Socialist Realism is an artistic doctrine that originated in the Soviet Union in the 1930s. It remained influential until the glasnost period of the 1980s.
The goal of Socialist Realism is to build a classless society through the medium of art. Socialist Realism grew out of the Russian Realist tradition associated with Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekov, where literature and art endeavored to portray life in a realistic or faithfull manner.
Where Russian Realism portrayed society in a critical manner, following the socialist revolution, realist art was expected to portray the positive, progressive world of soviet society. Accordingly, Socialist Realism is a style of profound optimism and continued progress against capitalism.
A socialist realist might approach the analysis of a musical work as follows:This document is available at http://csml.som.ohio-state.edu/Music839B/Approaches/social_realism.html
- Does the music have a clear and socially progressive narrative message? (PROGRAMMATIC)
- Does the work avoid formalist tendencies? Is the music merely an abstract organization of sounds? Is the musical language elitist? (NON-FORMALIST)
- Is the music heroic in style? If so, is the heroism that of the individualist (bad) or that of the hero acting for the good of the people? Does it celebrate victories of the people? (HEROIC)
- Is the music optimistic? Does the music have an upbeat tempo or rhythm? Is the music predominantly in a major key? (Or does the music at least end in a major key?) Does the music avoid excessive dissonance, dark or depressive moods, and angst? Does the music avoid irony and parody (except when portraying the people's enemies)? (OPTIMISM)
- Is the work "larger than life?" Does the work stimulate the emotions? Symphonic, operatic and large choral works are to be preferred over solo and chamber works. (MONUMENTAL)
- Does the work have a song-like quality? Is it easy to sing? Is the work unduly complex or avant garde? (ACCESSIBLE)
- Does the work celebrate peasant culture by quoting or imitating folk music or by making use of folklore? (FOLK)