Year Shostakovich: Life And Works Contemporary Soviet Music Contemporary Soviet Culture Contemporary Soviet Life
1956 49-50. January: receives Shebalin: The Taming of the Shrew Second 'thaw'. Wave of The 'Year of Protest'. Widespread
diploma of St Cecilia in Rome; (opera) Shchedrin: The Little rehabilitated intellectuals unrest in the Soviet bloc.
finishes film score The First Humpbacked Horse (ballet) Glier: return from Siberia (including February: Khrushchev 'unmasks'
Echelon, Op.99. March 11-12: Violin Concerto Volkonsky: Musica Akhmatova's son). May: Fadeyev Stalin in his 'Secret Speech' to
Katerina Ismailova officially Stricta Sviridov: To the Memory shoots himself. Dudintsev: Not the 20th Party Congress. June
auditioned and rejected. of Esenin Kabalevsky: Romeo and By Bread Alone (novel) Khikmet: 28-29: Poznan strike in Poland
Summer: 6 Spanish Songs, Juliet Eshpay: Violin Concerto Did Ivan Ivanovich Ever Exist? put down by Soviet tanks. June
Op.100. Simple Folk (1945) No. 1 Vainberg: Cello Concerto (play) Nilin: Probationary 30: Central Committee issues
released. Marries Margarita Ivanovs: Symphony No. 8 Popov: Period (novella) Yashin: Levers resolution on 'overcoming the
Kainova. August: Quartet No. 6 Symphony No. 5 (novella) Literary Moscow I & personality cult' (of J.V.
in G, Op.101. September 25: II (anthologies) Yevtushenko: Stalin). October-November:
Order of Lenin. Zima Junction (poem) Kozintsev: Hungarian Uprising crushed by Red
Don Quixote (film) Chukrai: The Army. 25,000 die. End of
Fortyfirst (film) liberalisation.
1957 50-51. Spring: guest at Prague Karayev: Path of Thunder (ballet) Clamp-down. Khrushchev First highrise housing complexes,
Spring Festival. Piano Concerto Volkonsky: Music for 12 reprimands Dudintsev. (eg., Cheryomushki). Beginning of
No. 2 in F, op.102. March Instruments Vainberg: Symphony Yevtushenko criticised. campaign against 'parasites'
28-April 5: attends Second No. 4 Khrennikov: The Mother November: Doctor Zhivago (nominally 'anti-social
Congress of Composers' Union. (opera) Denisov: Quartet No. 1 published in Italy and Germany. elements'; in practice,
Summer: Symphony No. 11 in G Gubaidulina: Piano Quintet Nikolayeva: A Running Battle nonconformist writers and
minor, Op. 103 ('The Year Tishchenko: Quartet No. 1; Piano (novel) Kalatazov: The Cranes artists). July: Khrushchev
1905') for the 40th anniversary Sonata No. 1 Schnittke: Violin Are Flying (film) liquidates 'anti-Party
of the October Revolution. Concerto No. 1 Peiko: Symphony opposition' (Malenkov,
September: S. made a Secretary No. 3 Shchedrin: Symphony No. 1 Kaganovich, Molotov), gaining
of Union of Soviet Composers. Ustvolskaya: Piano Sonata No. 4 supreme power. October 3: riots
October 30: Eleventh Symphony Ivanovs: The Bear-Skinner in Warsaw. October 4: Sputnik,
premiered in Moscow. Greatest first satellite. October 26:
popular success since Seventh Khrushchev eliminates his chief
Symphony. November: 2 Russian supporter in July, Marshal
Folk Songs (Cultivation), Zhukov, for 'Bonapartism'.
Op.104.
1958 51-52. Spring: operetta Moscow, Tishchenko: Violin Concerto No. Nationwide drive against Milovan Djilas's The New Class
Cheryomushki, Op.105. April 22: 1; French Symphony Volkonsky: religion. October: Pasternak published in Yugoslavia. Unrest
Lenin Prize for Eleventh Quartet No. 2; Serenade for an awarded Nobel Prize for Doctor in universities leads to trial of
Symphony. May 28: CP Resolution Insect Kabalevsky: Song of Zhivago. Forced to renounce it, Union of Patriots of Russia
to correct 'errors' of 1948 Morning, Spring, and Peace he is thrown out of the (protesting Moscow students).
decree. June: Honorary (cantata) Gubaidulina: Symphony Writers' Union. November: March 27: Khrushchev ousts
Doctorate, Oxford. Summer: Schnittke: Nagasaki (oratorio) official campaign of harassment Bulganin, becoming chairman of
re-orchestrates Khovanschina Balanchivadze: Symphony No. 2 against Pasternak. December: Council of Ministers.
for film, Op.106. Begins to Karetnikov: Symphony No. 3 Sakharov appeals to Khrushchev
feel pain in right hand. Lokshin: Symphony No. 1 Tubin: to stop H-bomb tests.
December: meets Irina Symphony No. 7 Gerasimov: The Quiet Don (film)
Supinskaya.
1959 52-53. January 24: premiere of Sviridov: Pathetic Oratorio Beginning of poetry readings in Dissident protest grows in all
Moscow, Cheryomushki in Moscow. Shebalin: The Sun over the Steppe Mayakovsky Square, Moscow. May: walks of life. Start of
March: visits USA and Mexico. (opera) Kabalevsky: The Leninists Khrushchev's address to the seven-year plan to regenerate
May 23: Khovanschina premiered. (choruses) Karayev: Our Party Third Congress of Writers' Soviet agriculture. September:
Summer: Cello Concerto No.1 in (cantata) Vainberg: Violin Union. Sholokhov: Virgin Soil Khrushchev visits USA. Beginning
E flat Op.107. October 4: First Concerto Gubaidulina: Piano Upturned Pt.2 (novel) Simonov: of detente.
Cello Concerto premiered in Concerto Tishchenko: Quartet No. The Living and the Dead (novel)
Leningrad (soloist: Mstislav 2 Eshpay: Symphony No. 1 Chukrai: Ballad of a Soldier
Rostropovich). October: visits Khrennikov: Violin Concerto (film) Bondarchuk: Destiny of a
USA. November 4: Salmanov: Symphony No. 2 Man (film)
re-orchestration of Boris Ustvolskaya: Grand Duet for cello
Godunov (1939-40) premiered in and piano
Leningrad. December: buys dacha
in Zhukovka outside Moscow.
1960 53-54. January: hospitalised Shebalin: Quartet No. 8 May 30: Pasternak dies at Authorities start confining
for treatment to right hand. Tishchenko: Piano Sonata No. 2 Peredelkino. Katayev: Winter dissidents in psychiatric
February-March: Quartet No. 7 Volkonsky: Viola Sonata; Mirror Wind (novel) Tvardovsky: Beyond hospitals. January 20: successful
in F sharp minor, Op.108. April Suite Kabalevsky: Spring the Far Distance (poem) ballistic missile test in the
9: re-elected First Secretary (symphonic poem) Schnittke: Piano Sinyavsky ('Abraham Tertz'): Pacific. April: beginning of
of RSFSR Composers' Union. Concerto Ivanovs: Symphony No. 9 The Trial Begins (novel) break between Russia and China.
March-June: 5 Satires (Pictures Grossman: Life and Fate (novel, May 1: U2 spy-plane shot down
of the Past), Op.109. May 15: unpublished) over Sverdlovsk. May 17:
Seventh Quartet premiered in Khrushchev disrupts summit
Leningrad. July 12-14: Quartet conference over U2 incident.
No. 8 in C minor, Op.110, in
Dresden. August: film score
Five Days, Five Nights, Op.111,
in East Germany. September:
Novorossiisk Chimes. September
14: accepted as candidate
member of the Communist Party.
Ban on Eighth Symphony
rescinded. October 2: Eighth
Quartet premiered in Leningrad.
Great success. November: leaves
Margarita Kainova.
1961 54-55. February 22: Pictures of Shchedrin: Not Love Alone (opera) Third 'thaw' begins. October: April 12: cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin
the Past premiered in Moscow Denisov: Siberian Soil (oratorio) Bukovsky and Kuznetsov in Vostock first man in space.
(soloist: Galina Vishnevskaya). Gubaidulina: Intermettso arrested. Yevtushenko: Babi June: Berlin crisis begins.
Spring: Leningrad University Tishchenko: Symphony No. 1 Yar (poem) Paustovsky (ed): August: building of Berlin Wall.
invite S. to give postgraduate Schnittke: Poem About Cosmos Tarusa Pages (anthology) September: Grigorenko warns of
classes in composition. Summer: Vaynberg: Flute Concerto Kochetov: The Secretary of the new 'cult of personality'
Symphony No. 12 in D minor, Volkonsky: Les Plaintes de Oblast Committee (novel) surrounding Khrushchev. October:
Op.112 ('The Year 1917'). Chtchaza Tormis: Symphony No. 1 Aksyonov: A Ticket to the Stars 22nd Party Congress. Khrushchev's
August: grandson Dmitri born. (story) Sinyavsky ('Abraham second anti-Stalin speech.
October 1: Twelfth Symphony Tertz'): The Icicle (stories) Removal of Stalin's remains from
premiered at 22nd Congress of Serebryakova: The Theft of Fire the mausoleum in Red Square.
Soviet C.P. October: becomes (novel) Katayev: The Catacombs Highwater mark of
full member of Communist Party. (novel) pre-Gorbachevian
To Liszt-Bartok Festival in 'de-Stalinization'. December:
Budapest. December 30: Fourth Albania breaks off relations with
Symphony (1935-6) premiered in USSR over de-Stalinization.
Moscow.
1962 55-56. Spring: orchestrates Shebalin: Symphony No. 5 Serebryakova attacks literary June 2: workers peacefully
Songs and Dances of Death Kabalevsky: Requiem A. nonconformists. October: Pravda protesting price-rises in
(Mussorgsky). March 25-April 3: Khachaturian: Concert Rhapsody prints Yevtushenko's The Heirs Novocherkassk violently
2nd Congress of the Composers' for violin and orchestra of Stalin (poem) November: Novy suppressed by the army. Around 80
Union. May: elected delegate to Vainberg: Symphony No. 5 Mir publishes One Day in the killed. October: Khrushchev
Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Shchedrin: Piano Sonata Life of Ivan Denisovich. announces a 'return to Leninist
June 20-July 20: hospitalised. Volkonsky: Game for Three; Jam December: Khrushchev enraged by norms'. October 17: Sino-Soviet
Begins Thirteenth Symphony. Session Eshpay: Symphony No. 2 exhibition of abstract art at rift becomes official.
August: arranges 2 Davidenko Tishchenko: Piano Concerto the Manege. Demands new October-November: Cuban missile
Choruses, Op.124; finishes Ali-Zade: Symphony No. 1 Denisov: discipline among crisis.
Symphony No. 13 in B minor, Symphony for 2 string orchestras intelligentsia. End of third
Op.113. September: to Edinburgh and percussion Knipper: Symphony 'thaw'. Solzhenitsyn: One Day
Festival. December 18: No. 15 for strings Salmanov: in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
Thirteenth Symphony premiered Children's Symphony (novella) Bondarev: Silence
in Moscow. Great controversy. (novel) Stadnyuk: People are
December: marries Irina not Angels (novel)
Supinskaya. December 26: Serebryakova: Life's Summits
premiere of Katerina Ismailova (novel) Tarkovsky: Ivan's
in Leningrad. Childhood (film) Gerasimov: Men
and Beasts (film)
1963 56-57. January 8: premiere of Tishchenko: Cello Concerto No. 1; March 8: Khrushchev's speech on Failure of 'Virgin Lands' scheme.
Katerina Ismailova in Moscow. The Twelve (ballet) A. discipline in the arts. He Severe food-shortages. Khrushchev
Summer: re-orchestrates Khachaturian: Concert Rhapsody dictates the line to writers, buys wheat from Canada. Unrest
Schumann's Cello Concerto, for cello and orchestra Shebalin: artists, directors. December: and strikes across the USSR. July
Op.125; orchest rates From Quartet No. 9 Vainberg: Symphony Serebryakova attacks Ehrenburg 25: Limited Nuclear test Ban
Jewish Folk Poetry (1948); No. 6 Lokshin: Symphony No. 2 with Khrushchev's approval. Treaty.
Overture on Russian and Shchedrin: Concerto for Orchestra Yevtushenko: Precocious
Khirghiz Themes, Op.115; No. 1 (Merry Ditties) Pärt: Autobiography. Tvardovsky:
arranges Prelude and Fugue 15 Symphony No. 1 Silvestrov: Tyorkin in the Other World
and Tarantella (from The Symphony No. 1 Ivanovs: Symphony (poem) Shepitko: Heat (film)
Gadfly) for 2 pfs. December: No. 10 Mosolov: Quartet No. 2
begins music for Kozintsev's Sviridov: Petersburg Songs
Hamlet. Karetnikov: Symphony No. 4
Salmanov: Symphony No. 4
Lyatoshinsky: Symphony No. 4
1964 57-58. January: finishes film Denisov: Sun of the Incas Brodsky tried for 'parasitism' May: KGB sets fire to library of
score Hamlet, Op.116, at (cantata) Kabalevsky: Cello in Leningrad. Sentenced to Ukrainian National Academy of
Repino. February 15-23: Concerto No. 2 A. Khachaturian: three years' forced labour. Sciences, destroying some
festival of S.'s work in Gorky. Concert Rhapsody for Piano and Relaxation while national treasures. October 14:
April: to Tashkent for Orchestra Sviridov: Kursk Songs Brezhnev/Kosygin regime settles Khrushchev deposed. Brezhnev
festival. May: meets Sholokhov Khrennikov: Cello Concerto in: beginning of fourth 'thaw'. elected first secretary of the
at Don Festival. Announces Vainberg: Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8 Gorbatov: Years Off My Life Central Committee.
opera The Quiet Don (a Ustvolskaya: Duet for violin and (memoir) Sinyavsky ('Abraham
smokescreen for his other work, piano Eshpay: Symphony No. 3 Tertz'): The Makepeace
finally abandoned in 1967). Experiment (novel) Yutkevich:
May: Quartet No.9 in E, Op.117. Lenin in Poland (film)
July: visits Armenia. Quartet Kozintsev: Hamlet (film)
No. 10 in A, Op.118. Bondarchuk: War and Peace (film)
August-September: The Execution
of Stepan Razin (cantata),
Op.119. November 20: premiere
of Ninth and Tenth Quartets in
Moscow. December 28: premiere
of Stepan Razin in Moscow.
1965 58-59. January: celebrates New Tishchenko: Symphony No. 2; Piano September: KGB seize manuscript Purge of Ukrainian nationalists.
Year with Britten in Zhukhovka. Sonata No. 3 Karayev: Symphony of Solzhenitsyn's The First March: unrest in universities
January: hospitalised in No. 3 Gubaydulina: Piano Sonata; Circle. Daniel and Sinyavsky leads to new crack-down on
neurological unit. February: to Etudes Schnittke: Dialogues arrested. Panic in the literary dissidents. May: at Central
Vienna for production of Shchedrin: Symphony No. 2 underground: samizdat and Committee plenum on agriculture,
Katerina Ismailova. Silvestrov: Symphony No. 2 illegal emigré material hastily Brezhnev acknowledges failure
of
March-April: to Bulgaria for Denisov: Crescendo and Diminuendo rehidden. October: Sholokhov agricultural seven-year plan.
festival of Soviet music. April Kabalevsky: Homeland (cantata); awarded Nobel Prize. Tarsis: Reduction of compulsory farm
26: premiere of 5 Fragments, Heroes of Gorlovka (symphonic Ward Seven (study) Chukovskaya: quotas to encourage production.
Op. 42 (1935) in Leningrad. poem) Ivanovs: Symphony No. 11 The Deserted House (novel) December: pro-constitution
Summer: convalescence and Peiko: Symphony No. 4 Tarkovsky: Andrei Rublev (film) demonstration in Pushkin Square.
holiday in Byelorussia. August:
death of Vasili Shirinsky.
Autumn: film score A Year As
Long As A Lifetime, Op.120; 5
Romances on Texts from
Krokodil, Op.121; work on film
of Katerina Ismailova. November
22: celebrates birthday of
Britten, then visiting Russia.
December: to Budapest for
production of Katerina
Ismailova.