Alexei Zhivotov. A Man who never existed

09.09.2021

Alexei Zhivotov


Alexei Semenovich Zhivotov (born on November 01(14), 1904, in Kazan, died on August 27, 1964, in Leningrad, buried in the St. Seraphim Cemetery in Saint Petersburg) is a Soviet composer and conductor, Merited Artist of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. He was called the "king of symphonic music", a daring pioneer and master of orchestral arrangements.

He died at the age of 59. But practically nothing is known about his life. There are no letters, diaries or memoires of his contemporaries. We are left with only few tiny episodes and fleeting mentions. The Orpheus Radio team conducted a large research to find and recreate his biography and music as part of the project "Russian Composers' Heritage Revival."

The ''rebirth'' of Zhivotov's works was carried out by the Orpheus Radio Symphony Orchestra under Sergei Kondrashev – its Art Director, Principal Conductor and Merited Artist of the Russian Federation. The recording of composer's unknown pieces was done at Mosfilm's "Tonstudio" Sound Production Сomplex.

Alexei Zhivotov's "Festive overture", "Heroic March", "Theatrical Suite" and "Dance Suite" were for the first time performed and recorded by the Orpheus Radio Symphony Orchestra as part of the project "Russian Composers' Heritage Revival."

These works will be performed at the II International Music Festival "Energy of Discoveries", which was founded by Unipro PJSC and Orpheus Radio.

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