#011

The Alexandrov Ensemble performs "Zaparozhtsi Dance" or Soldiers' Dance at the Albert Hall, London, 1963. This is the full length recording, replacing the previous truncated one.
This is another fantastic composition from that great showman, Boris Alexandrovich Alexandrov. The big-drum intro may be simple but what could be more exciting? Surely this very clever and witty piece is his homage to Stravinsky; especially the Petruschka. I'm told there are also references to Khachaturian and Tchaikovsky in it. It's well worth listening to this great piece while you're not distracted by the wonderful dancing.
The original recording notes said (translated from the Russian): "Frequently programmed by the ensemble as their concluding number, this gay melody accompanies a dance of flashing sword-play and spectacular leaps."
As far as I know, the usual 1963 recordings of this, repeated on most CDs, were made at the Abbey Road studios in London, but this recording of the live Albert Hall concert itself is rarely heard. This recording was put onto tape, then vinyl for sale in Russia, then later digitalised in Russia, so it has come on a long journey to us here on KZbin.
The Albert Hall was the only indoor space big enough for the Ensemble in 1963. It's a huge and very high circular space, holding at least 5,500 people - and it was full at that concert. The acoustics are famously so difficult that the audience up in the "gods" hear the music long after they see the conductor wave his baton, or the drummer beat his drum. Yet this recording is, I think, more satisfying than the studio recordings.
Albert Hall 1963 playlist:
www.youtube.com...

[@PrairieBoy99]

Thanks very much for posting this, riverhouse2007. Great music! The dance which accompanies it is also here in KZbin, but that music is just little different from this Albert Hall recording. Both are great. Spasivo. I dyakoyu.

[@riverhouse2007]

@Kievest What's wonderful about this piece is that every time you listen to it , you notice more musical references. There is at least one little bit of circus music. I think Boris was making a point. Westerners found it difficult to comprehend the Ensemble, because it didn't fit into any of our genres. But the Ensemble had a lot in common with the western circus, and Boris was in some sense a ringmaster.

[@riverhouse2007]

@PrairieBoy99 Glad you enjoyed it!