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Eugene Doga: The Magician of Melodies
The curtain has fallen on the illustrious life of Eugene Doga, a maestro of melody, who left us at the age of 89 in Chisinau. Known as the heart and soul of countless films, his captivating compositions were the talk of the town, beloved by one and all.
At first, Doga found fame an odd pill to swallow, sharing the sentiments of many creators when faced with sudden stardom. A prolific composer, he joked about the mountain of scores he had accumulated over the years, groaning about managing his own archives - "shelves upon shelves, and more shelves!" Yet, balancing official music for the state, at both the republican and union levels, with chamber, symphonic, ballet, and cantata-oratorio work, this was but a small fraction of his monumental output.
Fast forward to the future, and it seems this once bothersome fame no longer bothered Doga. He was a Stakhanovite on the silver screen, lending his talents to 200 films across five decades, practically writing half of the output for Moldova-film studio. Of course, he handled the more routine tasks, like documentaries and animations, and even some propaganda about collective farm chairmen. But it was his film scores that captivated audiences.
As the years passed, Moldova-film, founded from scratch in the 1950s by Moscow appointees such as Mikhail Kalik and Vadim Deryabin, became one of the most original republican studios. Doga collaborated with all its leading directors, from Valeriu Gaziu to Nikolai Ghibu. When it came to dazzling Soviet cinema, three names stood out: Svetlana Toma, Mikhail Volontir, and Doga himself.
The Magic of Doga and Loteanu
Emil Loteanu was a controversial figure during the Soviet era. Yet, together, he and Doga created magic on the big screen, working on four films: "Lautari" (1971), "Tabor Goes to the Sky" (1976), "My Gentle and Tender Beast" (1978), and "Anna Pavlova" (1983).
In the face of criticism from critics, who dismissed the stunning visual style of Loteanu's films—which dominated box offices—as "Gypsy nonsense" or "bad taste", Doga's music and Loteanu's mastery proved them wrong.
It's a misconception to attribute Doga's cinematic hits to Moldavian-Vlach folklore. True, he studied folklore, both local and foreign, but he found inspiration in contemporary Western music, particularly French, Italian, and American. The key to his success lay in his universal, catchy melodies that could approach urban romance and 19th-century operatic style.
His melodies, sometimes simple yet always effective, were beautifully arranged by Doga, taking listeners on a captivating journey.
The 70s and early 80s were an era of change, and Paul Mauriat's pop-symphonic orchestra reigned supreme. Yet, few utilized these pop-symphonic possibilities as effectively and colorfully as Doga-the-arranger. With tactful rhythm sections, soulful bass guitars, passionate violins, the lyricism of woodwind instruments, and subtly improvisational piano passages, his compositions left an indelible mark on the world of film music.
In "Tabore", that infamous gypsy influence flowed into hippie motifs, nodding to popular anachronistic rock 'n' roll. For "My Gentle and Tender Beast", Doga crafted a waltz so gentle, tender, and beastly that it could only be compared to Georgy Sviridov's great waltz from Vladimir Basov's film "Mistral." Unsurprisingly, his waltz graced the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Moscow (1980) and Sochi (2014).
The Legacy of a Music Master
Doga's star hour came with his collaboration with Emil Loteanu, shaping the face of Moldovan cinema for Soviet people. Few remember that the now-defunct Moldova-film studio, known for its originality, was erected in the 1950s by Moscow appointees like Mikhail Kalik and Vadim Deryabin. Doga's timeless music brings Moldovan culture to the forefront, standing the test of time and transcending borders and generations.
Cultural Department.
- Eugene Doga's music, especially in his collaborations with Emil Loteanu, became iconic in Moldovan cinema, vividly showcasing the magic of their creations.
- Despite the controversial nature of some of their work, the symphonic melodies composed by Doga transcended time and borders, making a lasting impact on the world of film music.
