G. Kaloshina

Liturgical Motifs in Arthur Onegger`s Oratorios of the Late Thirties of the Twentieth Century

The author’s attention is focused on the religious aspects of the drama of the three most significant monumental works by A. Onegger: the oratoriomysteria “Jeanne d’Arc on the stake”, the dramatic legend “Nicolas de Flou”, the oratorio-poem “The Dance of the Dead” with the texts of neo-Catholic poets P. Claudel and D. de Rougemont. The author notes in all the writings the presence of medieval theatrical genres of mysteria, morality, liturgical drama, which are synthesized with musical (oratorio, opera, symphony, ballet, choral, prayer, symphony) and extramusical (literary, theatrical, cinema) genres of other arts, forming polygenic integer. Thematic processes feature eight intonational spheres, on the basis of which the leitmotive systems are formed. Among them, the thematicism of cult origin is important. In his writings on the texts of Claudel “Jeanne d’Arc on the stake” and “The Dance of the Dead”, Onegger creates conflicting confrontations of symbolic images of Evil and Good, Death and Life, by meams of the Gregorian and Protestant chorals, psalmody, bell chimes. In the oratorio “Nicolas de Flü” a similar thematism occupies a leading place, which gives the composition the features of liturgical cult action.

Key words

oratorio, mysteria, Gregorian and Protestant chorals, symbol, faith, life.

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