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Is Communism Good for the Arts?
Communism’s been responsible for many of the world’s greatest civil rights abuses but without it we wouldn’t have Shostakovich symphonies, Milos Forman films, or Chinese ballet. Today on Soundcheck: we look at whether Communism is good, or bad, for arts. Also: Jazz pianist Kenny Werner performs live in our studio.
Is Communism Good for the Arts?
On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Russian Revolution we look at the affects of communism on the arts.
Solomon Volkov, the musicologist and author of several books about Shostakovich, talks about how Soviet Russia fueled the struggle faced by Shostakovich and his contemporaries; Bright Sheng, a Chinese-born, American-based composer talks about the conditions he dealt with while growing up during the Cultural Revolution; and Robin Moore, author of "Music and Revolution: Cultural Change and Socialist Cuba," talks about the fascinating links between cultural and political activity in post-Revolutionary Cuba.
Kenny Werner
Jazz pianist and composer Kenny Werner joins us to talk about putting together a heavy-weight quintet for his new record: Lawn Chair Society. He plays live solo in our studio.
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Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, stars of the romantic indie film Once, will debate which is more powerful: a love song or a breakup song. And: live music from Grammy winning violinist Joshua Bell and Cuban stars Tiempo Libre.
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The Ill Effects of Urban Noise
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Soundcheck received an overwhelming response to our segment on the effects of urban noise. So much so that Arline Bronzaft decided to address the feedback. Listen to the original segment and read Bronzaft's response.
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