History of Academic choir MSU

Most of the University archives were destroyed by the fire of Moscow in 1812 but the remaining documents, newspaper publications and the students’ recollections helped us to reconstruct the history of the University Chorus.

The History of the Chorus. 1757 was the year when arts were introduced in the University curriculum (music, singing, drawing and plastic arts). The same year I. Shuvalov invited as a singing teacher Antonio Duni – Madrid Royal Choir composer and choirmaster. The choral classes were not very popular – they were attended only by 6 students. But the number of students at Moscow University was much less that that of other European Universities/ In 1760 it had only 30 students and 118 Grammar School students (by 1787 the number increased to 82 and 1101 respectively).

The performance of Music students at Moscow University was first mentioned in 1759. The Supplement to the “Moskovskie Vedomosti”(issue # 34 from the 27 th of April 1759) wrote that that at the celebration devoted to the coronation day of the Empress Elisabeth held at the University “…the official part was followed by the Serenade composed by the University Choirmaster A. Duni. The performance included vocal and instrumental pieces.” P. Strakhov (1757 – 1813), first a University student, then a Professor and in 1805 – 1807 its Rector describes in his “History of the Grammar School at the Empreror’s Moscow University” the exam in arts: “… the exam in music, dances and fencing has always been held at the same time of the year, and has always resembled a celebration. It would start with an overture or a symphony performed by Grammar School students playing the violins and the flutes. They would be followed by older students playing musical instruments. After that the Chorus performs sacred choral music, sometimes even accompanied by musical instruments”.

The amateur Chorus singing of the University students is connected with ceremonies devoted to the end of the year (June – July) or different jubilees (coronations, name day celebrations) held at the University. In his recollections P. Strakhov writes: “During the end-of-the-year celebrations one of the Professors would make a speech in Latin. After that the Chorus and the orchestra would perform a stanza of a poem written to this occasion. Then another professor would deliver a speech in Russian and the next stanza would be performed. The end of the ceremony would be marked by the third stanza”. Approximately the same structure was used for other official ceremonies, The Supplement to the “Moskovskie Vedomosti” from the 11 th of July 1774 informed that the celebration of the Empress Catherine enthronement was accompanied by the University Chorus performing to instrumental music. Since then the information about the Chorus performances has appeared in the press regularly. Thus, we can suppose that by 1775 the University Chorus had already been a part of the University structure.

Throughout its 230-year history has seen hard ties as well as periods of flourishing. One can’t overestimate the role in the creation and further development of the Chorus played by Russian composer and conductor D. Kashin. A former peasant released in 1799, in 1800 he started his work for the University. D. Kashin was the first of the Russian composers to interpret folk songs for choral performance to orchestral music.

A University graduate E. Timkovsky wrote in his reminiscences: “The next day after my entrance to the University was the day of celebration. It was the University’s 50 th anniversary. The festivities were extraordinary, with many Moscow celebrities present. The programme included the University Chorus performance to music by count A. Razumovsky, and the singing impressed me greatly”. In July 1814 “Moskovskie Vedomosti” wrote that the Chorus gave a concert devoted to the anniversary of the victory over Napoleon. “At the end of this remarkable holiday there was a concert given by an orchestra and a chorus”.

The choir’s activity was appreciated by Moscow Emperor’s Theatre Director, composer A. Verstovsky who authored the opera “Askold’s Grave”. He composed for the Chorus a Cantata (with verse by Professor S. Shevyriov) and devoted it to he University centenary.

The amazing development of Russian music in the 2 nd half of the 19 th – beginning of the 20 th centuries influenced greatly the life of the largest amateur choir in Russia. It was the period of the Chorus’s co-operation with such famous musicians as M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, N. Manykin-Nevstruev, V. Orlov, N. Klenovsky, K. Albrecht, P. Blamberg, S. Vassilenko.

The high level of the singing skills of the Chorus were mentioned in “Moskovskie Vedomosti”. The issue from the 23 of November 1885 wrote: “… the concert of the orchestra and the Moscow University Chorus left everyone full of hopes. Especially harmonious was the students’ choir conducted by a gifted choirmaster V. Orlov.” In December 1889 the same newspaper wrote that the Chorus was very popular with Moscow music lovers: “From the very first performance the students’ concerts have met the audience’s approval. On the day of the concert all Moscow would rush the Nobility Hall. Long before the beginning the Hall would be full of people and there would be no seats left. There would be so many people that they would be sitting even behind the columns…” In the 16 of November 1890 “Moskovskie Vedomosti” informed: “The students’ concert was a great success. The Nobility Hall was so full that by the beginning the Administration had to stop selling the tickets at the entrance… The Chorus conducted by V. Malm sounded amazingly harmonious”.

The Chorus owes one on the most remarkable pages of its history to P. Tchaikovsky. In 1872 the composer wrote for the University Chorus the interpretation of the famous students’ song “Gaudeamus”. In December 1887 he composed an a capella song ‘Thrice Blessed He Who Smiles” and devoted it to the University Chorus. The work was first sung in the Nobility Hall on the 8 th of March 1892 and since then it has been performed regularly.

In 1890 the rehearsal of the Chorus was first attended by a Law Faculty student Leonid Sobinov. During his 4-year studies at the University Sobinov sang with the choir. Later, being already a famous singer he gave regular performances with the Chorus. Every year from 1903 to 1917 he gave charity concerts to support the deprived students of the University. Sobinov had always referred to this period of his life with warmth. In 1936, not long before his death while answering the question about the landmarks of his musical career he said: “I consider my Chorus singing to be one of the basic factors of my vocal and musical development”.

In 1899 the University Chorus acquired a special status when the “Edict on the Emperor’s Moscow University Chorus” was issued. The Edict established the Students’ Choir called Emperor’s Moscow University Chorus attached to Moscow Conservatoire. The Edict appointed as the Choirmaster the Conservatoire Director. According to the Statute of the Chorus it could include “…present-day students as well as former University students…” The Statute also underscored the official status of the Chorus.

Several years after the First Russian Revolution of 1905 the Chorus didn’t give any public performances. From 1907 to 1912 the choir was directed by a talented musician, the University student Y. Mikhailovsky. In the gramophone records of the Chorus dating back to that period Y. Mikhailovsky performs a tenor-soloist and a conductor at the same time. During the first years after the October revolution the Chorus was in turn headed by I. Ustujaninov, Moscow University Professor, the disciple of N. Rimsky-Korsakov in Moscow Conservatoire (1922-1924), V. Krynkin a famous choirmaster (1924-1926), and then by composers V. Kalinnikov and A. Titov.

For over 40 years since 193 the Chorus had been conducted by Prof. S. Popov. In 1941 he joined the army as a volunteer. During the World War II the University was evacuated, that is why the rehearsals resumed only late in 1944. The Chorus conducted by Popov became one of the best choruses of the country. That was the period when the Moscow State University Chorus got a great number of awards and prises at contests of different levels: in the USSR as well as abroad. The recordings of the Chorus’s performances entered the “Golden Collection” of the Soviet Radio. In 1964 the Chorus went on its first tour abroad – to Czechoslovakia. In 1968 it got the Padrubice International Contest award. Thus the Chorus began its co-operation with choirs in many European countries. It was the period when the Chorus worked together with many famous singers and composers. Such composers as A. Novikov, V. Shebalin, B. Snetkov, S. Bulatov trusted the Chorus the first performances of their works. It was also bound with ties of friendship with the famous tenor I. Kozlovsky.

The first meeting of the members of the Chorus with the singer was a great fun. One summer 1959 week-end they went to the country-side to spend some time in the open-air and to sing. They passed by some summer cottages not far from the railway station Snegiri and settled at a forest edge having a wonderful time singing. On their way back they saw an elderly sun-tanned man wearing shorts and a white cap. The man held a pair of shears and a bunch of flowers. To everyone’s surprise the man was Ivan Kozlovsky. “I came late yesterday, he said, and in the morning I was woken up by the song “My feet are so tired”. I thought my friends were fooling me. And All day long I was listening to you”. They had a long talk which was followed by combined performances and studio records. The artistic co-operation lasted many years.

As well as many professional choruses, the University Chorus took part in many official ceremonies held at the Congress palace, Kremlin Theatre, Bolshoy Theatre. It performed at the Karl Marx monument opening ceremony in Okhotny Riad.

From 1979 to 1984 the Chorus was headed by S. Popov’s disciple, Prof. B. Baranov and from 1984 to 1997 its Director was Y. Ukhov. The Chorus worked together with such choirmasters as K. Riumina, V. Kostyleva, S. Kirpichnikova, I. Juravlenko, N. Baranova; such accomopanists as V. Nemirovich-Danchenko, T. Ilyinskaya, V. Kasatkin, T. Cotnikova, T. Andronikova. These were the years fruitful collaboration with Ossipov State Folk Music Orchestra/ This collaboration resulted in the combined performance of “Kursk Songs” by G. Sviridov in Tchaikovsky Concert Hall.

The Chorus took part in many musical festivals in Baltic cities: Tallinn, Tartu, Vilnius, Riga. At the Kaunas Festival it was awarded a prose for the best polyphonic performance.

The present-day period of the choir’s life began when it got M. Askerov as a Director.

Today the life of the Chorus is as usual full of events: every year it takes part in 30 – 40 performances. The Chorus is a regular participant of most of the University’s official ceremonies. It also gives end-of-the-year concerts at the MSU Musical Centre.

The members of the Chorus attribute much attention to its traditions. One of them is the performance given on the day of A. Pushkin’s birthday. It takes place on the 6 th of June at the poet’s monument in Tverskaya Street. This tradition is nearly 30 years old. It is the day when numerous admirers of the poet and of the Chorus can hear songs written to Pushkin’s verse. Another tradition is to honour the University graduates who are members of the Chorus. The celebration traditionally takes place at M. Lomonissov monument and ands in a small concert. This ceremony is known as “Blue Bows’.

The University Chorus consists of nearly 150 members. It is a regular participant of “Festos” festival and the festival of sacred music “Orthodox Russia”. The Chorus also takes part in different municipal events. It performs in the most famous halls of Moscow: Rachmaninov Hall of Moscow Conservatoire, the Synod Hall of St. Saviour Cathedral, hotel “Rossiya” concert hall, in the halls of Moscow House of Music and of the Russian Academy of Science.

The Chorus has considerably enlarged its repertoire. The audience can hear works by well-known masters of sacred and classical music such as D. Bortniansky, P. Chesnokov, S, Rachmaninov, A. Kastalsky, M. Glinka, P. Tchaikovsky, M. Mussorgsky, M. Balakirev, S. Prokofiev, V. Shebalin, S. Taneev, V. Kalinnikov, D. Shostakovich, A. Novikov, A. Fliarkovsky, G. Sviridov, works by modern composers: M. Partskhaladze, Y. Falik, M. Antsev, A Kiselev, E. Fertelmeister, V. Ulianich, B. Dovgan as well as interpretations of Russian folk songs and pieces of European classical and modern music.

The Chorus performs together with such outstanding singers as Z. Sotkilava, V. Gavva, V. Ananiev.

For more than 200 years of life the Chorus has been inseparably bound with its Alma Mater. These ties were the reason for the choir’s active participation in preparation to the University anniversary. The members of the Chorus worked together with the employees of the State Museum of History and the Moscow State University Museum looking for information about the history of the Chorus. The results of this co-operation form a part of exhibitions devoted to the Moscow University 250 th anniversary. The visitors of the exhibitions can see stands showing the choir’s awards, costumes photos, posters, concert programmes. The Chorus took part in the official ceremonies devoted to the University prises and awards presentations. It opened the international conference which gathered many foreign guests and Rectors of many Russian Universities and Institutes. The Chorus also performed at the University Anniversary Exhibition opening ceremony in the State Museum of History and was shown on the First Channel of national TV.

The most dramatic event for the Chorus was the Anniversary Concert at the State Kremlin Palace. The Chorus (about 120 members) went onstage. Everyone stood up and the State Kremlin Palace heard the solemn verse of the Moscow University Hymn: “Praise the University in the glorious days of triumph…”. After the end of the concert the participants of the Chorus had a non-official talk with people they admire – with famous actors and singers who took part in the concert and even with the Moscow Mayor.

The Chorus has been awarded numerous prises, awards and diplomas. It has recently become the students’ festival “Festos” Laureate and got the Composers’ association Diploma “For the Best Interpretation of Modern Choral Works”. It has also been awarded the Moscow Patriarchate Diploma, the society “Orthodox Russia” Diploma and the Diploma of the State Academy of Slavonic Culture. In October 2003 the University Choir together with three best professional choirs took part in the final concert of the National Sacred Music Contest Laureates. The concert took place in the Residence of Patriarch – in Saint Daniil Monastery. The high level of singing skills of the Chorus was pointed out by the jury, the composers and the audience.

On the 9 th of May 2005, the day of festivities devoted to the 60 th anniversary of Victory over fascism the University Chorus had the honour to perform in the Red Square as a part of a combines choir together with such renowned choruses as Yurlov State Choir, Alexandrov Russian Army Ensemble and Moscow Financial Institute Male Choir.

The Moscow State University Chorus is known for its active co-operation with many foreign choruses. For the last 10 years it has visited Austria, Great Britain, Hungary, Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Turkey, Finland, France. It has been awarded prises and diplomas a contests in Kiphissia ( Greece), Llangollen ( Great Britain), Riva del Garda ( Italy), Poznan ( Poland).

The Chorus has a number of records: in 1978 the recording company “Melodia” released the album of the Chorus. In 1998 the Chorus recorded a CD with Russian classical and folk programme. The choir also published 4 collections of scores including the works from its repertoire.

Photo of the front page of the Supplement to “Moskovskie Vedomosti” from the 11 th of July 1774.

D. Kashin (1773 – 1844). Engraving, 18 th cent.

Photo of the Chorus, 1886. (From the MSU Museum archive).

P. Tchaikovsky.

The Chorus in late 1990-ies. In the middle – its Direcror N. Manykin-Nevstruev. On his left – L. Sobinov.

The disk, 1909 (From L. Titov’s collection).

S. Popov (1904 – 1986), Honorary artist of Russia, founder of the Choral Conductors’ Department at Moscow Culture Institute, Director of the University Chorus (1937 – 1978).

Prise for the 2 nd place at the Padrubice Contest (IFAS).

Foreign trips of the hours.

1975. the concert devoted to the 200 th anniversary of the Chorus. On the stage of the Cultural Centre of the University: standing: Choirmaster B. Baranov, accompanist V. Nemirovich-Danchenko, I. Kozlovsky (in the middle), composer A. Novikov, S. Popov; sitting: V. Kostyliova, K. Riumina.

• 1967. in the studio: I. Kozlovsky playing the piano, surrounded by the members of the Chorus.
• B. Baranov (1933 – 1999) – Honorary Artist of Russia, Professor, Choirmaster and Conductor of the Chorus (1969 – 1984), its Director (1978 – 1984).
• Y. Ukhov – Honorary Artist of Russia, Professor, the Chorus’s Choirmaster and conductor (1980 – 1984), its Director (1984 – 1997). Now – Alexandrov Russian Army Folk ensemble Choirmaster.
• Moscow University Rector V. Sadovnichiy congratulates the Chorus on its 225 th anniversary.
• 2004. Performance at the official ceremony devoted to Pushkin’s 205 th anniversary.
• 2003. Performance at the Day of the City.
• Performance in the Synod Hall of St. Saviour Cathedral.
• December 2000. Zurab Sotkiava singing at the performance devoted the Chorus’s 225 th anniversary.
• The State Museum of History. December 2004. The stand devoted to the Chorus.
• The 25 th of January 2005. the State Kremlin Palace. The hours singing the University Hymn together with Rector V. Sadovnichiy and actor A. Kortnev performing the founder of the University.
• Moscow Mayor Yuri Lujkov and the members of the Chorus.
• Prises, diplomas and awards of the Chorus.
• A gramophone disk, a CD, musical scores.