Authors

Fiona Jackson¹;  ¹ University of Bristol, UK

Discussion

Exploring British-Soviet musical exchange from the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 to the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, my research examines both state-led and grassroots musical relations, and the impossibility during this period of disentangling political and personal agendas in both countries. The activities of London-based cellist Elizabeth Wilson encapsulate the complicated relationships within the British-Soviet musical exchange. A former student of cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, Wilson became closely acquainted with the work of non-conformist composers from across the Soviet republics whilst studying in Moscow in the 1960s – both through Rostropovich’s support for their music and through her fellow musicians at the Conservatoire. On her return to Britain, Wilson’s tireless efforts to promote avant-garde Soviet composers bore fruit in the growing performances of their music at British contemporary music festivals, and subsequent coverage in British broadcast and print media. Wilson was notable for highlighting music from beyond Russia, promoting composers from Armenia, Ukraine and Estonia. Yet whilst her own musical preferences embraced ‘unofficial’ music from across the union, the changing political environment and audience receptiveness during this period influenced the impact of her work. Whilst personally sited at the grassroots level of exchange, Wilson’s own family connections made political engagement inevitable. Likewise, Rostropovich’s exile in Britain after his expulsion from the Soviet Union made Wilson’s work politically charged. Examining musical performances initiated by Wilson therefore provides a window into both the machinations and implications of cultural relations between Britain and the USSR in the Brezhnev and Gorbachev eras.