Genre in the music communication system and the artist's mission

The concept of the genre in the creative practice of the 20th century is defined as a complete historical cycle. The purpose of the study is to review theoretical ideas about the role of genre in the communicative system of musical culture of the 20th century through the criterion of cooperation of the composer and performer. A. Sokhor, V. Zuckerman, Ye. Nazaikinsky, I. Kohanyk et al. explained the essence of the genre from different standpoints, revealing the fundamentally open nature of the theory itself. However, there are ontological laws of the genre development. The first law is that music genre exists as a system of functions. The second law is that genre exists in social practice as a conditional model of developed musical archetypes that reflect deep mental structures of communication. These laws are illustrated with such examples as the genre of toccata for piano (Italian composer G. Petrassi and Ukrainian composer I. Karabits); the genre of ancient ballads in the repertoire of modern kobzars; chrono-articulatory foundations of the polyphonic cycle of V. Bibik "34 Preludes and Fugues. The Second Notebook", typical communication strategies in creative work of modern artists and performers.

The interaction of tonal and modal principles of mode organization in the polyphonic cycle “34 Preludes and Fugues” by V. Bibik (based on Book III)

Statement of the problem. The article examines mode organization in the polyphonic cycle “34 Preludes and Fugues” by Ukrainian composer Valentin Bibik. The scientific novelty. The article explores modality and tonality as modeorganazing constituents in the polyphonic piano piece “34 Preludes and Fugues” by V. Bibik. The aim of the article is to indicate mode organization on the example of tonality and modality in polyphonic development of “The Third Notebook” (from the cycle “34 Preludes and Fugues”) by V. Bibik. The research methodology consists of integrated approaches to polyphonic music of the 20th century, including comparative and system-structural analyzes of musical works. Analysis of recent publications. The theoretical basis of the article is the latest publications by T. Bershadskaya (2008), N. Gulyanitskaya (1984), Yu. Kholopov (1972), M. Heinemann (2001), F. Hentschel (2006), I. Pustijanac (2016) and others. These studies investigate the compositional techniques of the twentieth century and their individual implementation into polyphonic works. When studying scientific sources, attention is focused on the interaction of polyphony and harmony since V. Bibik’s polyphonic cycle was chosen as the research material, in which polyphonic and harmonic patterns are closely intertwined, however, modal principles become the connecting factors, which is proved in the work. The presentation of the main material. The article investigates modern trends in the development of polyphonic music of the XX–XXI centuries, as well as the composer’s intention to create a mode organization in the cycle “34 Preludes and Fugues”. The article defines commonly used terms from the modern theory of musical modes regarding such phenomena as modality, tonality and their interconnection. The work presents the historiography of V. Bibik’s creative heritage in the context of the poliphony development. The work highlights the interaction of tonal and modal patterns in “The Third Notebook” (from the cycle “34 Preludes and Fugues”) by V. Bibik. Conclusions. The article argues the dominance of modality in structural organization of the cycle “34 Preludes and Fugues”. It is noted that the cycle accumulates a huge number of composer’s ideas regarding the interpretation of modern musical modes and tonal system. V. Bibik is not recognized as the author of the theoretical concepts of the mode organization in music, but the cycle itself is considered as a kind of composer’s creative manifesto, a vivid reflection of his conception of musical modes.

A Hardware-Oriented Algorithm for Real-Time Music Key Signature Recognition

The algorithm presented in this paper provides the means for the real-time recognition of the key signature associated with a given piece of music, based on the analysis of a very small number of initial notes. The algorithm can easily be implemented in electronic musical instruments, enabling real-time generation of musical notation. The essence of the solution proposed herein boils down to the analysis of a music signature, defined as a set of twelve vectors representing the particular pitch classes. These vectors are anchored in the center of the circle of fifths, pointing radially towards each of the twelve tones of the chromatic scale. Besides a thorough description of the algorithm, the authors also present a theoretical introduction to the subject matter. The results of the experiments performed on preludes and fugues by J.S. Bach, as well as the preludes, nocturnes, and etudes of F. Chopin, validating the usability of the method, are also presented and thoroughly discussed. Additionally, the paper includes a comparison of the efficacies obtained using the developed solution with the efficacies observed in the case of music notation generated by a musical instrument of a reputable brand, which clearly indicates the superiority of the proposed algorithm.

Valentyn Bibik: reaching artistic maturity

The object of research is the works of V. Bibik written at the beginning of his mature period. The aim of the research is to reveal the main features of Bibik’s style. Methods of research include technical analysis of the works in the context of the innovative tendencies in the Ukrainian music of 1960–70s, as well as comparative research. Research results. Outstanding Ukrainian composer Valentyn Bibik (1940–2003) wrote over 150 works. Mostly they are large-scale symphonic, choral, vocal, and chamber pieces. Among them are 11 symphonies, over 20 concerti for various instruments with orchestra, vocal and choral cycles, chamber compositions (the last group includes 5 string quartets, 3 piano trios, sonatas for string instruments both solo and with piano), 10 piano sonatas, piano solo works (two sets of preludes and fugues – 24 and 34 total, Dies Irae – 39 variations). The composer was born in Kharkiv. In 1966 he completed studies at Kharkiv Conservatory, where he attended the composition class of D. Klebanov. Since 1994, he had been living in St.-Petersburg, and since 1998, in Israel where he died in 2003. Bibik’s formative period coincided with a substantive modernization of Ukrainian culture in the 1960s. During those years, members of the “Kyiv avantgarde” group (L. Hrabovsky, V. Sylvestrov, V. Godziatsky, et al.) sought to utilize modernistic idioms and techniques, such as free atonality, dodecaphony, sonoristic and aleatoric textures, cluster harmony, etc. Unlike the others, Bibik started with a more conservative style, which bore the influences of Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Bartók. Bibik’s mature period started several years later in the early 1970s with Piano Trio No. 1 (1972) and the composition Watercolors for soprano and piano (1973). Together with his next piano work 34 Preludes and Fugues, these compositions show extremely individual features of Bibik’s style, such as: 1. Special treatment of the sound, which is considered not just a material for building certain musical structures but a self-valuable substance (Bibik has an original manner of organizing sound). Hence, timbral and textural aspects draw special attention to the composer. 2. The pitch and rhythmic structure of the themes is quite simple. A combination of several simple motives becomes the starting point of long and sophisticated development. These motives are derived from folk music, however, due to rhythmic transformation, they have lost their direct connection with the folk source. 3. Rhythmic structures areal so very simple. They often include sequences of equal rhythmic values (usually crotchets or eights). However, the composer avoids monotony dueto due to variable time signatures and permanent rubato, as well as significant flexibility in phrasing. 4. The development relies mostly on melodic and polyphonic elaboration of initial simple motives. The composer utilizes various kinds of polyphony, such as canonic imitations, various combinations of the main and supportive voices, heterophony, hyper-polyphony. In fugues he employs both traditional and new methods of thematic and tonal distribution. 5. The harmony in Bibik’s works is mostly modal, as well as a combination of modality with free atonality and extended tonality. The structure of the dense chords is close to clusters, while more transparent chords include mostly seconds and fourths (as well as their inversions). He almost never used traditional tonal harmony and chords built up from thirds, and was interested in their color aspect rather than their tonal functionalism. 6. The sonoristic texture is very important. It does not diminish the importance of the melody but gets into special collaboration with it (“singing sonority”). A special “mist” around a clear melodic line is one of Bibik’s most typical devices. Due to special “pedal” orchestration, both the line and the “surrounding” sounds become equally important. 7. Elements of limited aleatoric music may be found in his rhythm and agogics, and sometimes inpitch structures (passages and figurations with free choice of the pitches). His favorite technique is a superposition of two rhythmically and temporally independent textural layers (for instance, a combination of the viola solo and the sonoristic orchestral background in the third movement of the Fourth Symphony). 8. Sonata for mand the fugue were significantly reinterpreted within free atonality and modal harmony. These provisions are the scientific novelty of the study.

“Modal Preludes and Fugues in C” by Borislava Stronko: Specific Use of Modal Technology

The relevance of the article. The most pressing need today is to turn to modern samples of polyphonic music, which is due, on the one hand, to artistic practice, and on the other, to rethinking traditional polyphonic forms and techniques in the context of a total experiment and a radical renewal of musical techniques. B. Stronko’s “Modal Preludes and Fugues in C” demonstrate a completely new, author’s version of the interpretation of the polyphonic cycle, which is due to the non-traditional combination of modality with polyphonic principles and methods of development. The change in the functionally centralized fret-tonal system to a radically different, modal, type of modal organization caused significant changes at all tiers of the multilevel organization of the fugue, starting from its core — the theme, ending with the principles of composition and shaping. To trace exactly what specific changes that were caused by the use of modal technique in the framework of the fugue and is the central problem of the study and determines its relevance Scientific novelty: for the first time, all the preludes and fugues of the cycle “Modal preludes and fugues in C” were thoroughly analyzed with an emphasis on the study of the “semantic source” of the polyphonic cycle (fugue), its quintessence (theme) in terms of the influence of the principles of modality on the construction of the fugue.The purpose of the article: to identify the features of the use of modal technique and the specificity of its influence on various structural levels of the fugue in the cycle “Modal preludes and fugues in C” by Boryslav Stronkо, as well as to determine the special features of the composer’s polyphonic thinking. The research methodology includes the use of systemic and functional methods. Main results and conclusions. All fugues from the cycle «Modal Preludes and Fugues in C» by B. Stronko represent an open cycle based on the modal principle of organization. The cycle itself is potentially open and represents the composer’s desire to achieve freedom and emphasize the potential for infinity of the process of creating modes. Each pair of preludes and fugues is limited by a scale of a certain design, which made it possible to create compositions with a pronounced individual flavor. At the level of thematicism: compactness of themes and fugues themselves, intonation specificity, depending on the structure of the fret. With further themes, linearity of development prevails, the composer uses the principle of multivariate repetition (isomelia, isorhythmy, interpolation, combinatorics), which has a certain relationship with rehearsal technique and becomes a specific feature of Boryslav Stronko’s polyphonic thinking. Multivariate repetition of the material, despite the actual changes, enhances the fading effect, being in one place and organically combines with the idea of being in the conditions of one specific sound of the chosen fret. Attention is drawn to the technique of replicating rhythmic-intonational structures — it is a quasi-sequential repetition of a motive in one or several voices at the same time, most often it variably changes in all voices, repeating with a horizontal shift or with the simultaneous use of various techniques (isorhythmy, isomelia, combinatorics). The role of ostinato increases significantly, which, together with the above techniques, contributes to the creation of the effect of hidden internal movement while actually staying in one place. It should be noted that all the above principles, which create the effect of a specific sound and work on the idea of constant rotation in a single sound space, turn out to be stable not only for “Modal preludes and fugues in C”, but also for other works of the composer: “Labyrinth Chord”, 4-part symphony for virtual ensemble (2016), “Time Crystals” (or “Metavariations for metapiano”) is an electronic music cycle (2018).

Bach the Organist

Bach’s duties as a Lutheran church organist included “preluding” on chorale (hymn) melodies and maintaining instruments. At Arnstadt Bach must also have been expected to accompany singers both at court and in church, and during these years he also carried out organ “tests.” It is unknown whether he wrote any vocal compositions at Arnstadt, but he doubtless wrote much keyboard music and developed his organ technique during these years. Compositions examined in this chapter include chorale preludes and praeludia (preludes and fugues), as well as the great Passacaglia for organ and several vocal works (cantatas) probably performed at Mühlhausen, including the so-called Actus tragicus.