Schedule
HostsWays to Give
HomePlaylistSchedule
HostsEventsOn DemandOur StoryOur TeamWays to Give Become a Sponsor
How to ListenVisit Help CenterContact Us

Find Us on Social Media:

Logo image

Find Us on Social Media:

Download Our Mobile App:

google play icon

About

HomePlaylistSchedule
HostsOn DemandOur StoryOur Team

Community

EventsWays to Give Become a SponsorPressDiversity StatementCareersAnnual EEO ReportDigital Accessibility

Help

Visit Help CenterContact UsHow to Listen

©2025 Classical California

Sweepstakes RulesFCC ComplianceLocal Public FilesCPB ComplianceAnnual EEO ReportPrivacy PolicyCode of Integrity

articles / Pop Culture

Russian Music in Exile and Protest

Pop CultureThe State of the Arts

For their latest CD release, called Troika, cellist Matt Haimovitz and pianist Christopher O’Riley knew they wanted to include the sonatas of Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff. They included shorter works by each, plus a few more contemporary examples of music commenting on, and in defiance of the Soviet and Russian political establishment, including the Beatles’ “Back in the USSR,” and Pussy Riot’s “Punk Prayer.”

Russian Music in Exile and Protest
00:00

There’s more information about the disc at the Pentatone website.

Even though Russia is much in the headlines these days, this is a recording project that Haimovitz and O’Riley wanted to undertake for several years. “This is really a reflection of not just current events, but I think it’s fair to say that Troika straddles three generations of Russian music in exile and protest,” O’Riley says. Although the most recent selection, “Punk Prayer” has the subtitle (Virgin Mary, Put Putin Away). “The Pussy Riot song that we recorded resulted in their imprisonment, and subsequent death of one of their members. So this is stuff that’s been going on for a long time.” Haimovitz felt their music was one of the best examples of art in the face of oppression in recent times, and wanted to include one of their songs. “It was very difficult to find something that would translate for cello and piano, because the music is not that lyrical. So, when I came across “Punk Prayer,” I thought, “OK, this works very well, because it has that beautiful Russian Orthodox hymn that runs through it.”  They also include “Kukushka,” (or Cuckoo) by singer songwriter Viktor Tsoi, a new-found favorite of Haimovitz’s young daughter. “She was mesmerized by this tune, and I could see why, it’s a beautiful, beautiful tune. He’s sort of the Leonard Cohen of Russian singer-songwriters.”

 

Pop CultureThe State of the Arts
Written by:
Jeffrey Freymann
Jeffrey Freymann
Published on 05.11.2018
Loading...

MORE LIKE THIS

Beethoven’s ‘Thanksgiving’ in Music

Beethoven’s ‘Thanksgiving’ in Music

This article discusses Beethoven's String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 132, a piece he composed after recovering from a severe illness, reflecting his gratitude and awareness of mortality.

11/18/2018
The Soldier’s Life in Music

The Soldier’s Life in Music

Chanticleer presents 'Heart of a Soldier', a program featuring works about soldiering experiences. It includes Mason Bates' 'Drum-Taps' and an arrangement of 'Where Have All the Flowers Gone'.

05/11/2018
Making Music and Forging Paths

Making Music and Forging Paths

Violinist Daniel Hope joins New Century Chamber Orchestra as Artistic Partner. They'll perform four concerts, including two contemporary pieces, one commissioned for the program.

05/11/2018
‘Echoes’ Uniting Poetry and Music

‘Echoes’ Uniting Poetry and Music

"Echoes at San Francisco Performances" unites Kronos Quartet, The Living Earth Show, and Youth Speaks in a collaborative show. Composer Danny Clay blends city sounds, music, and poetry to depict diverse city memories.

05/11/2018
Mozart and Salieri in Petaluma

Mozart and Salieri in Petaluma

Cinnabar Theater opens its production of Amadeus, a drama about composers Salieri and Mozart. The intimate setting and unique set design aim to immerse the audience in the story.

05/11/2018
Remembrance and Truth in Poetry and Music

Remembrance and Truth in Poetry and Music

Berkeley Symphony presents Shostakovich's 13th Symphony, Babi Yar, inspired by Yevtushenko's poem about a Nazi atrocity. The concert aims to reveal obscured Soviet history.

09/19/2017