Alexander Alexandrov - the last choir director of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the leader of the main military orchestra of the USSR

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Almost everyone knows Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov as the creator and conductor of the most famous military ensemble, as well as the author of great melodies - the song "The Holy War" and the National Anthem. But not everyone knows another, unofficial side of this remarkable man - the story of how Aleksandrov, a deeply religious person, served as a regent in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in the terrible years of persecution against the Church.

In very difficult times for Russia, thanks to his talent and tireless hard work, Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov was able to find his way. His work was in demand both in tsarist Russia and under Soviet rule.

He received an excellent classical music education. He entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory, but for a number of reasons had to leave his studies for a while. And only 7 years later he recovered already at the Moscow Conservatory, after which in 1918 he became a teacher of several disciplines here at once. At the same time, Alexandrov, at the invitation of Patriarch Tikhon himself, is also a regent in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Singing like we will bring spiritual flowers

As the last choir director of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, before the temple passed into the hands of the Renovationists, enemies of St. Tikhon, Aleksandrov created one of the best cathedral choirs in it. And how much wonderful church music he wrote! However, many of his writings were destroyed. But, nevertheless, something remained, and now the Alexandrov ensemble has a special program of the sacred music of its founder.

The brainchild of Alexandrov - Stars in uniform

In 1928, when Aleksandrov was already 45 years old, an event occurred that abruptly changed his life, but the significance of which Aleksandrov did not immediately realize. He was asked to become the organizer and leader of a small military team of the literary and musical direction. Being a purely civilian, Aleksandrov did not agree immediately, but nevertheless accepted this offer.

It all started quite modestly - a small choir of 8 people, two dancers, a reader and an accordion player. But already their first performance was a great success, and literally a year later they began an active tour of the country. By that time, the number of the ensemble reached 100 people, but this was far from the limit. A special train was handed over to the collective for touring trips.

With the beginning of the war, the artists of the ensemble were divided into four groups. One, under the leadership of Alexandrov, remained in Moscow to work on recording songs, the rest went to the front. Often they had to perform in the immediate vicinity of the front line, the artists were even involved in combat missions.

"Holy War" - the song that raised the whole country

Aleksandrov, the conductor, directed the ensemble, and Aleksandrov, the composer, continued to compose songs. But he wrote his main song literally in the first days of the war, after he came across a poem by Lebedev-Kumach. Rest of the day, sleepless night - and the song is ready! And on the morning of June 26 at the Belorussky railway station, she saw off the soldiers leaving for the front.

The very first performance made a stunning impression. Everyone stood up and listened to her in silence, after that - a few seconds of complete silence and - a burst of applause! The song had to be repeated several times. And the soldiers who were seated in the "teplushki" were already singing it by heart, taking it with them to the front.

Author of the music of the National Anthem

After the revolution, the anthem of our country was the "Internationale", which replaced "God Save the Tsar!" But in 1943 it was decided to create a new, more patriotic anthem. The words were ready for him, they were written by El-Registan and Mikhalkov, and it took a long time to choose the music. In the end, there were three options left: Alexandrov and two more - Shostakovich and Khachaturian. In the end, the music was approved by the one that Aleksandrov wrote. And the new anthem of the Soviet Union was first performed in 1944, on January 1.

All his life, Alexander Vasilyevich worked with full dedication, he died in 1946 in Berlin, during a tour. The main monument to the great musician was the fact that his brainchild, a beloved ensemble, began to bear his name. And the leadership of the ensemble was taken by his son, Boris.

Throughout its history ensemble named after Alexandrov performed a variety of music - from "Kalinka" to Skyfall. And on December 25, 2016, a tragedy occurred - the Tu-154 aircraft, on which 68 artists of the song and dance ensemble of the Russian Army named after A. V. Alexandrova collapsed into the Black Sea.