The Bells Of Russia

This generously illustrated book records the story of Russia's bells--the thousands of awe inspiring instruments that gave voice to the visual splendors of Russian Orthodoxy and to the political aspirations of the tsars. Originally published in 1986. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

This research will determine whether the Soviet efforts to first silence, then substitute, annihilate, and finally alter the church bell succeeded in changing its importance in Russian culture and society. Through historical analysis of the bell's role before and after the Soviet era, it is believed that the resurgence of the ringing tradition illustrates the cultural and social integrity of the bell in Russia--and furthermore, of Orthodoxy's hardiness, despite some intrusion on modernity's part. It is hoped that this will not only shed some light on a rarely discussed yet vital tradition in Russia, but also will illustrate the often disregarded continuity of Russian culture, even through the Soviet era.