On the History of Unofficial Culture and the Contemporary Russian Diaspora: 1950s-1990s. Autobiographies. Authors’ readings. / [Compiled, edited, annotated by Y. M. Valieva]. St. Petersburg: OOO “Contrast,” 2015. 600 p. + 3 CDs.

ISBN 978-5-4380-0099-0

The book includes new materials on the history of unofficial culture and the contemporary Russian diaspora: autobiographies, manuscript facsimiles, photographs. Among texts published here for the first time are autobiographies of samizdat leaders Boris Ivanov and Vyacheslav Dolinin, transfuturist poets Sergei Sigei and Ry Nikonova, Malaya Sadovaya Circle writer Alexander Churilin, and poet and artist Tatiana Apraksina.

The section “Materials on the History of Unofficial Culture” features interviews, memoirs, documents on the history of samizdat.

This edition includes three audio CDs containing recordings of readings by all writers represented in the book, including: Naum Korzhavin, Yevgeny Rein, Ludmila Shtern, human rights movement participants Alexander Esenin-Volpin, Natalia Gorbanevskaya, former political prisoners Nikolai Brown and Anatoly Berger, modern Russian emigre authors Vladimir Lazarev, Vladimir Gandelsman, Bakhyt Kenjeev, Vladimir Druk, Katya Kapovich, Yevgeny Slivkin, Irina Mashinskaya.

The “Audio Archives” include 1970s-1980s by authors including OBERIU writer Igor Bakhterev. The book draws on materials from Russian and foreign archives, as well as from private collections. Most of the material is previously unpublished.

The book and audio set is addressed to specialists — linguists, historians of culture, teachers of Russian language and literature, as well as a wide range of readers.

Participants in the evening presentation include: Vyacheslav Dolinin, Nikolai Brown, Anatoly Berger, Mikhail Eremin, Irina Tsymbal, Sergey Stratanovsky, Petr Cheigin, Tatyana Tsarkova, Tatyana Apraksina

Vasilevsky Island, 18th line, d. 1

Great Hall (Hall №201)

Cost 70 rubles – ticket to the museum

Telephone: 327-35-06

 

Concert: “Light of the Morning Star”

 

A unique recital, dedicated by its participants to the birthday of Helena Roerich and the 25th anniversary of the founding of CESAME – the Center for Soviet-American Musical Exchange.

The program features works by American composer and pianist Richard Cameron-Wolfe and Petersburg composer Gregory Korchmar.

 

Cameron-Wolfe’s work as a pianist reflects his strong interest in “missing links” — early twentieth century composers who represent the transition from late Romanticism to “sound art,” and whose music is rarely performed today. The life and legacy of the great Russian artist and humanist Nicholas Roerich and humanist inspired Cameron-Wolfe to compose “Roerich Rhapsody,” scored for piano and cello.

 

Gregory Korchmar is an Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, the artistic director of the International Festival “Petersburg Musical Spring,” and the chairman of the St. Petersburg Union of Composers. His creative activity has consistently combined composition and performance (currently as a pianist and harpsichordist in the chamber ensemble “Soloists of St. Petersburg”). He is the author of more than 150 works in various musical genres.