Bandura in the late 1990s and early 2000s compositions by Maryna Denysenko: genre and stylistic context of ideas

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Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky academy of music

Modern art research institute

Bandura in the late 1990s and early 2000s compositions by Maryna Denysenko: genre and stylistic context of ideas

I. Savchuk, Dr of Arts Studies, Professor

T. Bilyanska, Student

Abstract

The article summarizes the use of bandura in the compositional ideas of Maryna Denysenko, a famous Ukrainian composer (1962-2022). The nature of the bandura use in the artist's works suggests the process of the academicization of the instrument. Engaging bandura in the Winter and Spring play and in the August the Sickle cycle, Maryna Denysenko makes this instrument a mediator between the musical material of a non-folklore nature and the folklore themes declared in the programmatic titles of the works. In general, Denysenko's results demonstrate high mastery of compositional technique and artistic perfection, corresponding to contemporary musical trends. This once again confirms the urgent need to revive and explore her work.

The analysis of Maryna Denysenko's works featuring bandura revealed the following stylistic features of the composer's creative method: a tendency to a programmatic approach, to the realization of folklore themes without explicit references to the characteristics of traditional genres of Ukrainian folklore in the musical language, and to a pronounced integrity of the composition. Her ideas in the field of instrumental bandura are characterized by the use of decentralized harmonic systems and modality in the principles of the harmonic basis of her compositions. These are the regularities of constructing colorful intonational material based on movements of seconds as the main structural microelements.

The components of the author's style of the instrumental chamber works with bandura were revealed, including the exchange of roles between bandura and piano at certain moments of the work; elaborate composition with the dominating improvisation; a significant role of polyphonic techniques (use of equirhythmic counterpoint, various imitations, canons with two or more voices); numerous instances of inventive sound imagery (for example, the depiction of the sounds of drops and gurgling water in the third movement with the help of bells, a xylophone, or the layering of aleatoric techniques of bandura performance and pizzicato strings).

Keywords: Maryna Denysenko, academic bandura, Winter and Spring, August the Sickle, genre and stylistic dimensions of creativity.

Анотація

Бандура у композиторській творчості Марини Денисенко кінця 1990-х - початку 2000-х: жанрово-стилістичний контекст задумів

Савчук І., доктор мистецтвознавства, професор; Інститут проблем сучасного мистецтва Національної академії мистецтв України

Білянська Т., студентка, Національна музична академія України імені Петра Чайковського

Здійснено спробу узагальнення використання бандури в композиторських задумах Марини Денисенко, відомої української композиторки (1962-2022). Характер використання бандури в творах мисткині свідчить про процес академізації інструмента. Використовуючи бандуру в п'єсі «Зима та весна» й циклі «Серпень-серп», Марина Денисенко робить бандуру своєрідним посередником між музичним матеріалом нефольклорної природи та фольклорною тематикою, заявленою в програмних назвах творів. Загалом твори М. Денисенко демонструють високий рівень володіння композиторською технікою й художню довершеність, що відповідає актуальним тенденціям в сучасній музиці. Це ще раз підтверджує крайню необхідність відроджувати й досліджувати її творчість. При аналізі творів Марини Денисенко за участю бандури було виявлено такі стилістичні риси творчого методу композиторки: тяжіння до програмності, до реалізації фольклорної тематики без явних посилань на риси традиційних жанрів українського фольклору в музичній мові, до вираженої цілісності композиції. Для її задумів у полі інструментальної бандури характерне використання децентралізованих ладових систем, модальності в принципах ладової основи творів. Такими є закономірності побудови різнобарвного інтонаційного матеріалу, який, утім, спирається на секундові ходи як на основні структурні мікроелементи. Було розкрито компоненти авторської стилістики камерно-інструментальних творів за участю бандури, серед яких - обмін ролями між бандурою і фортепіано в певні моменти твору; продуманість цілого при домінуванні імпровізаційності, значна роль поліфонічних технік (використання ек- віритмічного контрапункту, різноманітних імітацій, канонів за участю двох і більше голосів); численні факти винахідливої звукозображальності (наприклад, зображення звуків крапель і булькотіння води в третій частині за допомогою дзвіночків, ксилофона, або нашарування звучання алеаторних прийомів гри у бандури і струнних pizzicato).

Ключові слова: Марина Денисенко, академічна бандура, «Зима та весна», «Серпень-серп», жанрово-стилістичні тири творчості.

Introduction

Maryna Denysenko represents the constellation of artists who entered the scene of Ukrainian music in the 1980s and 1990s. Her compositional work is associated with new trends in Ukrainian art of the turn of the twenty-first century, namely, postmodern art, the importance of each element of the system, spontaneity, chamber nature, and presentation at international music venues. However, at present, M. Denysenko's work rarely becomes the subject of scientific research and thus undeservedly remains “in the shadows" After the composer's death, this work will be the first posthumous comprehensive research of her role in the chamber and symphonic music for bandura, which constitutes the relevance of this paper.

Aim of the paper. The paper aims to create conceptual ideas about the stylistics of M. Denysenko's works for academic bandura. The following objectives are set: to consider the composer's creative method on the example of her works with the participation of the academic bandura; to analyze the genre and style features of such works as Winter and Spring for bandura and piano, August the Sickle for bandura, strings, and percussion; to determine the specifics of using bandura in the artist's work.

August the Sickle for bandura, strings, and percussion instruments. Features of genre and style

Very little is known about the circumstances of the creation of this work. The only precise information is the year of its composition, 1997. Based on M. Denysenko's oeuvre, this work reflects the composer's love for small forms, the transition from the pompous, extensive symphonic genres to the orchestral chamber sphere.

The cycle August the Sickle consists of five small orchestral sketches. This interesting individual genre correlates with the tradition of romantic instrumental cycles.

The summer cycle from the theme of the agricultural calendar unites the works of August the Sickle. Giving programmatic titles to the works was a stylistic feature of M. Denysenko, therefore, she emphasized the folklore tendency with colorful titles for each part of the cycle. Two parts (the first and final) have a more specific programmatic nature, which is related to the religious and ceremonial side of the last summer month. Thus, Part I is titled "Makoviya...”In M. Denysenko's manuscript score, the titles of the first three movements are given with an ellipsis at the end of the title. Arguagbly, the program titles are related to a certain literary (probably poetic) source or several sources and contain the initial phrases of lines of text. Unfortunately, these primary sources are yet to be determined., which refers to the feast of the Holy Martyrs Maccabees (August 14) highly honored in traditional Ukrainian culture. Part V, titled "August the Sickle” hints at the harvest theme. The fact that this title was chosen as the title of the entire cycle suggests that this theme is unifying for all parts, even though the titles of parts II and III have a generalized folk-poetic orientation. Thus, Part II is titled "Popovna Kalyna...”, and Part III-"Summer by the Water.” The title of Part VI is also formally unrelated to ritual imagery-it is called "Kaniv,” which refers to a Ukrainian city of outstanding history and culture: it was already a large town in the times of Ancient Rus, serving as a meeting place for princes with Polovtsian ambassadors; and in the nineteenth century it became the burial site of Taras Shevchenko (Kaniv: 7 istorychnyx mist ta mistechok (n.d.)), and also became an essential motif ofYa. Pluzhnyk's poem-reflection Kaniv. For M. Denysenko, Kaniv was of particular importance, the composer visited it to rest and work in her family estate, and eventually died there.

In general, the pieces of the cycle are very picturesque, and this is ensured, among other things, by the colorful performing cast: bandura, strings, and percussion. The composer introduces a unique instrument designed to reproduce the sounds of birdsong, the "nightingale”.

The use ofbandura, as in the case of Winter and Spring, is the most vivid illustration of the folklore motifs of the cycle. Still, it plays functionally alongside other instruments rather than standing out as a primary one. The stringed instruments are presented in their typical composition for an orchestra-first and second violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. Two solo violins also stand out. In addition, at certain moments, the entire string group appears as an ensemble of soloists due to the numerous divisi in all parts. However, percussion requires special attention. Since there is an immense number of their varieties worldwide, examining the choice of instruments by the composer is especially interesting.

First, it is noteworthy that in the cycle August the Sickle, Denysenko introduced many instruments of a distinctly decorative nature-large and small bells, triangles (metal and wooden), as well as rhythmic and melodic percussion-tempo blocks and exotic bongos². In addition, the score includes an instrument with powerful melodic capacity, the xylophone, and a less common but highly characteristic flexaton. Among the distinctly noise-making instruments, tom-toms³ and rattles should be mentioned.

Thus, the score contains an extensive range of percussion instruments, both common in orchestral practice and atypical, which reveals the composer'sIn the composer's manuscript, bongos are not listed in the instrumentation at the beginning of the score but their use is mentioned in the middle of the musical text (at the end of the “Kaniv” number). However, the use of these instruments is not mandatory. The composer remarks: “Tempo blocks may be used instead of bongos.”In the score, Denysenkoonly indicated the number of tom-toms-two-hut there are no instructions for time signature. However, the nature of the notation suggests that they should be of different time signatures, which allows the composer to use them both as noise-making (as happens in most cases when the tom-toms sound simultaneously) and as rhythmic and melodic instruments (when they sound alternately, for example, two bars before the letter Qin the 4^th movement of the cycle). interest in creating unique timbre combinations. In addition, the percussion instruments presented in the cycle are very diverse in construction and pitch quality. There are idiophones and membranophones with precise pitch and rhythmic and melodic percussion instruments without an accurate pitch. When choosing instruments, the author preferred idiophones, mostly metal ones. This already foreshadows a particular “brilliance” in the sound of the cycle's numbers. In addition, it may carry a specific archaic semantics-the clanging of metal in ancient, in particular, pagan cultures was considered to be in contact with the otherworld, scaring away evil spirits or attracting good ones, so instruments like bells were even used in rituals (Frazer, 1923). It may be assumed that this way, the composer emphasized the folklore motifs usually associated with the archaic.

In general, the unusualness of the ensemble composition is immediately striking. Still, it should be noted that in the twentieth century, the individualization of performing groups became a characteristic feature of music (Tsenova, 2007, p. 53-54), so in this, M. Denysenko joins the current trends of contemporary compositional creativity.

In the first part - “Makoviya” - the composer does not yet use percussion, so the basis of the polyphony are the stringed instruments (a familiar role for them), which are later joined by bandura. Despite this, she is looking for opportunities to diversify the timbre palette of the work. Thus, the parts of the stringed instruments are replete with various playing techniques-from the typical arco and pizzicato to playing near the stand (sul ponticello) and playing with the bow shaft (col legno). Moreover, they are almost always used in layers vertically and often change from part to part, which creates a unique and changeable timbre flavor.

In metrical terms, the number “Makoviya” is imbued with the harmony of movement and agility, which may even evoke associations with a simple step or walk. This is ensured by a significant reliance on the uniform movement of the eighths⁴ and the even note value, manifested in all voices, and emphasized in the metrical grid, adding elasticity to the music⁵.

The composer's solution for the texture that arises in this arrangement is more interesting than as a simple

This in no way excludes other rhythmic figures from use but, first, in any rhythmic pattern, the movement is mostly in eighths, and second, in the vast majority of cases they are subjected to an even note value.

Example 2

In general, in the cycle August the Sickle, the composer always writes out time signatures. Despite the fact that sometimes they are variable (for example, at the beginning of No. 4 of “Kaniv” the time signatires 2\4, 3\4, 5\8, 4\4 appear), their presence makes the polyphonic whole much more organized, which contrasts with what we observed in the play Winter and Spring.

Chordal one. M. Denysenko managed to give the music a remarkable liveliness by using equirhythmic counterpoint-the texture seems to be woven from polyphonic lines of individual voices, which together almost constantly produce a chordal vertical (on the same basis, even cellos and double basses are involved, which simultaneously serves as the basis of polyphony). Interestingly, in this case, the intonational material of the voices does not consist of extended melodic structures but of a limited set of individual chants-motifs and phrases. In principle, this forms the intonational basis of the overall piece. The ascending movement of seconds, on which the intonational layer of the number is mainly based, should be emphasized. They are presented in a sequential development (e.g., in the second part of the first violins divisi in bar 5, the second part of the second violins divisi in bar 6, etc.) and participate in numerous imitations at different intervals and with varying intervals of the introduction of propostas and rispostas (e.g., imitation in prima with a difference of one eighth between the first and third parts of the second violins divisi in bar 3; three-voice reproductions in quart and octave by the violas divisi and partially by cellos and double basses in bars 17-18 with a variable difference of a quarter or two quarters).

Accordingly, the musical fabric is saturated with a large number of techniques of orchestral presentation that reveal a flexible interaction between the parts-transfers (for example, in the first and second parts of the second violins in divisi in bar 1, then similarly in the other two parts of the second violins in bar 2) and echoes (for example, in the three violas in divisi in bars 16-18).

As for the thematic side of the work, there is no formally structured thematicism. Incompleteness, an open ending It would be appropriate to point out that the numbers, according to the author's instructions, should be performed attaccus, which to some extent determines the openness of the finals of the parts. This should lead to the beginning of the next play of the cycle., is, in fact, a feature of this cycle.

This incompleteness is also manifested in the structural blurring of the themes. However, the composer uses techniques that indicate the germs of a thematic piece. In the beginning (bars 1-9), in the introduction, the strings have chants: the above-described second step up, which is included in the imitative and sectional movement (bars 1, 3) and the motif of repeating the sound of D flat followed by a downward movement by a second and a tertian, which is perhaps the most striking motivic element in work. It is often emphasized in the orchestra by duplications at different intervals (e.g., in bar 2, there is quintuple recurrence by the second violins, and in bar 33-both quintuple and octave duplication by the first violins). These two elements are well illustrated in the first four bars of the work (Example 2).

They appear scattered in different parts. In bar 10, bandura that enters seems to gather these chants, "melting” them into a coherent melodic line, though not structurally complete (Example 3).

Example 3

Thus, the described effect of various means of expression and thematic work gives impetus to the processes in the piece. Paradoxically, this number is characterized by something other than the dynamism of the overall development with an apparent step-by-step approach. It is possible to outline the initial phase more or less accurately- approximately bars 1-16-but the motus and terminus phases are defined rather conditionally because, in terms of the methods of working with the material, they hardly differ from the initial one. The process of unfolding in work can be conventionally depicted as a curve, as shown in Example 4.

Example 4

There is no pronounced culmination here-the development is very smooth. Thus, it is interesting to see how linear fluidity and dynamism are combined in unfolding the whole number. The tools described above are usually included in this process and help realize linearity and energy of the development. However, two factors most clearly embody these two seemingly opposite qualities: the pitch structure and the density of the orchestral presentation. At the beginning of the work, a sound system is set that is maintained until the end of the piece. Its appearance is shown in Example 5.

Example 5

The frets are rather variable. The sounds of E flat and B flat may be distinguished, which play a greater or lesser role at certain moments of the work. For example, at the beginning of the piece, the quintet of these sounds in the low strings becomes the harmonic backbone (example 2), and from bar 15 to bar 19, there is more critical position of B flat. However, more typical in the number is "wandering” of sorts along a given sound system, and this is an essential feature that affects the resulting vertical. As it is evident from the example, in its essence, the soundscape of the number is diatonic, which sends a certain "non-conflict” to the sound of the polyphony built on its basis. This allows the composer to freely unfold the musical material despite the uncertainty of the supports and their discrepancies in different voices, often due to imitations. Therefore, as I. Druzhga writes, "the composer remains faithful to the modal principle in harmony” (Druzhga, 2021, p. 139).

Such a stable situation in the harmonic dimension is maintained by isolated cases of sounds outside the given sound system. These sounds, which can be called chromaticisms in relation to a given harmonic system, usually appear for a short time. For example, in bars 21-22, the sound of G in the bandura appears as an auxiliary sound of melodic figuration and does not significantly change the "modus” of the sound.

Thus, the pitch structure is the stable component that keeps the music of the whole number in one sound "field” and retains the impression of a specific static despite the variety of techniques of thematic development and orchestral presentation.

On the contrary, changing the density of the orchestral presentation is a device that acts oppositely. In this case, it is the fact that "the timbre and texture possibilities of the orchestra emphasize the staging of events in time” (Stronko, 2013, p. 50). First (bars 1-4), the strings without the violins are introduced, sounding alternately (5 to 8 parts sound together), so the sound is quite transparent. Then, starting from bar 5, the first violins are added (with a fifth divisi), and with the introduction of the bandura in bar 10, an orchestral tutti sound (not taking into account the nightingale).

Thus, there is an accumulation of instruments, which (apart from the thematic work described earlier) enables identifying the introduction and results in enhancing the dynamics of the process.

Example 6

Throughout the work, composer works with the density of the orchestral presentation. The sound generally has two significant "dips”-in bar 11 and bars 17-19. While the first is short, the second seems more critical-it divides the work into two sections. While an equirhythmic counterpoint dominates the first, the second intensifies diagonal movement while maintaining the same technique. This is due, for example, to a more explicit display of imitations. Example 6 shows that the imitations in the strings are not interfered with, and a slight orchestral crescendo emphasizes them.

This section is generally characterized by more significant variability in texture density and mobility in connecting or disconnecting the instruments. Thus, similarly to the principles ofbuilding intonational material and polyphonic techniques in the first section, the dimension of orchestral presentation makes it possible to mark the subtle features that distinguish the initial stage of development in work from the following "movement.”

In addition, the enormous role of changing the density of the orchestral presentation is revealed at the end. After the tutti in bar 33, there is a sharp reduction in the number of parts involved, followed by a relatively rapid orchestral diminuendo Orchestral diminuendo does not exclude the introduction of new instruments, although this is less typical. This is the unusual situation, because with the general reduction of the string parts, a nightingale is added, whose trills add more peace to the music, which is already texturally more transparent. Another reason for the introduction of this instrument will be discussed in the context of the second part of the cycle.. At the same time, the intonational material of the string parts does not change at all and does not acquire the features of cadence, so only the orchestral presentation signals the end of the work.

Thus, it is the "play” with the density of the orchestral texture that becomes the means that diversify the sound throughout the work and constitutes internal "dynamic waves” in it.

The second movement - "Popovna Kalyna...” - is equally energetic and mobile but this is realized in music in contrast with the first movement. The imagery side of the music becomes crucial, and Denysenko subordinated all the expressive mean to this objective. The work illustrates a real bird choir, the voices in tune with each other. This determines the choice of instruments, with almost all used for sound symbolism. In addition to strings and bandura, several percussion instruments appear in the score: bells, tempo blocks, and flexaton. The first instrument was introduced to create a deep background sound, on the "spill” of which "bird choirs” sound. This secures the music from being too "dry” or "fluid.” In addition, the last two instruments are suitable for adjusting to the presented imagery. For example, the tapping of the tempo blocks can be associated with the woodpecker's chirping. The timbre of this wooden instrument also immediately refers to images related to the forest and trees; that is, it conditionally outlines the location in the context in which the birds' singing could be heard. The flexaton, with its specific sounds, is included in the score as an instrument suitable for imitating a small birds' chirping. Although limited in divisi compared to the first movement, the strings still carry the primary material and are actively involved in sound imitation. This is true even for the low strings at some point (e.g., the double bass in bars 35-36 We start the numbering of the bars in each part anew.).

Example 7

stylistic musical language bandura composer denysenko

Bandura once again stands in line with the other instruments and joins them in weaving the sound-scapes. The nightingale is also featured in this movement. In this piece, it turns out to be the instrument that vividly embodies the figurative dominance of the work-the other instruments imitate the bird, and this instrument almost "is” it. However, in addition, in the context of the second movement, it becomes clear that the introduction of this instrument at the end of the first movement serves as a means of smoothly connecting it to the second movement.

The given sound direction of the music leads to a more colorful and complex rhythmic structure. There are syncopations and various combinations of rhythmic patterns of the paired and free note values. As a result of such changes, the precise definition of the vertical is significantly weakened, and the main processes are primarily concentrated in the melodic dimension. The metrical grid remains in the work but it is leveled mainly due to the complexity of the rhythm and its various combinations in different voices. The second work of the cycle differs from the previous one in terms of the metro-rhythmic parameter. Unsurprisingly, the texture in this arrangement becomes pronouncedly polyphonic and impresses with its polyme- lodic combinations of voices.

The intonation side is entirely aimed at conveying the sounds of birds' singing. The lines of the parts are based on intonations within the second-tertiary range, which are realized in different rhythmic conditions (for example, rhythmically constant movement of seconds in the second part of the first violins in divisi in the first bars; second-tertiary intonations in combinations with sixteenths in the first violins in divisi in bars 28-29). The repetition of sounds followed by a jump to an interval of different widths is also a characteristic "pattern” for the piece (for example, in bars 1-7 in the first part of the first violins divisi; in bars 15-17 for the bandura). Numerous times there is an ascending passage with anchoring on the upper sound (for example, by the second violins in bar 12 or by the first violins in bar 24). The resemblance to birdsong is achieved by the total repetition of these motifs or their frequent appearance in different parts after a certain period. In the same vein, even more, complicated polyphonic techniques are used-imitations and even canons based on variants of these motifs. Thus, in the first four bars from the letter H, there is a small principle in the prima between the first and third parts of the first violins divisi, joined by an imitation in the second part. Later on, the material of these three parts turns out to be a three-voice proposta, to which by the third-fifth parts of the first violins correspond with a visual rearrangement of the material of voices in the score (Example 7).

It is symptomatic that the score is replete with many overlaps between the instruments. This explicitly illustrates equality in their engagement: for instance, in bars 30-31, the ascending passage is first performed by the third-fifth part of the first violins divisi and then imitated by the bandura,

This is done to ensure that each part of the first violins performs in a three-voice rhapsody "in a new role” and, accordingly, to enhance the effect of echoes. In addition, this creates a spatial effect as a result of the seating of the orchestra, which involves placing the violin performers on the opposite sides from the conductor.

Duplicated by the first part of the first violins. Thus, in both bars, there is the violins' timbre, which is layered with the effect of the bandura's plucked timbre. By such methods of orchestral presentation, bandura is included in a single complex with the strings, enhancing the brilliant sound of the motif that is repeated in pitch.