Meri Herrala | University of the Arts Helsinki (original) (raw)

Papers by Meri Herrala

Cold War History, 2019

This article introduces a rarely covered topic in Cold War research – the superpower collaboratio... more This article introduces a rarely covered topic in Cold War research – the superpower collaboration and competition to sell and distribute Soviet classical music recordings in America. While analysing the case of pianist Sviatoslav Richter’s ‘bootlegged’ recitals at Carnegie Hall in October 1960, this article discusses the challenges for Soviet- American collaboration in capitalising Richter’s intellectual property for American musical markets. The case of the unauthorised sale of Richter’s recordings shows how the American entrepreneurs used the Soviet government’s inexperience in the capitalist environment. It ultimately became necessary for the Soviet government to take part in capitalist speculation.

Idäntutkimus, Dec 1, 2015

Ennen ja Nyt: Historian Tietosanomat, Jun 1, 2002

In this article, I will analyze the role of music in the process of building peaceful relations b... more In this article, I will analyze the role of music in the process of building peaceful relations between the Soviet Union and the Republic of Finland after the Second World War. The role of music as a weapon of “soft power” was an important alternative in Finnish-Soviet relations in order to enhance understanding between them and to avoid further conflict. I will analyze how the leading Soviet soloists were often first “tested” in Finland before their further outreach to the West from 1944 to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Because of its position as a neutral country between the East and the West Finland was seen as a safe experimental location in which to evaluate the performers’ loyalties to the Soviet regime. However, violinist Victoria Mullova’s 1983 defection to the West via Finland showed that the Soviet power was not so overpowering any more, even towards its own citizens. The Soviet Union was already heading for a collapse due to political and economic realities. Its dimin...

Whereas it has been widely assumed in the public that the Soviet music policy system had a top-d... more Whereas it has been widely assumed in the public that the Soviet music policy system had a top-down structure of control and command that directly affected musical creativity, in fact my research shows that the relations between the different levels of the music policy system ...

The Romanian Journal for Baltic and Nordic Studies, vol. 5, issue 1, 2013

Revista Română pentru Studii Baltice şi Nordice / The Romanian Journal of Baltic and Nordic Studi... more Revista Română pentru Studii Baltice şi Nordice / The Romanian Journal of Baltic and Nordic Studies (RRSBN) continues the publication in this issue of a series of studies which have been presented at the annual conference on Baltic and Nordic Studies in Romania. These articles approach topics related to the relations and encounters between Black Sea and the Baltic Sea areas or various developments in the Baltic Sea region during the 20th century. Kari Alenius contributes to this issue with an analysis of the way Romania was presented in the Finnish schoolbooks. As correctly emphasized by the author, this image reflects the perception and attitude of the authors of „ the outside world and diversity”. Alenius identifies four stages in this respect: end of 1800s until the end of the First World War; early years of the 1920s to the 1950s; the 1960s to the 1980s and the last decades since the 1990s. Although each stage emphasized different characteristics of Romania, the author finds also continues among them. Saulius Kaubrys deals with the Jewish faction at the Third Seimas of Lithuania in 1926-1927. This was a time when the Jewish faction entered the government. Although it showed solidarity with its coalition partners and hoped that by doing so its aims would be dealt with, the fact that progress in this regard was slow and the coup d’état of December 1926 marked a change of attitude of the Jewish faction from pro-active to passive. Dalia Bukelevičiūtė approaches the project of the Eastern Pact of 1934–1935 from the perspective of two regional cooperation structures, the Baltic Entente and the Little Entente. The author concludes that in the process of negotiations, it became apparent that countries were more concerned with their narrow national interests than with the common security of the whole bloc. Kalervo Hovi highlights the rationalities behind Finnish decision to go to war against the Soviet Union alongside, although not in alliance, with Germany. The decision was a result of the way the Finnish elites assessed the national interest in the aftermath of the Winter War. Dragana Kovacevic approaches the condition of Bosnians and Herzegovinans residing in Norway who moved to Norway as children and war refugees in the 1990s. It discusses the way they relate to their identity and heritage and also how the receiving society perceives their integration in the Norwegian society. Kovacevic brings into light concepts such as transnational belongings and long-distance nationalism. An outcome of ample investigations in Sveriges Riksarkivet, Veniamin Ciobanu contributes with new documents revealing the international dimension of the Russian brutal suppression of the Polish insurrection (November 1830). Countries such as Great Britain and France tried to soften the attitude of Russia towards Polish insurgents. We hope that the variety of themes tackled in this issue and their importance to the enrichment of our knowledge of past and current developments affecting the Black Sea and Baltic Sea areas will foster academic and public debates

The Romanian Journal for Baltic and Nordic Studies, vol. 6, issue 2, 2014

Cold War History, 2019

This article introduces a rarely covered topic in Cold War research – the superpower collaboratio... more This article introduces a rarely covered topic in Cold War research – the superpower collaboration and competition to sell and distribute Soviet classical music recordings in America. While analysing the case of pianist Sviatoslav Richter’s ‘bootlegged’ recitals at Carnegie Hall in October 1960, this article discusses the challenges for Soviet-American collaboration in capitalising Richter’s intellectual property for American musical markets. The case of the unauthorised sale of Richter’s recordings shows how the American entrepreneurs used the Soviet government’s inexperience in the capitalist environment. It ultimately became necessary for the Soviet government to take part in capitalist speculation.

http://blog.arsbn.ro and Revista Română de Studii Baltice și Nordice / The Romanian Journal for Baltic and Nordic Studies, ISSN 2067-1725, Vol. 6, Issue 2 (2014): pp. 31-60.

I will analyze how the leading Soviet soloists were often first “tested” in Finland before their further outreach to the West from 1944 to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Because of its position as a neutral country between the East and the West Finland was seen as a safe experimental location in which to evaluate the performers’ loyalties to the Soviet regime. However, violinist Victoria Mullova’s 1983 defection to the West via Finland showed that the Soviet power was not so overpowering any more, even towards its own citizens. The Soviet Union was already heading for a collapse due to political and economic realities. Its diminishing cultural influence on the West undermined its power, and accelerated its demise.

Using primary source materials and newspapers mainly from the Finnish National Archives and Sibelius Museum as well as the former Soviet archives in Moscow, I will examine the ways in which Soviet government cooperated with Finnish non-governmental organizations such as the Finland-Soviet Union Friendship Society, the main coordinating body of Finnish-Soviet relations, Finnish concert firms etc.

After Stalin's death in 1953, the Soviet Union and the United States began to seek alternatives t... more After Stalin's death in 1953, the Soviet Union and the United States began to seek alternatives to their military rivalry by using culture as a weapon of "soft-power" in order to accomplish their foreign policy goals using attraction rather than coercion. As the Cold War intensified, a thriving competition developed between the superpowers to determine which of them could send more cultural diplomats to the other side,

Other by Meri Herrala

Blok : miedzynarodowe pismo poswiecone kulturze stalinowskiej i poststalinowskiej. No 4 2005, p. ... more Blok : miedzynarodowe pismo poswiecone kulturze stalinowskiej i poststalinowskiej. No 4 2005, p. 124-139 16 p.

Cold War History, 2019

Idäntutkimus, Dec 1, 2015

Ennen ja Nyt: Historian Tietosanomat, Jun 1, 2002

The Romanian Journal for Baltic and Nordic Studies, vol. 5, issue 1, 2013

The Romanian Journal for Baltic and Nordic Studies, vol. 6, issue 2, 2014

Cold War History, 2019

This article introduces a rarely covered topic in Cold War research – the superpower collaboratio... more This article introduces a rarely covered topic in Cold War research – the superpower collaboration and competition to sell and distribute Soviet classical music recordings in America. While analysing the case of pianist Sviatoslav Richter’s ‘bootlegged’ recitals at Carnegie Hall in October 1960, this article discusses the challenges for Soviet-American collaboration in capitalising Richter’s intellectual property for American musical markets. The case of the unauthorised sale of Richter’s recordings shows how the American entrepreneurs used the Soviet government’s inexperience in the capitalist environment. It ultimately became necessary for the Soviet government to take part in capitalist speculation.

http://blog.arsbn.ro and Revista Română de Studii Baltice și Nordice / The Romanian Journal for Baltic and Nordic Studies, ISSN 2067-1725, Vol. 6, Issue 2 (2014): pp. 31-60.