Alexandrow-Ensemble - Chor der Roten Armee

First posted on 25.12.2016:

Today all 92 people on board the Russian military Tu-154 died after it came down shortly after take-off near the resort town of Sochi.
The plane was carrying 64 members of the renowned military choir and dance band, the Alexandrov Ensemble, including its conductor Valery Khalilov.

With the goal of developing amateur art within the ranks of the army and to encourage soldiers’ interest in good music, the ensemble grew to 300 performers by 1933, comprising three different forces of a male choir, an orchestra, and an ensemble of dancers. The Red Army Choir became known as a propagator of Soviet songs, performing original compositions by composers such as Vasily Solovyov-Sedoy, Anatoli Novikov, Matvey Blanter and Boris Mokrousov.

In 1935, the choir was bestowed the Order of the Red Banner and was renamed the Red Army Red-Bannered Song and Dance Ensemble of the USSR.

Having traveled widely throughout the Soviet Union, from the Arctic north to the sands of Tajikistan, the choir performed at the International Exposition dedicated to Art and Technology in Modern Life held in 1937 in Paris, France; it won the Grand Prix, the highest honor bestowed by the jury.

During World War II, the ensemble gave over 1500 performances at both Soviet fronts, entertaining troops about to go into battle, at gun emplacements, airfields, and in hospitals.

Following the death of Alexander Alexandrov, the Ensemble was taken over by his son, Boris Alexandrovich Alexandrov. Under his leadership, the Ensemble gained fame outside the Soviet Union, making extensive tours worldwide. Boris Alexandrov retired in 1987, and was succeeded by People’s Artist of Russia Igor Agafonnikov the same year, with Anatoly Maltsev as the ensemble chief. He retired as the principal conductor in 1994; he died that year and was buried in Moscow at the Novodevichy Cemetery. He was succeeded by Victor Fedorov, the chorus master since 1986.

Tracklist:

1	Der Heilige Krieg	3:20
2	Hoch lebe unser Land	3:59
3	Tschapajew, Held des Ural	1:17
4	Auf dem Weg	4:00
5	Kalinka	4:18
6	Soldat für immer	3:18
7	Sie gehen aufs Neuland	2:45
8	Gehe auf du Rrte Sonne	4:31
9	Ey Uchnjem - Lied der Wolgatreidler	4:17
10	Erinnert Euch Genossen	4:31
11	Lieder der 27. Rotbanner-Division	3:11
12	Steppe, ja Steppe ringsum	5:57
13	Fahrtenlied	2:15
14	Aus dem Walde hervor	2:51
15	Donkosaken	3:21
16	Schneeflocken wirbeln durch die Straßen	2:46
17	Auf dem Felde eine Birke stand	3:28
18	Tag des Sieges	3:19
19	Unsterbliche Opfer	3:44
20	Im schönsten Wiesengrunde	2:08

Alexandrow-Ensemble - Chor der Roten Armee
(256 kbps, front cover included)