Ulas Samchuk’s “Living strings” in the Context of Bandura Art Source Studies (Dedicated to Ulas Samchuk’s 115th Anniversary)

Abstract

The article analyzes the literary and documentary study of the famous Ukrainian diaspora writer Ulas Samchuk (1905–1987) “Living strings. Bandura and Bandurists” from the standpoint of musical source studies. The author of the article examines the structure and directions of thematic searches of U. Samchuk’s work, which were initiated by studying the phenomenon of the most famous Ukrainian diaspora collective – the Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus. The article points out still applicable philosophical and aesthetic spheres of the book, due to understanding of kobza-bandura as a striking symbol of Ukrainian culture, and kobzar art – as its traditional phenomenon. The purpose of this research is to analyze the literary and scientific research of Ulas Samchuk “Living Strings” from the point of view of modern musical source studies. At the same time, the solution of the following tasks seems to be relevant: to determine the structure and directions of thematic searches and studies carried out by the writer in the work; to perform a chronological classification of the material; to outline the philosophical-aesthetic sphere of the book; to find out the significance of Ulas Samchuk’s work in comparison with other sources on research of bandura art of Ukraine and diaspora. The research methodology is determined by the use of historical, source, comparative, axiological and cultural approaches, as well as their corresponding methods. In particular, the historical-chronological method used to consider the sequence and stages of creating U. Samchuk’s study, axiological – to determine its artistic value, comparative – to float with other kobzar and bandura art studies, source and cultural approaches will contribute to the various aspects of bandura players art analysis in the global cultural space. The scientific novelty of the article is to determine the place and importance of U. Samchuk’s work in the context of scientific research source studies of bandura art in Ukraine and diaspora, as well as to characterize the writer's literary and journalistic style in his cultural work. Conclusions . In U. Samchuk's work, the bandura instrument is a national symbol that unites Ukrainians in its terrain and emigration parts through time and space, and kobzarism is a special stratum of the people, possessing the “power of revival” in all periods of history and on different continents. The main areas of the writer’s study should be considered: historical-chronic, philosophical-aesthetic, performing, repertoire. Informative saturation and chronological sequence of U. Samchuk's work can serve not only as a history of creation and activity of the Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus but also as a kind of kobsarism encyclopedia of the past and present, Ukraine and the diaspora. It is noted that in comparison with other bandura art sources of studies, Ulas Samchuk’s work is marked by a synthesized approach to the coverage of kobzarism as an integral part of the Ukrainian nation’s culture and mentality, a powerful means of Ukrainians’ self-identification among the world. The author integrates epistemological, historical, folklore, literary-journalistic, musicological aspects in the analysis of bandura art during all stages of its functioning.