Larissa Mondrus and Egil Schwarz together 40 years, and for these years did not leave never – neither in Latvia, nor in Russia, in Germany.
” An outstanding voice from the East!.. At it black hair, greater миндалевидные eyes and a graceful figure … Russian star of a platform has offered everything to sing in Germany. In the homeland it bathed in glory and earned up to two thousand roubles a month at the salary of the worker in 150 roubles …
Absolutely without means of subsistence it with the husband has arrived to Germany. The unique capital – a charming voice, natural charm and iron will … ” So back German press about Larissa Mondrus wrote 30 years.
The circle has become isolated
It has returned. All same vigorous, harmonous and unusually nice. Its unique voice sounds as is fresh and is sonorous. In April Larissa has already given solo concerts in Валмиере, Yelgava and Riga. There was its CD ” K Ђ senas dienas ”. And on August, 5th in a concert hall “Дзинтари” old and new Latvian admirers of the singer again can take pleasure in its singing. The musical producer and the author of several songs from the program – Egil Schwarz. Will accompany with performance ensemble under control of Кристапа Криевкалнса, and also singers Ira Krauja and Айя Витолиня.
One month prior to a concert Larissa Mondrus and Egil Schwarz have visited Riga. Then the correspondent of “Telegraph” also has met them.
- What do these trips and concerts mean for you? And in general, what you think of the further career?
Larissa Mondrus: – At my age think only of today. For me it is a mark, the second breath. Returning to the native language, to my sources. It is exclusively bright emotional moment in my life. When you step onstage, at all you do not recollect that there were no on it many years.
Egil Schwarz: – Now for me and Larissa the circle has as though become isolated.
Л.М.: – public knows My Latvian songs with all words! People who never saw me with this Latvian repertoir. Latvians brought here to the relatives mine of a plate from abroad, then this all corresponded on cartridges and plied on families, “is underground”.
Э.Ш.: – Though there there was nothing political and even anything strongly national. Simply as the “traitors” who have got over on the West, we should not be present here at any kind. And as in Latvia there is that listener who has learned Larissa on ten years earlier, than there was our Latvian creative history, we shall include in the program of a concert and Russian repertoir of the end 60 – the beginnings 70. It appears, some songs long lived, because sounded for the staff in films when Larissa any more was not in the country.
Л.М.: – People everyone remember, it inspires me on making, maybe, the whole Russian program. Э.Ш.: – Larissa has such quality: it sings in German as the German, in Latvian – so, that Latvians accept it for the . And when sings Russian things, that, certainly, again changes.
Mine вася, it will be the first on the Moon …
- You already so much together. And what occured in Egila Schwarz’s life up to a meeting with Larissa Mondrus?
Э.Ш.: – I from that generation which has come to a creative life in first half – the middle 50. Has late started to be engaged in music, only in ten years when war has ended. Was lucky enough to be present at first steps of the Latvian variety music on a professional basis – on radio. The first post-war records have begun in January, 1956. We with my schoolmate and the friend on musical school Rajmondom Pauls have organized the Riga variety sextet which began to execute and write down music of own composition. Then the sextet has joined the Riga variety orchestra created in February, 1957 (РЭО).
The Stalin epoch of ” straightening of saxophones ” has remained behind. And in Latvia with it was even more free. And we with our sextet some time of times in a week even broadcasted alive jazz improvisations in transfer ” Half an hour in dancing rhythms ”. Could play that wanted. And it is not simple on танцульках and at restaurants, and it is solid – on a stage.
We with Pauls have acted in an orchestra when over it composer Ringold Ore supervised, then it was replaced by Alexander Kublinskis. In 61-st РЭО I have headed, and in a year, in the autumn, absolutely young Larissa Mondrus has come on the competition declared by our orchestra. Composer Hvojnitsky has advised – it is necessary to listen. Larissa has sung before “худсоветом”.
And present at once have understood, that it is the girl uncommon, possessing that special energy which grasps listeners, and even rather cool adjusted.
- Probably, the role and ” beautiful legs ” have played, and the free manner to keep on a stage?
Э.Ш.: – Certainly! Larissa was not a beauty, but it changed, when stepped onstage. The modest girl radiated, I would tell, such naive sensuality. It recognized both a female and man’s part of public. And each of its generation could tell: ” And I too so could! ” The such fairy tale on the Cinderella which has stepped onstage Has turned out and at once became known on all Union. It often reproached for a youth.
Л.М.: – to Me spoke: study at masters! And I heard, for example, such (parodies the put soprano): ” Mine ва-а-, it will be the first on the Moon. Mine ва-а-” … (Laughs.) also thought: what for in me at such masters to study?! I wish to sing absolutely differently. And, that refers to, guided by the West.
Э.Ш.: – all over again we with it had purely labour relations – it was impossible to undermine the authority of the head! Besides I already had a family so it is a lot of complexities. But we really really have fallen in love each other. Also have soon got married.
- As though you have defined Egila Schwarz’s role in Larissa Mondrus’s career?
Л.М.: – In music I up to Эгила did not have professional teachers. It has explained мнe, чтo тaкoe is pure интонировать. Has learned to listen to an orchestra, a guitar and to find the voice in this general sounding. Brought up my taste. However, when Эгил has suddenly told, that well me to learn and степу (chechotka), I have declared, that singing is my private world, and I cannot think at the same time also of dance. I do not want and shall not be. We argue on much and till now.
Э.Ш.: – The matter is that I cannot be one at all, the partner with which it is possible for something to discuss is necessary for me. But the decision always is accepted as a result of discussion when both of us we can agree with it. I think, that we have lived together because, on the one hand, each other supplemented so much, and – contrasts converge with another. Larissa – the person of intuition and emotions, and I colder at heart (it with doubt swings a head. – Н.М.), the person of calculation is more.
Л.М.: – Organized! Disciplined! We Лорен has received these qualities from Эгила. In the course of time it became also my second nature.
From Moscow up to Munich
- In Riga you had a conflict to director of the Latvian philarmonic society the Sewer. But in Moscow where you have left, probably, was not less such “sewers”?
Э.Ш.: – Only there there are more than variants. Москонцерт, Росконцерт, the State concert, radio. A sound department where musicians sat since morning and till the late evening. Also music in our genre to all Soviet Union was created. There was a TV - independent, talented people, our coevals and adherents. And at all one idea: as though to bypass censorship, as though to drag unlawful in such form that it could leave in an ether.
- Whether there is something in a life and creativity of one of you what would not concern another?
Э.Ш.: – Know, not time was necessary ” yходить for side scenes ”. Дoбpoвoльнo. For me great value had one and a half year of work in Riga with the Orchestra of easy music of the Latvian radio and TV which I have created. And in Moscow me already knew on these симфоджазовым to records of the beginning 60. The way has appeared is opened. And then I have resulted Larissa for the handle – here I still have such singer.
Л.М.: – But “кастинг” I have all the same passed – Ларочку invited to radio, firstly asked to sing something under a piano. Эгил sat down the tool and accompanied. Few times I thus have sung, and me a distance ” green light ”. And Эгилу have told: in your hands your wife, work, write texts, all of us we pay.
Э.Ш.: – But nevertheless Лаpиcе as it was easier to singer to make the way. It have taken in orchestra Рознера, it sang, and to it applauded. Though I too worked at Рознера, for me as conductor and the composer the way to popularity was more complex. I then have in absentia ended the Latvian conservatory on a composition, in Moscow have entered the union of composers.
Specially for Larissa did not write, but it sang any my songs. I wrote and symphonic variety things. There was such эстрадно-symphonic orchestra of All-Union radio and the Central TV under direction of Jury Silanteva. When Силантьев carried out the norm of performances, invited to conduct me, to do records. I did arrangements for Edity Pyekha, Muslima Magomayev … in general, the road has been opened.
- Hearings about any your tremendous German acquaintances owing to which you and could “be untwisted” in the Western Germany go. How all occured actually?
Э.Ш.: is in Moscow me all knew. And in Germany first steps to us has helped to make Ирен Рейншиссель, washing однокашница on a conservatory, ended композиторское branch on class Адолфа Скулте. It has emigrated in the middle 60. We were wrote off with Ирен, and it has simply helped us to drive. We there knew nothing.
Л.М.: – And in Munich have really begun that have found on a telephone directory of number of the Bavarian radio, and I have sung something there under a grand piano, in German and Italian. To us have given some addresses of producers which have agreed to be engaged in us. People were very affable, I was surprised, that so accept another’s, is direct from street. However, then there there were still more very few new emigrants, and it was interesting to them, that it for people.
Curiosity Лорена
- Than your son Loren is engaged?
Л.М.: – to It it is fast 22. It till now is engaged in a piano. Also finishes 3-rd rate of faculty of biocomputer science at Technical university in Munich. Has received prestigious American grant Фулбрайта (one of a three in city) and on August, 18th sends to study in the USA. For the first time my son will leave from me for the whole year. Wishes to arrive on my concert in Дзинтари. Since the childhood I learned its Russian, and Эгил – Latvian.
But studying at German school, it opposed to all to it as did not wish to differ from German contempoparies, and now it had an interest to roots of parents. And the big curiosity to everything, that occurs here. It is remarkable, that it can arrive to Latvia and without problems to talk to the relatives in Latvian and in Russian.
The File Egil Schwarz was born in 1935 in Latvia. The jazz musician, the arranger, the conductor, the composer. The musical manager and husband Larissa Mondrus. Has ended a conservatory, studied in a composition at Janisa Ivanov. In 1956 together with Rajmondom Pauls has organized the Riga variety sextet. Has based the Orchestra of easy music of the Latvian radio and TV. Per 1961-1964 supervised over the Riga variety orchestra of the State philarmonic society Latvian ССР (РЭО).
Larissa Mondrus was born in 1943 in Latvia. The variety singer. Has ended Riga 22-nd high school. In 1962 on competition has passed in РЭО. Per 1964 has left with the husband for Moscow, has acted in Moscow orchestra Эдди Рознера. First “hit” of the мондрус-singer – George Portnov’s song ” Really it to me one ”. Has acted in a film Eldara Ryazanov ” Give the book of complaints ” and in a musical comedy ” Smile to the neighbour ”.
Has written down ” Dark blue flax ” Rajmonda Pauls then the young composer has become famous on all Union. But it was too independent, free and “непатриотична” in repertoir, and it began to deprive with solo concerts. Last drop became that one composer-классик “has cut” on худсовете its disk-giant for “pessimism”.
Per 1973 with the husband has emigrated to the Western Germany, to Munich. After a birth of the son Lorena Larissa has left a stage, and after a while the family has opened the business – shops of the Italian footwear. In the beginning 90 Мондрус again on a stage – tours in Riga, and in 2001 visits Moscow. In Latvia it has noted the 60 anniversary by that for the first time has left on a platform after a 20-years break.
23 July 2004
