Beyond Polystylism: Blurring the Boundaries between Different Musics in late-Soviet Estonia

Anu Veenre

doi:10.4312/mz.54.2.141-163

Authors

Anu Veenre Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4312/mz.54.2.141-163

Keywords:

late-Socialism, music historiography, polystylism, unofficial music, living in vnye

Abstract

Developments in the Estonian music and musical life of the late Soviet period may be interpreted as attempts on the part of musicians and composers to alienate themselves from the Soviet system and from the ideology that was attributed to the arts at the time. The article examines the reasons for and the various facets of this process by analysing the activities of the different musical communities of the time and the influence of these on the development of art music. The discussion is framed using the concept of polystylism, the concepts of living in vnye and unofficial music as proposed by Alexei Yurchak (2006) and Peter Schmelz (2009) for examining the Soviet era are used to discuss the relations between music and politics.

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Author Biography

Anu Veenre, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre

Developments in the Estonian music and musical life of the late Soviet period may be interpreted as attempts on the part of musicians and composers to alienate themselves from the Soviet system and from the ideology that was attributed to the arts at the time. The article examines the reasons for and the various facets of this process by analysing the activities of the different musical communities of the time and the influence of these on the development of art music. The discussion is framed using the concept of polystylism, the concepts of living in vnye and unofficial music as proposed by Alexei Yurchak (2006) and Peter Schmelz (2009) for examining the Soviet era are used to discuss the relations between music and politics.