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Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov

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In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Vasilyevich and the family name is Alexandrov.
Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov
Александр Васильевич Александров
Background information
Birth nameAlexander Vasilyevich Koptelov (or Koptelev)
Born(1883-04-13)April 13, 1883
Plakhino, Ryazan Governorate, Russian Empire
DiedJuly 8, 1946(1946-07-08) (aged 63)
Berlin, Soviet occupation zone in Germany
Occupation(s)Composer, musician
A postage stamp with head of a man facing to the left. To the left is musical notations; below the notations is Cyrillic text.
1983 Soviet stamp honoring the 100th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Alexandrov

Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov[a] (13 April [O.S. 1 April] 1883 – 8 July 1946, born Koptelov or Koptelev)[b][1] was a Soviet and Russian composer and founder of the Alexandrov Ensemble, who wrote the music for the State Anthem of the Soviet Union, which in 2000 became the national anthem of Russia (with new lyrics). During his career, he also worked as a professor of the Moscow Conservatory, and became a Doctor of Arts. His work was recognized by the awards of the title of People's Artist of the USSR and two Stalin Prizes.[2]

Background

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Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov, known as Sasha, was born on 13 April 1883 in Plakhino, a village in Ryazan Governorate south-east of Moscow. As a boy, his singing was so impressive that he traveled to Saint Petersburg to become a chorister at Kazan Cathedral.[3]

Career

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A pupil of Medtner, Alexandrov studied composition at Saint Petersburg and in Moscow, where he eventually became professor of music in 1918 and choirmaster at Christ the Savior from 1918 to 1922.[3]

Alexandrov Ensemble

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Main article: Alexandrov Ensemble

Alexandrov founded the Alexandrov Ensemble, and spent many years as its director, in which role he gained favor with Joseph Stalin, the country's ruler during the last two decades of Alexandrov's life. His choir participated successfully in the Universal Exposition of 1937 in Paris.

Works

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In 1942, Stalin commissioned Alexandrov and lyricists Sergey Mikhalkov and Gabriel El-Registan to create a new Soviet national anthem, which was officially adopted on 1 January 1944 and was used by the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991. It became the National Anthem of Russia in December 2000, with Mikhalkov writing the new lyrics. Alexandrov also composed the 1941 call to arms, "The Sacred War", and the official march of the Soviet and now Russian Armed Forces, the Song of the Soviet Army. His works include a number of settings of various Russian folk songs, for example, "Utushka lugovaya".[4][3]

Death

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Alexandrov had a heart attack and died on 8 July 1946 at the age of 63, while on tour in Berlin;[3] some records say he was returning from Germany.[5][3]

See also

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"State Anthem of the Soviet Union"
One verse, instrumental
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Notes

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  1. ^ Russian: Александр Васильевич Александров, romanized: Aleksandr Vasilyevich Aleksandrov, known by the diminutive Sasha
  2. ^ Russian: Коптелов, Коптелев, romanized: Koptelov, Koptelev

References

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  1. ^ "Александров Александр Васильевич". Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Борис Александрович Александров (1905-1994)" [Boris Aleksandrovich Aleksandrov (1905-1994)]. Archived from the original on 17 September 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e Lambert, R. J. (2023). "Alexander Alexandrov Biography". allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  4. ^ А. Александров (in Russian). 1980.
  5. ^ The exact place of his death is still in dispute and apparently controversial.
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