User:Fikamar27/Alexandrov Ensemble

The A.V. Alexandrov Russian army twice red-bannered academic song and dance ensemble (Дважды краснознаменный академический ансамбль песни и пляски Российской армии имени А. В. Александрова, Dvazhdy krasnoznamenny akademichesky ansambl' pesni i plyaski Rossiyskoy armii imeni A. V. Alexandrova), in short, the Alexandrov Ensemble (Ансамбль Александрова, Ansambl' Alexandrova) is a performing ensemble that serves as the official army choir of the Russian armed forces. It is known internationally as the Red Army Choir (and equivalents in other languages)



Beginnings
Alexandrov Ensemble created by Soviet Composer (and composer of National Anthem of USSR) Alexander Alexandrov (born on Plakhino, April 13rd 1883) in Frunze Red Army Central House, with the first name was Red Army Song Ensemble of the M. V. Frunze Red Army Central House or the "Red Army Choir". The first member are twelve soldier-performers - a vocal octet, a bayan (accordion) player, 2 dancers and a reciter. There is also a story that this ensemble actually requested by Kliment Voroshilov, and Joseph Stalin asked Alexandrov to relocate the choir in Moscow.

But there's another verse about Alexandrov Ensemble History, based from Prague National Library. It says that the initiator of the Ensemble was Felix Nikolaevich Danilovich, a theatre director. The first director of the Ensemble was chosen from three of Moscow's conductors: Danilin, Chesnokov and Alexandrov. Seen in isolation this would signify that A.V.Alexandrov was not the creator of the Ensemble. In this version the first troupe is named as follows. Singers: Tkachenko, Zyukov, Samarin,Rozanov, Koltypin, Tolskov, Golyaev, Charov. Dancers: Maximov, Svetlov. Bayanist: Surdin.

During And After WWII
Story from Boris Alexandrov (son of Alexander Alexandrov), the member of Alexandrov Ensemble also went to war. Total soldier from Ensemble were 200 singers, but only 60 who came back after the war. After all, Alexander Alexandrov planning to make a Peace Concert in Germany.

Unfortunately, the previous tour to East Germany had been cancelled due to the sudden death of Alexander Alexandrov in 1946 in Postdam, when in his bed was found an annotated copy of Beethoven's Symphony No.9, showing that A. Alexandrov had been preparing the final chorus for a performance. Now Boris Alexandrov, his son, was ready to follow his father's plan.

And the plan was succeed in 1948, called Berlin Peace Concert. The August 1948 Berlin concert occurred two-thirds of the way through a tour to (20 June to 18 July) Prague, Most, Brno, Devin, Bratislava, Moravská Ostrava, Žilina and Kosice in Czechoslovakia; then apparently without a break (18 July to 10 October) Dresden, Weimar, Magdeburg, Stendal, Schwerin, Potsdam, Berlin, Rathenow, Leipzig, Halle, Lane, Erfurt, Chemnitz, Frankfurt an der Oder and Schwarzenberg in Germany.

Because of Berlin Peace Concert, Alexandrov Ensemble being famous in International World. And between 1960 until 1970 was "The Golden Years" of Alexandrov Ensemble. Boris Alexandrov retired in 1985 and dead in 1994.

Mo_narznaki118_1.png 1991
After the collapsed of Soviet Union, Alexandrov Ensemble still continued to sang many songs, although nearly dead because lack of economy and fans.

In 1998, they make concert with Leningrad Cowboys, called Total Balalaika Show - Helsinki Concert in Finland. Then in 2009, they were famous again after people in Youtube like LHaritonov, riverhouse2007 etc. posting Alexandrov Ensemble old music video. Then all of history (The ensemble, choir, soloist and the event) being translated from Russian and Japanese.

And now, they're still singing, with the Conductor, Nikolay Kirilov.

Awards
From the beginning till now, Alexandrov Ensemble reach :
 * Grand Prix International Exposition dedicated to Art and Technology in Modern Life (1937)
 * For global recognition of high art: The Global Team Award
 * From the French Academy of Records, for the best record: Gold Disk (1961)
 * From the French company Chant Du Monde, for record sales: Gold disk (1964)
 * Order of the Mongolian Combat Merit (1964)
 * Czechoslovak Order of the Red Star (1965)
 * From the Dutch company N.O.K, for record sales: Gold disk (1974)
 * The honorary title of Academy (1979)

In Parody Universe
Alexandrov Ensemble usually become the backsound when Russian relating with Hitler. In gagislobista2 parody, Fegelein teleports Hitler into Siberia, the backsound was Kalinka. The second was Hitler is Informed fikamar27 have middle and final semester exam, with the backsound was John Rid Goes To Petrograd by Leonid Kharitonov and Before Long Journey by Evgeny Belyaev.

Their appearance firstly in fikamar27 parody, Nazi Army Choir vs Red Army Choir. In this, they're singing Dark-Eyed Cossack Girl, and pwned Hitler who bragging the Russian about his choir before the contest.

In U-Boat Parodies, their song "It's A Long Way To Tipperary"

Trivia
"The Ensemble members were so disciplined and experienced that they could feel the rhythm simultaneously and could sing and play together automatically, without the conductor… In Canada during one concert Alexandrov left the Ensemble to perform alone for half an hour."
 * Alexandrov Ensemble's first Soloist was Victor Ivanovich Nikitin. There's a legend about him when he served in WWII : One day he once make all German Soldiers stop shooting just because he is singing while the Russian take a break, then the German Soldiers sit nearby to hearing his song.
 * He called by the German after Berlin Peace Concert 1948 as "Mr. Kalinka" (actually this already named before WWII).
 * After Berlin Peace Concert, he feeling disgrace (and until now can't found the reason) and want to back as chorus, not Soloist. Finally in 1952, he returned to the choir. Nikitin could not have returned to the choir without Stalin's approval; however many relevant source-documents from this era have been destroyed.
 * Under Boris Alexandrov, the Ensemble was highly disciplined. Boris's party trick was to leave the stage and allow the Ensemble to perform "En Route" alone. Members were positioned so that they could not all watch one orchestral leader, and this appeared to be a trick, but there was no trick at all. Leonid Mikhailovich Kharitonov remembers:
 * Alexander Alexandrov several times applied to his superiors for permission to include boy singers, but was refused. There are several possible reasons for this refusal: The budget was limited or controlled, Choirboys cannot join wartime tours, and Female carers for choirboys on tour could mean scandals.
 * In this record, Red Army Ensemble : Sacred War 1941, was created on July 22nd June 1941. They sing this song just before the Nazi Soldier bombing at Moscow.
 * In the early 1950s a typical full division (which varied from song to song) was as follows: (1) countertenors; (2) first tenors; (3) second tenors; (4) baritones; (5) first bass; (6) second bass; (7) basso profundos. It was of course a great luxury for B.A. Alexandrov to be able to do this, but the Ensemble numbered 475 people including 220 in the choir before the mid-1950s. They all used to go on tour abroad worldwide at the beginning. But in 1955 Krushchev decided to cut the choir to 80 people and prohibited them to go on tour to capitalist countries from that date; only to Soviet ones.
 * Mr. Kalinka not only for Victor Nikitin, but also for Evgeny Belyaev in 1963, England. Until now still debated, who should named Mr. Kalinka.
 * Once in 1961, Alexandrov Ensemble have Canada Tour, but some people at Canada put protest leaflets on the stage (Maple Leaf Gardens). At midnight, all members of Alexandrov Ensemble kicking all the protest leaflets then continue the tour.
 * "Singing Weapon" or Поющее оружее was the documenter film about Alexandrov Ensemble, made on 2009.
 * Until 1969 the standard uniform for the Ensemble choir, soloists and orchestra was the tunic and riding breeches. On 1 January 1970 this was changed to dress uniform, and there have been further variations to the dress uniform as used by the Ensemble since 1970.