Oleksandr Yosypovych Shchehlov (12 April 1920, Kaniv - 2 January 2014, Lviv) was a Ukrainian singer, the first performer of Anatolii Kos-Anatolskyi's songs.
He was born on 12 April 1920 in Kaniv. He graduated from the Kyiv Music College, class of double bass under S. Khersonskyi, and in 1951 from the Lviv State Conservatory under N. Hornytskyi.
In 1942-1944, he was a member of the symphony orchestra of the Lviv Opera and Ballet Theatre. From 1950 he taught at the Lviv Music School, and from 1963 - at the Lviv Conservatory. As a singer and double bassist, he performed with various pop groups, including the Konstantyn Sokolov Quartet, popular in Lviv in the 50s and 60s, Myroslav Skoryk's Veseli Skrypky ensemble, and Ihor Khoma's Medicus Jazz Orchestra. His repertoire included works by composers popular at the time: Anatoliy Kos-Anatolsky, Myroslav Skoryk, Yevhen Kozak, M. Bykadorov, and others. From 1963 to 1986, he also worked in the Lviv Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
In the 1960s, a disc with songs performed by Oleksandr Shcheglov was released in New York, on which he was identified as I. R., as it was dangerous to publish his real name abroad in a capitalist country in the USSR. At the same time, no albums by the singer were ever released in the USSR.
He performed the following songs, among others:
- "Carpathian Tango", "Linden trees enchanted with variety", "Golden Girl", "Snowstorm", "Dream" - music by Anatolii Kos-Anatolskyi;
- "When He Loves" (lyrics by Rostyslav Bratun), "The Night Was Ending" (lyrics by Mykola Petrenko) - music by Myroslav Skoryk;
- "And the Snow Is Coming" (lyrics by Yevhen Yevtushenko, author of the Ukrainian text is unknown) - music by Andriy Eshpai.
He has been retired since 1986.
Oleksandr Shcheglov was undeservedly forgotten, and nothing was said or written about him for two or more decades. He was first remembered as the first performer of Kos-Anatolsky's songs at the Carpathian Tango concert in 2011.
He died on 2 January 2014.
Discography
With You. Songs and music of today's Lviv. 1960s Arka Records, New York
