Konstantin Stanislawowitsch Sokolski

Konstantin Stanislavovich Sokolski ( Russian Константин Сокольский , original name Konstantin Kudryavtsev (Константин Кудрявцев)) (7 December 1904 - May 12, 1991) (born November 24 ^jul. / 7. December  1904 ^greg.  ?) Was a Latvian musician. Sokolski was born in Saint Petersburg , Russia , but lived most of his life in Riga , Latvia (his father was from Latgale and the family moved there even after the revolution started in 1917).

He first worked as a woodworker until his first appearances as a singer in 1928 in the 'Mars' cinema in Riga. Initially he imitated the style of Alexander Vertinsky (e.g. he used a Pierrot costume), then developed his own style. After graduating from the Riga Music Institute in 1933, he met the composer of popular music and tango Oscar Strock , usually the first to perform his pieces and also wrote his own compositions.

In the 1930s and 1940s he toured Romania , Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia , first with the Riga Bonzo Theater, later with his own program. There he achieved considerable popularity, especially among Russian emigrants. His recordings with the Latvian record companies 'Bonophon' and 'Bellaccord' also became popular in Russia, for example the songs or tangos 'Herz' by Isaak Dunajewski , ' Katjuscha ' by Matwei Blanter and the works of Strock. During his tours he also met other singers, such as B. Pyotr Leschchenko and Alla Bajanowa .

In 1940 he returned to Riga and stayed in (rural) Latvia during World War II . In 1944 he was arrested during the German occupation, but managed to escape. From 1951 Sokolski had appearances throughout the Soviet Union, from 1965 he was artistic director of the Riga ensemble for Russian song and dance.

Web links

• Photos and list of his recordings