A Cosmopolitan Music City : Early Twentieth-Century Transnational Networks in Vyborg

Abstract

Traditionally, early twentieth-century Vyborg has been known for its vibrant cosmopolitanism and bustling cultural life. The city's ethnic, religious, and culturally diverse population, its geographical position as a border town and its close-knit connections to the nearby metropolis of Saint Petersburg gave Vyborg a unique flair. This chapter sheds light on visiting professional musicians partaking in the city's entertainment scene, with an emphasis on restaurant musicians and salon orchestras. Methodologically, the chapter combines the analysis of transnational cultural networks with a micro-historical case study focused on the Fennia Ladies’ Orchestra. Special attention is paid to the East-West dichotomy in order to investigate the cultural influences that reached Vyborg from Scandinavia or Germany and the cultural trends that, in turn, came to the city from other parts the Russian Empire. The contribution focuses on the first decade of the twentieth century, when the so-called Russification processes were introduced to Finland, yet opportunities for cosmopolitan lifestyles that traveling performers and ethnic minorities carved out for themselves in the context of imperial and national dynamics, were also present.