Ostrovskii, Arkadii Ilich

Born Feb. 12 (25), 1914, in Syzran’; died Sept. 18, 1967, in Sochi. Soviet composer. Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR (1965).

Ostrovskii studied at the Leningrad Central Music Technicum and was later a piano soloist and accompanist in such groups as L. O. Utesov’s jazz ensemble. At the end of the 1940’s and during the 1950’s his compositions and songs became individualized (“Communist Youth—Restless Hearts,” 1948, lyrics by L. I. Oshanin). Ostrovskii composed songs for the World Festivals of Democratic Youth and Students. Civic patriotism emerged as his principal theme. One of his best songs, “May There Always Be Sun” (1962, lyrics by Oshanin), won first prize at the Sopot International Song Festival and has become the musical emblem of peace. His cycle At Our Courtyard (1962, lyrics by Oshanin) proved to be innovative in Soviet music, and “The Tired Toys Are Asleep” (1966, lyrics by Z. Petrova) is one of his best compositions for children. The bright, life-affirming quality of his music links it with that of I. O. Dunaevskii, and his stylistic features have been adopted by many Soviet composers.