Subg. of the text, preface, introduction, comment. I. V. Kulganek and V. Yu. Zhukova, St. Petersburg: Peterburgskoe vostokovedenie, 2006, 404 p, ill. (Archive of Russian Oriental Studies)

The history of science is not always big names, but it is always interesting personalities. Thanks to a peer-reviewed book, readers have the opportunity to discover just such a person.

Until recently, information about Sergei Alexandrovich Kondratiev could only be found in the Music Encyclopedia, since his professional activity in his mature years was connected with music: he was a member of the Union of Composers, the author of opera, ballet and many other musical works. Publications of the last years 1 have revealed, first of all, for the Mongolists, some details of his life, work and work in Mongolia as a member of the

1 For example: "Everyone measures the world by their own soul." Diary of S. A. Kondratiev, a member of P. K. Kozlov's expedition to Mongolia. 1923-1926 / Edited by D. D. Vasiliev and I. V. Kulganek, Moscow: IV RAS, 2000 (Bulletin of the Society of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Issue 3). For A. L. Nikitin's review of this book, see: Vostok (Oriens). 2001. N 6. pp. 185-188.

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P. K. Kozlov's expeditions. The publication of diaries and letters gave the reader an opportunity to get acquainted with an outstanding and spiritually rich person, with a person who not only created musical works, studied Mongolian music, wrote poetry and prose, but also left a description of an entire era in the country's life, with the reflections of a person who tried to reconcile a critical perception of Soviet reality with an enthusiastic attitude to the ideals of communism.

A true intellectual of a bygone era, S. A. Kondratyev studied before the revolution. Defining in its formation was the special atmosphere of the scientific town of Pulkovo near St. Petersburg, where the scientific activity and spiritual life of the observatory's employees were harmoniously combined. And in the family where he grew up, these two principles were connected: Sergey Alexandrovich's father, a professor, doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, was a senior astronomer and scientific secretary of the Pulkovo Observatory, and his mother was the younger sister of the composer A. S. Arensky. It was thanks to his aunt, the pianist M. S. Arenskaya, that S. A. Kondratyev received a fairly thorough home music education. At the age of 15, he began composing poetry and music, but despite advice to choose a Conservatory after graduating from high school, in 1914 he entered the University at the natural department of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. The First World War, the revolution, and then the civil War did not allow him to finish his studies. He was sent to an infantry school, after successfully completing which he was supposed to go to the front, but because of the revolution and the Brest Peace, he did not get there. About two years ago. A. Kondratyev served in the Hydrographic Department, in the spring of 1919 he was called up to the Red Army as an instructor, and later he took part in battles. His military service ended in 1921, and although he did not complete his university education because of it, it gave him the practical knowledge and skills that made him join the expedition of P. K. Kozlov. After demobilization, Sergey Alexandrovich entered the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Indian department, where he studied Urdu, was interested in Buddhism, and dreamed of visiting Tibet.

S. A. Kondratiev's fascination with the East, which attracted many representatives of the Russian intelligentsia in the early 20th century, led him to join P. K. Kozlov's Mongol-Tibetan expedition. He was assigned to the expedition's convoy. An important role in this was played not only by P. K. Kozlov's acquaintance with Sergei Alexandrovich's father, but also by his own knowledge of topography, geodesy, military training, experience of marching life, passion for Asia - everything about which he writes with incorruptible sincerity, self-criticism and enthusiasm in a published letter (1922) to P. K. Kozlov.".. I need to get to Asia" (pp. 64-68).

The Mongolian period of his life begins, presented in three diaries: 1923-1924 (p. 70-159), 1925 (p.160 - 219) and a smaller diary of 1928 - the Khangai expedition of the MNR Scientific Committee (p. 221 - 242). The first two are diaries that S. A. Kondratiev kept during P. K. Kozlov's expedition to Tibet, but was detained for a long time in Ulaanbaatar and did not get to Tibet for political reasons. Almost daily recordings of Sergey Alexandrovich show that the time of forced inactivity is not for him: he did not limit his activities to direct duties, but as a real enthusiastic researcher, who is interested in everything in Mongolia, studies the nature, life and culture of the inhabitants, the Mongolian language, writes songs. He continuously composes music and takes every opportunity to play and sing his favorite songs. His diaries are interesting with everyday sketches, descriptions of meetings with interesting people and natural phenomena; they depict the author as a person belonging to the generation for which it is natural to play music, write poetry, learn foreign languages, read books and keep a diary in his spare time, as a person who is honest and modest in his relations with people, ready to work conscientiously not only in the office environment, but also in the harsh conditions of the Suzukte Mound excavation.

The love for Mongolia that comes to everyone who has ever been there brought S. A. Kondratiev back to this country. In 1925, he arrived there at the invitation of the Scientific Committee of Mongolia and worked in its composition until 1930: he headed the meteorological bureau and the photo library of the Committee, and was the head of several geographical expeditions. The published diary of 1928 consists of notes made during two weeks (late August-early September) during the four-month Hangai expedition, in which his wife also participated, collecting entomological and botanical material. She also kept a diary, which is published 2.

2 Klyagina-Kondratieva M. I. Diary entries / Publ. and notes by K. N. Yatskovskaya / / Mongolica-V. Collection of articles. Comp. by I. V. Kulganek; Gl. ed. by S. G. Klyashtorny. SPb., 2001.

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In 1930, S. A. Kondratyev returned to Moscow, where his activities were mainly related to musical creativity: he wrote music, became a member of the Union of Composers. The 1949 diary is fundamentally different from the diaries of the Mongolian period, since, while retaining the form of daily entries, it contains mainly the author's reflections on the contemporary life of the USSR-political, economic and cultural. Being a highly moral person, S. A. Kondratyev felt responsible for what was happening in the country and tried to find ways for positive changes. He combined an understanding of the need for a critical assessment of reality with the inability to entrust his thoughts to others. The result of this contradiction was a reflection diary, which is the most interesting historical document of the mid-20th century.

Reading S. A. Kondratiev's diaries is facilitated by page-by-page comments, many of which contain encyclopedic information about the mentioned characters. The life path of the scientist is meticulously recreated by the authors of the publication in the introduction, where you can also find a bibliography of his works and works about him, photos from the family archive. In addition, the book includes some of his poems, musical and prose works. All this, put together, recreates the image of a harmonious person who left his special mark in the history of science.

One of the authors of the book, I. V. Kulganek, herself no stranger to musical and poetic creativity, quite competently judges the contribution of S. A. Kondratiev to the study of Mongolian song culture, the main theme of V. Yu.Zhukov is connected with the history of the Russian state. Their sincere sympathy for this person is also transmitted to readers who expect a fascinating and informative reading, regardless of their professional interests.

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