Year Shostakovich: Life And Works Contemporary Soviet Music Contemporary Soviet Culture Contemporary Soviet Life
1966 59-60. January: Quartet No. 11 Tishchenko: Symphony No. 3; February: trial of writers End of 'de-Stalinization'. Moves
in F minor, Op.122, at Repino. Requiem (after Akhmatova) Daniel and Sinyavsky. Sholokhov to rehabilitate the dictator.
February: Preface to My Schnittke: Violin Concerto No. 2; demands death-sentence. They Khrushchev 'unpersoned'. Wave of
Collected Works and Brief Quartet No. 2 Eshpay: Piano are sentenced to seven years' repressive political trials all
Reflections on this Preface, Sonata Shchedrin: Piano Concerto hard labour. End of fourth over Russia. Censorship
Op.123. March 25: premiere of No. 2 Lokshin: Symphony No. 3 'thaw'. Beginning of Export reinforced. March-April: 23rd
Eleventh Quartet in Moscow. Denisov: Laments Lyatoshinsky: Only literature and rapid Party Congress. Restoring
March-April: attends 23rd Symphony No. 5 Silvestrov: growth of samizdat literature. Politburo, Brezhnev makes himself
Congress of CP as Leningrad Symphony No. 3 (Eschatophony) March: intellectuals protest General Secretary. September:
delegate. April: falls ill. Ali-Zade: Symphony No. 2 Ivanovs: Soviet injustice and deplore penal code revised to facilitate
Convalesces in sanatorium in Poem of Struggle (for strings) the trend towards action against dissidents.
the Crimea. Cello Concerto No. Tubin: Symphony No. 8 Pärt: rehabilitation of Stalin. March
2 in G, Op.126. April 24: Symphony No. 2 5: Akhmatova dies at Komarovo.
premiere of 6 Japanese Kuznetsov: Babi Yar (novel)
Romances, Op.21 (1928-32) in Shalamov: Kolyma Tales
Leningrad. May 28: premiere of (stories, published in samizdat)
5 Krokodil Romances in
Leningrad. Suffers heart attack
after concert. June: Leningrad
White Nights Festival devoted
to S.'s music. June-August:
hospitalised. September 25:
60th birthday. Order of Lenin
and Hero of Socialist Labour.
Premieres of Second Cello
Concerto (soloist: Mstislav
Rostropovich) and film of
Katerina Ismailova.
Autumn-Winter: works quietly on
Blok cycle at Zhukovka.
1967 60-61. Celebrates New Year with Karayev: Violin Concerto Eshpay: Alexander Ginzburg arrested for More political trials. Beginning
Britten at Zhukovka. Spring: Concerto for Orchestra Vainberg: publishing 'seditious' of Brezhnevian 'stagnation'.
finishes 7 Romances on Verses Symphony No. 9; Trumpet Concerto material. May: Solzhenitsyn December: Ceausescu takes over in
by Alexander Blok, Op.127; song B. Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 writes to Fourth Congress of Rumania.
Spring, spring, Op.128. May: Shchedrin: Concerto for Orchestra the Writers' Union, demanding
Violin Concerto No. 2 in C No. 2 (Chimes) Sviridov: Time, an end to censorship. E.
sharp minor, Op.129, at Repino. Forward! Mosolov: Hail, Moscow Ginzburg: Into the Whirlwind
August: holiday in Byelorussia. (cantata) Volkonsky: Itinerant (memoir, published in samizdat)
Car-accident in Moscow: breaks Concerto Ivanovs: Symphony No. 12 Fedin: The Bonfire (novel)
leg. Funeral-Triumphal Prelude, Kancheli: Symphony No. 1 Serebryakova: Tornado (memoir)
Op.130, and symphonic poem Gerasimov: The Journalist (film)
October, Op.131, for 50th
anniversary of the revolution.
September 13: Second Violin
Concerto premiered in Bolshevo
(soloist: David Oistrakh).
Autumn: film score Sofya
Perovskaya, Op.132. October:
Blok cycle premiered in Moscow.
1968 61-62. Spring: orchestration of Gubaydulina: Night in Memphis February: Alexander Ginzburg January: Dubcek succeeds Novotny
Fleishman's Rothschild's (cantata) Eshpay: Lenin Is With given seven years in the Gulag. in Czechoslovakia. Liberalisation
Violin. March 11: finishes Us (cantata) Shchedrin: Carmen March-April: trial of Christian - the 'Prague Spring'. May: Czech
Quartet No. 12 in D flat Suite Denisov: Autumn Lokshin: group in Leningrad. April: leaders visit Moscow. July:
Op.133. April: steps down as Symphony No. 4 K. Khachaturian: first issue of Chronicle of 'Warsaw Letter' ultimatum to
First Secretary of RSFSR Symphony No. 2 Knipper: Symphony Current Events. June: Prague. August 20: Soviet Pact
Composers' Union. Rothschild's No. 16 Vainberg: Symphony No. 10 Sakharov's Progress, forces invade Czechoslovakia.
Violin premiered in Leningrad. Peiko: Symphony No. 5 Coexistence, and Intellectual August 25: dissident protests in
June 14: Twelfth Quartet Freedom (in samizdat) Autumn: Red Square against Soviet
premiered in Moscow. August: Pavel Litvinov arrested. intervention in Czechoslovakia.
Violin Sonata, Op.134. Summer: Solzhenitsyn: The First Circle; October: trial of Red Square
tour through Karelia with Irina. Cancer Ward (novels) Abramov: demonstrators.
Two Winters, Three Summers
(novel)
1969 62-63. January 8: Violin Sonata Denisov: D-S-C-H; Wind Quintet Solzhenitsyn thrown out of the Zorin and Alexeyev: the
premiered in Moscow (soloist: Gubaydulina: Rubayat (cantata) Writers' Union. Rostropovich 'Leningrad Programme'. Samizdat
David Oistrakh). Volkonsky: Les Mailles du temps gives him refuge. analysis of nomenklatura as
January-February: hospitalised Tishchenko: Cello Concerto No. 3 Solzhenitsyn: The Lovegirl and Soviet ruling-class. March:
in neurological unit. Composes Vainberg: Symphony No. 11 Popov: the Innocent Marchenko: My Sino-Soviet border clashes on the
Symphony No. 14, Op.135. March: Symphony No. 6 (Festive) Tubin: Testimony (memoir) Trifonov: Ussuri River. May: formation of
re-orchestrates Tishchenko's Symphony No. 9 Terteryan: The Exchange (novel) Donskoi: action group for defense of civil
Cello Concerto No. 1 (1963). Symphony No. 1 Chaliapin (film) rights in USSR. General
Summer: holidays in Armenia and Grigorenko arrested and
Siberia. September 29: 14th imprisoned in psychiatric ward.
Symphony premiered in Leningrad June: Crimean Tatars demonstrate
(soloists: Vishnevskaya, Mark in Moscow. December: Soviet
Reshetin). negotiators are recalled from
Peking.
1970 63-64. January-February: Gubaydulina: Vivente, non vivente Tvardovsky sacked from Sakharov, Tverdokhlebov, and
Loyalty (8 choruses), Op.136, Shchedrin: 24 Preludes and Fugues editorship of Novy Mir. Chalidze found Soviet Human
for Lenin's centenary. Volkonsky: Replica Popov: Solzhenitsyn invited to leave Rights Committee. March 5:
April-May: hospitalised Symphony No.6; Organ Concerto the USSR; he refuses to go. Sakharov writes to Soviet
(Ilizarov clinic in Kurgan). Denisov: Peinture Tishchenko: Zhores Medvedev sent to mental leadership, protesting lack of
June-July: film score King Sinfonia Robusta; Quartet No. 3; hospital for criticising the intellectual freedom. June:
Lear, Op.137. Summer: Moscow, Tsvetayeva Songs Lokshin: Soviet regime. Solzhenitsyn beginning of Jewish emigration
for Tchaikovsky Competition. Symphony No. 5 (Shakespeare's protests, calling it 'spiritual movement. August: diplomatic
September-October: Ilizarov Sonnets) Knipper: Symphony Nos. murder'. October: Solzhenitsyn relations with China re-opened.
clinic again. Quartet No. 13 in 17 (Lenin) and 18 Ivanovs: awarded Nobel Prize. N. December: trial of Jewish
B flat minor, Op.138; March of Symphony No. 13 Kancheli: Mandelstam: Hope Against Hope dissidents who tried to hijack
the Soviet Police, Op.139. Symphony No. 2 (Chants) Suslin: (memoir) Grossman: Forever plane in Leningrad. Gaoled for
December 11: premiere of Sinfonia piccola Flowing (novel) Bondarchuk: fifteen years. Polish price-riots
Thirteenth Quartet in Moscow. Waterloo (film) in Gdansk. Gierek replaces
Gomulka.
1971 64-65. Spring: orchestrates 6 Denisov: Piano Trio Lokshin: Solzhenitsyn: August 1914 Nadir of Brezhnevian repression.
Romances on Verses by English Symphony No. 6 Gubaydulina: (novel) Maksimov: Seven Days of Widespread crime, alcoholism, and
Poets (1942), Op.140. Quartet No. 1; Fairytale Pärt: Creation (novel) corruption. March: 24th Party
July-August: Symphony No. 15 in Symphony No. 3 K. Khachaturian: A Congress. Italian and Rumanian
A, Op.141. September: suffers Moment of History (cantata) delegates reject Brezhnev
second heart-attack during Knipper: Symphony No. 19 Doctrine of unlimited
rehearsals of Fifteenth Khrennikov: Piano Concerto No. 2 sovereignty. Indo-Soviet
Symphony. October: Order of the Ivanovs: Symphony No. 14 for friendship treaty. September:
October Revolution. Winter: chamber orchestra Ustvolskaya: Khrushchev dies. Brezhnev meets
hospitalised. Dona nobis pacem Tito in Belgrade.
1972 65-66. January 8: Fifteenth Shchedrin: Lenin Lives (cantata) January: KGB crack-down. New wave of censorship. Trials of
Symphony premiered in Moscow. Kabalevsky: Letter to the 30th Chronicle of Current Events 'liberals' in Czechoslovakia.
May: visits East Germany. century (oratorio) Lokshin: banned. June: arrest of Petr May: army suppresses nationalist
Summer: to Aldeburgh to stay Symphony No. 7 Denisov: Cello Yakir. Kozintsev: King Lear demonstration in Lithuania. May:
with Britten. Begins Fourteenth Concerto Schnittke: Symphony No. (film) Tarkovsky: Solaris (film) Nixon visits Moscow. May 30:
Quartet. Autumn-winter: 1 Eshpay: Violin Concerto No. 2 signing of SALT 1 treaty on
hospitalised with renal colic Gubaydulina: Roses (song-cycle) limitation of strategic nuclear
and lung-cancer. Undergoes Tishchenko: Piano Sonata No. 4 weapons.
radiation therapy. Knipper: Symphony No. 20 Peiko:
Symphony No. 6 Ivanovs: Symphony
No. 15 Terteryan: Symphony No. 2
1973 66-67. February: to Berlin for Lokshin: Symphony No. 8 Denisov: Mandelstam's poetry published No change on freedom of
productions of Katerina La vie en rouge Tishchenko: Piano for the first time since the expression. June 22:
Ismailova and The Nose. March: Sonata No. 5 Ustvolskaya: Dies 1920s. August: trial of Yakir Soviet-American agreement on
further radiation therapy. Irae Khrennikov: Symphony No. 3 and Krasin. They 'repent' and prevention of nuclear war.
April 23: finishes Quartet No. Tubin: Symphony No. 10 Kancheli: plead guilty. August 23:
14 in F sharp, Op.142, at Symphony No. 3 Elizaveta Voronyanskaya
Repino. May: to Copenhagen for murdered by KGB after
production of Katerina confessing to possession of
Ismailova. June: sails to New manuscript copy of
York. July: back to Moscow via Solzhenitsyn's Gulag
England. August: 6 Songs on Archipelago. September:
Poems by Marina Tsvetayeva, Solzhenitsyn's Letter to the
Op.143. October 30: Fourteenth Soviet Leaders. Trifonov:
Quartet premiered in Moscow. Impatience (novel) Markov:
December 27: Tsvetayeva Songs Siberia (novel)
premiered in Moscow.
1974 67-68. January: orchestrates Tishchenko: Symphony No. 4 January: Solzhenitsyn subjected Bad harvest forces massive wheat
Tsvetayeva Songs, Op.143a. Denisov: Piano Concerto to campaign of harassment imports from America. February:
February-May 17: Quartet No. 15 Schnittke: Hymnus I-III following publication abroad of Volga Germans demonstrate in
in in E flat minor, Op.144, at Gubaydulina: Preludes Knipper: Volume 1 of The Gulag Moscow and Tallin for
Repino. June-July: Suite on Symphony No. 21 Ivanovs: Symphony Archipelago. February: repatriation. December: Brezhnev
Verses by Michelangelo, Op.145. No. 16 Solzhenitsyn arrested and and Ford agree SALT timetable at
Autumn: rehearsals of The Nose expelled from the USSR. Vladivostock.
at new Moscow Chamber Opera Chukovskaya and Voynovich
Theatre. October 20: Sergei thrown out of the Writers'
Shirinsky dies. October 25: union. N.Mandelstam: Hope
Fifteenth Quartet premiered in Abandoned (memoir)
Leningrad. December 23:
Michelangelo Suite premiered in
Leningrad.
1975 68-69. January: orchestrates Tishchenko: Piano Sonata No. 6 December: Sakharov awarded Another bad harvest. Soviet
Michelangelo Suite, Op.145a, Lokshin: Symphony No. 9 Kancheli: Nobel Peace Prize. Voynovich: farming in state of collapse.
and Song of the Flea Symphony No. 4 (In memoria di Ivan Chonkin (novel) More huge wheat imports from
(Beethoven); 4 Verses of Michelangelo) Terteryan: Symphony Solzhenitsyn: The Oak and the America. August 1: Helsinki
Captain Lebyadkin, Op.146. No. 3 Gubaydulina: Laudatio pacis Calf (memoir) Vladimov: Accord on human rights.
March: hospitalised. April-May: Schnittke: Praeludium in memoriam Faithful Ruslan (novella)
convalescing. June-July 6: D. Shostakovich Vainberg:
Viola Sonata, Op.147, Repino Symphony No. 12 (In memoriam D.
and Moscow. July-August: Shostakovich) Ustvolskaya:
hospitalised. August 9: dies in Benedictus, qui venit
hospital. August 14: buried in
Novodevichy Cemetery, Moscow.
October 1: premiere of Viola
Sonata in Leningrad.