Boris Aleksandrovich Aleksandrov

Born July 22 (Aug. 4), 1905, in Bologoe. Soviet composer and conductor. Became People’s Artist of the USSR in 1958. He is a colonel and son of A. V. Aleksandrov.

Aleksandrov graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1929, where he had studied composition with R. M. Glière. He was conductor and music director of the Central Theater of the Soviet Army. Since 1937, Aleksandrov has been with the Order of the Red Banner Ensemble of Song and Dance of the Soviet Army, at first as a conductor and since 1946 (after his father’s death) as head and artistic director of the ensemble. Aleksandrov has written several songs, including Song of Victory, Long Live Our State, Soldiers on the March, and the oratorio The Soldier of October Defends Peace (1967). He also wrote the operettas The Girl From Barcelona (1942) and My Giuzel (1946) and the ballet Lefty (1955). His best-known work is the operetta Wedding in Malinovka (1937), which draws on a wealth of folk songs, primarily Ukrainian; a film version of it was made in 1968. He won the State Prize of the USSR in 1950 for his concert performances. He has been awarded two Orders of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, and medals.