I am taking a history class called "Mythologies of the City:
St.  Petersburg and Moscow in Russia" about, surprisingly enough, the
myths and symbols surrounding St.  Petersburg and Moscow.  For example:
Petersburg is a symbol modernity, the west, imperial power, secularism
(even immorality), etc.  while Moscow is a symbol of Old Russia,
spirituality, the Orthodox Church, etc.  In my final paper I want to write
about how these themes manifest themselves in Russian classical music.  The
paper doesn't have to relate directly to the cities but it couldn't hurt.
Some thoughts I have are the re-discovery of folk music, nationalism vs.
more western influenced music, etc.  One thought I had that would relate
the music to the cities, though I don't know if this is feasible, is to
examine the composers who came out of the Moscow Conservatoire vs. the
ones who came out of the one in Petersburg or, perhaps, the west.  Would
there be a great enough difference between the two groups? Does anyone have
any other ideas? Can anyone recommend any resources that would be good for
researching this?

Thanks,
Mike Ostrowski
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