Established in 1928 by Alexander Alexandrov, the Red Army Choir has continued Russia's choral music traditions throughout the 20th century and beyond to great critical acclaim throughout the world. Its first great success abroad came in 1937 at the Paris International Exhibition and later became more widely known internationally in the 1950s, particularly after a visit to London in 1956. The group has been since renamed the Red Army Ensemble and currently numbers some 175 musicians and performers, with a men's choir, dance company, and orchestra.

If you immediately think of revolutionary workers' songs and Soviet communism when you hear the name "Red Army Choir", think again. To say that it would be a great shame to let such prejudices prevent one from experiencing some of the most rousingly beautiful music ever recorded, would be an understatement. The songs of the Red Army Choir include old soldiers' songs, songs from the Russian Civil War, from the Second World War, and even popular Russian folk songs. These aren't your typical throw-away military marches either--these songs spring from the very depths of the Russian soul, tinged with a sweet, tear-inducing melancholy that I can't describe (and I'm not even Russian!).

By far and away the best recording I've personally found of theirs is the self-titled CD released on the Naxos label, and this seems to be confirmed by the numerous glowing reviews of the disc I've seen online. The tracklist is as follows:

1. Farewell of Slavianka
2. O field, my field
3. We are the red cavalry
4. There, far away, beyond the river
5. The Sacred War
6. There march the soldiers
7. In the forest by the combat-line
8. The sun set beyond the river
9. Soldiers' Chorus from The Decembrists
10. Song of the Volga Boatmen (Ey ukhnem)
11. Troika
12. The Cliff
13. Hey, there's the village
14. The Volga Burlacks' Song
15. Dark Eyes (Ochi chernye)
16. The Brave Lads of the Don
17. On the Road (A Soldier's Song)
18. Moscow Nights

I picked this CD up in Montreal a couple years ago for like $10 Canadian, which is a serious steal considering what a sparkling gem it is.