Nikita Bogoslovskiy

Nikita Bogoslovsky, one of Russia's most prolific and popular songwriters who performed for soldiers at the front lines and for the wounded in hospitals during the Second World War, wrote about 300 songs and composed scores for 119 films and 80 shows. He was born Nikita Vladimirovich Bogoslovsky on May 22, 1913, in St. Petersburg, Russia. His father, Vladimir Lvovich Bogoslovsky, and his mother, Elena Mikhailovna (nee Pozemkovskaya), belonged to Russian landed Gentry.

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Communist authorities confiscated the Bogoslovsky family lands and property in the Russian provinces of Novgorod and Tambov. Young Nikita Bogoslovsky was brought up in a trilingual family environment. His early inspiration was his mother's piano renditions of popular songs by Aleksandr Vertinskiy. Young Bogoslovsky started his piano lessons at the age of 3. From age 10 he was tutored privately by composer Aleksandr Glazunov, who was director of St. Petersburg (Leningrad) Conservatory.

From 1929 - 1934 he studied piano and composition at Leningrad Conservatory, graduating in 1934 as a composer.

At age 15 he wrote his first musical, 'Noch pered Rozhdestvom' (Christmas Eve Night), premiered at Leningrad Theatre of Musical Comedy in 1929.

In 1937 Bogoslovsky made his debut as film composer of the music score for 'Treasure Island'. He made his mark in film music during the 40s and 50s, becoming one of the most popular songwriters of his time. Bogoslovsky's songs represented the history of the Soviet Union and Russia and its people. His haunting melodies expressed all the feelings, cares and aspirations of the people there. Bogoslovsky mastered many popular music styles and incorporated the spirit and beat of the American jazz as well as the intimacy of French chanson and lyrical finesse of English ballads and other international styles into his own songs. His most popular film songs such as, 'Temnaya Noch" (aka. . Dark Is the Night), 'Shalandy' (aka. . Boats Full of Mullet), 'Beloved City' and others, were admired by people of several generations in Russia and internationally, becoming best selling hits in recordings by Leonid Utyosov and Mark Bernes.

During the late 1940s and early 50s, when many artists in the Soviet Union were attacked by the Communist Party under dictatorship of Joseph Stalin, Bogoslovsky was censored and banned from public performances.

In 1943, when Winston Churchill first heard Bogoslovsky's song 'Dark Is the Night' in performance by Ivan Kozlovsky, he became a great admirer of the song; upon Churchill's order many copies of 'Dark Is the Night' were shipped to Britain. He was also a master of comedy and practical jokes, and became famous among Russian cultural milieu for his sharp and witty humor, especially for his risqué and hilarious gags. His brilliantly designed tricks and comic stunts had always aroused quick and broad laughter, and made many of his friends happy, albeit he earned himself a few enemies too.

His songs and other music were banned for several years until 1956 when the "Thaw" was initiated by Nikita Khrushchev. During the 60s, 70s, and 80s, Bogoslovsky made hundreds of concert performances before sold-out audiences across the Soviet Union and abroad. He was crowned with the title "The King of Gags" and was a host of several popular TV shows in Russia. Bogoslovsky's music legacy includes 8 symphonies, music scores to 119 films and 80 theatre productions, an opera, two string quartets, compositions for piano, and about 300 songs. His music earned him national and international acclaim. He also wrote 9 humor-splashing books, including the popular 'Notes on the Brims of a Hat'.

He received the title of Honorable artist of Russia (1968), was designated People's Artist of the USSR (1983), and received awards and decorations for his contribution to the Soviet, Russian, and international art, such as the Order of The Red Banner of Labor (1971) and the Order for Artistic Achievements by the Republic of France (1978). Bogoslovsky also enjoyed popularity as a social activist and Honorary President of the Russian - French society of friendship.

He died of natural causes, on April 4, 2004, in Moscow, and was laid to rest in Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.