JAVS Summer 2025

Figure 6. General template for each entry in the catalogue.

The catalogue is organized alphabetically by composers’ last names, with each name also rendered in Russian to facilitate further research in Russian-language archives. Each entry includes the composition title(s), instrumentation (using standard score abbreviations), and the Russian title, followed by opus number and year of composition when known. The next line notes the earliest known publication, with full collection titles listed when pieces appeared in anthologies—a common Soviet practice. Subsequent lines record the first known recordings, performers, and durations, when available. Timings are drawn from recordings, printed scores, or personal performance experience. Additional contextual details— such as dedications, editorial notes, movement titles, and tempo indications—are drawn from scores, liner notes, and program materials. Where possible, a brief musical analysis is provided, based on score study, listening, or personal interpretation through performance. To support pedagogical and programming needs, each entry includes a qualitative assessment of technical difficulty. Descriptors such as demanding or virtuosic denote high-level works, while terms like intermediate , beginning level , or pedagogical identify more accessible repertoire. These designations aim to assist performers in selecting works appropriate to their recital context, preparation time, and technical development. The catalogue includes works by 176 composers active across the Soviet era. Some, such as Vasilenko (1872–1956) and Roslavets (1881–1944), represent the late Russian Romantic tradition, while others—like Komalkova (b. 1959) and Tarakanov (b. 1968)—emerged during the late Soviet period and remain active today. Notably, only nine composers are women, reflecting the

broader underrepresentation of women in Soviet musical leadership.

Ethnic and national diversity among the composers is also limited. While a significant number are ethnically Russian, the catalogue includes 34 Jewish, 26 Ukrainian, 16 Armenian, 7 Georgian, 7 Lithuanian, 5 Uzbek, 4 Belarusian, 4 Azerbaijani, 3 Latvian, 2 Moldovan, and single representatives of the Chuvash, Turkmen, Tatar, Tajik, and Uighur peoples. These figures contrast sharply with the Soviet Union’s espoused ideals of “equal opportunity,” and mirror the structural barriers faced by women and ethnic minorities in composition, conducting, and academic institutions. In terms of genre, traditional forms such as concertos and sonatas make up roughly half the catalogue. The rest are single-movement character pieces ( Poem , Nocturne , Fantasy ) or multi-movement collections ( Partita , Suite , Prelude and Fugue ). Many of these adopt neo-Baroque or neo-Classical frameworks, as seen in works like Druzhinin’s Variations (1969), Denisov’s Variations (1984), Kallosh’s Ricercars (1971), or Bunin’s and Firsova’s Suites (1955 and 1967, respectively). Folk influences are another recurring feature, particularly among composers of non-Russian backgrounds. These appear in modal language, rhythmic patterns, ornamentation, and the use of recognizable folk melodies. Some works even carry explicitly folkloric titles, such as Veprik’s Kaddish , Op. 6 (1925), or Tsintsadze’s Khorumi (a Georgian dance, 1950s). This trend aligns with Jonathan Powell’s framework of Soviet nationalism, which evolved from overt national expression in the early Soviet years to state-managed “narodnosť” (ethnic identity) in the mid-century, and finally to coded, often subversive, nationalist references in the late Soviet period. 33

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Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 41, Summer 2025 Online Issue