In 1975 under the direction of Professor Gerald Janecek, a group of scholars working on the life and creative output of the Russian Symbolist poet, novelist and philosopher, Andrei Bely, came togetherat the University of Kentucky for three days of scholarly lectures and discussions. Bely had since his death in 1934 remained largely ignored in the Soviet Union and his memory was kept alive primarily by Western scholars who could publish openly and by a handful of Soviet scholars who, while eminently knowledgeable, had to find ways to include their research on Bely under the cover of more acceptable writers. The program of this historical conference has been kindly provided by Professor Janecek and can be accessed by clicking here. Several of the papers were gathered and published in Andrey Bely: A Critical Review (University of Kentucky:1978). Recently an old recording of some of the papers was made available and digitized. It contains several complete and two partial lectures as well as the vigorous intellectual discussions that followed. Here are preserved the words of Nina Berberova who had known Bely in Russia and Berlin, Robert Maguire who translated with John Malmstad Petersburg into English, and several other scholars still alive today.
I wish to express my gratitude to Professor Janecek, himself a distinguished translator and scholar, for making these materials available to me. The lectures are in mp3 format and can be accessed by clicking on Side 1 and Side 2 respectively. The original three page program of the conference can be viewed page by page: one, two, three.
.00-14.19 begins in medea res.
Georges Nivat “Comments on Some Materials Related to Belyj and Anthroposophy.”
14.45 - 22.10 Discussion
22:11 – 46.45
Samuel Cioran “A Prism for the Absolute: The Symbolic Colors of Andrey Bely.”
46.46 - 1.00.50 Discussion
101.00 -1.24.00
John Malmstad “‘Aleksandrovich Xlestjakov’ and Petersburg.”
1.24.01-1.33.32 Discussion
.15 - 1.10 Gerald Janecek comments
1.10 - 31.30
Nina Berberova “A Memoir and Comment: the Circle of Petersburg.”
31.40 - 43.45 Discussion
44.00 - 1:09.44
Robert Maguire “Sight and Sound in Petersburg.”
1.09.45 - 1:26.00 Discussion
1:26.15 - 1:40.09
Martin Rice “Skaz and Belyj's Peterburg.” (incomplete)
