In 1938, a historical drama film Alexander Nevsky directed by Sergei Eisenstein was released and instantly enjoyed wide popularity. The great director, infatuated with an idea of synthesis of music and plastique in cinema, invited Sergei Prokofiev to work on the score. The collaboration of the two masters greatly contributed to the film's success.
"My work with Eisenstein was an extremely interesting experience because he is not just a brilliant film director, but a keen student of music too. You could say it, first of all, judging by very specific and picturesque musical tasks he placed before me, and, secondly, the understanding with which he accepted the composed music from me," Sergei Prokofiev recalled later about his work on the film score.
"After the film was released, I felt like using the music for a symphonic piece with choir. It wasn't an easy job, and to make a cantata out of this music, I had to put much more labour than I did when I was originally composing for the film. First of all, I had to provide purely musical foundations under it, build it in compliance with its musical form, develop it in terms of symphonism, then re-orchestrate it completely as orchestral orchestration differs from that for the film. Although I tried to approach the music from a purely symphonic view point during that second work, it kept a certain element of picturesqueness coming from the film and Eisenstein."
The words to the cantata were written by poet Vladimir Lugovskoy (1901–1957) and partly by Prokofiev himself.
The cantata has seven movements combined with the subject of Prince Alexander Nevsky's armed forces' victory over the Teutonic Knights on Lake Chudskoye in 1242.
The cantata opens with a short orchestral introduction "Russia under the Mongolian Yoke" which brings the listener into a stern atmosphere of narration.
Severe and sublime music of the cantata's second movement "Song about Alexander Nevsky" sung by a men's choir represents a story of Alexander's recent victory over the Swedish army at the battle of the Neva. "We will not cede the Russian land / Who comes to Rus will be beaten dead."
A contrasting third movement "The Crusaders in Pskov" juxtaposes the Crusaders' chorals "Peregrinus, expectavi / Pedes meos in cimbalis" with a mournful Russian theme.
The forth movement of the cantata "Arise, ye Russian People" represents a call to arms and became a real symbol of resistance for the Soviet people during World War II.
The fifth movement is the climax of the cantata. It represents a battle scene "The Battle on the Ice" with new and already familiar themes alternating like in a music kaleidoscope and sounding all together in the conclusion. A picturesque introduction pictures a dismal dawn on the frozen lake. The theme of the Teutonic Knights' invasion begins with sounds of the horn. The choir joins the orchestra and sings a ponderous and callous theme of the crusaders' chorals. It is responded with the theme from the forth movement "Arise, ye Russian People" changing into a boisterous and daring theme of the Russian attack. The apotheosis of the Battle on the Ice is a polyphonic consolidation of the contrasting themes which makes the battle of the Russian army with the Teutonic Knights and their defeat visible.
A severe and sorrowful sixth theme "The Field of the Dead" is performed by a mezzo-soprano. It is the lament of a girl seeking her lost lover.
A majestic seventh and final movement "Alexander's Entry into Pskov" echoes the Russian themes which were represented earlier. A triumphant hymn to the victory of the Russian army is sung by the choir:
"Rus came into a great fight;
Rus vanquished the enemy.
No enemy will step on the native land.
Who comes will be beaten dead."
The cantata debuted on May 17, 1939, at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and was conducted by the author.
The recording of the cantata Alexander Nevsky by the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the USSR conducted by Yevgeny Svetlanov and the Yurlov Choir Capella was awarded a Grand Prix Academie du Disque Francais in 1970.
Also in 1939, the All-Union Radio ordered Prokofiev an ode in praise Joseph Stalin – a cantata for choir and orchestra named Zdravitsa (Toast to Stalin) to the words from "folk songs" about Stalin. Its performance was one of the most important moments during the celebration of the leader's anniversary. This small piece became one of the composer's masterpieces. "This music is simply the work of a genius. Truly a monument, but a monument to Prokofiev's own fame," said Svyatoslav Richter about the cantata.
The Yurlov State Academic Choir Capella of Russia is one of the oldest and most reputable Russian music collectives. The history of the choir which was known long before the Russian revolution dates back to 1900. The appointment of Alexander Yurlov (1927–1973) as a leader was a crucial event in the history of the choir. He significantly expanded the choir's creative range and repertoire. In 1973, after Yurlov's death, the Republican Academic Choir Capella was named after him.
For more than seventy years, the State Academic Symphony Orchestra has rightfully been one of the leading collectives in the country and the pride of the domestic musical culture. From its first days, the State Orchestra entered the musical life as both a concert collective that has determined the success of the Russian professional musical art and an educational collective.
In 1965, Evgeny Svetlanov (1928–2002) became and artistic director and chief conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR. One of the brightest pages in the orchestra's history is linked with his name.
For his 35 years with the collective, Svetlanov transformed it into a unique orchestra with
an immense range and powerful creative capabilities that gained a status of one of the world's best orchestras.
In 2006, the State Academic Symphony Orchestra was named after Evgeny Svetlanov.
