Alexander Knaifel: “The Path by Touch Is the Only True One”
Alexander Knaifel: “The Path by Touch Is the Only True One”
One of the most prominent representatives of the Russian avant-garde of the second half of the 20th and early 21st centuries, St. Petersburg composer Alexander Knaifel discusses his work in film, including his first experience at the “Lennauchfilm” studio and his subsequent career. The musician discusses the role of the composer in filmmaking. Knaifel reminisces about his time at “Lenfilm,” “Kyrgyzfilm” and “Uzbekfilm,” his collaborations with directors Georgy Kropachev, Semyon Aranovich, and Bolotbek Shamshiyev, and his interactions with composer Alfred Schnittke and writer Victoria Tokareva. The stories behind the music for the films “Trail of the Wolverine,” “Rafferty,” “Confrontation,” “I Am an Actress,” “Early Cranes,” “About What Never Happened” and “Love Is a Fatal Game” are explored. The composer shares the concept behind his own project, “Filmophony” (“FILM”), for which were specially selected tracks featuring music from popular science, documentary, and feature films.
Kovalevskiy, G. V. “Alexander Knaifel: ‘The path by touch is the only true one’,” Muzykal’naya akademiya [Music Academy], no. 1, 2026, pp. 196–213, doi:10.34690/608. (In Russ.)