“Unofficial Leningrad”

I saw a concert this week that was a recreation of a concert that occurred in Leningrad, USSR in 1961, which featured music of Volkonsky, Stravinsky, Lutoslawski, and Bartok. It would have been an interesting experience considering that the arts had loosened up from the tight control that Stalin had maintained during his time in power… with a little more space, works such as Volkonsky’s “Musica Stricta for Piano Solo” could be presented.

The program for this concert was preserved from the original:

“Musica Stricta for Piano Solo” – Andrew Volkonsky

“Sonata for Two Pianos” – Igor Stravinsky

“Variations on a Theme of Paganini for Two Pianos” – Witold Lutoslawski

“Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion” – Bela Bartok