In the summer of 1981, a phone call was heard in the apartment of the young but already super-successful Soviet composer Alexander Jourbin.
In the USSR, a member of the Congress of Mexico came as part of a delegation. The Soviet Union had views of Mexico, so it played and tried to charm different figures from this developing country as much as possible.
The Mexican woman was asked - what would she be interested in seeing in the Soviet Union, who to meet?
The deputy replied that in her youth she was engaged in music and she would be interested in learning how things are in the Soviet Union in this branch of the national economy.
It was decided to show the goods with the face. The most suitable for the charm of the MPs recognized Jourbin - 36 years old, a member of the CPSU, at the time the author of 6 musicals, 3 operas (including the first Soviet rock opera "Orpheus and Eurydice"), 2 symphonies and several concerts for piano with an orchestra. This is not counting the many songs and melodies to the movies.
At the appointed time, a member of the parliament arrived in the apartment, accompanied by an interpreter and an accompaniment.
We met and drank tea. Jourbin, which is called, laid off his tail and told about all his achievements.
The shocked deputy listened with her mouth open about rock operas and symphonies, and was forced to admit that there was nothing like this in Mexico. Jourbin played several of his melodies at the piano.
Deputy, which is called “was captured”.
Finally, Jourbin recalled that his guest also had something to do with music and offered her to play something.
The deputy refused, saying that in no way could she even think of sitting behind the instrument after the great Jourbin, because his rock opera was played (think only!) Approximately 2,000 times.
After such gracious words of the guests, Jourbin went to the box office, got one of his plates, wrote and endowed it with a deputy.
But Jourbin tolerantly insisted.
The man finally surrendered. When I was young, I wrote a song. I will fulfill it for you now.
The Mexican sat down for the instrument and played. And even sang.
A ringing silence. All three Soviet comrades lost their jaw.
Jourbin joked something about what he considered this song a folk song. But not. The author of the melody and words sat behind his piano with his own person.
It was Consuelo Velázquez.
And her B.