Tikhon Khrennikov

Russian composer Tikhon Khrennikov is probably the most controversial figure in the history of Soviet music. In his capacity as Secretary to the Union of Soviet Composers, Khrennikov both denounced and elevated the reputations of his fellow composers, attempting to climb what was apparently a rather slippery slope. As a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and a representative of the Supreme Soviet Council, he was a Soviet insider of a very high magnitude, and, according to Khrennikov, did what he could to satisfy Soviet authorities while privately protecting...