Yakut Choral Society: Problems of revival in modern social-cultural conditions

В данной статье рассматривается история развития хорового исполнительства в Якутии, становление Якутского хорового общества – республиканского отделения Всероссийского хорового общества (ВХО, обосновывается актуальность этого значимого для Якутии явления музыкальной культуры. Очерчены основные вехи в развитии данного общества. Автор статьи представляет изучаемый объект как значимое явление в культурной жизни республики, прослеживая его развитие на протяжении более полувека, начиная с 1958 г. Благодаря деятельности Якутского отделения Всероссийского хорового общества хоровым движением было охвачено практически всё население Якутии. Благодаря сотрудничеству с якутскими композиторами, хоровая музыка стала популярной на уровне трудовых коллективов республики тех лет. Показана роль руководителей регионального отделения разного периода времени – Г.Ф. Таныгина, Ф.А. Баишевой, Л.Е. Архиповой и др. Смена политического строя в стране не лучшим образом отразилась на развитии хорового дела в стране и в республике, в частности, Всероссийское хоровое общество и его региональные отделения перестали существовать, несмотря на его реорганизацию в 1987 г. в Музыкальное общество. В статье впервые описано время, начиная с 2013 г., когда происходило восстановление Якутского отделения Всероссийского хорового общества. Необходимость его возрождения стала очевидной в виду возросшего спроса на организацию хорового дела как массового явления культуры якутского общества. В статье представлены важнейшие мероприятия, проведенные Якутским отделением ВХО, охарактеризованы крупные достижения за последние годы, проанализированы основные проблемы, стоящие перед организацией в переходный восстановительный период, а именно – улучшение финансирования, подготовка кадров. The article is devoted to the study of choral performance in Yakutia, the formation of the Yakut Choral Society, the regional branch of the All-Russian Choral Society. The relevance of this significant for Yakutia phenomenon of musical culture is substantiated. The main milestones in the development of the society are outlined. The author of the article presents the object under study as a significant phenomenon in the cultural life of the republic for more than half a century, starting in 1958. Thanks to the activities of the Yakut branch of the All-Russian Higher Education, the choral movement covered almost the entire population of Yakutia. Thanks to cooperation with Yakut composers, choral music became popular even among teams of co-workers. The role of the leaders of the regional branch – G.F. Tanygin, F.A. Baisheva, L.E. Arkhipova, and others – is shown. The changes in the political system in the country had a detrimental effect on the development of choral art in the country and in the republic, in particular. The RCS and its regional branches ceased to exist despite the attempts to reorganize it in 1987 into the Musical Society. For the first time, the article shows the difficult time when the restoration of the RCS in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) took place, starting in 2013. The need for revival became obvious in view of the increased demand for the organization of choral work as a mass phenomenon of the culture of society. The most important events carried out by the Yakutsk branch of the RCS are presented and the major achievements in recent years are characterized. At the same time, the main problems facing the organization in the transitional recovery period are analyzed: improving funding and training.

Palestrina in Serbia

Kosta P. Manojlović was a highly significant figure in the development of Serbian choral music and musical education. His studies abroad brought him into contact with repertoires of Western “early music” that had a profound impact on his work. This article discusses his adaptations of Renaissance polyphony found in the archive of the First Belgrade Choral Society.

The Ukrainian periodicals of Galicia on Ostap Nyzhankivskyi’s musical activities in the 1880s

The paper aims to analyze the areas of Ostap Nyzhankivskyi’s musical activities in the 1880s via a prism of the publications in «Dilo» and «Zorya» press publications. Their content and main topics as well as the aspects of his music career have been systematized and analyzed. Research methodology. The historiographical, chronological, comparative and analytical methods are employed to analyze the publications on musical topics in «Dilo» and «Zorya», as well as to explore the early stage of Nyzhankivskyi’s musical activities. Findings. The first musical performances of O. Nyzhankivskyi in Lviv were featured in the «Dilo», specifically, in the reviews. These were the evening event at «Academic Brotherhood» in December 1884 and the concert in honor of Olexandr Konyskyi in January 1885. He was distinguished immediately as a choir conductor as well as a composer with his own choral works. At this decade Ostap Nyzhankivskyi was a conductor of the choir «Akademichne Bratstvo», worked with the society «Zorya». Additionally, he participated in the concerts of Academic Gymnasium and Theological Seminary as a conductor and a composer. Some music critics compared performance skills of the choir under the direction of Ostap Nyzhankivskyi to the most famous choral society of Lviv «Lutna». We know about many concerts Ostap Nyzhankivskyi participated in, and of his rich repertoir as a conductor. Specifically, from the press reports we learned about active concert activities of O. Nyzhankivskyi, considerable conductor’s repertoire and almost annual premiers of his new compositions ― choirs, solo performances and vocal duets. As a conductor he popularized works of the Ukrainian composers, specifically, such Galician ones as M. Lysenko and P. Nishchynskyi. According to listeners and musical critics, the most effective and resonant of his own works were the choral piece «Hulyaly» on Y. Fedkovych poetry and the vocal duet «Do lastivky» on the poetry by Volodymyr Navrotskyi. The authors of in-depth critiques on early Nyzhankivskyi orks were P. Bazhanskyi and V. Matyuk. Some press reports were on topic of functioning of the first Ukrainian musical publishing house in Galicia «Muzychna bibliotheka» cofounded by Ostap Nyzhankivskyi. It edited 17 volumes of the Ukrainian musical works during the period of 1885―1892s. One of the first musical critiques authored by O. Nyzhankivskyi was dedicated to the memory of the Ukrainian composer Denys Leontovych. Conclusions. We conclude that the versatile musical and creative activities of O. Nyzhankivskyi became one of the decisive drivers of the intensive development of national music in the Western Ukraine. It promoted a rise of the Ukrainian national consciousness and intensified a cultural life of the Galician Ukrainians. Keywords: Ostap Nyzhankivskyi, Ukrainian periodicals, music art, musical critics, concerts.

The activity of the singing society «Lutna» (based on the publications of the daily «Dilo» in the 1880s)

The paper seeks to develop new avenues for the study of the singing society «Lutna» (based in Lviv, late 19th century). There were several music associations with differing objectives in musical activities in the 80s of the 19th century in Lviv. Specifically, they were the Galician Musical Society, the Association «Harmony» and the Choir «Lutna». None of them was specifically the Ukrainian institution, but many Ukrainians were the members of the «Lutna». Therefore, the «Lutna» had the repertoire of the Ukrainian musical works and took part in the nationwide musical life of Ukrainians (specifically, in Lviv). The paper aims to study the participation of the «Lutna» in the Ukrainian concerts at the 1880s in Lviv as well as to outline the works of Ukrainian composers and its repertoire. Our research is based on the daily newspaper «Dilo». We used chronological, historiography, comparative and analytical methods to explore the content of publications concerning the «Lutna» and to form the concert chronicle of the choir among the Ukrainian residents of Lviv. Our findings show that the choral society «Lutna» was founded as the «Men Choir of Lviv» to be based on the multinational principles in 1881. The first concert of the renewed society as the mixed choir «Lutna» was held in 1883. The critics of «Dilo» followed the Choir at Ukrainian concerts, analyzed their performing of the Ukrainian music and observed every change of its repertoire. About 20 Ukrainians were indicated in the «Lutna» registry documents spanning 1880s, specifically, A. Vakhnianyn, M. Vitoshynsky, S. Fedak, V. Shukhevych and others. Traditionally, the «Lutna» with S. Cetvinsky’s con ducting participated at the Shevchenko concerts as well as the other national cultural events during the 1880s. The society was the most active in Ukrainian music life at its early years. The musical works by A. Vakhnianyn, M. Verbytskyi, S. Vorobkevych, M. Lysenko, P. Nishchyn skyi and others were in the repertoire of the «Lutna». The «Lutna»’s performing of M. Lysenko’s choral poem «Zapovit» and his cantata «Biut Porohy» and P. Nishchynskyi’s «Zakuvala ta syva zozulia» were the most significant art events of that time. We conclude that the annual concerts of the «Lutna» along with other Ukrainian organizations and the large Ukrainian repertoire of the choir had a significant influence on the revival of the Ukrainian musical life in Galicia at the end of the 19th century. Keywords: Ukrainian concert life, choir society «Lutna», Ukrainian musical critics, the newspaper «Dilo» («Work»), Lviv.

Plaza, Juan Bautista (1898–1965)

Juan Bautista Plaza (Caracas, 19 July 1898–1 January 1965) was a Venezuelan composer, educator, writer, and musicologist active in Caracas; he was one of the principal figures in the development of the modern Venezuelan musical establishment. Trained in Rome as an organist and composer of sacred music, he served as chapel master of the Caracas cathedral for twenty-five years. At the same time he composed sacred and secular music in all genres except opera and symphony. As one of the first Venezuelan composers of art music to adopt a nationalist esthetic, he incorporated elements of Venezuelan folk music into some of his secular works. A dedicated educator, he taught the first music history course in Venezuela and created a music school for children. He helped organize Venezuela’s first choral society and first stable symphony orchestra. To create knowledgeable audiences, he developed a series of radio programmes on music appreciation. He contributed often to Caracas newspapers and magazines, publishing articles about music and local concert life. In 1936 he took charge of an archive of old music manuscripts, which enabled him to publish a set of scores from Venezuela’s colonial period and write scholarly articles about the music. His accomplishments led to his service as Venezuela’s Director of Culture (1944–46).

Activity of Public Organization as a Phenomenon of Ukrainian Cultural Heritage

The article analyses the activities of the Musical Society of Ukraine from 1969 to 1973. Attention is drawn to things of historic importance: creation of new professional groups (folk instruments orchestra, male choir, chamber choir), Renaissance of the kobza-playing, building the Song festival grounds, building of new music schools, creation of a network of musical-production activities. In the proposed approach, the concept of cultural heritage will be reduced to a lively, inspired, creative process, marked by high professionalism, indifference and non-material interest in the result. This page in the history of Music and choral society is a vivid example of the tradition of social activity and convincing proof of the possibilities of public organizations. It was the Music and choral society that initiated and organized the collection of ancient musical instruments, embroideries and towels in those years. Unique findings became the objects of serious research; the best examples served as an example for the creation of new ones. The author offers a unique perspective on the vision of cultural heritage. The peculiarity lies in the approach to heritage assessment not only from the viewpoint of the result. The principles of activity and the nature of the processes can be significant for history. It is especially true for the processes taking place in the bowels of totalitarian systems.

Shaping national memory: The beginning of memorizing Stevan Stojanovic Mokranjac in Serbian music (1919-1923)

The organization of musical life of Belgrade as the capital of the newly founded Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was characterized by efforts towards a material, economic and cultural consolidation of the city after a war disaster; thus the mapping of continuity with pre-war traditions acquired a special significance. The first joint performance of Belgrade choirs in peacetime conditions, organised by the Belgrade Choral Society (1919) and dedicated exclusively to Mokranjac?s output testified to that effect. Soon there followed four similar events (1922- 1923), and then a manifestation of the transfer of Mokranjac?s remains from Skopje to Belgrade (1923). The aim of this article is to examine these events as the first, though belated (due to war circumstances) cases of memorizing Mokranjac after his death in 1914. This research has taken into account the processes of canonization of Mokranjac that had begun even during his lifetime, and the critical examination of the canon is complemented by theoretical elements from memory studies, because these events are about a (re)interpretation of the canon of national art music through strategies of memorialization. Concerts and narratives that are directly related to them are marked as artistic memorials to Mokranjac; afterwards, I analyzed the commemoration ceremony itself. Considering the results of the analysis, I concluded that these were two types of memorizing Mokranjac, one of which was in the domain of the professional music elite, while the other one acquired the proportions of the national-state event. Accordingly, they also offered two kinds of national memory. On the one hand, the version presented by the representatives of the elite contributed to the canonization of Mokranjac and the creation of national memory within the dominant group in the field of music which, through its narrative about Mokranjac, expressed its own aesthetic orientation and reinforced its social positions. On the other hand, the mass gathering of various representatives of the state, civil institutions and citizens pointed to the apposite narratives of glorifying Mokranjac, while loading the ideology of the official state apparatus and putting memories of Mokranjac into desirable Yugoslav frameworks.

A historical section from Ottoman- Serbian musical interactions: Stevan Mokranjac’s Istanbul concertsOsmanlı-Sırp müzik ilişkilerinden tarihsel bir kesit: Stevan Mokranjac’ın Dersaadet konserleri

<p>Stevan Mokranjac, who is among the founders of Serbian national music, came with the Belgrade Choral Society to Ottoman lands to give a concert in 1895, during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II. Mokranjac’s visit is important both in terms of presenting the developments in Western music area in Ottoman Empire as well as showing the diplomatic interactions of the two countries in relation to music. In this concerts it is observed that the Western music performance and composition practices that the Ottomans initiated during 19. century were adopted by the Serbian musicians. Moreover, the constructional similarities and interactions in institutionalization of Western music in both countries takes attention.</p><p>This article aims to reveal the Ottoman-Serbian musical interaction, about which no specific research was not traced, in line with the composer, musician, conductor Stevan Mokranjac, who is not very well known in Turkish music history, and Belgrad Choral Society’s Istanbul visit through the support of historical documents obtained by archival research.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Özet</strong></p><p>Sırp ulusal müziğinin kurucularından Stevan Mokranjac, Belgrad Koro Topluluğu’yla birlikte 1895 yılında, Sultan II. Abdülhamid’in hükümdarlığı döneminde konser vermek üzere Osmanlı topraklarına gelmiştir. Mokranjac’in bu ziyareti hem Osmanlı İmparatorluğu’nda Batı müziği alanındaki gelişmeleri gözler önüne sermek hem de iki ülke arasındaki diplomatik ilişkilerin müzik bağlamında etkileşimini göstermek bakımından önemlidir. Bu konserlerde Osmanlı’nın 19. yüzyılda temellerini attığı Batı müziği icra ve yaratı geleneklerinin Sırp müzisyenlerce adapte edildiği gözlemlenmiştir. Ayrıca iki ülkenin Batı müziği yapılanmasındaki kurumsal benzerlikler ve etkileşimler dikkat çekmektedir.</p><p>Bu makale, bugüne kadar hakkında hiç yayın tespit edilememiş Osmanlı-Sırp müzik ilişkilerini, yine Türk müzik tarihinde tanınmayan ve araştırılmamış besteci, müzisyen, şef Stevan Mokranjac’ın korosuyla İstanbul ziyareti düzleminde, konuyla ilgili tarihsel belgeleri arşiv çalışması ile ortaya koyarak gözler önüne sermeyi hedeflemektedir.</p>