But occasionally these popular free events have embraced broader themes, like the Baroque era, folk music or opera.
Wall to Wall Behind the Wall, presented on Saturday, fell into the second category, trying to compress into just 12 hours 13 1/2, as it turned out a representative sampling from 75 years of musical activity behind the Iron Curtain.
Conceived and assembled by Laura Kaminsky, a composer and the associate artistic director of Symphony Space, the event touched on universally recognized figures like Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Penderecki and Ligeti as well as major creators who came to international renown as the cold war waned, like Alfred Schnittke, Sofia Gubaidulina, Henryk Gorecki and Arvo Prt.
But many of the composers represented, like Sergei Slonimsky, nephew of the composer and lexicographer Nicolas Slonimsky, and Josef Bardanashvili, a Georgian active in Israel, remain largely unknown in the West. Segments devoted to Soviet propaganda songs, poignant Jewish songs from World War II and modern jazz from Russia and Romania added variety and context.
Where this Wall to Wall presentation differed most from its precursors was in its inclusion of international performers. And with all due respect to the distinguished Americans who dominated the marathons first half, it was a rare appearance by the Silesian String Quartet from Poland and the New York debut of the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic from Russia that prompted me to attend the second half, from 5 p.m. until the end. (That the event was already running an hour behind schedule when I arrived was fortunate since offerings from Continuum and the Western Wind Vocal Ensemble proved well worth hearing.)
Unlike most of the historical era it covered, the marathon emphasized international cooperation: fitting for the youthful St. Petersburg ensemble, founded in 2002 by Jeffery Meyer, an American conductor. A conventional orchestra at home, it was represented here by 21 string players augmented with American guests.
