"Signal" (VIVOS VOCO, 2004)
The book “Signal” is the first monograph on cybernetics in our country, and its author, Igor Andreevich Poletaev, is one of the pioneers of domestic cybernetics. This wonderful book is a fairly serious, but at the same time, accessible to a wide range of readers presentation of the main ideas new science, proclaimed in 1948 by Norbert Wiener.
Cybernetics in the Soviet Union received an “honorable” place, next to genetics. The ignorant functionaries who ran the country and science systematically suppressed any new views that did not correspond to their understanding of the “purity” of official Soviet ideology.
Of course, cybernetics was “dangerous” in this sense. Norbert Wiener was confident that control models in society and in the economy could be studied by the same means that were developed for technical control devices. The copies of his book “Cybernetics or Control and Communication in Animals and Machines” that penetrated the Iron Curtain were locked in the “special storage” of a few libraries, and a hysterical campaign of denunciation, usual for those times, was launched against his ideas.
In 1953, the article “Who does cybernetics serve” appeared in the official ideological journal “Questions of Philosophy”. The author of this article, hiding behind an expressive pseudonym Materialist, wrote:
“The theory of cybernetics, which attempts to extend the principles of action computers the latest designs for a wide variety of natural and social phenomena without taking into account their qualitative originality, is a mechanism that turns into idealism. This is a barren flower on the tree of knowledge, which arose as a result of a one-sided and excessive inflation of one of the traits of knowledge.”
“The imperialists are powerless to resolve the contradictions that are tearing apart the capitalist world. They are unable to prevent the economic crisis that is approaching them. They seek salvation not only in a frantic arms race, but also in ideological weapons. In desperation, they resort to pseudosciences that give them at least a shadow of hope for prolonging their existence.”
In the fourth edition of the “Concise Philosophical Dictionary” (1954) in the article “Cybernetics” this science was defined as
“reactionary pseudoscience that arose in the USA after the Second World War and became widespread in other capitalist countries; form of modern mechanism."
It looks like something similar to the defeat of genetics is being prepared. Everyone still remembered the tragic session of the VASKhNIL in 1948.
However, the blow against cybernetics was not so destructive. It so happened that it was mainly the military who took the blow. The fight for the recognition of cybernetics was led by Alexey Andreevich Lyapunov, professor of the mathematics department of the Dzerzhinsky Artillery Academy. In the forefront of the defenders of cybernetics were his students, students of this Academy N.P. Buslenko, S.Ya. Vilenkin, A.I. Kitov, N.A. Krinitsky, I.B. Pogozhev, I.A. Poletaev and others.
Why - military? Firstly, unlike many civilians, they had some opportunity - with special permission! - get acquainted with Wiener’s book in the “special storage”. Secondly, they understood perfectly well that the ideas and methods of cybernetics have serious applications, in particular, in the design of effective means for the defense of the country. (It is appropriate to recall that Norbert Wiener himself used his experience working with air defense devices during the Second World War when creating cybernetics). Finally, an important role was played by the fact that these officers, including A.A. Lyapunov, recently returned from the front. They went through fire strikes Patriotic War. Here, too, they were ready to take on and repel the ideological blows of the cultists of the “only true theory.”
This time includes some recollections told by participants in those events 30 years later, in 1984, at a seminar on the history of cybernetics, which was held at the Polytechnic Museum by cybernetics (and the history of cybernetics!) enthusiasts D.A. Pospelov and M.G. Haase-Rapoport.
Let us turn to the soundtrack of one of the meetings. Viktor Semyonovich Gurfinkel says:
“I had contact with Igor Andreevich for a very short time and sporadically, however, these contacts remained very vivid in my memory, and I would just like to essentially talk about this. I remember the first time I attended a seminar with A.A. Lyapunov. He himself walked along the board, very much like Captain Nemo. At this time, articles from the collection “Automata” were reviewed. And I suddenly heard (I was still a complete beginner): “robots with full memory, robots with incomplete memory.” All this, combined with the appearance of the audience, made a very strong impression on me. I didn’t understand how it was possible, within Moscow, to suddenly find yourself in such a place! And so, in contrast to such general and largely incomprehensible conversations for me, I.A.’s speech sounded. With specific questions and your own remarks. This was the reason for our acquaintance, because in these remarks and questions there were problems that interested me. After the seminar I met I.A. On a subject related to the application of the theory of automatic control for biological systems...I remember I.A. as a person who knew how to pose questions very clearly. He put them in such a way that he had answers to them. This was especially evident when we gathered at Alexey Andreevich’s house. There was a period when one week the seminar was held at the University, and the next week the full seminar gathered at A.A. Houses. Then I.A. usually, always came. ...
The book “Signal” was published later, in 1958. But even before the appearance of this book, a very vivid impression of this order had formed: I.A. spoke very clearly about things that seemed incomprehensible to a beginner. Then, having become acquainted with this book, I realized that all this was not impromptu, that these things were well thought out and thought out. The book made a great impression not only on those who were interested in cybernetics, but also on all the laboratory employees, who for the first time saw in such a clear and clear presentation questions that had seemed completely distant before. This book still retains its significance for those who would like to join...”
Modest Georgievich Gaaze-Rapoport:
“I have known Igor Andreevich for quite a long time. I met him in 1949, after I went to work at NII-5. However, until about 1953 this acquaintance was distant: I heard more about I.A. conversations at the institute than I knew him. Because he enjoyed great success, was considered a very talented and, at the same time, a very harsh and sarcastic person. Igor, indeed, did not tolerate amateurism and always knew how to put a person in his place with his questions.We met more or less decently in 1954, during this famous seminar on the philosophical problems of cybernetics, when we decided to give presentations on what is positive in cybernetics. Before this, cybernetics was called “pseudoscience,” but in general it was studied. Igor at this time was already familiar with Wiener’s book, which Isaac Semenovich Brook gave him to read in English. There were to be three messages in this seminar. One, rather dry one, is mine, dedicated to cybernetics as the development of the theory of automatic control and its expansion. The second was Igor’s brilliant speech, which contained approximately the same ideas that were later presented in “Signal”. Moreover, I remember (it is rare, in fact, when at meetings of such a seminar one of the speeches ends with applause), Igor’s speech received applause. The third performance did not take place because Kitov could not come. He wrote some article about cybernetics. Soon Kitov published this article, along with Lyapunov’s additions and Sobolev’s signature, in “Questions of Philosophy”...
Around the same time, I.A., having learned from Kitov that Lyapunov was dealing with programming and cybernetics, asked Kitov and me to put him in touch with Lyapunov. After this, very close contacts between Poletaev and Lyapunov began...
I would like to note the very important role of Poletaev in the oral propaganda of cybernetic ideas. During this period, from 1954 to 61–62, Lyapunov, Poletaev, myself and two or three other enthusiasts read probably several hundred reports on what cybernetics is. In addition to these reports, Igor responded extremely actively and very angrily to all sorts of “pseudoscientific” statements in the press...
Regarding the origin of the book “Signal”. Once, when we decided to study the history of cybernetics, I asked Igor. Reluctantly, but still, he told me a few words about how he began to write “Signal”. Here's the thing. After the publication of the famous article by Sobolev, Lyapunov and Kitov, some kind of meeting was held under Berg, at which I.A. (by the way, Axel Ivanovich Berg treated Igor very well and appreciated him very much). This article was discussed. And there Igor made a small proposal. He already had something like a prospectus plan. Berg insisted that this book be included in the plan of the Soviet Radio publishing house, which was under the auspices of the Ministry of Defense. As a result, the book was published...
Igor also took a very active part in the work of the Moscow House of Scientists when he was in Moscow. I remember his speech on cybernetics at the section of Yuri Petrovich Frolov. A curious, very interesting presentation. As far as I know, in Novosibirsk he actively participated in the work of the House of Scientists and the “Under the Integral” club. He loved to gather capable young people around him and work with them not only in terms of, say, purely scientific work. Everywhere where it was possible to communicate with young people and, to some extent, educate them...
It is impossible not to recall Poletaev’s wide erudition. He knew art very well, played the piano and other instruments. He was involved in ceramics. I remember when Nikolai Andreevich Krinitsky and I were in Akademgorodok during the 2nd All-Union Conference on Programming, Poletaev showed us his pipes. He made pipes, gave one to Krinitsky, one to me. His apartment was very interesting. I have the impression that the bookshelves and almost everything that was there were made by him himself and were done very well and quite interestingly.”
Anatoly Ivanovich Kitov:
“I remember a number of heated and deeply reasoned speeches by I.A. According to the principles of cybernetics. He was a firm, principled fighter for the introduction of computers into the management of the economy and the armed forces. In the period 59–60, when for the first time in our country a plan was proposed to create a unified state network of computer centers for dual use - management of the national economy and management of the armed forces, I.A. decisively came out in support of this plan, together with such scientists as Lyapunov, Lyusternik and others. This plan met with sharp opposition from a number of high-ranking figures, and Poletaev, as a military man, such a speech threatened with serious trouble. But this did not shake his determination, and he defended the idea of integrated management automation in his speeches at various meetings, signed the relevant documents...I.A. did a lot to popularize the ideas of cybernetics, for its development and application in the field of automation of control processes and research of complex systems...
It is impossible not to say a few words about I.A. as about a person. He was a reliable comrade, a witty, charming conversationalist, a man intolerant of falsehood and unscrupulousness. I have the fondest memories of him.”
Alexey Andreevich Lyapunov enthusiastically supported the preparation and publication of the book “Signal”. In October 1955, Lyapunov sent the following letter to the publishing house:
“To the publishing house “Radio”.I became acquainted with the prospectus of the popular science monograph “Signal”, proposed by Lieutenant Colonel I.A. Poletaev to the Radio publishing house.
The author's idea is extremely interesting. The author reveals the content of cybernetics and its connections with technology, physics, mathematics and biology. The author's points of view in a number of cases differ from those found in foreign literature, in particular, on the issue of the relationship between the machine and the organism. In my opinion, the author's point of view deserves preference.
The material in the prospectus is very informative and interesting. The appearance of such a book would be very valuable. I agree with the author that in the process of writing the book it would be advisable to discuss it in detail. I think that it would be advisable to involve representatives of different specialties in this discussion: engineers, biologists, physicists, psychologists, linguists, etc.
I will be happy to make available a number of sessions of the seminars I lead for discussion of this monograph. I wholeheartedly recommend that the Publisher provide Comrade. Poletaev received support in his work on the monograph “Signal”.
Doctor of Physics and Mathematics sciences,
Professor A. A. Lyapunov
In 1956–1957 Igor Andreevich spoke several times at meetings of the Great Lyapunov Seminar, where the materials of the future book were discussed.
A.A. Lyapunov and his associates attached great importance to the publication of scientific and popular literature on cybernetics. In this activity of the defenders and propagandists of cybernetics I.A. Poletaev played one of the main roles. In 1956, the publishing house “Soviet Radio” published a book by F.M. Morse and D.E. Kimbell “Methods of operations research” (Translation from English by I.A. Poletaev and K.N. Trofimov). In 1960 - a book by J.D. Williams “The Perfect Strategist, or a Primer on the Theory of Strategic Games” (Translation from English, edited by I.A. Poletaev) *.
At the same time, Lyapunov and his associates are carrying out extensive explanatory work in the form of reports at scientific seminars in academic institutes, higher educational institutions and in organizations where cybernetics methods could bring practical benefits. During the preparation of one of these reports, at the end of 1954, Anatoly Ivanovich Kitov wrote a text that formed the basis for an article by three authors (S.L. Sobolev, A.A. Lyapunov, A.I. Kitov) “Basic features of cybernetics” .
This famous work went down in the history of Soviet science as the first positive article on cybernetics in the USSR. It was published in No. 4 of the journal “Problems of Philosophy” for 1955. The situation has changed. Thanks to the efforts and uncompromising struggle of outstanding Russian scientists, cybernetics took its rightful place in the USSR.
Arrived initial period free and accelerated development of Soviet cybernetics. The most important event was the creation at the USSR Academy of Sciences in January 1959 of the Scientific Council on the complex problem of “Cybernetics,” which was headed by engineer-admiral and academician Aksel Ivanovich Berg. For 20 years, until the last days of his life, he headed this Council, which became the center of cybernetics research throughout the country. The participation of A.A. played a large role in the creation and all subsequent work of this Council. Lyapunova, I.A. Poletaev and other scientists - their associates.
In January 1962, A.A. Lyapunov moves to the Novosibirsk Scientific Center, to Akademgorodok. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the center of cybernetic research in our country is gradually moving there along with it. Igor Andreevich Poletaev moved there a little earlier, in 1961.
At that time, Academy Town was a special place on Earth. Many people know that in the first years of the existence of this Town, a completely unusual Soviet Union atmosphere. It was a kind of island, in a sense - the Island of Freedom... How can this be explained? Perhaps because all this happened against the backdrop of the “thaw”. Perhaps because the mass of unusual, talented, rebellious people in this Town exceeded the critical level. In any case, at that time there was a saying in circulation here (not without reason): “There is no Soviet power in the Sovetsky district”(according to the administrative division, Akademgorodok is located in the Sovetsky district of Novosibirsk).
IN " Literary newspaper” wrote: “Before, boys ran away to America to the Indians, now they run away to Akademgorodok to Lyapunov.” This is not just humor from page 16. This could be discussed on other pages. Olympics and summer math schools stirred up the most talented boys throughout Siberia and Far East. One of them, who came from a distant region of Yakutia and won all rounds of the Olympics, said about Lyapunov during the first lecture: “I have never seen a real professor.”
And not only Siberia. In the early 60s, boys from the Western regions of the USSR, from Ukraine, from Moldova came here to Akademgorodok - talented boys, brilliant winners of mathematical Olympiads, who were not accepted into local universities for reasons beyond the boys’ control. Here, at NSU, at that time talent was most valued among all the documents... Many of these guys later became outstanding scientists.
Physics and Mathematics School... Defense of fantastic projects... Fantastic reports by S.L. Sobolev and A.N. Kolmogorov... Club “Under the Integral”... Coffee Cybernetic Club - KKK... Cinema club “Sigma”... Meetings with people of legendary destiny...
It is clear that at that time Academy Town was the most suitable place in the USSR for the fierce and different.
Igor Andreevich Poletaev should have ended up here...
Novosibirsk, June 2004
Igor Andreevich Poletaev (1915–1983) - one of the first domestic cybernetics, a student of A. A. Lyapunov, author of the first monograph on cybernetics in our country - the book “Signal”.
Born in Moscow in 1915. In 1938 he graduated with honors from the Moscow Energy Institute. He fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, was a platoon commander, battery commander, and division engineer. Was injured. In the 1950s, he was a participant in A. A. Lyapunov’s “cybernetic” seminar at Moscow State University, where mathematicians, physicists, biologists, military officers, and economists met. The book “Signal” by I. A. Poletaev, published in 1958, played an outstanding role in the dissemination of cybernetic ideas in the USSR, aroused great interest abroad, and was translated into a number of European and Japanese languages.
In accordance with the MPEI diploma issued to him, he signed many of his publications “engineer Poletaev.” Under this pseudonym he became known throughout the country. In September 1959, Komsomolskaya Pravda published a letter from I. A. Poletaev in response to an article by I. Ehrenburg, which began a public discussion “about physicists and lyricists,” which became one of the significant events of the “Thaw” era. The irony was that “engineer Poletaev,” who defended a seemingly pragmatic attitude to “lyrics,” in reality understood art better than many others: Igor Andreevich knew English, German, French, Italian, Czech, Polish and Japanese ( and also read Swedish, Greek, Chinese and Hungarian with a dictionary); had perfect pitch and a musical education; all his life he mastered new musical instruments, and at home he collected a huge collection of classical music recordings; He was personally involved in sculpture, painting, amateur filmmaking and applied arts.
I. A. Poletaev was a brilliant polemicist. His son A.I. Poletaev quotes his father’s words:
“... Disputes generally do not lead to the discovery or affirmation of the truth. It's just a way of self-expression and self-affirmation. A hybrid of art and sport, a way to show off one’s own erudition and intellect or its ersatz before the eyes of an enthusiastic audience. I don't want to say that arguing is completely useless. They are useful, but not for the “truth” and its dissemination, but for the sake of testing the stability of one’s own argumentation. In a dispute, they will pour out all the dirt on you completely free of charge, which you yourself would never have collected or invented. This is a great help, although it is expensive. What is called “mud” is actually a healing thing...”
On his tombstone in the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok it is written - “engineer I. A. Poletaev.”
Read
Y. Revich “Igor Poletaev: “My opinion is perpendicular to yours”” - almanac “Seven Arts”, No. 12(25), December 2011.
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See also previous chapters: Akademgorodok, , , and years.
coffee-cybernetic club - KKK
A number of memoirs note that one of the first and in those early years The most famous of the clubs that appeared in Akademgorodok was the KKK. Some decipher its abbreviation as the Coffee-Cybernetic Club, others as the Coffee Cinema Club. Probably the first name is true. But it's not about the name. This club really existed and was active. And there was good coffee there, a rarity in those days (for example, I brought Arabica coffee beans from business trips, which I bought in a store on Stoleshnikov Lane), and there was a discussion of the recently banned science of “cybernetics,” but that will come later - after arriving at Akademgorodok I.A. Poletaev, and there were not very frequent discussions of films (which means that there were members of the film council, and, probably, questions were also discussed on the topic being asked, which was certainly acute and exciting. And there were many topics that interested young people. The people were hungry for open conversations, and they wanted to speak out without being afraid or still overcoming some fear, hoping that from here, from the narrow circle of those discussing, the information will not fly away where it should not.
In this club, which at the very beginning was just a group of like-minded employees of one of the departments of the Institute of Mathematics, other people gradually began to appear (some write: “young physicists”) and topics of a wide range began to be discussed.
The club began its work back in 1961 in one of the full-length apartments of a residential building on Akademicheskaya Street. (later Morskoy Ave.), where employees of the department of Corresponding Member Dima (Dmitry Vasilyevich) Shirkov from the Institute of Mathematics worked during the day. Naturally, they were the organizers of this discussion club.
Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the chairman of this club - neither the first nor subsequent ones. But at the Institute of Mathematics the name of Vasily Vasilyevich Serebryakov is revered as one of the founders of the KKK.
Vasily Vasilyevich Serebryakov - one of the founders of the KKK
Vasily Serebryakov came to the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences in May 1959, was the closest employee of corresponding member Shirkov (at that time Dima was very young, in 1961 he was 33 years old), played football and was the captain of the SB Academy of Sciences team. He was also a climber, and on the map of the Subpolar Urals there is even the peak of V.V. Serebryakov. In his obituary (Vasily Vasilyevich died in 2007) he is called one of those who created the unique atmosphere of Academy Town in the 60s. Vasily Vasilyevich became a Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences in 1968, and after Shirkov left for Moscow in 1969, he headed the laboratory of theoretical physics.
KKK activities
Other clubs subsequently began to emerge from the KKK, for example, the cafe-club “Under the Integral” in 1963, which wanted to build its work in the image and likeness of the youth cafes that were widely known at that time.
Many people will remember this club, not only mathematicians. This is what Yevgeny Venediktovich Vishnevsky, who became a writer, writes about him in his as yet unpublished “Memoirs,” which he kindly sent me:
“The KKK club hosted heated discussions on a wide variety of topics, from the problems of cosmophysics and the architecture of computers of the future to the preservation of the foundations and culture of the peoples of the North, who are dying out from vodka and disease. Anyone from a famous academician to an enthusiastic girl with eyes wide and surprised could take part in these discussions. By the way, these same girls later destroyed the KKK with their empty talk and stupidity, in which the meaningful speeches of scientists simply drowned.”
I don’t know how these girls offended Zhenya Vishnevsky then or later, that he presented them as destroyers of the KKK.
The KKK was perhaps the only debating society in the very early years, and is fondly remembered by many.
Soon Igor Andreevich Poletaev joined the KKK. He worked as a military physicist engineer, actively promoted cybernetics, which had been banned in the recent past, and, having been demobilized, at the invitation of Academician V.S. Sobolev moved from Moscow to Akademgorodok in 1961. A passionate polemicist, he, of course, immediately “joined” this club, where passions were already in full swing. As they write, Poletaev quickly entered “the seething community of Akademgorodok.” And "having joined into this turbulent structure,” he immediately “began to set the tone in it.”
Igor Andreevich Poletaev (1915-1984)
Since 1961 I.A. Poletaev headed the laboratory at the Institute of Mathematics of the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences.
He was an outstanding person, and I consider it necessary to bring memories of him. The name of this man, of course, should remain in the memory of generations.
He was one of the many people who shaped the unique spirit of Academy Town that I am trying to convey. This spirit was not created by one person. There were many people of different ages in Akademgorodok, but among the youth there were also such pillars as Poletaev.
Igor Andreevich Poletaev was born in Moscow in 1915. In 1938 he graduated with honors from the Moscow Energy Institute; in accordance with the diploma issued to him, he signed many of his publications: “And engineer Poletaev "".
His first scientific works devoted to gas discharge plasma. They are made to a very high standard high level and published in Reports and physical journals of the Academy of Sciences.
I.A. Poletaev fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. He was a platoon commander, battery commander, and division engineer. Was injured.
After the war, working at a military research institute, I.A. Poletaev was doing the same thing as his American colleagues: summing up the scientific results of the past war. Analysis of the experience of this war led Norbert Wiener to the creation of a new science of management --- cybernetics. I.A. Poletaev came to many of the ideas of this science on his own. Therefore, it is quite understandable that after the ideological curse was lifted from the term “cybernetics”, he became an enthusiast and ardent propagandist of this science.
Soviet cybernetics “emerged” during the Khrushchev Thaw from the seminar of Alexei Andreevich Lyapunov at Moscow State University, where mathematicians, physicists, biologists, military officers, and economists met. Active participants in the seminar were A.P. Ershov and I.A. Poletaev .
Polished, brilliant, witty performances Poletaev at this seminar formed the basis of his book ``The Signal'', published in 1958. It played an outstanding role in the dissemination of cybernetic ideas in the USSR, aroused great interest abroad, and was translated into a number of European and Japanese languages.
Talent Igor Andreevich was clearly manifested in his scientific work of the Siberian period. He found important problems related to management in nature and society, and after careful, painstaking study, he gave them a comprehensive, brilliant, long-remembered solution.
For those who understand a little about these issues, I will give a couple of examples.
Using Leontief-type models, Poletaev came to the conclusion that in order to win an armed conflict, it is necessary to first invest resources in reproduction, and only at the final stage should a sufficient part of the accumulated resources be allocated for military purposes themselves.
Poletaev developed the principle of limiting factors that he formulated, which he called Liebig’s principle. Using this principle, he provided simple explanations for a number of biological phenomena, such as Schmalhausen's growth formula, and some features of the behavior of the predator-prey system that were not taken into account by the Volterra model. One of the models explained why trees do not grow to the sky.
Igor Andreevich’s favorite thing was exposing psychics, telepaths and magicians. In our time of heyday of magicians and healers, the vacancy of such a whistleblower is empty.
Poletaev was an erudite. He was fluent in the three basic European languages, read Polish and Italian, made great progress in learning Japanese. He was a keen connoisseur of literature, music, and painting. He became famous throughout the country for writing an article that caused a heated all-Union debate, which proved the priority of “physicists” over “lyricists.” When his opponents began to prove the importance of lyrics to such an expert as I.A. Poletaev, they gave him true joy, falling into the trap he had set.
It is impossible not to mention Poletaev’s significant contribution to the development of technology mathematical modeling, which is now widely used. The teachers of today's computer scientists (the name "Informatics" replaced the first name "Cybernetics"; in the USA this science is called "Computer Science"), programmers, and biologists are enthusiastic readers of his amazing book "Signal".
On the stone standing on the grave I.A. Poletaev in Academgorodok, a modest inscription: “Engineer I.A. Poletaev. 1915-1983".
Igor Andreevich Poletaev
(memories of his son)
Igor Andreevich verbally formulated his principle of “freedom of choice” much later than he began to be guided by it. He considered many limitations to this freedom, for example, party affiliation and careerism. According to the documents, one can trace how throughout his life he shied away from the formal prospects of rapid promotion, which, as is known, were associated with restrictions on “freedom of choice.” He preferred to remain either a free bird, or a free shooter, or “a cat that walks on its own.” As a rule, he responded to repeated offers to join the party with a serious face: “I’m not ready, for the reason that I’m not yet sure of the materiality electromagnetic field" This was enough for a normal agitator to fall behind and, upon leaving, twirl his finger near his temple. In his home circle he said that he was ready to join only the “party of moderate progress within the framework of the rule of law,” and even then only in his heart. Both in bureaucratized and agglomerated societies of interest groups, he was a person who brought discomfort with his directness and truth without reticence. For this property, many valued and respected him, and many, to put it mildly, disliked him.
Igor Andreevich tried to realize “freedom of choice” and himself in a variety of directions. Fate did not deprive him of his abilities, and he, without saving, gave them up in order to try himself in different areas or in solving new problems.
He respected high professionals both in art and in the field of “correct” sciences. I tried to get to know many people and got to know them.
Having perfect pitch and some musical education, he learned “for himself” new musical instruments, for example, the violin and flute. But at the same time, he was very jealous of the music of pianist Anatoly Vedernikov, who, although he did not play the violin, could, looking at the concert score, hear the entire orchestra, and not individual instruments, like Igor Andreevich. At home he collected a huge collection of classical music recordings, but he also really loved the songs of Charles Trenet and Yves Montand.
He envied Vera Ignatievna Mukhina, who easily did in sculpture what was given to him with difficulty and at the cost of a lot of time.
Successful studies in painting and graphics from childhood until his last days did not save him from jealousy of such artists as R. Falk and R. Gabrielyan. He was jealous of Erzya and Konenkov, but was not jealous of some others - he believed or felt that he could have expressed himself no worse.
The artist’s talent was not ruined in him (despite the regrets of the artistic director of the drama club of the Dynamo plant) - he mastered intonation, posture, facial expressions, and transformation. At the same time, he did not like it when others ineptly used these means and replaced argumentation on the merits of the matter with such a “game.”
He was interested in many serious and childhood hobbies: scuba diving, filming amateur films with stunts, building model airplanes and ships, glass blowing (in the kitchen of a communal apartment) of animal figures, making sculptures from wood, stone, clay (from a clayey river cliff) and metal - it’s hard to even list everything.
To be continued