Valentin Silvestrov and Putin's war in Ukraine

Gillies, R. L. (2023) Valentin Silvestrov and Putin's war in Ukraine. Tempo, 77(304), pp. 7-20. (doi: 10.1017/S0040298222001140)

Full text not currently available from Enlighten.

Abstract

This article draws on published interviews and personal correspondence with the Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov (b. 1937) to situate the development of his musical aesthetics and international reputation within the context of the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity, the Russian annexation of Crimea and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022. In particular, the article focuses on Silvestrov's use of sacred musical genres as a means of engaging directly with his contemporary political environment; it also explores the ways in which Silvestrov and his music have recently become an unequivocal symbol of defiance in the face of Russian aggression, a position that stands in stark contrast to the avowed disinterestedness in and removal from politics that characterised his works of the 1970s and 1980s.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Gillies, Dr Richard
Authors: Gillies, R. L.
College/School:College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts > Music
Journal Name:Tempo
Publisher:Cambridge University Press
ISSN:0040-2982
ISSN (Online):1478-2286
Published Online:03 April 2023

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record