Red Army Choir of the U.S.S.R.

The Alexandrov Ensemble (Russian: Ансамбль Александрова, tr. Ansambl' Aleksandrova; commonly known as the Red Army Choir in the West) is an official army choir of the Russian armed forces. Founded during the Soviet era, the ensemble consists of a male choir, an orchestra, and a dance ensemble.

The Ensemble has entertained audiences both in Russia and throughout the world, performing a range of music including folk tunes, hymns, operatic arias and popular music. The group's repertoire has included The Volga Boatmen's Song, Katyusha, Kalinka, and Ave Maria.

It is named for its first director, Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov (1883–1946). Its formal name since 1998 has been A. V. Alexandrov Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army (Russian: Академи́ческий анса́мбль пе́сни и пля́ски Росси́йской А́рмии и́мени А. В. Алекса́ндрова, tr. Akademíchesky ansámbl′ pésni i plyáski Rossýskoy Ármii ímeni A. V. Aleksándrova), shortened to Academic Ensemble (Russian: Академи́ческий анса́мбль, tr. Akademíchesky ansámbl′) on second reference.

On 25 December 2016, its artistic director, Valery Khalilov, and 63 other members of the Ensemble were killed in the Russian Defence Ministry aircraft crash of a 1983 Tupolev Tu-154 into the Black Sea just after takeoff from the southern resort city of Sochi, Russia. The Red Army Choir singers and dancers were en route to Syria to entertain Russian troops there for Orthodox Christmas celebrations.

Birth and Death Data: Born Founded 1928

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1937

Roles Represented in DAHR: Vocal group

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia (U.K.) CL6333 10-in. approximately September 1937 La Marseillaise A. V. Aleksandrov ; Red Army Choir of the U.S.S.R. Vocal chorus Vocal group  
Columbia (U.K.) CL6334 10-in. approximately September 1937 Le chant du départ A. V. Aleksandrov ; Joseph Laoute ; Red Army Choir of the U.S.S.R. Vocal chorus Vocal group  
Columbia (U.K.) CL6335 10-in. approximately September 1937 Song of the plains A. V. Aleksandrov ; M. K. Lemechko ; Red Army Choir of the U.S.S.R. Vocal chorus, with cornet Vocal group  
Columbia (U.K.) CL6336 10-in. 9/19/1937 Song of the village mayor A. V. Aleksandrov ; Joseph Laoute ; Red Army Choir of the U.S.S.R. Vocal chorus Vocal group  
Columbia (U.K.) CL6337 10-in. 9/19/1937 The boatmen of the Volga A. V. Aleksandrov ; Red Army Choir of the U.S.S.R. ; M. Sokhtchinsky Vocal chorus Vocal group  
Columbia (U.K.) CL6338 10-in. approximately September 1937 The white whirlwind A. V. Aleksandrov ; M. Pankow ; Red Army Choir of the U.S.S.R. Vocal chorus Vocal group  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Red Army Choir of the U.S.S.R.," accessed November 10, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/360285.

Red Army Choir of the U.S.S.R.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 10, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/360285.

"Red Army Choir of the U.S.S.R.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 10 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/360285

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