The kid already has a real guitar, he plays it and sings songs. Sasha recites poetry with pleasure, learns to read.

Gradsky repeatedly spoke about how lucky he was that such a beauty fell in love with him, although she could have chosen someone more profitable. He is not at all offended by the fact that sometimes phrases like “beauty and the beast” are heard in their address, he does not at all doubt the reciprocity of their feelings.

Gradsky and his wife settled in the Moscow region, in the village of Novoglagolevo, and live very happily there. Alexander still writes music, teaches vocals.

Creative paths of Gradsky and his wife

Alexander's parents sent him to a music school, where he learned to play the violin when he was 9 years old. The boy did not really like to study at home a lot, although he loved music.

At school, he preferred the humanities, read a lot. At the age of 14, Alexander wrote his first poem. His uncle had repeatedly been on foreign tours, and thanks to this, records appeared in their house, thanks to which Sasha learned modern Western music. The teenager became seriously interested in the work of the Beatles, and this played a role in his decision to continue studying music.

As a fourteen-year-old schoolboy, Alexander took part in the performances of the Polish student group "Cockroaches". Then "Slavs", "Buffoons", "Scythians", "Los Panchos", "Electron", he played in these groups, but did not sing. It's just that Gradsky set himself the goal of saving up money for the purchase of decent equipment, and even then show himself and Russian rock and roll in Moscow.

At the age of 20, Alexander entered the Gnesinka. Then he began to give solo concerts, sing with the guitar. After graduating from the Gnessin Institute, Gradsky became very popular, began to give many concerts, in which, for the most part, his songs sounded.

In 1975, Alexander entered the conservatory, but did not stop touring. Then he worked a lot on music for films, released several records. Soon he began to engage in teaching work, first at Gnesinka, and then at GITIS.

Gradsky's wife, Marina Kotashenko, was a model for a Moscow agency at the time they met. Now, after graduating from VGIK, he plays in the studio theater of his master, Vsevolod Shilovsky. In addition, it can sometimes be seen in some series. Marina also received a legal education in absentia. Marina motivates this by relying only on her own strength so that her influential husband does not have to protect her.

Alexander Gradsky is a singer, composer, guitarist, poet, musical and He is a People's Artist of Russia and a laureate of the State Prize. Created together with Mikhail Turkov, the group "Slavs" was the third rock group in the Soviet Union. As a real creative person, he constantly needs a wonderful muse. Perhaps that is why he was repeatedly married.

Alexander Gradsky. Biography. Childhood and youth

Born in Kopeysk (Chelyabinsk region) on November 3, 1949. His mother was a drama theater actress. From her he inherited a penchant for creativity. My father was a mechanical engineer by profession.

In 1957 the family moved to Moscow. His father got a job at a factory, and his mother became the head of theater circles. She was also a member of the literary staff of a popular magazine. Parents were too busy with work, so Alexander Gradsky lived with his grandmother (through his mother) in the village of Rastorguevo, Butovsky district (in the Moscow region).

In the period from 1958 to 1965, Sasha attended a music school and studied violin with V. V. Sokolov. The boy was very interested in music lessons. However, he did not like doing hours of exercise at home.

In a comprehensive school, he is fond of humanitarian disciplines. Literature and history become his elements. He read prose and poetry with great pleasure. At the age of thirteen, Sasha wrote his first poem. He got acquainted early with Western music (E. Presley, L. Armstrong, B. Haley, E. Fitzgerald). From the Soviet stage, he preferred to listen to songs performed by L. Ruslanova, K. Shulzhenko,

Alexander Gradsky, a young music lover, had the opportunity to listen to rare records with amazing music. They were brought by his uncle from abroad.

AT academic years Sasha performs as a singer at school parties, while accompanying himself on the piano or guitar. As an actor, he tries his hand at the theatrical circle.

Family of Alexander Gradsky

• The musician's mother is Tamara Pavlovna Gradskaya (actress, director, literary collaborator of the magazine).
• Grandmother (on the line of mother) - Maria Ivanovna Gradskaya (Pavlova), was a housewife.
• Grandfather, Pavel Ivanovich Gradsky - a master in tailoring leather goods.
• Uncle, Boris Pavlovich Gradsky - dancer, ensemble artist, accordion player, composer.
• Father - Boris Abramovich Fradkin (mechanical engineer).
• Grandmother (on the father's side) - Roza Ilyinichna Fradkina (Chvertkina), worked as a secretary-typist for fifty years.
• Grandfather - Abram Semenovich Fradkin, worked in Kharkov as a house manager.
• Aunt - Irina Abramovna Fradkina (Sidorova).

Until the age of fourteen, Sasha bore the name of his father. After the death of his mother (in 1963) he took her last name in memory of her.

Concerts, performances, musical groups

Gradsky's successful career as a musician began in 1963. Together with the group "Cockroaches" (which included Polish students), he performs at several concerts.

In 1965, Alexander Gradsky, together with Mikhail Turkov, created the Slavs group. Some time later, Vyacheslav Dontsov (drummer) and Viktor Degtyarev (bass guitarist) joined their band. Somewhere in a couple of months, Vadim Maslov (electroorganist) joins them. "Slavs" is the third Soviet rock band that conquered a large number of listeners. Their repertoire included songs and The Beatles.

In 1966, the group "Skomorokhi" was organized. Alexander Gradsky himself was the author of the songs and composed them in Russian.

At the same time, he does not stop working with Dontsov and Degtyarev. Their group "Scythians" has repeatedly changed the performing staff.

On trips, musicians earn money for high-quality and expensive equipment. Their group "Los Panchos" conquers Moscow.

In 1969 he entered the GMPI them. Gnesins and improves vocal skills. At the same time, he starts solo career and performs on guitar. Continues to compose musical compositions. These are "Ballad of a Poultry Farm", "Spain", "Song of Fools", a small rock opera "Fly-Tsokotuha".

"Skomorokhi" win six first prizes at the All-Union festival of beat groups "Silver Strings" in Gorky. Alexander Gradsky personally received three of them: "For vocal", "For guitar" and "For composition".

In 1972, "Skomorokhi" toured various cities (Kuibyshev, Donetsk and many others).

In 1973, such compositions were published: "Blue Forest", "Spain", "Buffoons", "Coal Miner's Girlfriend".

Participation in films. Film music

Gradsky was noticed by director Andrei Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky and offered to take part in the film "Romance of Lovers". First, Alexander was invited as a singer. He was then assigned to be the songwriter, some of the poetry, and all the music. At that time it was a very rare case: a young musician who is not a member of the Union of Composers receives an order from one of the most talented and popular directors in the country.

The film was released in 1974. In the same year, Alexander Gradsky received the title of "Star of the Year". A photo of the already famous musician is presented below.

After that, Alexander's career goes up rapidly. He tours the country. At his concerts, the halls are constantly overflowing with the public, which meets him with incredible excitement.

In 1975, Gradsky fruitfully worked on several films at once. Meanwhile, he continues to record music, participates in projects of various authors. In the same year, he entered the Moscow Conservatory to the wonderful teacher T. Khrennikov in the composition class.

In 1988 he wrote music for such films as The Art of Living in Odessa and Prisoner of If Castle.

Touring and teaching activities

Since the late 70s, the active touring activity of the musician has continued. His repertoire is replenished with songs for which he writes the lyrics himself. Some of them are very brave. He writes articles in defense of rock music. Actively argues with retrogrades. Thus, he makes enemies for himself.

At this time he starts teaching activities. For several years he has been working at the Gnessin School, graduating a course of students. Then he teaches at the institute. This stage of activity ended with two years of heading the vocal department. Gradsky believed that you can work further only if you have your own class.

Creativity of the 70s, 80s, 90s

From 1976 to 1980 Alexander composed and recorded two parts of the Russian Songs suite. This is the first rock record in the Soviet Union, which was released in 1980.

Gradsky Alexander releases one studio recording after another. A photo of the musician in the process of work can be seen below.

His vocal suites: "Star of the Fields", "Concert Suite", "Nostalgia", "Life Itself", "Satires", "Utopia AG", "Flute and Piano". The collection of recordings "Reflections of the Fool" confirms the possibility of singing in different rock styles in Russian. The artist works with more complex genres. He writes the opera "Stadium" (libretto by A. Gradsky and M. Pushkina), the ballet "Man" on a libretto of his own composition.

Vladimir Vysotsky died in 1980. Alexander delves into tragic satire and dramatic lyrics. He writes compositions "Song about television", "Song about a friend" and others.

In 1988, Gradsky performed the part of the Astrologer from the opera by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. This is an extremely complex game of the world operatic repertoire. From the auditorium of the Bolshoi Theater, he received a long standing ovation.

Music projects. Foreign trips

Numerous complex projects took place under the leadership of Alexander. This is the organization of solo concerts in Moscow with the participation of Russian orchestras folk instruments, symphony orchestras, choirs and rock bands; release of thirteen CDs with a complete collection of his own compositions and recordings; creation of musical films (“Anti-Perestroika Blues”, “We Live in Russia”).

Foreign trips give good results. Alexander Gradsky works on joint projects with Liza Minnelli, John Denver, Diana Warwick and many others. He visited Greece, Germany, USA, Spain, Sweden. In 1990, he signed a contract with the leading Japanese company VMI (VICTOR) and released two CDs under its brand.

Last works

These are real events in musical life. The CD Reader is stylistically reminiscent of the Jester's Reflections suite. Here again there is an attempt to speak in Russian in modern genres. His opera The Master and Margarita (based on M. Bulgakov) is also published with a unique composition of participants. The author worked on it for more than thirty years. It is beautifully and originally framed - in the form of an old book. The set includes four discs and the complete libretto.

Currently, concerts and tours continue. For several seasons, Gradsky has been a jury member of the Voice project. And it is his contestants who reach the final and become winners. In 2012 - this is in 2013 - Sergey Volchkov.

Alexander Gradsky: personal life

The companions of his life changed several times. The first wife was Natalya Mikhailovna Gradskaya. He calls this marriage a "youth act." The relationship did not last long with his second wife, actress Anastasia Vertinskaya.

They were together from 1976 to 1978. The official divorce took place in 1980. The longest was with his third wife, Olga Semyonovna Gradskaya. Their marriage lasted about 23 years. They have two children. Son Daniel was born on March 30, 1981. He followed in his father's footsteps and became a musician, but that doesn't stop him from being a businessman. Daughter Maria was born on January 14, 1986. She graduated from the Moscow State University. Works as a TV presenter and art manager.

So, Alexander Gradsky was married three times. The personal life of the musician continues to seethe to this day. In 2003, he won the heart of the charming Marina Kotashenko. They met on the street. But it was in its own way an original acquaintance. Gradsky managed to attract the attention of a spectacular beauty. A cheerful and indiscreet question: “Would you like to touch history?” - at least will bring a smile to the face of every girl. Of course, with such a legendary personality it is very interesting and exciting, in addition, the artist knows how to love and pamper. Therefore, Alexander Gradsky and his young wife have been happy together for more than ten years.

Like her civil husband, a creative person. She starred in various TV series, comedies, detective stories.

A big happy event happened recently in their family. On September 1, 2014, the son of Alexander Gradsky was born, who was named Sasha in honor of his father. The birth of Marina Kotashenko took place in New York. Time will tell whether the son will follow in the footsteps of his father, whether he will become a famous musician.

Conclusion

Thus, Gradsky Alexander is revealed to us with different sides. First of all, this is a talented musician (composer, guitarist, singer) and poet, musical and public figure. Secondly, this is a rather brave and purposeful person. He was not afraid to write satirical compositions with pronounced sarcasm, he actively stood up for rock music, without fear of making enemies. And thirdly, this is a rather loving person who has been looking for his one and only muse for a long time. Probably, in the face of Marina Kotashenko, he found her.

His father is a mechanical engineer by profession, his mother is an actress. drama theater. At one time, she was invited to play at the Moscow Art Theater, but she was forced to leave with her husband to the Urals, where he was assigned after graduation. In Kopeysk, Alexander's parents are still remembered, on the stand of the Palace of Culture there is a mention of Tamara Pavlovna as the head of an amateur theater, several of whose artists subsequently made a professional career

The family returned to Moscow in 1957. Alexander's father, Boris Abramovich Fradkin, worked at a factory, his mother led theater circles, and then was a literary collaborator in the Theater Life magazine. Due to the excessive employment of his parents, Alexander lived before school with his grandmother Maria Ivanovna Gradskaya in the Moscow region, in the village of Rastorguevo, Butovsky district.

Alexander Gradsky about the family Mom
- Gradskaya Tamara Pavlovna, graduated from GITIS, course of N. Plotnikov, actress, director, then a literary employee of the magazine "Theatrical Life".

Mom's parents:
Gradsky Pavel Ivanovich - a master in tailoring leather goods, tragically died in 1948.
Gradskaya (née Pavlova) Maria Ivanovna, housewife. Died 1980
Mom's brother - Gradsky Boris Pavlovich, artist of the Igor Moiseev Ensemble, dancer, played the accordion beautifully, composed pieces for the accordion, died in 2002.

Dad
- Fradkin Boris Abramovich, graduated from MAMI, mechanical engineer, worked until the age of 83, died in 2013.

Dad's parents:
Fradkina (née Chvertkina) Rosa Ilyinichna, worked as a secretary-typist for about 50 years, died in Moscow at the age of 100, in 1996, "grandmother of Russian rock and roll", welcomed all my professional colleagues who were in our house , for which he deserved this characteristic among them.
Fradkin Abram Semenovich, was divorced from his grandmother from the age of 50, worked as a house manager in Kharkov, where he died at an advanced age.
Until my mother's death, I bore the surname of my father; the surname Gradsky was taken by me immediately after her death in 1963 in memory of her.

In Moscow, the family - father, mother, grandmother (father's mother) and Sasha - for several years, until the early death of his mother (in 1963), lived in an eight-meter basement on the corner of Frunzenskaya Embankment, in the "company" of nine more families. From 1958 to 1965, Gradsky, at the insistence of his parents, studied at a music school in the violin class (the teacher was a student of E.F. Gnesina V.V. Sokolov). The following fact speaks of how good this teacher was: when Sokolov, for some purely domestic reasons, was forced to move to a less prestigious school named after. Dunaevsky, almost all of his "Gnessin" class left behind him. The boy really liked music lessons at school, but the need for many hours of home exercise was depressing.

In a comprehensive school, relations with subjects developed somehow immediately. Sasha did not like all mathematical disciplines, physics and chemistry, but history and literature immediately became his element. He read prose and poetry avidly, and at the age of thirteen he wrote his first poem. Early (at that time) got acquainted with Western music (E. Presley, B. Haley, E. Fitzgerald, L. Armstrong, F. Sinatra), in the Soviet stage he preferred songs performed by M. Bernes, K. Shulzhenko, L. Ruslanova, was fond of classical singing (Caruso, Chaliapin, Gigli, Callas).

Sasha's uncle (mother's brother) worked in the Moiseev Ensemble (folk dance ensemble of the USSR), one of the few groups that were allowed to tour abroad not only in the countries of the socialist camp, but also in the largest capitalist powers. Thus, the uncle was among those who were lucky enough to participate several times in many months of tours in 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 apparatchiks 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 of 57, Louis Armstrong, an album by saxophonist Steve Getz, some blues. So, thanks to his uncle's magnificent records and a luxurious "proprietary" stereo system, Sasha already at the age of 10 - 12 got the opportunity to listen to the most modern music in world terms. 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 ground - he was already passionate about creativity domestic performers, such as Mark Bernes, Claudia Shulzhenko and Lidia 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 the song "Tutti-Frutti" by Little Richard. However, under socialist conditions Lucky case Presley did not repeat himself, 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 appeared in the interclub of Moscow State University and sang along with a group of Polish students "Cockroaches" at several concerts (the repertoire included two blues and one rock and roll by E. Presley). The first song that Alexander Gradsky performed as part of “Cockroaches” was A. Babajanyan’s twist “The Best City on Earth”, and during the performance in the hall the microphones were turned off and the finale of the song was performed without them to the “mad” reception of students.

1964 - the time of moving to a more or less decent apartment and ... The Beatles! ...

It was then that the decision was made to become a musician, singer, guitarist, composer, poet, in short - Alexander Gradsky ...

In 1965, A. Gradsky and Mikhail Turkov organized a group called SLAVIES. Later, Viktor Degtyarev (bass guitar) and Vyacheslav Dontsov (drums) join them. Two months later, Vadim Maslov (electroorgan). SLAVYANE, the third Soviet rock band (after the "Brothers" and "Sokolov"), which became famous and popular, existed in this line-up for no more than a year. The group's repertoire consisted almost entirely of songs by "The Beatles" and "Rolling Stones". Alexander Gradsky decided that only the Russian language should be the basis of his future music and songs. Hence the creation of the SKOMOROKHI group (1966), focused exclusively on songs and compositions of their own composition and in Russian. In 1965, another significant event takes place: Gradsky writes one of his famous early songs "Blue Forest", which later became his hallmark. At the same time, he continues to work with Degtyarev and Dontsov in a group called SKIF. Initially, this group included Sergei Sapozhnikov (bass guitar), Yuri Malkov (drums) and Sergei Dyuzhikov (guitar) plus Gradsky. Landmarks - instrumental (big-beat) music. A couple of months later, Sapozhnikov and Malkov are exchanged for Degtyarev and Dontsov, then, instead of Gradsky, Yuri Valov comes (later a member of the American group "Sasha and Yura"). Interestingly, after the departure of A.G. from SKIFOV, 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 Buffoons (except Alexander Gradsky) are Vladimir Polonsky (drums), who later played for a long time in VIA VESELIE REBYATA, and Alexander Buinov (piano), he also got into VIA VESELIE REBYATA, after which he made a solo career. The uniqueness of this group consisted primarily in the fact that they "walked along paths unknown to anyone before them." Gradsky determined the "purity" of an idea, but otherwise everyone was equal. The songs of A. Buinov ("Alyonushka" and "Grass-Ant"), and the hits of the bass guitarist Yuri Shakhnazarov ("Memoirs" and "Beaver"), who joined the line-up a little later, 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 musicians of the group to work in the philharmonic. Gradsky accepts the offer of the then novice composer and pianist David Tukhmanov and goes on short tours around the country, playing the guitar and diligently not showing vocals so as not to "light up". Sometimes (already without Tukhmanov) Buinov and Polonsky join him, sometimes they work on trips and in "chess", 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 solo guitar and again did not sing ...

VIA "Suvenir" In 1967, the first regional philharmonic society in Belarus was opened in Gomel. Young energetic artists began to tour around the region and beyond and delight the audience with their art. In the early years, the legendary vocal and instrumental ensemble "Souvenir" worked in the Philharmonic, the main characters of which were now widely famous singers Alexander Gradsky and Alexander Buinov, as well as drummer Vladimir Polonsky, who later joined the cult ensemble of the Soviet era - "Merry Fellows". In this team, Anatoly Yarmolenko also began his singing career. In 1971, Souvenir was disbanded. In those years, such a pro-Western ensemble, which had many Beatles songs in its repertoire, could not exist for a long time. And Yarmolenko created another famous Belarusian ensemble "Syabry", which also initially performed under the flag of the Gomel Philharmonic. At one time, the famous jazzman Eddie Rosner and the virtuoso accordionist Valery Kovtun were philharmonic artists.

During these two or three years, he traveled almost half of the Union with the most diverse repertoire and with the most different musicians and soloists, and practically never sang anywhere... Only once, to the roar of the "stunned" hall, he sang a solo concert instead of a sick philharmonic soloist, calling himself by his name...

That was the idea - to earn money on trips for equipment, then come to Moscow, prepare a repertoire and "give out" Russian rock and roll ...

1969 - the year A. Gradsky entered the GMPI. Gnesins to the faculty of solo singing to the teacher L.V. Kotelnikova. Subsequently, he improves his skills in the class of N.A. Willow. Chamber class teacher - G.B. 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 belong "Ballad of a poultry farm", "Spain" to the verses of N. Aseev, "Song of Fools" and a small rock opera "Fly-Tsokotuha".

A significant period begins when Gradsky, in fact, becomes one of the first experimenters in rock with texts in Russian (own and famous poets). He also turns to Russian folklore.

In 1969 "Skomorokhi" still play three together (A.G. plus Polonsky and Shakhnazarov), in 1970 Alexander Lerman, an intellectual, linguist and professional musician, leader of the group "WINDS OF CHANGE" (later, together with Yu.Valov , works 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 moved to the VIA "Fun Guys", the amazing drummer Yuri Fokin comes (then he left for the USA, at one time he served in the Russian Orthodox Church in a parish near New York). This is the stellar group composition of "SKOMOROKHOV". They freely sing songs of their own composition for three or four voices. Moscow conquered once and for all. Equal, as they say, no. Unfortunately, almost no records of that period have been preserved ...

At the end of 1971, A. Lerman and Yu. 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 musical group A. Pugacheva) ten days before the start of the all-Union festival in Gradsky and Fokin are leaving Gorky...

Fokin brings pianist Igor Saulsky, son of famous composer and a jazzman, and on the train Moscow - Gorky 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 the Chelyabinsk "Ariel", "Skomorokhi" won six first prizes out of eight. And three of them - “for the guitar”, “for the vocals” and “for the composition” - were personally received by Gradsky. 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, the group, from time to time, is joined by flutist, pianist and vocalist Gleb May, after which he made the author's composer career, and a great 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 at that time worked at the Yunost radio station, 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 the verses of Burns and Shakespeare - a kind of encyclopedia of rock styles: from blues to rock and roll (recorded ten years later).

Here it becomes completely clear: "SKOMOROKHI" is Alexander Gradsky. Voice of America and Moscow Radio talk about him and the group, his first songs are heard throughout the Union.

Beginning in 1972, the group became Gradsky's individual instrument (along with guitar, vocals, etc.) to assert his musical and poetic ideas. Gradsky's first recordings in the studio became the only and first of their kind rock compositions in the USSR, recorded in a studio multi-channel way, in which he acted as a multi-instrumentalist, author of all the music, some of ("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 the LP "How beautiful this world" ("Gioconda" and "I once 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, Yu. Shakhnazarov, G. May, drummer Boris Bogrychev appear in their composition, especially for the trip ... At the concert in Kuibyshev, there was an incredible success - after the concert the group left for the hotel, but half an hour later the musicians ran the instructor of the Komsomol city committee and with horror said that the audience did not disperse, behaved aggressively and demanded to continue ... and the concert was continued until one in the morning ...

At the end of 1972, next to Gradsky, for the first time on the stage, we see bass player Yuri Ivanov, who, almost to this day, is included, as needed, in the "SKOMOROKHOV".

At the beginning of 1973, Gradsky and Ivanov (by that time I. Saulsky was engaged in a number of other projects, playing alternately with different musicians and groups, as well as Yu. Fokin) constantly perform together, changing drummers and inviting either Fokin or Chaldranyan to different concerts (currently Igor Saulsky lives in the USA, having made a fantastic career as a professional computer engineer, manager-composer, and later a businessman).

Leapfrog with the composition, given that the group (according to A.G.) should consist of no more than 4 people, leads to a search, and then to an 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 ... An outstanding drummer, super jazzman and stylist Vladimir Vasilkov and one of the most powerful saxophonists and flutists of the Union Sergey Zenko, together with Gradsky and Ivanov, made up those "SKOMOROKHOV", which we can hear in the recording and make sure of the skill of the whole group and each one individually.

In 1973, the first solo minion of Alexander Gradsky was released with the compositions “ Spain”, “ Buffoons”, “ Blue forest”, “Coal miner's girlfriend”. In the same year, at one of the studio recordings, again organized by Arkady Petrov, Andron Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky, the director of the future film "Romance of the Lovers", 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 the poems and all the music ...

An unprecedented event for those times: a 23-year-old composer (not a member of the Union of Composers!) receives an order to write music for a 2-part musical film by one of the most famous and talented directors in the country...

The picture was released on the screens of the Union in 1974, in the same year - the first LP by Alexander Gradsky with music from "Romance ...", for which "Billboard" (international music magazine) awards Gradsky the title "Star of the Year - 1974" for "outstanding contribution to world music" (quote).

In the same year, Gradsky received a diploma from the Institute. Gnesins as "opera and concert-chamber singer" (quote). In the same year he became a laureate international competition pop song "Bratislava lira".

Career A.G. unfolds at breakneck speed. He gets the opportunity to tour the country, while his concerts are held in crowded halls with an incredible public hype.

In huge sports palaces, he works three or four solo two-hour concerts a day, shocking the audience with a three-octave voice range, a completely unusual repertoire for that time, hard hard rock accompaniment (in those cases when the SKOMOROKHI group is with him), an extraordinary acting manner, etc. All this work is organized through philharmonic societies, and the "seal" of official art appears on Gradsky's work, i.e. rock music can be legally allowed. Few people remember that A.G. "pierced" this insurmountable wall first, and behind him, into the resulting "gap", all the other rockers rushed ...

In 1974, Gradsky completed work on the cycle of songs “Reflections of the Jester”.

In 1975, he works (in the footsteps of "Romance...") on several films, not forgetting about the recordings, even participating in the 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 "clamped" to this day, despite any changes in politics and everyday life...

In 1976, Gradsky composed and recorded the first part of the Russian Songs suite, and in 1978, on the advice of A. Petrov, the second part. "Russian Songs" the first rock record in the USSR (published in 1980), which became one of the most significant works in the rock music of the time. The style of the album is defined as "vocal-instrumental suite".

Since that time, Gradsky "gives out" one studio work after another, vocal suites: "Utopia AG", "Satires", "Life Itself", "Star of the Fields", "Nostalgia", "Flute and Piano" - to the verses of the classics , "Concert Suite", "Reflections of the Jester" (a collection of recordings of 1971-1974, in which A.G. proves the possibility of singing in Russian in different rock styles), "Monte Cristo", "Expedition" - on his poems, the opera "Stadium" (libretto by A.G. and Margarita Pushkina), the ballet "Man" (libretto by A.G.), intended for LP, but their publication is constantly delayed for "understandable reasons" ... " The record" here belongs to the suite "Reflections of the Fool" - despite the release of the single in 1978, the entire work was published 16 (!) years after the recording.

A.G. continues tour activity, songs based on his poems actively appear in his repertoire, sometimes satirical, sometimes simply dangerous for the existing regime ... He writes a number of articles in defense of the rock music genre, actively arguing with retrogrades and ... making himself a bunch of enemies.

Gradsky begins teaching, several years of work 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 the Russian Academy of Theater Arts (GITIS). According to him, further teaching is possible only if you have only your 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 goes into the category of "Protestants", "kneading" tragic satire and dramatic lyrics on a fatal musical basis ("Song about a friend", "Song about television", "A loaf monologue for 28 kopecks from premium flour", "A story of a man, who could not go on vacation to the Canary Islands ", etc.). At first they do not "touch" him, then, in 1983-1984. some "troubles" happen, but the voice and talent are always "taken into account"... Gradsky "with a creak" 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, along with a group of artists, filmmakers and politicians. He sings brilliantly at the closing of the conference, the Americans give him a fifteen-minute ovation ...

1987 Work at the radio station "Youth". Alexander leads the Gradsky Hit Parade. It was there that the songs “Kino”, “Alisa”, DDT, “Cloudy Land”, Bashlachev, “AVIA”, “Zoo”, “Secret” were first heard. According to the composer's definition, his hit parade was the opposition to "boring officialdom".

In the same 1988, he heard a twenty-five-minute ovation in his address and, of course, in the address of the famous conductor Yevgeny Svetlanov and stage partners, participants in the Bolshoi Theater performance "The Golden Cockerel" - one of Rimsky-Korsakov's most difficult operas to perform. The part of the 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 Sukhorado, the director of Melodiya, he is releasing almost all of his works in the form of LPs, writing music for the films Prisoner of If Castle and The Art of Living in Odessa, thus increasing the number of films with his music and songs up to thirty-eight! At the same time, he gradually reduces 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 Music Association (MTKMO), under his leadership, carries out a number of complex projects, including: organizing "crazy" solo concerts in Moscow (January 25, 1990, March 17, 1995, as well as anniversary concerts 1999, 2004, 2009) with the participation of symphony orchestras and orchestras of Russian folk instruments, choirs, rock groups and their friends in the "workshop", the release of the "AG Collection", i.e. thirteen CDs with the complete works and recordings of Alexander Gradsky, the creation of two musical films "Anti-Perestroika Blues" (1991), "Live in Russia" (1996) and "Live in Russia - 2" (1999), later released on DVD.

The first trips abroad give results. Gradsky works in joint projects and concerts with such "whales" of Western music as Liza Minnelli, Charles Aznavour, John Denver, Kris Christophersson, Diana Warwick, Sammy Davis, Greatfull Dede, Cindy Peters in the USA, Germany, Spain, Greece, Sweden. Finally, in 1990, after one of the joint concerts with John Denver in Japan, Gradsky received a contract with VMI (VICTOR) - a leading Japanese company. He releases two CDs under her brand (Metamorphoses and The Fruits From The Cemetery) and gives several concerts in Japan with the most diverse repertoire, from his own songs in Russian to Western hits and Japanese classic romances ... Three of his ballets ( "The Man", "Rasputin" and "Jewish Ballad") are staged by the Kyiv Ballet Theater (choreographer G. Kovtun), and the last two - by the Ballet Theater on Ice (artistic director I. Bobrin). All these performances are "tinkering" around Europe and America with great success. Despite everything, he does not rest on his laurels and persistently continues, literally and figuratively, the "construction" of his musical theater.

“Official recognition” followed - at the turn of the third millennium, Gradsky became a People’s Artist of Russia and a laureate of the State Prize of Russia, as they say, according to the “totality” of merit ... The Gradsky Musical Theater building is being reconstructed “with a scratch”, but hopes still remain, as and continued touring and concert activities. Last works Alexander Gradsky can be safely called events in the musical life. This is "Reader" - a CD with compositions that are stylistically reminiscent of "Reflections of a Jester", i.e. an attempt to speak again in Russian in modern genres, and of course, the opera The Master and Margarita by M. Bulgakov with a unique composition of participants, work on which has been going on for more than thirty years in parallel with the “main” activity, which you could read about above. .. This opera by A.G. was published in a luxurious design (in the form of an old book), four discs and a complete libretto are included - by the way, it is also printed in the book "Favorites" - it is still waiting for its biographer, since it is not possible to describe the impression of the opera in two words .. .

What now? And now, after the opera, - new, "socially sharpened" songs, romances and tours, concerts at which A.G., once again going out into the hall, demonstrates his brilliant voice, fantastic musicality and artistry, in a word, all that what we have known about him for a long time ...

As the saying goes: God bless...

Sergey Terekhov
Question answer The children have grown up, do you dream of grandchildren? Do you like babysitting with very young kids?
Tatyana Astakhova, Jul 22, 2011 02:27 pm

The experience was
Alexander Gradsky, Aug 09, 2011 11:01 am What can make you go to a rally? Virtually nothing. Before, I used to go. There was some kind of need, and it seemed that this could contribute to something. Over time, a more complete understanding of life comes to a person, and what I see around me in no way can make me go to such an event.
I think that even for the sake of something good today it is very difficult to unite people. And all kinds of meetings are most often spontaneous, and they take place when something concerns someone personally. Politicians go to rallies to do their own business simple people- in order to somehow defend their dignity.
With age, I begin to think that it is necessary not to go to rallies, but simply to assert an idea or concept that is close to you with your existence and work. In my opinion, it is better to improve in your profession. I don’t see the threat that a certain regime could supposedly come and work in the profession will become unbearable.
Governing the country and society is very difficult. But going to rallies and pointing out how to do it is not my thing. Why bother? Now there is a fuss around the pie. But since this pie is not mine, I don't fuss. Moreover, I have mine.

Alexander Gradsky / singer, composer, National artist Russia
www.golos.org , 02 May 2007 Alexander Gradsky became a father for the third time On September 1, 2014, the singer's civil wife, Marina Kotashenko, gave birth to a boy. The 64-year-old artist and his 33-year-old companion decided to name their son Alexander. The birth took place in New York, and not by chance. After all, it is known that Gradsky double citizenship. The baby was born in one of the clinics in the city, where Marina was observed throughout her pregnancy. Happy parents have already come up with a name for the newborn baby. "The boy's name is Alexander Alexandrovich Gradsky. I specifically named him that. With such a name, patronymic and surname, he will be forced to study music. And I provided him with genes," Moskovsky Komsomolets quotes Alexander Gradsky.
Recall that Alexander Gradsky was married three times. The first marriage, as he calls it, was a student, "trial". With his second wife, with whom the artist lived for two years, was famous actress Anastasia Vertinskaya. From the third marriage, two children were born - son Daniil Gradsky (1981) and daughter Maria (1986).

Evgenia Khodos- I have a photo - it was provided by Alexander Borisovich Gradsky several years ago for the book "The Voice". Tell us about this photo: where is it and when?
Leonid Yarmolnik- This photo is many years old. Zhenya Boldin (the third husband of Alla Pugacheva - Ed. "MP"), a director from St. Petersburg, this is Gradsky himself, of course. And this is Andrei Makarevich.

Information Magazine "VZOR"- a fascinating edition, representing all the diversity and versatility human life: cultural heritage civilizations and their scientific achievements, life stories of prominent people, impressions of famous travelers, opinions of diplomats and public figures. The VZOR magazine covers: poetry and prose, art and architecture, photography and diplomacy, the history and life of theater and cinema, paradoxical scientific views and travels. And magnificent illustrations by famous photographers make these materials alive and bright.
The magazine "VZOR" is one of the few periodicals accredited and distributed in the State Duma of the Russian Federation, the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassies of foreign countries, major airlines, in the best hotels in Moscow, St. .Kazan, as well as among representatives of industrial and business business.
A beautifully illustrated periodical published by the most famous writers, journalists, scientists, photographers and travelers. Among them are photographers: Alexander Tyagny-Ryadno, Viktor Akhlomov, Katya Galitsyna, German Westmann (Cologne); journalist and writer - Tatyana Shcherbina; world-famous scientists - Sergey Averintsev; English scientist - Jeffrey Ash; writer - Alexander Kabakov and many others.
The editor-in-chief of the journal is Oksmon Boris Moiseevich.
The Deputy Editor-in-Chief is famous writer Evgeny Popov.
Members of the editorial board of the journal are: Vadim Abdrashitov - film director; Vasily Aksenov - writer; Rene Guerra (France) - Slavic professor; Alexander Gradsky- singer, composer Boris Messerer - artist; Tatyana Tolstaya is a writer.