| On September 2, when his 75th anniversary was celebrated, the composer willingly shared his plans, organized a grandiose gala concert “The Creation of the World Continues” at the Mikhailovsky Castle, and on February 2 he ended up in intensive care with a severe stroke, from which he never recovered. His last film work was the music for Eldar Ryazanov’s film “Andersen”. A lot is connected with Ryazanov in the life of the composer, who wrote the music for almost all of his films - “Beware of the Car”, “Office Romance”, “Autumn Marathon”, “Garage”, “Cruel Romance”, “Say a Good Word for the Poor Hussar”, “Promised Heaven”, “Hello, Fools!”, “Old Nags”... In the movies he had a happy fate. Whether his music helped films become super popular or luck brought him such film projects, only the best, most memorable films adorn his melodies. Petrov’s first film work was “Amphibian Man.” Then - “Blue Cities”, “I Walk Through Moscow”, and in this case the music was written first, and only then the words to go with it. Songs from films went on stage, they were performed by famous and beloved singers.
Petrov loved to live, write music, and was a caring and interested public figure. At thirty-three, on the recommendation of Dmitry Shostakovich, he was elected chairman of the Leningrad Composers' Union and has headed it for forty years since then. He himself recalled it this way: “I was elected ten years after Stalin’s death. It was difficult to direct music, but where art was more widespread and dealt with words - cinema or literature - it was even more difficult. In our union they could find fault with the songwriters: “Why is your music decadent, gypsy?” Nothing more. They were especially afraid to interfere with major works by composers, because they didn’t understand anything about symphonies and ballets, and they found fault mainly with the lyrics and style.” The current, much more competent leadership caused him to assess not too optimistically: “As far as I know, the ministry has the following plans - they are going to increase the amount for the purchase of specific works by reducing the number of items purchased. Let's say, if a purchasing commission from Moscow came to us once a year and bought ninety essays, now they will buy no more than thirty. Moreover, already well-known, proven authors. You won’t find any interesting young authors in our country during the day. Now only women become composers; the profession of composer is becoming low-prestige and low-paid.”
Petrov still took his profession very seriously. He wrote serious symphonic works, but still figurative, plot-based art was closer to him - apparently, the ability to think simply, intelligently and very vividly musically required figurative embodiment in musical theater. Petrov created operas based on such “literary” subjects as “Peter the Great”, “Mayakovsky Begins”, ballets “The Shore of Hope”, “The Creation of the World”, “The Master and Margarita”. He received several State Prizes of the USSR and the Russian Federation, was awarded many professional awards, was recognized and treated kindly. But he wasn't going to stop. Together with his daughter, he composed a new musical, “The Captain's Daughter,” which was staged in America. He dreamed about how Butusov, Shevchuk, Grebenshchikov would sing his songs on the new disc, fought against pop, defended melodicism... And he always hoped for a continuation, for moving forward.
Now he is gone. "News Time"
|
