Academic literature on the topic 'National songs, Ukrainian'

The article deals with the nature of the concept of «nightingale» in Ukrainian folk oral poetry, in particular in lyrical songs, love songs. «Nightingale» is considered as a traditional symbolized object of Ukrainian poetic worldview, as a «key» character in the context of the national picture of the world; it is emphasized that in the XXI century the processes of integration of sciences are intensified; the similarity of the rhythmic structure of nightingale song and human speech is explained. For this purpose, the data from recent studies by ornithologists have been used. Attention is drawn to the fact that nightingale strengthens the mood of people in love with his singing. In love songs, man and bird sound in unison, thus creating a state of happy heavenly harmony – a special interaction of man with the environment. The data of ornithologists’ researches on the genetic connection of man with the sounds made by birds are given. An analogy is made between the creative potential of man and nightingale, between their repertoires, the sequence of works performing, their architectonics «introduction – refrain». An attempt to scientifically comprehend the impact of nightingales on humans and their health is made. It is concluded that the concept of «Nightingale» in Ukrainian folk oral poetry belongs to the «key» invariant characters-symbols and is an important component of Ukrainian national view of the world. The character of the nightingale is pervasive in Ukrainian folk songs about love. The voice of a bird in the minds of Ukrainians is associated with strong emotions: joy, love, sadness, grief, despair and others.

The topicality is associated with the need for musicological understanding of the value categories of ethnoaesthetics in the creative activity of singers that represent the Ukrainian folk song tradition in modern variety vocal art. The purpose of the article is to identify ethno-aesthetic value components in the performance of O. Mukha as a personification of the uniqueness of the Ukrainian national expression. The methodology consists of scientific works of prominent Ukrainian scientists devoted to the study of ethno-aesthetic ideas and criteria in the traditional songs of Ukraine (Y. Harasym, T. Orlova, V. Lychkova), as well as genre-style and performance specifics of Ukrainian musical folklore (K. Kvitka, F. Kolessa, A. Ivanytskyi, S. Hryts). The results. The artistic imagery of the iconic folk songs of O. Mukha repertoire, which is a part of the ethno-aesthetic fund of the Ukrainian folk song tradition, is considered. The general features of ethnoaesthetics of the folk song performing tradition of Ukraine, including its vocal and technical component are outlined. The novelty. The article considers the performance of O. Mukha for the first time and reveals ethnoaesthetic value components in it. The practical significance. The study of the essence of folk singing as an art with its own artistic and value component, based on an established system of qualitative components of ethnoaesthetics, as well as the study of performing experience of prominent Ukrainian folk singers are the necessary practical material for creating a scientific basis and general methodology of folk vocal art. The conclusions. Musical ethnoaesthetics as a component of traditional culture covers the semantic field of songs, concentrating on the structure, rhythmics and size of a poem, the richness of national melos, its intonation and tonality basis. Ethnoaesthetics of the folk song tradition of Ukraine is manifested in the uniqueness of the national expression, namely: vocal-timbre color of sound, in the peculiarities of intonation, freedom of metro-rhythmic movement, variability and melismatic richness. In O. Mukha’s works, the creation of the sound matter of the modern performance version of a folk song is based on the perception of song intonation as sound emotion and understanding of the boundless ocean of ancient symbols of the national musical language, which during centuries has crystallized in the folk song tradition. Her works grow out from the reflection on the national song culture and traditions of her family. Work on each ancient relict of tradition is based on discovering the potential of the power of its aesthetic, spiritual and emotional impact on listeners, perception of the stock of expressive possibilities.

The article analyses the group of writers «Ziewonia», in the work and activities of which Slavophile ideas have strengthened through cycles of translations, songs and dumas. It reveals interest in the culture of the Slavic people in the 30s of the 19th century. It analyses the idea of national identity and ethnic culture using a differentiated approach to the phe- nomena of literary folklore, which becomes the main motive of «Ziewonia». The level of Ziewonia’s comprehension in Polish science is not significant yet but still to be more learned than in Ukrai- nian science. The article is said about the first period of the XIX century which is characterized by emergence of artistic achievements as exemplified by the interaction of intercultural literature. The Romantic era encouraged the first contact and special activity of folk Ukrainians interested by young Polish writers who are called in the Polish history of literature «Ziewonia». The main representatives were Augustin Bielovsky (the critic and translator, the employee of the Ossolineum institution), Josef and Alexander (Leshek) Dunin-Borkovsky (writers and critics), Lucian Semensky (the poet and novel- ist), Kazimiezh Vladislav Wojcicky (collector of folk songs) and Ludvik Jablonsky (also the critic of Ukrainian literature), finally the Ukrainian writers called the «Russian Trinity», the organization which united enthusiastic researchers of Ukrainian folklore. It is found out that main activities of this Slavophil group were translation and popularization of literature merits. They gave exemplary translations of important Slavic works such as: «Krolodworsky Manuscript», «Zielona Gora Manuscript», selected sonnets from «The daughters of Kollar’s fame», the significant number of Serbian folk songs, many Ukrainian poems and «The Tale of Igor’s Campaign». Folk society and folk songs were glorified and stylized. The key findings of the research prove that deep and intensive relationships between different literacy circles (Ukrainian and Polish) collaborated the future mutual writer’s group for the next historical period.

The article presents the results of empirical research on ethnopsychological groups of people living in different regions of Ukraine in the context of intercultural ideological systems. In particular, residents of Ukraine and foreign students from Africa and Middle East, which study at Sumy State University, were invited to share their impressions from the listened dumas, performed by Canadian bandurist Victor Mishalow during his concert tour in Ukraine. They also watched and listened to video recordings of such folk dumas as «Cossack Golota», «Marusya Boguslavka» performed by kobzar Mykola Budnyk and bandura player Fedir Zharko. Students analyzed the characters’ images, expressed their understanding and attitude to characters’ actions and compared them with the national heroes of their own countries. The national peculiarities of the worldview of Ukrainians, representatives of Africa and the Middle East expressed in their language are defined. The language itself is the core of people’s psyche, way of thinking, and identity of ethnic group’s moral and ethical norms of life. The analysis of folk art helps to emphasize the peculiarity of foreign students’ perception of words, rhythm, music, and the symbolic system of folk poetic works. Author notes that the psychological of figurative system of Ukrainian dumas and folk songs of the mentioned peoples has a purely national color: it is a category of national outlook and at the same time is a artistic and aesthetic category. The solution of these problems forms an understanding of the specific of national characters and the national world in folk poetic works of the peoples of Africa, the Middle East and Ukrainian folk dumas, which is the main purpose of the study and its novelty, because such typological comparisons are investigated for the first time. These experimental studies, the development of the ideas of dumas studies and studies on a national character, the peculiarities of a national world perception, world outlook and world expression have substantiated the need for a deeper study of Ukrainian dumas’ role in the formation of the national personality during intercultural communication.

Background. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the phenomenon of lyricism in Ukrainian musicology. This growth is more so conspicuous given that in the Soviet Musical Encyclopedia this term was omitted, and now it is the pivot of various researches, up to Ph. D. dissertations [7]. There is also a tendency to use this term regarding not only to vocal, but to instrumental music as well, including works lacking noticeable traits of lyrical mood. Works devoted to literature contain valuable information on lyricism, including remarks on the apprehension of this phenomenon in France. On the other side, there are no special researches devoted to incarnation of lyricism in different cultures of pop singing based on their comparison. The objective of research is to reveal specifics of lyricism in Ukrainian and French songs and to apply the results received to the of work with the students of Popular Music and Jazz Department. Methods. To reach that objective, eight songs have been considered. Although these songs belong to different cultures (Ukrainian and French), they are bound the similar plot basics; they pertain to love poetry, and each of them in some way embodies themes of detachment, remembrance, confession of love etc. The main aspect taken into consideration was whether the song leans towards open expression of feeling or no, when the feelings of lyrical hero (even very strong) are kept inside him; and in what way that correlates with the song being French or Ukrainian. Results. Having considering these songs, we were able to state similarities and differences between them. The song “Kohana” (“Beloved”) combines lyrical extraversion with optimistic mood. Plentiful hints about future allow understanding of this song as an open declaration of joy, caused by mutual love. Hence, firm belief in happy future should be represented with active and strong voice. Contrary to that, the song “Ochi voloshkovi” (“Cornflower-blue Eyes”) directs into the past as a reminiscence of pleasant days of happiness. Clearly defined initial nostalgic mood gradually shifts into a tragic one as it becomes clear, that hero’s hopes for future cannot be fulfilled. In this case, emphatic affirmative intonation would be perceived as an illusion. The song “Kvity romena” (“Flowers of chamomile”) represents another pole of Ukrainian songs as it lacks tragic mood or confessions. The text of the song hasn’t any conflicts, and that causes “unproblematic” performing tone. The poetic text differs from the previous two songs as it relies less on a parallelism between nature and state of the soul and uses more complicated methods, such as assonances and more elaborated system of metaphors (the chamomile, initially standing for the soul of the hero, later becomes a symbol of love). Overall, this song characterizes not by “experiencing”, but by representation. The main motive of the song “Dead Leaves” (“Les feuilles mortes”) is remembrance, but not only of the past times, but also of the song, which the lyrical hero used to sing with his beloved. The structure of “Les feuilles mortes” is quite original as it consists of two parts: introduction with clearly defined speech basis, and the main part, where vocal plays bigger role. This reminds of traditional opera form “Recitativo e Aria”, where both parts might be not joined by the same thematic material. “Les feuilles mortes” doesn`t bear conflict as the idea that love cannot be returned is accepted rather calmly, without outburst of lamentation. The “flow” of music is rather smooth as it lacks sudden modulations and unusual intonations; that creates an atmosphere of tranquil reminiscence. The opposite attitude about love is enshrined in the song “The snow is falling” (“Tombe la neige”), where the snow stands for cold and dispassionate reality as well as of the state of soul of lyrical hero. The unity of these meanings is emphasized in the words “Blanche solitude” (“White solitude”), and their opposition – in the contrast of desperate cry and indifferent descent of snow. The melody of song is quite special as it has a pause after each line that creates the effect of woeful sighs. The simplicity of the harmony emphases relentless despair of the hero; thus, the song demonstrates an example of “limitation of expressive possibilities”. In the song “Nathalie” lyricism is combined with narrative features as the song is, basically, the recital of the story of the visit of the French tourist to the Moscow during the Soviet era. Here, the sound-painting is used: to portray the party of Russian students, the orchestra resembling Russian folk instruments is used and gradual acceleration of the tempo creates an allusion to traditional Russian dances. In the last part of the song potentially dramatic phrase “My life appears empty” doesn’t cause culmination as it would do on Ukrainian song – solitude taken just as fact of reality. The conclusion is drawn that the lyricism of Ukrainian songs is mostly inclined to the “pure” type with its open emotionality, and that of French songs – by the synthesis with another moduses of expression (such as narrative, pondering, reminiscence etc.). This difference is visible even more due to the similarities of the poetic texts. The Ukrainian songs usually have more opened form of emotional expression, with illusion of “experiencing”, while the French songs are marked by quite reserved feelings or usage of the change of their intensity as a mean of expression. In the latter case, expressiveness is reached often by another means, which often require more intellectual perception (complicated and refined poetic symbols, music closely following the text, poetic techniques etc.). Although of considered song groups includes those seemingly negating these conclusions (“Kvity romena”, “Tombe la neige”), they can be regarded as exceptions from the general rule that is inevitable and natural in the functioning of “living” artistic culture. Nevertheless, both national cultures share understanding of lyricism as expression of feelings. Comprehension of specifics of lyricism in Ukrainian and French songs will allow the students in their practical work to choose the degree of revealing of emotions suitable to the essence of the performed songs; that, subsequently, will result in the performance being stylistically loyal. At the same time, similarities in interpretation of lyricism allow to overcome any cultural or language barriers.

The methodical concepts of organization, recording, processing and documentation of folklore by the outstanding Ukrainian composer, conductor, teacher Mykola Leontovych are defined in the article. The artist's interest in folk songs is revealed, and his purposeful work as a recorder of folk melodies is studied. The composerʼs approaches to collecting, studying and popularizing the folklore of Ukraine are defined. The memories of friends and students, which reveal the composer’s and folklore activities, are analyzed.Much attention is paid to the definition of individual perception, techniques and methods of presentation of folklore in the professional activities of M. Leontovych, in particular, describes the diverse and multilevel system of the composerʼs creative approach to folk songs and outlines the leading role of folklore in music and aesthetic education. The article considers the national originality of M. Leontovych’s choral music, reveals the close connection of the composer’s activity with the rich folk song culture of Ukraine, highlights the composer’s innovative approaches to the embodiment of folklore in Ukrainian music, traces the artist’s influence on the development of the choral miniature genre. The paper presents a creative understanding of the folk song heritage of the composer and the use of its best examples in the education and artistic training of todayʼs young generation. Some aspects of the development of professional skills of future teachers of music are highlighted. The use of certain forms, methods, techniques of educational activities contribute to the formation of studentsʼ readiness to use arrangements of M. Leontovychʼs song folklore in modern secondary schools in the context of the New Ukrainian School.

The article investigates ethnographic and educational dimension of functioning of music at folk holiday. The author considers national holiday as an integrated concept that, firstly, integrates a variety of types of art (music, fine arts, performing arts, dance, literature), secondly, is a combination of two cultures – the pagan and Christian. It is noted that folk holiday is a model of highly aestheticized everyday life of Ukrainian people. The author states that music art at folk holiday is represented in the form of choral music, dance songs, music for dancing, marching music, song and instrumental music for listening in the form of ensemble.It has been proved that functioning of professional, amateur choirs or just group singing is common for music content of folk holidays; Ukrainian folk song has always been the basis of that functioning.It has been emphasized that the music art at folk holidays is represented by national folk-songs in the form of dance songs. They consisted of three components: words, music and dance movements.Special attention has been given to the marching music, represented by greeting marches, procession marches, performed in appropriate situations of meetings, farewell, congratulations, and glorification.The article states that the folk holidays that are prevalent in Ukraine have an important pedagogical potential, since they give a child a coherent picture of the artistic view of the world, establish connection between art and life.The recognition of the leading role of folk music in the process of musical and aesthetic education of children is considered by the author as a key to the formation of a highly spiritual personality.The requirements for the organization and conducting of folk holiday have been presented in the article; the teacher’s basic tasks have been defined.

Ukrainian folk love songs as one of the most relevant genres have retained a lot of information about the norms of ethics and morals of the Ukrainian youth at the end of the XIX - early ХХ century. Particularly interesting are texts which contain information about the loss of maiden innocence, are reflected in the motifs of wreath loss. In folk love songs with the motifs of wreath loss, often are being used images-symbols of a wreath, braids, weed field, destiny. National aesthetics rarely judge girl who committed such a moral crime, but mostly sympathizes with her, uses the examples of such situations to warn young people from committing such offenses.

Background. The article is devoted to the scientific-methodical analysis of the phenomenon of a folk songs assimilation into the multicultural vocal tradition. A folk song is presented in the aspect of national self-consciousness and plurality of modern performing traditions in the conditions of multi-stylistic cultural attitude. The relevance of the topic is the theoretical comprehension of the role of a folk song and singing in multicultural context. The purpose of the research is a comprehension of the phenomenon of the folk songs assimilation in multicultural vocal traditions under the new wave of interest in national dimension of “West – East” and necessity of quality vocal education of rising Chinese students-vocalists. The article based on the studies of materials of curriculums, methodical elaborations and manuals developed in the department of solo singing at Kharkiv National I. P. Kotlyarevsky University of Arts. Research results. Modern multicultural performing traditions in conditions of expanding geography of creative experience exchange needs in new philosophical and scientific-methodical comprehension. Based on variety international cultural programs there are traineeship groups, exchange of students and teachers, presentations of common creative projects. The modern cultural background of Ukraine is enriched with unique concerts of Chinese students performing not only classical repertoire, but Chinese folk songs as well. Methodical comprehension of stylistic layers and ways of formation of multicultural traditions occurs according to the methods of comparison of general intonations in folk songs. Vocal methodic of sound extractions is founded on general grounds, regardless of national specificity, however, the comparison and plurality make the process of performing reproduction of vocal styles more accessible for comprehension by students. The issues of national certainty and vocal-technical skills, interpretative experience in the concert forms and singing genres are considered in the research. The innovative aspect of the topic disclosure is the involvement of Chinese folk songs and pieces by Chinese composers in interaction with pieces by Italian and Ukrainian composers in the repertory of the learning vocalists. The practical task is to reveal the multi-national potential of musical mindset of contemporary singers in the context of the steady tendency to the mental-stylistic plurality in the art of the 21st century. It is proved that the vocal-technical learning of general world experience occurs through the recognition of the plurality of stylistic features of folk songs. The folk song is the “cornerstone” of the performing tradition, the basis of the vocal repertoire of any national school. It is included in a composition of compulsory pieces for participation in national and international vocal competitions. Thanks to the folk song what is the carrier of the ancient information and performing features included by previous singer generations, a deep connection of the artist with folk-song traditions occurs. The category “folk singing” is a coherent entity that contains the minimum set of information what includes distinctive harmonic figures, instrumentation, texture, acoustic features of rendition. The traditional Chinese song, based on pentatonic scale, becomes an illustration of the national “general intonation”. "Sense" of an entire tone for the formation of the purity of vocal intonation assumes an exclusive meaning. The success in acquisition of pentatonic melodies is provided due to similarity of intonation sets what are typical for musical cultures of different nations over the world. The folk song in the repertoire of the learning vocalist is a reflection of the multicultural traditions in the conditions of the domination of academic vocal culture. The study of the melodics of the song and its harmony and form peculiarities contributes to the adaptation of the singer’s mindset to the alternative mental principles of vocal art and to the universalism of mindset in the forming of professional academic performing. The Chinese folk song, the Ukrainian duma, East mugham singing and other similar reflect the spiritual world of folk reproducing historical antiquity. Therefore, the folk song as an integral part of the modern repertoire in vast enriches the intonation, spiritually-aesthetic and cultural fund of a vocalist. The conclusions summarize the complexity of the problem, the components of which are the adapting of mindset to the alternative mental bases of vocal art and rising of universalism in conditions of multi-stylistic plurality. The bases of formation of multicultural traditions are generalized: the comparison of stylistic layers; exploring the general world experience through the national certainty (basic vocal repertoire as a synthesis of stylistic plurality); vocal-technical equipment, the comparison of melodic, harmonic and tempo-rhythmic principles of differrent folk songs; rendition of the folk song in the original language. All of these bases reveal the content of the movement to the formation of multicultural performing traditions in order to advance of the professional academic background.

The purpose of the section is to clarify the place of Ukrainian diaspora composers’ paraliturgical works of the XXth century and, in particular, the works of Mykhailo Hayvoronsky (1892–1949) in the spiritual musical culture of Ukrainians. Paraliturgical works include spiritual songs and chants performed outside the church’s Christian canonical rite. In the works of composers it is: a series of chants from Pochaiv’s «Bogohlasnyk», arrangements of koliadkas, songs of the Virgin and Resurrection, prayers to the King of Heaven, communions. Paraliturgical music of diaspora composers testifies to a strong connection with traditions: here we have the influence of «part-song», and the achievement of the «golden age» of Ukrainian music, and creative achievements in this genre of older contemporaries – M. Lysenko, M. Leontovych, K. Stetsenko. On the other hand, there is a close connection of this music with folklore sources, first of all, in the field of melody, texture, principles of musical material development. The sacral-aesthetic element of M. Hayvoronsky’s spiritual music is expressed by the figurative content of these works (bright, contemplative mood, sorrowful-focused prayer spirit, joyful exaltation, mood spirit), aesthetic categories (sublime, beauty, harmony, aesthetic ideal). Due to its genre and stylistic features, the paraliturgical music of diaspora composers became an integral part of the national school of composers development and contributed to the establishment of its identity.

The article is aimed at analyzing a number of original polyphonic works for bandura in various genres, belonging to a leading composer of the Dnieper region, Honored Artist of Ukraine Valentina Martyniuk. Published in the form of a textbook composer «Ukrainian song in polyphonic works for bandura», these works are in great demand among performers, pupils, students and teachers of all levels of education. They are often heard in concert programs, competitions and festivals. This fact is due to the appeal to polyphonic bandura works as self-sufficient original compositions, which organically combined many ways of counterpoint technique and the latest compositional techniques with authentic folklore material or national song melody. This organic synthesis was achieved thanks to the high professional level of the master in collaboration with the famous representative of the bandura school Svitlana Ovcharova. It was such a creative union that contributed to the most comfortable, natural sound of the bandura; Deprived of the vocal voice of her performer, she absorbs the vocals from the song as the foundation of each play. Thus, the instrument seems to replace the words of the song with a purely instrumental sound. But the words are read in every polyphonic play by V. Martyniuk. It is noteworthy that the composer expands the «range» of polyphonic genres and combines technically simple, more traditional inventions with cyclical works, which do not follow certain canons and uses a wide range of possible genre combinations – chorale and fugue, fantasy, fugue and epilogue, fugue and kolomyyka, etc. Such compositions deploy a contrasting material that requires both greater alignment and the achievement of a true concert performance style. The performer has a difficult task – to convey the content of the song, to get into its features and, using polyphonic techniques and appropriate technical capabilities, to create a three-dimensional image that is significant and bring it to the listener. So, the analysis of stylistic and constructive-logical regularities of the structure of polyphonic works for bandura-solo by modern composer V. Martyniuk is made to help a young musician who learns the science of performing polyphony and seeks not only to improve his professional skills, but also to preserve and promote his national culture. The combination of the timbre of the bandura, as a symbol of the soul of the Ukrainian people, with folk songs and pan-European polyphonic traditions can further contribute to the realization of a truly national identity. The project of creating a self-sufficient, artistically original, nationally original polyphonic repertoire for the bandura is unfolding; next year it is planned to republish the collection «Ukrainian song in polyphonic works for bandura» (second edition) with the addition of new polyphonic works by V. Martyniuk and their performance-theoretical analysis.

Looking at the contentious history of the Eurovision Song Contest, ‘Music of the nations’ considers the complex relationship between world music, nationalism, and the modern nation-state. In her winning song in 2016, ‘1944’, the Ukrainian entry Jamala switched from English to Crimean Tatar, a political reference to the Russian annexation of Ukraine. Zimbabwe changed its anthem from ‘God Save the Queen’ to an African song via ‘Ode to Joy.’ ‘HaTikva’ went from a chorus at an international congress to the Israeli national anthem. There are also supra- or international anthems like the ‘Internationale’, a standard of the socialist movement worldwide.

The article analyzes the features in mentality, culture and ethics of the Ukrainian people in theirs attitude to image-symbol of "water". Opoetization of water, of the water world is some kind of narodnopoetichesky dominant which is shown in folklore, the art word. Opoetization of water often defines outlook of Ukrainians, gets into national consciousness, speaks about valid and her even solemn perception. The respect of water and its mystified image can be tracked in all components of spiritual culture of Ukrainians: in folklore, ceremonial songs, Christmas carols, etc. It is proved that such relation has historical roots, but today it is necessary to create new ethics of relationship of the person and water. It is of great importance taking into account new relationship of the person with the nature in general. This relationship demands new responsibility of the person to the nature, new culture of the relations of the person with water and its sources, new ethics of relationship of the person and water.