{{Short description|Russian composer (born 1929)}} {{for|an asteroid which bears her name|1889 Pakhmutova}} {{BLP sources|date=August 2023}} {{family name hatnote|Nikolayevna|Pakhmutova|lang=Eastern Slavic}} {{Infobox person | name = Aleksandra Pakhmutova | image = Aleksandra Pakhmutova (2024-11-09).jpg | caption = Pakhmutova in 2024 | native_name = {{nobold|Александра Пахмутова}} | native_name_lang = ru | birth_name = Aleksandra Nikolayevna Pakhmutova | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1929|11|9|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Volgograd|Beketovka]], [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Russian SFSR]], [[Soviet Union]] | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = [[Moscow Conservatory]] | occupation = [[Composer]] | years_active = 1955–present | title = {{ubl|[[Hero of Labour of the Russian Federation]] (2024)|[[Hero of Socialist Labour]] (1990)|[[People's Artist of the USSR]] (1984)}} | spouse = {{marriage|[[Nikolai Dobronravov]]|1956|2023|end=died}} }} '''Aleksandra Nikolayevna Pakhmutova''' ({{langx|ru|Александра Николаевна Пахмутова|link=no}} {{Audio|Ru-Aleksandra Nikolayevna Pakhmutova.ogg|listen}}; born 9 November 1929) is a Soviet and Russian composer. She has remained one of the best-known figures in [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] and later [[Russia]]n [[popular music]] since she first achieved fame in her homeland in the 1960s. She was awarded the [[People's Artist of the USSR]] in 1984.
== Biography == She was born on November 9, 1929, in Beketovka (now a neighborhood in [[Volgograd]]), [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Russian SFSR]], [[Soviet Union]], and began playing the [[piano]] and composing music at an early age. In 1936, she entered the Stalingrad City Music School. After the [[German invasion of the Soviet Union]], she briefly went to [[Karaganda]] for refuge and study. She was admitted to the prestigious [[Moscow Conservatory]] and graduated in 1953. In 1956, she completed a post-graduate course led by composer [[Vissarion Shebalin]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Александра Пахмутова: биография легендарного композитора и автора любимых многими поколениями песен |trans-title=Alexandra Pakhmutova: biography of the legendary composer and author of songs loved by many generations |url=https://argumenti.ru/society/2022/11/797892 |access-date=2 August 2023 |work=[[Argumenty i Fakty]] |date=9 November 2022}}</ref>
Her career is notable for her success in a range of different genres. She has composed pieces for the [[Orchestra|symphony orchestra]] (The Russian Suite, the concerto for the [[trumpet]] and the orchestra, the Youth Overture, the concerto for the orchestra); the ballet Illumination; music for children (cantatas, a series of choir pieces, and numerous songs); and songs and music for over a dozen different movies from ''Out of This World'' in 1958 to ''Because of Mama'' in 2001.
She is best known for some of her 400 songs, including such enduringly popular songs as ''The Melody'', ''Russian Waltz'', ''Tenderness'', ''Hope'', ''The Old Maple Tree'', [[Song of Restless Youth]], a series of the ''[[Gagarin's Constellation]]'', ''The Bird of Happiness'' (from the 1981 film ''[[O Sport, You Are Peace!]]'', this song is subsequently very known in both [[Russia]] and [[China]] when performed by Russian singer [[Vitas]] since 2003) and ''Good-Bye Moscow'' which was used as the farewell tune of the 22nd [[1980 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] in [[Moscow]]. ''[[Tenderness (Soviet song)|Tenderness]]'' was used with great effect in [[Tatyana Lioznova]]'s 1967 film ''[[Three Poplars in Plyushchikha]]''. Her husband, the eminent Soviet-era poet [[Nikolai Dobronravov]], contributed lyrics to her music on occasion, including songs used in three films.
One of her most famous ballads is ''Belovezhskaya Pushcha'', composed in 1975, which celebrates [[Białowieża Forest]], a last remnant of the European wildwood split now between [[Poland]] and [[Belarus]]. Another much-aired song was ''[[Malaya Zemlya]]'', about a minor outpost where the then Soviet leader [[Leonid Brezhnev]] served as a [[political commissar]] during [[World War II]].
Alexandra Pakhmutova found favor with the state establishment as well as the public. Reputedly Brezhnev's favorite composer, she received several Government Awards and [[USSR State Prize|State Prizes]] and served as the Secretary of the USSR and Russian Unions of Composers. She was named a [[Hero of Socialist Labour]] in 1990. Her name was given to [[Asteroid]] [[1889 Pakhmutova|# 1889]], registered by the planetary centre in [[Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]], [[United States]].
== Personal life== In 1956, Pakhmutova married an actor and poet [[Nikolai Dobronravov]]. He was assigned by the radio officials to work with her as a lyricist on a children's tune "Little Motor Boat" (Lodochka motornaya). They have written a lot of songs for children but the couple didn't have children of their own.<ref>{{cite web |title=Пахмутова и Добронравов рассказали историю своей любви |trans-title=Pakhmotova and Robronravov Told Their Love Story|url=https://www.mk.ru/culture/2019/11/07/pakhmutova-i-dobronravov-rasskazali-istoriyu-svoey-lyubvi.html#:~:text=%D0%9C%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B9%20%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%8D%D1%82%20%D0%B8%20%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%20%D0%94%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B2,%D0%B4%D0%BD%D1%8F%C2%BB%2C%20%C2%AB%D0%97%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5%2C%20%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BC |website=mk.ru |publisher=[[Moskovsky Komsomolets]] |access-date=30 November 2020 |language=ru |date=November 7, 2019}}</ref>
== Compositions ==
=== Songs === Pakhmutova is accredited with composing over 500 individual songs; and thus, only the most well-known are listed here.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Famous Soviet songs composer Alexandra Pakhmutova turns 89|url=https://russkiymir.ru/en/news/248569/|access-date=2021-08-28|website=russkiymir.ru}}</ref> * «[[:ru:Надежда (песня)|Надежда]]» ("The Hope") * «Песня о тревожной молодости|Песня о тревожной молодости» ("[[Song of Restless Youth]]") * «Мелодия» ("Melody") * «[[:ru:Беловежская пуща (песня)|Беловежская пуща]]» ("[[Białowieża Forest]]") * «[[:ru:Нежность|Нежность]]» ("[[Tenderness (Soviet song)|Tenderness]]") * «[[:ru:Команда молодости нашей|Команда молодости нашей]]» ("Our Youth Team") * «Старый клён» ("Old Maple") * «[[:ru:Как молоды мы были|Как молоды мы были]]» ("How Young We Were") * «[[:ru:Трус не играет в хоккей|Трус не играет в хоккей]]» ("[[No Coward Plays Hockey]]") * «[[:ru:И вновь продолжается бой|И вновь продолжается бой]]» ("[[And the Battle Is Going Again]]") * «Слава вперёдсмотрящему» ("Glory to the Ones Who Look Forward") * «[[:ru:Знаете, каким он парнем был|Знаете, каким он парнем был]]» ("[[Do You Know What Kind of Guy He Was]]")
=== Vocal cycles ===
* [[Gagarin's Constellation]] * Songs about Lenin * Aiga Stars * Motherland * Hugging the Sky
=== Orchestral === * 1953: ''Russian Suite'' for symphony orchestra <ref>{{cite web |title=Симфонические произведения|trans-title=Symphonic pieces of music|url=http://pakhmutova.ru/songs/sym95.shtml |website=pakhmutova.ru |publisher=Official site |access-date=30 November 2020 |quote=1990 recording, conductor [[Yevgeny Svetlanov]]}}</ref> *"Ode to Lighting the Fire" (for mixed choir and symphony orchestra). *1957: Music for children: Suite "Lenin in our heart" *1972: Heroes of Sport (Written for the final credits of the Russian sports movie Moving Up)
=== Concerto === * 1955: Trumpet Concerto * 1972: Concerto for Orchestra (based on the ballet ''Illumination'', staged in 1974, [[Bolshoi Theatre]], Moscow)
=== Cantata === * Beautiful as youth, country *1953: Vasily Turkin *1962: Red Pathfinders *1972: Squad Songs
=== Overtures === * 1957: Youth *1958: Thuringia *1967: Merry Girls *1967: Russian Holiday, for the orchestra of Russian folk instruments
=== Instrumental ===
* The Rhythms of Time *Carnival *Auftakt *Robinsonade (from the film "My Love in the Third Year of Study") *Heart in the palm *A moment of luck *Morning big city *Elegy (from the film ''[[O Sport, You Are Peace!]]'')
=== Film scores ===
* ''[[The Girls (1961 film)|The Girls]]'' (1961) * ''[[There Was an Old Couple]]'' (1965) * ''[[Three Poplars in Plyushchikha]]'' (1968) * ''[[O Sport, You Are Peace!]]'' (1981; together with [[Sándor Kallós]]) * ''[[Battle of Moscow (film)|Battle of Moscow]]'' (1985)
== Recordings ==
# 1971: Concerto for Orchestra in E Major ([[State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation|USSR State Academic Symphony Orchestra]], under [[Yevgeny Svetlanov]])<ref>{{Citation|title=Alexandra Pakhmutova Concerto for Orchestra in E major (1971) [Score-Video]| date=9 November 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZG-iPsX2N8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/MZG-iPsX2N8 |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-08-28}}{{cbignore}}</ref> # 1985: Marshal Zhukov March (from film "Battle of Moscow," Central Military band of Ministry of Defence of USSR, under Colonel [[Anatoly Maltsev]])<ref>{{Citation|title=March "Marshal Zhukov" (Aleksandra Pakhmutova) / Марш Маршал Жуков (Александра Пахмутова)| date=6 February 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZG6hF833SA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/vZG6hF833SA |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-08-28}}{{cbignore}}</ref> # 2015: Concerto for solo Trumpet and Orchestra (Trumpet Records, [[Timofei Dokschitzer]])<ref>{{Citation|title=Alexandra Pakhmutova - Concerto for trumpet and Orchestra (Timofei Dokshizer - trumpet)| date=27 November 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_6Jn-ZYeAk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/w_6Jn-ZYeAk |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-08-28}}{{cbignore}}</ref> # 2019: Anniversary Concert for Aleksandra Pakhmutova (Bolshoi Theater, under [[Mikhail Pletnev]] and [[Yuri Bashmet]])<ref>{{Citation|title=Большой юбилейный концерт Александры Пахмутовой|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOKYx9ee_oU|language=en|access-date=2021-08-28}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref>
==Honors and awards== ;Soviet and Russian *[[Hero of Socialist Labour]] № 21035 (29 October 1990) – for outstanding contributions to the development of Soviet musical art and productive social activities *[[Hero of Labour of the Russian Federation]] (9 November 2024) – for special merits to the development of national musical art, multifaceted social activities and many years of fruitful creative work *Two [[Order of Lenin|Orders of Lenin]] № ****** & № 460143 (6 November 1979 and 29 October 1990) *[[Order of St. Andrew]] (28 October 2019) *[[Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"]]; **1st class (9 November 2009) – for outstanding contribution to the development of national musical art, and many years of creative activity **2nd class (27 December 1999) – for great personal contribution to the development of musical art **3rd class (29 September 2014) – for great contribution to the development of domestic musical art and achieved creative success *[[Order of the Red Banner of Labour]], twice (1967, 1971) *[[Order of Friendship of Peoples]] (1986) *[[State Prize of the Russian Federation]] (12 June 2015) *[[USSR State Prize]] (1975) – for the songs of recent years (1971–1974) *USSR State Prize (1982) – for the music for the film ''[[O Sport, You Are Peace!]]'' (1981) *[[Lenin Komsomol Prize]] (1966) – a song cycle about youth and the Komsomol Prize of the Union State of Russia and Belarus for literary and artistic works that make a significant contribution to strengthening the relations of brotherhood, friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the countries – members of the Union State (10 March 2004) *Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR (1971) *[[People's Artist of the RSFSR]] (1977) *[[People's Artist of the USSR]] (1984) *Honorary Citizen of [[Volgograd]] (19 October 1993) *Honorary Citizen of [[Bratsk]] (26 August 1994) *Honorary citizen of [[Moscow]] (13 September 2000)
;Foreign *[[Order of Francysk Skaryna]] (Belarus, 3 April 2000) – for outstanding work on the development and strengthening of the Belarusian-Russian cultural relations
;Public *[[Eudoxia of Moscow#Legacy|Order of St. Euphrosyne]], Grand Duchess of Moscow, 2nd class (Russian Orthodox Church, 2008) *The title "Living Legend" by the national Russian award "Ovation" (2002) *The award "Russian National Olympus" (2004)
{{s-start}} {{s-ach|aw}} |- ! colspan="3" style="background: red;" | [[Ovation (award)|Ovation]] |- {{succession box | title = Living Legend Award | years = 2002<br>Aleksandra Pakhmutova | before = 2001<br>[[Igor Moiseyev]] | after = 2008<br/>[[Mstislav Rostropovich|Mstislav Rostropovich]]<br/>[[Muslim Magomayev (musician)|Muslim Magomayev]]<br/>{{interlanguage link|Maria Mulyash|ru|Мульяш, Мария Борисовна}} }} |- {{s-end}}
==References== <references/>
==External links== {{Commons category|Aleksandra Pakhmutova}} *[http://www.pakhmutova.ru/ Official website] {{in lang|ru}} *{{Discogs artist|Александра Пахмутова|Aleksandra Pakhmutova}} {{in lang|ru}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pakhmutova, Aleksandra}} [[Category:1929 births]] [[Category:20th-century Russian classical composers]] [[Category:20th-century Russian women composers]] [[Category:21st-century Russian classical composers]] [[Category:21st-century Russian women composers]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Musicians from Volgograd]] [[Category:Moscow Conservatory alumni]] [[Category:Heroes of Labour of the Russian Federation]] [[Category:Heroes of Socialist Labour]] [[Category:People's Artists of the RSFSR]] [[Category:People's Artists of the USSR]] [[Category:Recipients of the Lenin Komsomol Prize]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 1st class]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 2nd class]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd class]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of Francysk Skaryna]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of Friendship of Peoples]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of Lenin]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of St. Andrew]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour]] [[Category:State Prize of the Russian Federation laureates]] [[Category:Recipients of the USSR State Prize]] [[Category:Russian film score composers]] [[Category:Russian women classical composers]] [[Category:Soviet film score composers]] [[Category:Soviet women classical composers]]