Pokrass, Dimitri

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Pokrass, Dimitri

Pokrass, Dimitri , Russian composer; b. Kiev, Nov. 7, 1899; d. Moscow, Dec. 20, 1978. He studied piano at the St. Petersburg Cons. (1913–17). In 1919 he joined the Soviet cavalry during the Civil War, and wrote the song The Red Cavalry. This was the first of a series of many songs that acquired great popularity, among them If War Comes Tomorrow (1938), March of the Tank Brigade, Farewell, etc. He also wrote music for films.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire