Late Soviet and Post-Soviet Developments of the Opposition Form vs. Work

During the late Soviet and post-Soviet periods, the harsh arguments between formalists and integralists did not subside; yet, the proponents on both sides settled at the conservatories and research institutions. Yuri Kholopov, a fervent opponent of the "Soviet course in analysis of musical work" nevertheless, had to create the program particularly for that kind of course himself and it is counted among his publications. The discipline of musical form is taught to all students, while a course in Analysis of Musical Works is offered in the fourth year of study, and Dr. Alexander Sokolov, the Rector of the Conservatory, reads it only for the undergraduate students majoring in music theory. In general, the form of a musical work may be analyzed either as a structure of musical speech or as a component of the musical content.