Customer Reviews

Russian Favourites

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The songs that are chosen on this CD are excellent. The problem, the sound recording is not great. It is clear, but when the choir sings in a low tone, it is simply cannot be heard.

Considering the number of classic songs and the price, you really can't go wrong here. like another poster, i was a bit dissapointed by some very low music in some selections. but for the most part, the quality is quite good and the music is a very nice way to begin to understand and learn about the Russian people.

In the 1970's, it seemed that defectors from the USSR made headlines in American newspapers every day. When a dancer defected, it was always believed that artistic freedom was the cause. When writers defected, it was due to the controversy surrounding their works. Athletes were usually viewed as wanting a taste of the good life, but when the Red Army Choir defected, it was a sweet victory for the west. These people were the symbol of all the USSR stood for and sang anthems praising the Soviets, yet they longed for freedom. We loved it when they defected.

Even though many of the songs performed by the ensemble praised the virtues of the Soviet Union, western audiences love the group. No it was not due to be soft on Communism. The group had a sound that was addictive and possessed terrific musical gifts, all of which can be found in this recording.

Listening to this recording is almost nostalgic now that the Soviet Union is no longer, but the recording has a certain appeal. It includes all the favorites including Meadowlands (Polyushku pole), Dark Eyes, Moscow Nights, and the Volga Boatman's Song, probably the best piece on the recording. The ensemble performs well together, the band give the music a distinct sound, and while the soloists are not perfect, the imperfections somehow seem appropriate.

There are more expensive recordings by this ensemble, but this budget CD is not just well worth the price, it is actually one of the best available.

This is a very good CD, and the music really captures the power and total authority of the Soviet state. It is very moving music on one hand, and also really reflects the situation of the Russian workingmen living under this tyranny. This CD would get 5 stars, but there are a few portions where the sound is so soft that it cannot be heard, such as at the beginning of the sixth track. This is the only problem with the CD worth noting, the CD is done by the Red Army choir, and the songs are virtually all made of of the huge band & choir, Soviet power music that we all have come to know and love. I do recommend this CD strongly.

This is one of the best collections of the Red army Chorus and World folk and martial music. The songs range from czarist to Soviet times and regardless of the political considerations they all inspire glory and power like no other. After sevarl hewrings, I've decided that Slavianka is my favorite (late 1800') and I also like theri interpretation of Ochi Chornye and Moscow Nights (one of the most beautiful songs of the 20th century anywhere). I find the range and tonality of the chorus captivating and coupled with the orchestration it's really intoxicating. If the Russians were singing thse songs during the Great patriotic War (WWII for the decadent capitalist of the West) against the Nazis I'm not surprised they won gainst all the odds. Try driving while listening to Slavianka without getting a speeding ticket!
Ochin krassivi.

You don't need to understand Russian to enjoy the outstanding voices and magnificent melodies of the Red Army Choir. Not all the tracks on this splendid CD are martial, but I especially love the World War ll era songs. My personal favorite -- "Svyaschennaya Voina", or "Sacred War" -- is a stirring call to fight for the Motherland:

"Vstavai, strana ogromnaya! Vstavai na smertniy boi
S fashistskoi ciloi tyomnoyu; S proklyatoyu ordoi!
Poost' yarost' blagorodnaya, Vskipaet kak volna --
Idyot voina narodnaya, Svyaschennaya Voina!"

(Arise, colossal land! Stand for mortal war
With fascist forces sinister; With the accursed horde!
Let avenging anger surge, Our noble anger soar --
This war is a people's war, It is a Sacred War!)

The rousing words were written by Vasiliy Lebedev-Kumach the day following the Nazi invasion. They were set to music by Gen. Aleksandr Aleksandrov, founder of the original Red Army Ensemble. Rushed onto the airwaves, the song created an immediate emotional response. The defiant lyrics are empowered by the melody which ascends and descends majestically in a minor key to a march rhythm in a unique 3/4 time. Listen to Amazon's sample track and see if it doesn't make your heart beat faster! This is the signature song of the Red Army Choir. The rest of the CD is equally wonderful.

This CD provides perhaps the best collection of Russian/Soviet choral music, ranging from folk songs to patriotic anthems. The song "Farewell of Slavianka" was what attracted me to this CD, as I have been searching for a good recording of it. However I must say that the rest of the tracks are equally rousing and excellently performed and recorded. Worth every cent

...if it is for you, you'll like it. If you are into Russian folk music, good choral music, or heavy duty "power" music (some of these tracks truly are songs to invade Czechoslovakia by), then seriously consider adding it to your collection. As I said, this music is not for everyone, but if it is, you could do a lot worse than this CD. There are tracks from czarist times, the period of the Revolution, and the Soviet era that followed (as explained by the liner notes), though it's missing patriotic staples like the Partisan Song and the National Anthem. The hair-raising performance of Volga Boatmen is worth the price alone.

THIS IS THE BEST DISK OF THE RED ARMY I EVER FOUND. THE BEST HITS OF THE GREAT RED ARMY

I AM ABOUT TO CONDUCT A CHARITY CONCERT WITH THE YOUNG ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA: IN ADDITION TO THE REPRTOIRE PROGRAMME COMPRISING GLINKA,BORODIN,MOUSSORKSKY AND TCHAIKOVSKY WE INTEND TO PLAY THE FOLK SONG POLYUSHKI POL: I AM SEEKING ASSIATNCE IN OBTAINING THE ARRANGEMENT FOR THIS SONG AS PERFORMED BY THE RED ARMY CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA. ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

THANKS.