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Donald Macleod and Marina Frolova-Walker unravel the contrasting fates of Sergei Prokofiev - who died the same day as Stalin - and Soviet Composers' Union head Tikhon Khrennikov.

As part of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3's "Breaking Free: A Century of Russian Culture" season, Composer of the Week unravels the lives and masterpieces of the musicians that shaped musical life from the USSR's inception in 1917 through to its dissolution in 1991. In this first week, Donald Macleod explores a host of composers - from familiar names like Shostakovich and Prokofiev to lesser-known, though no less brilliant, figures like Gavriil Popov and Alexander Mosolov - whose music documents the turbulent and fascinating story of Russia up to Stalin's death in 1953.

Donald is joined by the Russian music expert Marina Frolova-Walker as they explore the tensions, censorship and cultural terror of the 1920s and 30s, followed by the trauma of the Second World War and finally the infamous Zhdanov affair of the late 1940s, which censured some of the USSR's foremost composers.

In the final episode of this week, Donald and Marina discuss the return of the "prodigal son" of Soviet music, Sergei Prokofiev - and the grim reality of his final years in the USSR. As the week builds towards the pivotal events of 1948 - when Prokofiev, Shostakovich and others were officially denounced by the state - they explore the nebulous reputation, and sometime musical brilliance, of Tikhon Khrennikov, the infamous head of the Soviet Composers' Union.

Khrennikov: The Half-Moon Shines (Into the Storm)
Daniil Shtoda, tenor
Russian Philharmonia
Constantin Orbelian, conductor

Khrennikov: Piano Concerto No 1 (1st mvt)
Tikhon Khrennikov
USSR State Symphony Orchestra
Evgeny Svetlanov, conductor

Prokofiev: Revolution (Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution)
Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus
Neeme Järvi, conductor

Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No 7 (2nd and 3rd mvts)
Boris Giltburg, piano

Khrennikov: Scene of Kuzma and Glasha (Pig-Tender and Shepherd)
[film soundtrack, 1941]

Prokofiev: Symphony No 6 (2nd mvt)
London Symphony Orchestra
Valery Gergiev.