Musicological reflections in the form of “Prelude and Fugue”: Serhii Turnieiev’s author’s concert

Abstract

Statement of the problem. The article is the first experience in Ukrainian musicology to cover a significant artistic event in the cultural life of modern pre-war Kharkiv – the author’s concert of the composer Serhii Turnieiev, Honored Artist of Ukraine, Professor and until recently the Dean of the Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts. The event took place with the participation of famous solo musicians, as well as one of the best creative groups in Ukraine – the Symphony Orchestra of the Kharkiv Regional Philharmonic led by People’s Artist of Ukraine Yurii Yanko. The concert symbolically opened the chain of festive actions for the 105th anniversary of the University’s founding, although the “counterpoint” to this festive line was severe life events: the pandemic, and soon the war. This “contrasting polyphony”, and most importantly, S. Tournieiev’s inherent polyphonic thinking made possible a conceptual metaphor – likening the composition of an author’s concert to the structural logic of a fugue. This metaphor that became the key to revealing new meaningful facets of the works performed in the concert, is designed to deepen the analysis of the artistic meanings of the celebrate event and its reception by the listener. So, the purpose of the study is an attempt to get closer to understanding the inner processes in an experienced Ukrainian composers creative “workshop”. The methodological basis of the study consists of several directions: consideration of biography, vectors of action and existing musical pieces by S. Turnieiev; definition of role and place of some opuses in composer’s portfolio; systematization of the present scientific works; involvement of facts still not well known and our interviews with participants of recent artistic events; observation made upon such musicological spheres, as musical thinking, perception, composer’s artistic process on the example of complex analysis of content and performance vectors of S. Turnieiev’s musical pieces. Recent research and publications have shown the priority of some relevant issues: personalities and artistic life of modern composers (Ukrainian in the case); consideration of artist person “formula”, his musical thinking / style / method; belonging to traditions of particular school; studying of the process of art and its “consequences – composer’s and performer’s realization / interpretation of an artistic idea in musical piece. These trends actively integrating to spheres of the modern humanitarianism: philosophy, psychology, sociology of art, history, cultural studies, ethics, aesthetics and others. Among the authors whose works contributed to reveal our topic are М. Bevz (2017), Ye. Belova (2020), V. Bohatyrov (2021), І. Drach (2002), R. Kashyrtsev (2021), I. Horbunova (2015), I Konovalova (2018), D. Malyi (2017, 2018, 2021), Yu. Nikolaievska (2020), О. Roshchenko (2007, 2017), P. Rud (2021), H. Savchenko (2017, 2018, 2021), L. Shapovalova (2008), L. Maltseva, 2005, О. Shchetynsky (2017, 2019), and others. Some of publications by S. Turnieiev (2005, 2010, 2014) were studied. Results and conclusion. The role of the fateful creative meetings in the professional activity of the composer was revealed, that prompted him to create his own opuses. The meaningful components of the compositional portfolio / style / method of S. Turnieiev were clarified by the way of considering the history of writing, musical and expressive principles and the performing fate of the works that were performed in his author’s concert: the Symphonic Frescoes “Taras Bulba”, “Lamentoso” for viola and string orchestra, “Five Flemish Dances” for clarinet and string orchestra, symphonic picture “Tunes” (“Nahravannia”). It was concluded that S. Turnieiev’s author’s concert became a large-scale presentation of his many years of professional experience, as well as the traditions of the Kharkiv theoretical-composing school, which was historically formed namely in such integrated format – therefore the organic unity of musical theory and practice is felt in S. Turnieiev’s work at the level of worldview constants. It was the “school” of professional training that allowed him to build a solid foundation for further independent creative search, gave him a sense of confidence and inner freedom, and became for the composer not a “template” with a limited range of norms and rules, but a “space” for wide creative possibilities.