Here are the most important composers in the history of the balalaika.
Vassili Andreev (1861-1918)
Василий Андреев
In addition to the fundamental role that Vassili Andreev played in the history of the balalaika, he was also a great composor and arranger of traditional russian pieces. He specialized in the writing of waltz for balalaïka-piano which made Toscanini say: "Vassili Andreev is the Russian Strauss". He also composed polonaises, mazurkas, nocturnes, polkas, marches, the famous svetit messiatz - the moon shines. Fiodor Chaliapine (1873-1938) told Andreev "You warmed the orphan balalaika with your big heart. Thanks to your love, she grew and blossomed into a splendid Russian beauty whose charms enthral the whole world”.
Anatoly Tikhonov Impromptu
Vladimir Boldyrev Meteor waltz
Boris Troianovsky (1883-1951)
Борис Трояновский
Virtuoso and arranger of major influential works of the repertoire. First balalaïka
in the Velikorousky Orchestra under the direction of Vassili Andreev,
he Co-founded the Academic State Orchestra in 1919 which later take the name of "Ossipov". He has arranged some of the most well known traditional Russian songs for balalaika and piano including:
Zaigrai moia Volinka, Polnotie Rebiata, Akh Ty Vetcher, Dance of the Ural...
These are compulsory works for all students of the balalaïka.
Boris Troianovsky Hour after hour
Boris Troianovsky The gate
Alexandre Chalov (1927-2001)
Александр Шалов
Soloist, pupil of Pavel Netcheporenko, professor at the Rimsky-Korsakoff academy of St-Petersburg and composer-arranger, he distinguished himself by the quality and romanticism of his arrangements that essentially comprise traditonnally inspired Russian themes. He also composed many balalaika duets, a previously rare phenonemon, which he recorded in collaboration with L. Samsonov-Rogovitsky. His work is played by every student and many soloists in Russia and abroad.
Alexandre Chalov et Samsonov-Rogovitsky Through the Valley
Anatoly Tikhonov Viniat menia v Narodie
Evgueny Trostiansky (1948-2001)
Евгений Тростянский
Hugely talented soloist and composer. Although his career
was very short, he notably arranged the famous “Blue Lake”
and composed an exceptional Nocturne.
Alexandre Danilov Blue Lake
Micha Tcherkassky Nocturne
Nicolai Budachkin (1910-1988)
Николай Будашкин
Russian composor, a blacksmith until the age of 19, playing the balalaika for pleasure, he had the privillège of entering the faculty of music for Moscowworkers where he studied composition until 1937. He composed several symphonies before writing pieces for traditional russian instruments, some of which make up the most beautiful pages of the repertoire. He is acknowledged in particular for having written a splendid concerto for domra and orchestra, concert variations for balalaïka, several ouvertures for orchestra.
Vladimir Boldyrev Troika
Alexandre Tsygankov Concerto domra
Youri Chichakov (1925-2000)
Юрий Шишаков
Talented composor who specialised in composition for traditional Russian instruments. He wrote many works including a concerto for balalaïka and orchestra, works for solo balalaika, suites, a rhapsody, an ouverture for orchestra, a concerto for percussion and orchestra. His compositions are very personal in an innovative and often modern Russian style.
Alexandre Danilov Concerto
Quatuor BAIKAL Ronde
Serguei Vassilenko (1872-1956)
Сергей Василенко
Student of Tchaikovsky, he worked on various musical forms: Symphonies, operas,
ballets, chamber music, film music. Very attached to the music of his
country Russia, he regularly used it in his compositions. His most remarkable
works are a concerto for balalaïka and symphony orchestra dating
back to 1929, a suite for balalaïka and piano and several symphonies
for traditional orchestra.
Alexandre Danilov Waltz
Micha Tcherkassky Romance
Vera Gorodovskaia (1919-1999)
Вера Городовская
Composor, pianist and gouslist, piano graduate of Moscow`s Tchaikovsky academy, Vera Gorodovskaia specialised in the composition of traditional Russian works. In conjunction, she played the gousli for 40 years in the Ossipov Orchestra and accompanied the balalaikaist Anatoly Tikhonov at the piano with whom she also made many records. As a composor and arranger several records are devoted to her.
Anatoly Tikhonov Kalinka
Anatoly Tikhonov Under the window
Anatoly Koussiakov (1945-2007)
Анатолий Кусяков
Brillant composer, one of the first to explore modern music with traditionnals instruments. He composed sonatas for bayan (Russian
classical accordion) and 3 remarkable sonatas for balalaika and piano.
He was a great friend of balalaika player Alexander Danilov to whom he
dedicated his sonatas.
Alexandre Danilov Sonate n°1 - 1
Alexandre Danilov Sonate n°1 - 2
Alexandre Martchakovsky (1961)
Александр Марчаковский
He studied balalaika at the conservatory of Novosibirsk Glinka and at the
Gnesin Institute in the class of Pavel Netcheporenko. Winner of the "All-Russian Competition", he is also a composer and has written concertos for
balalaika and orchestra, many pieces for balalaika and piano. Very active,
he worked 14 years for a radio and now he annime a new website on
Russian traditional instruments.
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