Ru
EnT. Frantova
On the “irregular” canons in works by S. Slonimsky: path to phased form
The vast creative heritage of S. Slonimsky constantly attracts the attention of researchers. They seek to understand the trajectory of the composer’s stylistic evolution, evaluate his major artistic achievements, and define his role in the history of Russian musical culture during the 2nd half of 20th and early 21st centuries. The development of an individual musical language – viewed by contemporary composers as a crucial creative task – was addressed by Slonimsky in a distinctive and successful manner from the very beginning of his career in the 1960s. The named author conceived of his own method as a duality comprising an original invention and a grounding in the root system of musical tradition.
In the early period of his creative work, one of Slonimsky’s linguistic inventions was his own original system of rhythmic notation, which the composer termed “quantum rhythm system”. The intention to improvisational freedom of musical expression proved to be one of the primary reasons for the emergence of this system. Against this backdrop, the polyphonic textures of Slonimsky’s works give rise to unusual, spontaneous canons with unfixed rhythms – forms far removed from classical polyphony yet endowed with distinctive expressive qualities.
During the period of his creative maturity, quantum rhythmic system is more rarely used in Slonimsky’s scores; however, a technique of multi-variant imitations and canons evolves based on spontaneous canons with unfixed rhythm. Genetically, it is linked to both classical variation-based imitation and the technique of supporting voices; yet, in essence, it emerged as a new form of musical exposition, intertwining techniques of monologue and dialogic voice interaction. Multi-variant imitation became a crucial means for Slonimsky to unfold polyphony, particularly within the framework of phase form – another of his inventions regarding the sphere of compositional technique.
Key words
Sergei Slonimsky, musical language, polyphonic texture, canon with unfixed rhythm, multi-variant imitation, phase form.
For citation
Frantova T. On the “irregular” canons in works by S. Slonimsky: in the path to phased form. In: South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2026. No. 3. Pp. 129–139.
