Soviet Russia (1953-1991)

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2017

After Stalin: The Thaw

20171113

Marking the centenary of the 1917 Revolution, Donald Macleod continues his exploration of Russian music with a week of programmes charting Soviet music from the death of Stalin to the dissolution of the Union in 1991.

In the company of Professor Marina Frolova-Walker, we discover a musical culture travelling down two parallel roads. Communist ideals continue to find their place in music, through film, drama and orchestral music. But cultural outsiders plough a furrow too, determined to explore new musical techniques, often at the risk of being ostracised by their peers and the establishment.

The week begins in 1953, the year of Stalin's death. The so-called 'Thaw' begins, and with it musicians increasingly test the water in their responses to changing times. Composers like Georgy Sviridov present an image of a 'paradise lost', and Galina Ustvolskaya turn to the most ascetic sounds of the avant-garde. And amongst it all, Dmitri Shostakovich continues down a treacherous path of trying to be true to his musical and political ideals in a climate where an iron fist is never far above the composer's head.

Khachaturian: Sword Dance of the Young Thracians (from Spartacus)

Scottish National Orchestra

Neeme J䀀rvi, conductor

Sviridov: Poem to the Memory of Sergei Yesenin (excerpt)

Alexei Maslennikov (tenor)

Yurlov Russian State Academic Choir

Leningrad State Philharmonic Society Symphony Orchestra

Yuri Temirkanov, conductor

Bunin: Viola Concerto (excerpt)

Rudolf Barshai (viola/director)

Moscow Chamber Orchestra

Ustvolskaya: Preludes 10-12

David Arden (piano)

Shostakovich: Symphony No.11, Op.103 (finale)

USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra

Gennadi Rozhdestvensky (conductor).

Donald Macleod presents music from 1953, the year of Stalin's death.

2017

The 1960s: A New Folk Wave

20171114

One theme from the 1917 October lingered long into the Soviet era: the spirit of the proletarian revolutionary. Donald Macleod is joined once again by Marina Frolova-Walker to explore how folk culture found its way into art music following Stalin's death, including one composer's controversial reimagining of Bizet's famous Carmen.

Shchedrin:

Concerto for Orchestra no.1 'Naughty Limericks

Russian National Orchestra

Mikhail Pletnev, conductor

Carmen Suite (excerpts)

Sviridov:

Time, Forward!

Russian Philharmonic Orchestra

Konstantin Krimets (conductor)

Canticles and Prayers - Having Beheld a Strange Nativity

Credo Chamber Orchestra

Bogdan Plish (conductor)

Russia Cast Adrift (last 4 movements)

Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone)

St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra

Constantine Orbelian (conductor).

Donald Macleod explores the appearance of folk culture in the Soviet music of the 1960s.

2017

Church, State And Spirit

20171115

Donald Macleod's exploration of Soviet music reaches the 1970s as the space race gathers pace, and the Cold War reaches ever more terrifying heights. Against this backdrop a seam of music taking its inspiration from the Church emerges, including work by the woman who famously described herself as a 'tardy autumnal fruit', Sofia Gubaidulina.

Ustvolskaya: Composition No 1 - Dona nobis pacem (part 3)

Schoenberg Ensemble

Reinbert de Leeuw (conductor)

Gubaidulina: In croce

Henrik Brendstrup (cello)

Jens Christensen (organ)

Martynov: The Beatitudes

Conspirare

Craig Hella Johnson

Schnittke: Choir Concerto - 1st movement

Russian State Symphonic Cappella

Valery Polyansky (conductor).

Spiritual themes find their way into Soviet music from the 1970s. With Donald Macleod.

2017

Looking Out

20171116

Could the Iron Curtain have made musical culture beyond Soviet borders more alluring? Donald Macleod and Marina Frolova-Walker find out, as they explore music written by Soviet composers who spent much of their time looking towards European trends. Plus music by a unique Russian voice who spent his career immersed in the world of jazz.

Denisov: Song about a Finger (from Sun of the Incas)

Natalia Zagorinskaya (soprano)

Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble

Denisov: Bagatelle No.3

Jean-Pierre Armengaud (piano)

Kapustin: Variations, Op.41

Marc-Andre Hamelin (piano)

Schnittke: Title: Concerto Grosso No.1

Gidon Kremer (violin)

Tatiana Grindenko (violin)

Yuri Smirnov (harpsichord, prepared piano)

Chamber Orchestra of Europe

Heinrich Schiff (conductor)

Schnittke: Pastorale (Suite in the Old Style)

Leonard Elschenbroich (cello)

Petr Limonov (piano).

Donald Macleod explores music by Russians determined to reach beyond the Iron Curtain.

2017

05 LAST

Glasnost

20171117

As Glasnost makes itself felt in the final years of the Soviet Union, Russian composers forge their own path in the face of political turmoil. For many, emigration beckons. For others, a determination to find a new Russian voice for the post-Soviet era. Donald Macleod is joined by Russian music historian Marina Frolova-Walker.

Sofia Gubaidulina: Silenzio 1

Geir Draugsvoll (bayan)

Geir Inge Lotsberg (violin)

؀yvind Gimse (cello)

Elena Firsova: Forest Walks, Op 36 (1st movement)

Studio New Music Moscow

Ekaterina Kichigina (soprano)

Igor Dronov (conductor)

Yuri Kasparov: Devil's Trills

Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble

Nikolai Korndorf: Yarilo

Ivan Sokolov (piano).

Donald Macleod explores the final years of the Soviet Union in music.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2017	01	After Stalin: The Thaw	20171113	Marking the centenary of the 1917 Revolution, Donald Macleod continues his exploration of Russian music with a week of programmes charting Soviet music from the death of Stalin to the dissolution of the Union in 1991. In the company of Professor Marina Frolova-Walker, we discover a musical culture travelling down two parallel roads. Communist ideals continue to find their place in music, through film, drama and orchestral music. But cultural outsiders plough a furrow too, determined to explore new musical techniques, often at the risk of being ostracised by their peers and the establishment. The week begins in 1953, the year of Stalin's death. The so-called 'Thaw' begins, and with it musicians increasingly test the water in their responses to changing times. Composers like Georgy Sviridov present an image of a 'paradise lost', and Galina Ustvolskaya turn to the most ascetic sounds of the avant-garde. And amongst it all, Dmitri Shostakovich continues down a treacherous path of trying to be true to his musical and political ideals in a climate where an iron fist is never far above the composer's head. Khachaturian: Sword Dance of the Young Thracians (from Spartacus) Scottish National Orchestra Neeme J䀀rvi, conductor Sviridov: Poem to the Memory of Sergei Yesenin (excerpt) Alexei Maslennikov (tenor) Yurlov Russian State Academic Choir Leningrad State Philharmonic Society Symphony Orchestra Yuri Temirkanov, conductor Bunin: Viola Concerto (excerpt) Rudolf Barshai (viola/director) Moscow Chamber Orchestra Ustvolskaya: Preludes 10-12 David Arden (piano) Shostakovich: Symphony No.11, Op.103 (finale) USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra Gennadi Rozhdestvensky (conductor). Donald Macleod presents music from 1953, the year of Stalin's death.
2017	02	The 1960s: A New Folk Wave	20171114	One theme from the 1917 October lingered long into the Soviet era: the spirit of the proletarian revolutionary. Donald Macleod is joined once again by Marina Frolova-Walker to explore how folk culture found its way into art music following Stalin's death, including one composer's controversial reimagining of Bizet's famous Carmen. Shchedrin: Concerto for Orchestra no.1 'Naughty Limericks Russian National Orchestra Mikhail Pletnev, conductor Carmen Suite (excerpts) Sviridov: Time, Forward! Russian Philharmonic Orchestra Konstantin Krimets (conductor) Canticles and Prayers - Having Beheld a Strange Nativity Credo Chamber Orchestra Bogdan Plish (conductor) Russia Cast Adrift (last 4 movements) Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone) St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra Constantine Orbelian (conductor). Donald Macleod explores the appearance of folk culture in the Soviet music of the 1960s.
2017	03	Church, State And Spirit	20171115	Donald Macleod's exploration of Soviet music reaches the 1970s as the space race gathers pace, and the Cold War reaches ever more terrifying heights. Against this backdrop a seam of music taking its inspiration from the Church emerges, including work by the woman who famously described herself as a 'tardy autumnal fruit', Sofia Gubaidulina. Ustvolskaya: Composition No 1 - Dona nobis pacem (part 3) Schoenberg Ensemble Reinbert de Leeuw (conductor) Gubaidulina: In croce Henrik Brendstrup (cello) Jens Christensen (organ) Martynov: The Beatitudes Conspirare Craig Hella Johnson Schnittke: Choir Concerto - 1st movement Russian State Symphonic Cappella Valery Polyansky (conductor). Spiritual themes find their way into Soviet music from the 1970s. With Donald Macleod.
2017	04	Looking Out	20171116	Could the Iron Curtain have made musical culture beyond Soviet borders more alluring? Donald Macleod and Marina Frolova-Walker find out, as they explore music written by Soviet composers who spent much of their time looking towards European trends. Plus music by a unique Russian voice who spent his career immersed in the world of jazz. Denisov: Song about a Finger (from Sun of the Incas) Natalia Zagorinskaya (soprano) Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble Denisov: Bagatelle No.3 Jean-Pierre Armengaud (piano) Kapustin: Variations, Op.41 Marc-Andre Hamelin (piano) Schnittke: Title: Concerto Grosso No.1 Gidon Kremer (violin) Tatiana Grindenko (violin) Yuri Smirnov (harpsichord, prepared piano) Chamber Orchestra of Europe Heinrich Schiff (conductor) Schnittke: Pastorale (Suite in the Old Style) Leonard Elschenbroich (cello) Petr Limonov (piano). Donald Macleod explores music by Russians determined to reach beyond the Iron Curtain.
2017	05 LAST	Glasnost	20171117	As Glasnost makes itself felt in the final years of the Soviet Union, Russian composers forge their own path in the face of political turmoil. For many, emigration beckons. For others, a determination to find a new Russian voice for the post-Soviet era. Donald Macleod is joined by Russian music historian Marina Frolova-Walker. Sofia Gubaidulina: Silenzio 1 Geir Draugsvoll (bayan) Geir Inge Lotsberg (violin) ؀yvind Gimse (cello) Elena Firsova: Forest Walks, Op 36 (1st movement) Studio New Music Moscow Ekaterina Kichigina (soprano) Igor Dronov (conductor) Yuri Kasparov: Devil's Trills Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble Nikolai Korndorf: Yarilo Ivan Sokolov (piano). Donald Macleod explores the final years of the Soviet Union in music.