Yan Frenkel

Yan Abramovich Frenkel (November 21, 1920 – August 25, 1989) was a Soviet composer of Jewish descent, known for his contributions to Soviet music. Born in Kiev, he studied violin at the Kiev Conservatory under Yakob Magaziner and later piano. During World War II, he was evacuated to Orenburg, where he played in an orchestra while studying at the Antiaircraft Military School. He served on the front lines and was wounded in 1942, after which he played in military orchestras until 1943. After the war, Frenkel settled in Moscow, composing orchestral arrangements and performing with small orchestras. He began writing songs in the 1960s, with his first being "Gody" (lyrics by Mark Lisianski). His collaboration with prominent musicians included Mikhail Tanich, Igor Shaferan, Konstantin Vanshenkin, and Inna Goff. The song "Zhuravli" (lyrics by Rasul Gamzatov), popularized by Mark Bernes, became a major hit. Frenkel performed his own music in concerts, often with audience participation. His songs were featured in the repertoire of many Soviet performers, and he composed music for the film *The Elusive Avengers*. He died on August 25, 1989, in Riga, as foreshadowed in his song "Avgust" (lyrics by Inna Goff), and was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery. His family included wife Natalia, who died in the mid-1990s, daughter Nina, living in Italy since the 1980s, and grandson Ian Frenkel, a musician in the United States Coast Guard Band. Frenkel's song "Zhuravli" faced censorship due to its religious themes, but Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev allowed its performance. He was ...