Dunaevsky I.O., (1900-1955), composer

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Personalia
DUNAEVSKY Isaak Osipovich (1900-1955), composer, pianist, director of music and theatrical groups, people's artist of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1950). Graduated from Kharkov Conservatory, he lived in Leningrad in 1929-41. He was the musical director and the chief conductor of the Music Hall in 1929-36. Invited to the Music Hall at the urgent request of L. O. Utesov, he collaborated with him to produce about ten review performances that were tremendously successful, such as the Odyssey also known as the Homer Review, Jazz Turn, and Music Shop, produced in 1929, 1931, and 1932, respectively. These performances typified the Soviet musical comedy created by G. V. Alexandrov together with Dunaevsky. He wrote music for 17 films from 1934 to 1940, including Jolly Fellows (Jazz Comedy) in 1934, Three Comrades in 1935, Goalkeeper, Circus, Girl in a Hurry for a Date, and Captain Grant's Children, in 1936, Rich Bride in 1937, Volga-Volga in 1938, and Bright Way in 1940. The brightest image of the socialistic myth for half a century, his music simultaneously formed a kind of sound atmosphere that was present constantly to instill a certain emotional attitude to ideas sacred under the Soviet regime in many generations of Soviets. Dunaevsky was the chairman of the management board in the Union of Composers in 1937-41. It was under his leadership that a Soviet music propaganda section appeared and the potential of radio was mobilised. Dunaevsky was incredibly popular in Leningrad as a local legend, also named the Soviet Mozart; his benefit night was triumphantly held in the Grand Hall of the Philharmonic Society in 1937. He was awarded Stalin prizes in 1941 and 1951. He lived at 9 Borodinskaya Street in 1930-36, his house in the yard has not been preserved, and 4 Gorokhovaya Street in 1936-41 (memorial plaque).

Reference: Сараева-Бондарь А. М. Дунаевский в Ленинграде. Л., 1985.

A. L. Porfiryeva. Alexandrov Grigory Vasilievich
Dunaevsky Isaak Osipovich
Stalin (real name Dzhugashvili) Iosif Vissarionovich
Utesov Leonid Osipovich (real name Weisbein Lazar Iosifovich)
Borodinskaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 9
Gorokhovaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 4
Избранные письма. Л., 1971
Сараева-Бондарь А. М. Дунаевский в Ленинграде. Л., 1985 Music Hall
Composers, The Union of