In the photo, the photographer captured Nikolay Khrennikov — the head of the family, father of the composer Tikhon Khrennikov.
Nikolay was born in Yelets in 1859. The Khrennikov family of merchants has been known in Yelets since the 18th century. At the end of the 19th century, the branch to which Nikolay belonged became poorer and passed into the petty bourgeois class. In 1889, when he was 30, Nikolay married Varvara Kharlamova, a petty bourgeois from Yelets, who was 13 years his senior. Within marriage ten children — six sons and four daughters — were born. At the time of the birth of the youngest son Tikhon, his father was fifty-four years old.
Nikolay worked as a salesman for the Yelets merchants Krivorotovs, and then for the Zausailovs. He was appreciated for his honesty and hard work. According to the recollections of relatives, the father of the family was restrained, strict and cheerful — in any circumstances he remained optimistic and could rarely be seen without a smile. He was a religious person and served as the church warden of the Protection of the Blessed Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin, next to which his house was located.
My father worked hard, but the family lived modestly — all the money was spent on the education of the children. They were brought up traditionally, and from childhood they were taught to work. Nikolay himself graduated only from the parochial school, he created a cult of knowledge in the family — all the children studied well and strove to get a higher education. All family members loved music, played guitars and mandolins, sang folk songs, city romances, even opera arias.
When the future composer, at the age of 16, entered the Gnessin Musical College, before leaving for Moscow, his father gave him advice: ‘Tikhon, listen to me. Remember forever two things. The first one: do not rejoice at success, but do not grieve from failures, work all the time. The second one: live yourself and let others live’. Tikhon Khrennikov said that he often recalled the words of the Pope, and this advice never let him down.
Nikolay died in 1933 after a serious illness. He was buried in the family plot of the old city cemetery. The composer always remembered his father with warmth and respect, said that he was an example for him of how to treat life and people. When Tikhon Khrennikov arrived in Yelets, he visited the cemetery to pay tribute to his father.
Nikolay was born in Yelets in 1859. The Khrennikov family of merchants has been known in Yelets since the 18th century. At the end of the 19th century, the branch to which Nikolay belonged became poorer and passed into the petty bourgeois class. In 1889, when he was 30, Nikolay married Varvara Kharlamova, a petty bourgeois from Yelets, who was 13 years his senior. Within marriage ten children — six sons and four daughters — were born. At the time of the birth of the youngest son Tikhon, his father was fifty-four years old.
Nikolay worked as a salesman for the Yelets merchants Krivorotovs, and then for the Zausailovs. He was appreciated for his honesty and hard work. According to the recollections of relatives, the father of the family was restrained, strict and cheerful — in any circumstances he remained optimistic and could rarely be seen without a smile. He was a religious person and served as the church warden of the Protection of the Blessed Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin, next to which his house was located.
My father worked hard, but the family lived modestly — all the money was spent on the education of the children. They were brought up traditionally, and from childhood they were taught to work. Nikolay himself graduated only from the parochial school, he created a cult of knowledge in the family — all the children studied well and strove to get a higher education. All family members loved music, played guitars and mandolins, sang folk songs, city romances, even opera arias.
When the future composer, at the age of 16, entered the Gnessin Musical College, before leaving for Moscow, his father gave him advice: ‘Tikhon, listen to me. Remember forever two things. The first one: do not rejoice at success, but do not grieve from failures, work all the time. The second one: live yourself and let others live’. Tikhon Khrennikov said that he often recalled the words of the Pope, and this advice never let him down.
Nikolay died in 1933 after a serious illness. He was buried in the family plot of the old city cemetery. The composer always remembered his father with warmth and respect, said that he was an example for him of how to treat life and people. When Tikhon Khrennikov arrived in Yelets, he visited the cemetery to pay tribute to his father.
