Poet Vasily Lebedev-Kumach published the lyrics on June 24, 1941. By the next day, ensemble founder Alexander Alexandrov had composed the music.

Because there was no time to print sheet music, Alexandrov reportedly wrote the notes on a blackboard for the choir to copy manually.

Performers describe the raw power of the choir's "screaming" chords, designed to evoke the terror and bravery of the era.

The song’s origin is as dramatic as its sound. Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the creation of an anthem to rally the people was urgent.

While it is a staple of Victory Day parades in Russia, the song has been adapted into several languages, including German ( Der Heilige Krieg ) and Hungarian. The Legacy of the Alexandrovci "The Sacred War" - The Alexandrov Red Army Choir (1942)

YouTube·Leonid Kharitonov (Леонид Харитонов)

On June 26, 1941, the ensemble performed it for the first time at Moscow’s Belorussky Railway Station for soldiers heading to the front. Eyewitnesses say they were asked to perform it five times in a row. The Sound of "Noble Fury"