Two Listmembers inquire about Soviet composers. A Hollander named Onno
van Rijen has compiled a very complete archive on Soviet composers, with
essays, biographies, discographies, etc. etc. It can be found at:
http://home-1.worldonline.nl/~ovar/bsovcom.html.
Rostislav Boiko's music is a completely unoriginal knockoff on 19th century
Russianisms. Nonetheless, he is so engaging about it that I too find his
stuff irresistable--as if Balakirev had been deep-frozen for a century and
thawed recently.
On another wavelength entirely, A Sovcom worth investigating is Edison
Denisov. He writes in a 60s-ish sonoristic idiom--God only knows how he
supported himself in Soviet times --and has a fine ear.
Jon Gallant
Genetics Department
University of Washington