Composer Anatoly Novikov is a vivid representative of the new musical art formed by the 1917 revolution. His talent, creative energy was directed to the development of a new musical theme - the Soviet song, glorifying the labor and military exploits of the Soviet people. Anatoly Novikov devoted his whole life to this matter. The result of his work became more than 600 songs, popular to this day.
The beginning of the composer's journey
Anatoly Grigorievich Novikov, whose biography dates back to the 19th century, or rather October 18 (30), 1896, was born in the district town of Ryazanschina - Skopin.
His parents, Grigory Osipovich and Neonila Nikolaevna, were illiterate. My father worked in a forge that was on the outskirts of the city, so the only book that the future composer saw in his house was "How to Forge Horses."
But Anatoly’s childhood was not deprived of music: in the evenings the Novikov family loved to sing folk songs, and on holidays in the town there were military parades and all kinds of ceremonies with the participation of the Zaraisk Infantry Regiment. But what kind of military parade takes place without music and soldier's songs? So the love of the future composer for music, songs of folk and military-patriotic themes was born.
The love of music required an exit, and Novikov buys a balalaika with his first earned money, very quickly mastering the game by ear. Then there was a craving for choral singing, and Anatoly decides to study music. In 1912, he entered the Ryazan teacher’s seminary, which he graduated in 1916, and immediately entered the Moscow People’s Conservatory.
Already at that time, the young man showed extraordinary ability to music: at the age of 20 he wrote the first work, entitled "Anthem of Liberated Russia." However, a year later the difficult financial situation forced Novikov to leave the walls of the conservatory and return to Skopin.
Novikov in his small homeland
Returning to Skopin, Anatoly Novikov began to organize a music school. Here he uses the experience of his Moscow comrades. His appeal to the city department of education asking for help in creating a folk music school was granted: one of the post offices was allocated for the school, two grand pianos were transferred (instruments were found in the houses of the neighboring landowners whose estates were destroyed), and the St. Petersburg school allocated its specialists on the formation of the teaching staff of the school.
Despite the difficult post-revolutionary time, studies at the Children's Music School (DMS) were conducted for free, which, of course, was of great importance: art became accessible to simple but talented children. Children's music school was the center of culture of the city of Skopin, the local intelligentsia enthusiastically greeted the initiative of Novikov and strongly supported him.
During this period, Anatoly Grigoryevich clearly understood that music became the meaning of life for him, but at the same time he felt a lack of knowledge and the need to obtain a higher musical education.
And again Moscow
Former Novikov’s teacher, composer Paschalov, recommends that the young man study at the Moscow State Conservatory. In 1921, the young composer left for Moscow, where he successfully passed tests at the conservatory.
In the conservatory, wonderful musicians become Novikov’s teachers: M. Ivanov-Boretsky, S. Vasilenko, R. Glier, G. Catoire. However, the studies did not supplant the composer's educational aspirations for a more distant future: in 1924, along with classes at the Conservatory, Novikov led the choir club of the special artillery courses club, and then he was invited to a similar job, but already to the Frunze Academy club.
In a short time, Anatoly Novikov became known as a connoisseur of the folk song repertoire, choral singing, instrumentation. The Central Army Red Army invites him to lead the choir and orchestra.
In addition to this work, Anatoly Grigoryevich creates military bands and choirs in parts of the Moscow garrison, holds seminars for singing military units. Composer Anatoly Novikov receives the unofficial status of “All-Army Singing”, and in 1934 he became a member of the Defense Commission of the Union of Composers, which he later headed for several years.
Features of creativity
Military themes are constantly present in the composer's work, and it is very diverse. In his songs, Novikov-composer certainly reflects the everyday life of the defenders of the Motherland, their holidays. His works are permeated with patriotism, camaraderie, talk about heroes, military traditions.
Novikov resuscitates the intonations of the songs of our ancestors. He brings to life the almost forgotten old soldier's, Cossack songs, in which he continues the theme of patriotism of the Russian people, the strength of his spirit. In most of his works, Russian musical folklore is clearly visible: “Oh, you, Kalinushka, ” “The Blue Dove, ” “Down by Mother, along the Volga, ” and others.
One of the striking features of Novikov's work is the clearly expressed choral orientation of his songs. Even songs that were originally conceived as solo later became choral. We can say that Novikov’s compositions were universal for execution.
His songs, such as “My Motherland”, “Roads”, “March of the Communist Brigades”, “Vasya-Vasilek”, etc., could be performed both solo and in chorus, on the concert stage and on the train.
Novikov and movies
Anatoly Novikov, whose biography, whose filmography is firmly connected with the formation of Soviet power, the history of the country, was the composer whose works simply could not get past the Soviet cinema. It is difficult to name films of that time in which songs of Novikov did not sound. Rarely what kind of war film did without the song "Oh, the road." It sounded everything that felt, experienced by Russian soldiers.
It is impossible not to say about the song “Smuglyanka”, which was written in 1940, but some of its fragments caused bewilderment among officials, and the composition was forgotten.
Director Leonid Bykov helped her to revive. She heard a motive in childhood from front-line soldiers and decided to make a film about the pilots, in which “Smuglyanka” was bound to sound. Bykov realized this dream in his film “Only Old Men Go into Battle”.
Since the release of the film on the screens of the country, “Smuglyanka” has deservedly returned to the repertoire of many artists and musical groups.
The composer's social activities
In 1957, composer Anatoly Novikov was elected head of the organizing committee of the Union of Composers (SC) of the RSFSR and secretary of the board of the USSR SK.
Since 1960, Novikov has been holding the post of secretary of the board of the SC of the republic. In this position, the composer works until 1968.
From 1962 to 1965, Novikov was an adviser to the Minister of Culture of the USSR. At the same time he became chairman of the All-Russian Choral Society.
Awards and titles
Anatoly Novikov, whose works were so popular and patriotic that his work could not be overlooked by the state, was deservedly noted:
- Stalin Prize of the second degree;
- Order of the Red Banner of Labor;
- Order of Lenin (twice);
- Order of the October Revolution;
- star of the Hero of Socialist Labor;
The titles of Honored Artist of the RSFSR, People's Artist of the RSFSR and the USSR were awarded.
