State Anthem of the Russian Federation

State Anthem of the Russian Federation
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Title	State Anthem of the Russian Federation
Caption	Flag of the Russian Federation
Composer	Alexander Alexandrov
Author	Sergey Mikhalkov
Adopted	2000

State Anthem of the Russian Federation The State Anthem of the Russian Federation is the official national anthem used by the Russian Federation as a national symbol alongside the Flag of Russia and the Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation. Its melody originates from a composition by Alexander Alexandrov originally written for the Soviet Union, while its modern lyrics were authored by Sergey Mikhalkov in 2000. The anthem's adoption involved political decisions by the President of Russia and ratification through the Federal Assembly (Russia), reflecting continuities and ruptures with the musical heritage of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

History

The anthem's tune was composed in 1943 by Alexander Alexandrov, founder of the Red Army Choir (the Alexandrov Ensemble), during World War II contemporaneous with events like the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of Kursk. Initially associated with the State Anthem of the Soviet Union, the melody was performed by ensembles tied to the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and featured in broadcasts from All-Union Radio and on state occasions presided over by leaders such as Joseph Stalin and later Nikita Khrushchev. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic briefly used a piece by Mikhail Glinka—the "Patrioticheskaya Pesnya"—promoted during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin but criticized by opponents including members of Communist Party of the Russian Federation and cultural figures linked to the Moscow Conservatory. Debates involving personalities such as Vladimir Putin and lawmakers in the State Duma culminated in restoration of Alexandrov's melody with new lyrics by Sergey Mikhalkov, himself a poet with ties to Soviet Writers' Union and earlier Soviet-era compositions.

Lyrics and Music

Musically, the anthem retains Alexandrov's orchestration, reflecting influences from Russian composers including Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Glinka, and the choral traditions exemplified by the Moscow Synodal Choir. The lyrics written by Sergey Mikhalkov in 2000 reference the Russian Federation and the territorial integrity associated with post-Soviet structures such as the Commonwealth of Independent States debate, while avoiding specific mentions of Soviet leader cults like that of Joseph Stalin or ideological terms tied to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Performances often employ arrangements by conductors connected to the Moscow Conservatory, the Russian National Orchestra, and the Alexandrov Ensemble. Notable performers who have sung the anthem include soloists affiliated with the Bolshoi Theatre and international conductors who have engaged with repertoire from the Mariinsky Theatre and the St. Petersburg Philharmonia.

Adoption and Legal Status

The formal readoption of the melody and adoption of new lyrics occurred under President Vladimir Putin via presidential decree and subsequent legislation passed by the State Duma and approved by the Federation Council of Russia. The legal text delineates occasions for mandatory performance, penalties and guidance issued by ministries such as the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and protocols coordinated with institutions like the Federal Protective Service (Russia). The anthem's status sits alongside statutes regulating other symbols codified in laws addressing the Flag of Russia and the Coat of Arms of Russia, and it has been subject to constitutional discussions in venues including hearings at the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation.

Performances and Protocol

Protocol for rendition is administered in official contexts involving the President of Russia, sessions of the Federal Assembly (Russia), state funerals for figures linked to institutions like the Supreme Court of Russia and the Government of Russia, and during military parades such as those on Victory Day (9 May). Orchestral and choral performances are staged by the Alexandrov Ensemble, the Russian Guard, and civic choirs associated with the Moscow Conservatory and the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. Internationally, the anthem is played at diplomatic events involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia) and at sporting competitions overseen by federations such as the Russian Olympic Committee and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association when Russian teams participate. Protocol manuals cite tempo, key, and arrangement standards often observed by conductors from the Mariinsky Theatre and the Bolshoi Theatre.

Reception and Criticism

Reception has been polarized: supporters including former officials from the Government of Russia and cultural conservatives linked to the Union of Soviet Officers praise the anthem for continuity with wartime patriotism and the legacy of the Great Patriotic War, while critics from parties like the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia and cultural institutions allied with dissident circles at the Sakharov Center have objected to associations with the Soviet past. Intellectuals from the Russian Academy of Sciences and commentators writing in outlets tied to the Izvestia and Kommersant newspapers debated national identity implications, and legal scholars referenced cases adjudicated in the European Court of Human Rights and the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation when discussing compelled performances or protest during renditions. Academic treatments by historians at universities such as Lomonosov Moscow State University and musicologists at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory analyze the anthem's melodic lineage, while international reactions from entities like the European Union and the United Nations have occasionally referenced Russia's use of national symbols in diplomatic contexts.

Category:Anthems