Grotesque in Puccini’s work as a sign of a Modernist type of thinking

Abstract

The relevance and scientific novelty of research are determined by those facts, that in Ukrainian music scientific and nonfiction community is common view about Puccini as a mostly 19th century composer and as a typical representative of romanticism and verism. Such approaches are outdated, conservative and not fair, then need review and rethink.Methodology of research: In article has been used deductive method in combination with historical and cultural approach, as well as the image-intonation analysis method.Findings and conclusions. Grotesque is one of artistic signs of modernity within the era of modernism, for prove of what some examples are offered from create practice of twenties century’s composers — Gustav Mahler, Dmitry Shostakovich, Paul Hindemith, Ernst Krenek, Maurice Ravel. In the article features of grotesque were considered, they are specific offshoot of common sphere of comic imagery, with reference to leading Ukraine (Оlgа Sоlomonova) and foreign (Frances Connelly) scientists. Some facts of existence of grotesque elements in the works of Puccini’s central creative period — “Тosca” аnd “Маdama Butterfly” have been traced. They are connected with a stage production preceded by assimilation with art potential of this figurative sphere. Presence of grotesque’s imagery in Puccini’s Trittico (1918) has been widespread. This phenomenon of grotesque elements has been detected and traced in detail in special form embodied in its intonation’s presentation that was definite as the line of grotesque crescendo. A wide range of dramaturgy’s functions of the grotesque figurative sphere has been analyzed in Trittico and its correlation with leading lyric sphere has been established.The significance of the research. Rising of artistic interest to late Puccini by the side of grotesque figurative sphere is described as a manifestation of modernist type of thinking, which tends to semantic multiplicity, voluminous compositional vocabulary and modern vocal language.