The Three Apostles of Russian Music

Gregor Tassie studies the lives, work, and legacy of three musicians who were trail-blazers in the Soviet avant-garde and led modernist music in the 1920s. Mosolov, Popov, and Roslavets were popular composers who have been unfortunately forgotten. This book is the first study in English of their legacy.

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The Russian avant-garde were trend-setters in a"‘Golden Age" of world art at the beginning of the 20th century. Today their work continues to enrich our culture through their paintings, poetry, architecture, cinema, music, and theater. The Three Apostles of Russian Music looks at three figures in the Soviet avant-garde who led modernist music in the 1920s. Mosolov, Popov, and Roslavets were popular composers who are now unfortunately forgotten. These remarkable musicians produced compositions like the sensational machine music Foundry by Mosolov. The first symphony by Popov attracted musicians in Europe and America but was banned after the premiere, while Roslavets discovered serialism before Schoenberg, opening up a new trend in modernism. These ‘apostles’ of the Russian avant-garde have had followers in Russia, Europe, and America where their influence remains today. This book is the first study in English of their work, lives, and legacy.