Ru
EnI. Smagina, E. Smagina
Stalingrad–Volgograd Choir: pages of history
This article explores the creative activity of the Volgograd Choir, one of the leading ensembles in the field of academic choral music in the region. Noting the lack of prior research on this phenomenon, the author traces for the first time in musicology the key stages of its formation and artistic development – from its establishment in 1943 to the present day – in correlation with the complex historical and cultural processes of Stalingrad–Volgograd and specific vectors of Soviet cultural policy. The article presents the artistic directors of the ensemble, talented masters of academic choral conducting, and evaluates their contributions to strengthening the ensemble’s professionalism and refining its performance mastery. The main directions in formation the Choir’s rich and diverse repertoire are examined, highlighting the particular significance of Russian choral classics and the promotion of works by Volgograd composers. The study emphasizes the synthesis of traditions from various choral schools – Moscow, Ural, Gorky/Nizhny Novgorod, Ukrainian – as reflected in the conducting artistry of the ensemble’s directors. Special attention is given to the period under the leadership of the Honored Artist of Russia B. Plekhanov, during which the Choir collaborated extensively with the Volgograd Academic Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the People’s Artist of the Russia E. Serov. This collaboration led to the performance of numerous large-scale vocal-instrumental and symphonic works by both Russian and international composers, ranging from J. S. Bach to D. Ellington. The article also analyzes specific challenges in the organizational and creative activities of the ensemble and identifies their determining factors. Key achievements and successes of the Volgograd Choir at national and international levels are highlighted, documenting significant milestones in its artistic biography. The Choir’s essential role in the development of the musical culture of the city and the region as a whole is thoroughly assessed.
Key words
Stalingrad–Volgograd Choir, Ya. Abramis, I. Lupol, B. Plekhanov, I. Zhuravlenko, M. Kaplansky, V. Primak, A. Malyj, Yu. Panfilov.
For citation
Smagina I., Smagina E. Stalingrad–Volgograd Choir: pages of history. In: South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2025. No. 1. Pp. 122–130.
