As we have discussed in previous classes, the Soviet Union was known for placing a specific emphasis on folk music and what they felt it had to offer. In the reading “National Identity, cultural policy and the Soviet Folk Ensemble”, we find that Armenia exemplifies a rather positive case of impacts of Soviet cultural policy as compared to the other cases we have analyzed in class.
I believe the development of a strong nationalism prior to Soviet rule without a doubt plays into its success in the early 20th century, considering that “music policy towards the satellite nations was either related to nationhood in some way or was not” (151). Also, the fact that ideas or basic institutions were changed very little from when Lenin first employed nationalities policies, lasting well into the 1930s under Stalins rule, has a lot to do with the success considering the time it took to organize folk music and instruments into that of something usable in a western framework. this of course references the most important idea in music policy, advancement.
