P. Belik

«The Symphony in Rites» by L. Prigozhin: towards the problem of the individual transubstantiation as applied to folklore stuff in conditions of the academic musical genre

The article is devoted to one of the prominent compositions by L. Prigozhin, namely «The Symphony in Rites» for a choir a cappella and oboe (1978), which is examined as a model of the striking and original «symphonized» interpretation conformably to the folklore heritage. As the researcher notes the selected song material is transubstantiated in this «Symphony» proceeding from the great-scale art conception. Besides, the folklore genres undergo the various transformations and functional changes in the eight-part cycle conditions. Its sonata and symphonic sources as the author of the article thinks clearly correspond with the image-dramaturgic problems be solved. The question in particular is the versatile combination of epic (narrative or pictorial-meditative) principles with consistent and purposeful subject-dramatic development. Because of this as the researcher notes the adopted folklore material is re-interpreted by the composer in accordance with an inherent logic of the academic symphony genre. Further some individual peculiarities conformably to the refracted appropriate means of expression (tonal, and composition-structural, and tempo-rhythmical) are described with regard for the selected stuff of performers and «rituality» as fundamental modus of the examined cycle. All foregoing observations are evidence of the composer’s inclination to organic reciprocity between folklore and academic traditions. The latter clearly represents «the world harmony» in the named work.

Key words

L. Prigozhin, «The Symphony in Rites», musical dramaturgy, rite folklore, symphonic development.

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