Chamber Ensemble Research Articles

Influence of European Genre Model on Chinese Chamber Instrumental Ensemble with Piano

In today's world, the rapid development of Chinese culture and its influence on the music scene underscore the necessity for systematic research into the Chinese piano chamber ensemble. The growing interest in this musical genre challenges many widely accepted notions about musical tradition and prompts a deeper understanding of its characteristics and impact on contemporary music art. The purpose of the research is to study and analyse the musical and cultural interrelationships within the Chinese piano chamber ensemble to better understand its essence and role in the modern music world. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive approach, incorporating analysis of musical material, historical and cultural methods, as well as comparative analysis. Modern theoretical concepts are applied to reveal the significance of the piano chamber ensemble in the context of cultural transformation and to examine the interaction and influence of national and non-national musical traditions on the formation of the musical genre, as well as its role in cultural exchange and interaction between different cultural traditions. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the first attempt to systematise and analyse the musical-cultural interrelationships within the Chinese piano chamber ensemble, which opens up new horizons for further understanding of musical culture and processes of cultural exchange in the contemporary world. The conclusions of the research testify to the importance of the Chinese piano chamber ensemble in contemporary music culture and its potential as a phenomenon of musical art. It not only reflects the interrelationship between national and non-national musical traditions but also serves as a significant factor in cultural exchange and interaction between different cultural traditions.

Autonomous 4? Learners’ Collaborative Problem Solving in Chamber Music Rehearsals With and Without a Coach

This investigation explored collaborative problem solving with and without a coach by analyzing problem-solving (PS) and problem-solving-prompting (PSP) behaviors by group members and coaches in six total coached rehearsals with three collegiate string quartets, and six autonomous rehearsals with the same string quartets. Teachers’ and learners’ PS and PSP behaviors were compared in three settings: autonomous chamber music rehearsals, chamber music rehearsals with a coach, and one-to-one instruction. Coaches and students performed the same problem-solving component behaviors and most of the same PSP behaviors as observed in one-to-one instruction and in rehearsals of a professional chamber ensemble. As in one-to-one instruction, coaches could engage learners in problem solving, and in this setting invite them to collaborate with one another, by asking questions and varying the specificity of feedback and directives. Coaches’ Attention Directives preceded the most learner problem solving and collaborative engagement. During autonomous rehearsals learners often switched leadership roles fluidly, often prompting one another to problem solve. Implications for a pedagogy of coaching and inclusion of small ensembles within music education are discussed.

Interpretation of Gabriel Faure’s Pavane: Compositional and Performing Aspects

Modern interpretations of Gabriel Fauré’s Pavane demonstrate the artistic potential of the work. The variety of performances (from large orchestral and choral ensembles to chamber ensembles) shows the wide possibilities of the composition. The composer’s and performer’s versions of B. McFerrin’s compositiona and performing versions reveal a tendency to preserve the author’s text, despite the performance of the main melody by voice. The version for guitar and string quartet arranged by Thomas Koenigs and performed by the Accord Quintet, demonstrates a performing interpretation with the composer’s reworking of the work. The purpose of the research is to reveal the expressive possibilities of Gabriel Fauré’s Pavane and to characterise the specifics of his interpretation. Research methodology. The article uses the following methods: theoretical – in analysing the studies of domestic and foreign authors and available information sources; synthesis method – to establish the links between the elements identified during the analysis in order to establish a holistic concept and generalise the information obtained. Scientific novelty. For the first time in national scientific thought, the peculiarities of the performing and composer’s interpretation of G. Fauré’s Pavane are considered, and its expressive means and artistic potential are highlighted. Conclusions. Currently, there are many modern interpretations of G. Fauré’s Pavane. These performing versions are adapted for different performing groups. The modifications that take place with the composition illustrate the extraordinary artistic potential of the work. Despite the changes in the performing cast, tempo and texture, the work has not lost its relevance and popularity in the present day. The components, that are most frequently changed, are tempo, arrangement, and textural and structural modifications.

The absurdities of remote learning in art schools in the narratives of teachers, parents and students – reflections from pilot research

The article presents the issue of remote teaching in art schools (music and ballet) during the COVID-19 pandemic from the biographical perspective of students, their parents and teachers of the main instrument. The cited stories focus on the unexpected difficulties they faced after the introduction of online education. Subjects closely related to artistic development (such as main instrument lessons, orchestra, choir, ear training, chamber ensembles – in music schools, or classical dance lessons – in the case of ballet schools) have caused many organisational and technical problems. Their effectiveness, in many cases, is unable to meet the needs of either students or teachers, leaving behind a feeling of meaninglessness, grief of loss, and, in borderline situations, physical harm.The article presents the results of pilot research (2022–2023) conducted as part of biographical research among teachers, parents and students of music and ballet schools. In-depth narrative interviews (and excerpts from them included in the text) paint a picture of the complicated everyday life of the pandemic, the strategies for coping with the encountered problems and the emotions associated with remote teaching of arts subjects in each studied group. The result of the pilot research is a record of the initial analysis and opens the research path for full-scale research planned for 2023–2024.The personal stories presented in the article have a dual purpose. On the one hand, they intend to outline their common experiences during the pandemic, outline the scale of the problem, and, as it were, confirm the validity of undertaking such a research topic. On the other hand, they invite readers to reflect on the reality of art schools that may be unknown to them.

Do Narcissists Play Solo? Differences in Self-Efficacy and Narcissism Among Band and Solo Musicians

The following study focuses on individual differences between musicians who play solo (performing individually or as leaders), and musicians performing as part of a chamber ensemble, band, choir, orchestra, etc. We predicted that soloists would be higher on grandiose narcissism and self-efficacy. The results showed that soloists (n = 59) not only were higher on narcissism, but also had higher self-efficacy scores than musicians who perform in ensembles (n = 65). However, soloist and band players are not different in narcissism and self-efficacy when the other trait is controlled, which indicates that common features of both traits differentiate solo and band musicians. Results raise further questions on what factors affect the development of a musician’s career path.

'Leading' as a strategy in the performance-practice of contemporary solo violin music

The starting point for the present practice-based study was my observation of the diverse conditions regarding the focus-of-attention that occurs during chamber ensemble and solo performances of contemporary art music. As the violinist leader of a contemporary music ensemble, I focus my attention externally on multidirectional musical interactions with my fellow musicians and the audience. In contrast, when I am in a solo performance, I tend to focus more on my own internal, physical actions. More satisfactory musical results in leading interactive ensemble performances induced a hypothesis that ensemble leading practices can also be applied as a strategy to improve a solo performance. In this article, I provide a leading-based approach to explore ways in which leading can be used as a strategy in the performance-practice of contemporary works for solo violin and address which specific ensemble leading gestures can be applied in a solo performance. I suggest that leading in a solo performance serves two purposes: leading my own actions, and leading the audience to perceive the music and participate in the listening. Both Toccatina for solo violin by Helmut Lachenmann and Gesti for violin, electronics and video by Jouni Hirvelä feature soft dynamics and extended playing techniques that demand innovative performance strategies. I reflect on the performance-practice of these two works and demonstrate how leading can be used to emphasize temporal structures, dynamics, articulation, phrasing and embodied narratives of music. The concepts of attentional focus and musical gestures inform the theoretical context for this study.

The stylistic originality of Yurii Shevchenko’s instrumental works on the example of “ThreeUkrainian Songs” for string orchestra

Statement of the problem. The musical language of Ukrainian composers of the XX–XXI centuries is a complex and rather poorly studied field in modern musicology. This phenomenon raises many questions due to the diversity of styles, forms, and individual expressive systems of composers. Music for chamber ensemble vividly reflects the significant transformations in the artistic perception owned to our era. This musical context includes the work of the Ukrainian composer Yuriі Valentynovych Shevchenko (1953–2022), an outstanding figure in the national musical culture. The composer’s work is considered mainly in the journalistic discourse (Sushchenko, 2006; Cherdintseva, 2003, etc.). In recent scientific publications devoted to Shevchenko’s work, the authors (Aksiutina, 2022; Sadovenko, 2023; Tarasenko, 2008) focus on the analysis of the composer’s ballet music. The study by V. Stepurko (2023) helps to come closer to understanding the composer’s creative narratives: “... the author in his work aims to find the hidden philosophical depths of fairy-tale “worlds” as a sign and sound space. His works use various musical means of expression, but structured according to classical models, they are strikingly full of modern philosophical ideas, the search for humanistic postulates to solve the problems of humanity” (Stepurko, 2023: 132). However, a comprehensive musicological consideration of chamber and instrumental works remains outside the attention of researchers that determines the relevance of this publication. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The purpose of this article is to reveal expressive means and stylistic features of Yu. Shevchenko’s chamber and instrumental music using the example of “Three Ukrainian Songs” for string orchestra. The named works have not yet been the subject of a special musicological analysis. The following methods were used in the study: historical, system-analytical, comparative, and hermeneutic, as well as a complex of specific musicological methods: structural-functional, semantic, musical-dramaturgical, timbre and textural analysis (for considering the musical form in its dynamics, the artistic expressiveness of harmonic, polyphonic, melodic and rhythmic means; when studying the orchestral score for revealing the specifics of the use of timbre colours of instruments). Research results and conclusion. In the process of implementing the symbolic program of the “Three Ukrainian Songs” for string orchestra, the principle of sound painting and the thematic meaning of rhythm get an important role. Audio-visual effects are achieved through the combination of timbres of various instruments and the use of special ways. The creation of sound perspective and the effect of spatiality are facilitated by polyphonic techniques of development and the combination of distant registers (also, in the first song, the temple bell effect arises due to synchronization of the propagation of sound vibrations). The game component, which is present in the third song, is realized through the “terrace” dynamics (f–p) and the “instant” register juxtaposition in parts of the I–II violins. To reproduce folklore intonations, to imitate the sound of folk instruments, the composer uses a variety of timbres of a string orchestra, in particular, orchestral pedals; characteristic rhythmic and melodic turns, sudden tonal shifts, original tonal plans, as well as various polyphonic techniques and the polyphonic-variation method of development. Using folklore material, Yu. Shevchenko complements each of the selected melodies with a harmonic texture, masterfully works with the vertical, and writes out each voice in a jewelled manner. In his interpretation of folk songs, genre features are emphasized: “Many Years” is a glorifying chant, “The Boat is Sailing” is a barcarolle, “Jenchichok-brenchichok”(“Reaper-Chirper”) is a scherzo. Meter and rhythm, register, and timbre solutions contribute to the highlighting of the characteristic genre features. The architectonics of the cycle carries a semantic load and contributes to the demonstration of the idea of the fluidity of life time: “Blessings of Life” (the idea of Part I) – “Immersion in the Process of Life” (Part II) – “Joy of Life” (Part III). So, the interpretive component of the cycle has a positive vector aimed at raising the emotional state of performers and listeners, as evidenced by the bright, “fiery” character of the treatment of the humorous folk song in the third, final, part of the cycle. The trends of form-making, the techniques of using harmony and polyphony laid down by the composer , as well as the conceptual solution of the cycle open wide prospects for the further development of Ukrainian chamber-instrumental music.

Библейская сцена «Ревекка» в контексте творческой биографии Сезара Франка

The article examines a large work composed by César Franck in 1881 and practically unexplored in Russian musicology — Rébecca (1881, world premiere in 1883), subtitled by the composer as “a biblical scene for soloists, chorus and orchestra”. The publication conveys a particular polemical pathos, because references to Rébecca in musicological literature in Russia and in other countries, until recently, had always been accompanied by factual inaccuracies. According to Vincent d’Indy’s periodization, the large-scale compositions of his teacher pertaining to the genre of cantata and oratorio (Ruth, Rédemption, and Les Béatitudes) mark the beginning of a new stage in the composer’s artistic biography. The early 1880s — the time of the creation of Rébecca — undoubtedly presents a turning point in Franck’s life: during the last decade of his life he would create masterpieces in almost all the genres to which he will turn to (these include symphonic poems, large chamber ensembles, piano, organ cycles, finally the Symphony in D minor). The creation of Rébecca was accompanied by biographical circumstances, interpreted by some researchers as a “passionate episode” in Franck’s life. This problem is illuminated in the article with the support of evidence provided by French-speaking musicologists. Posing the question of why the biblical plot about Rebecca has attracted the composer at that time, the author touches upon the composer’s personal and worldview aspects. The characterization of the cultural situation of the era in which Franck lived and composed his music provides evidence that the aforementioned factors determined not only the choice of the plot, but also the peculiarities of the genre, composition and intonation drama of the analyzed composition.

Departments of Chamber Ensemble and Concertmastering in Terms of Historical and Cultural Processes, Professional Intersections and Repertoire Policy

The purpose of the article. Based on a retrospective review of the formation of the art of collaborative performance and the creation of chamber ensemble and concertmaster departments, systematisation of the thesaurus of definitions used in defining the profession of musicians in these areas, and study and analysis of the curricula of chamber ensemble and concertmaster departments of music institutions of higher education in Ukraine, an attempt is made to clearly outline the professional guidelines of repertoire policy of each department. The research methodology consists in the use of the following methods: analytical – to analyse the historical roots of the formation of the art of collaborative performance, the emergence of such areas of specialisation as “chamber ensemble artist” and “pianist-concertmaster”, the introduction of differentiated training for these types of performance practice in music institutions of higher education, the characteristics of the synonymous vocabulary of these definitions; comparative – to compare certain parameters of training at these departments, outline common and distinctive features; axiological – to understand the importance of both professions and to define value guidelines in repertoire policy through the prism of the traditions of education and the purpose of musicians in these areas. Scientific novelty. For the first time in the history of Ukrainian musicology, an attempt is made to expand the understanding of the historical roots of the creation of the chamber ensemble and concertmaster departments based on the analysis of the formation of the art of collaborative performance; to clearly outline the direction of the repertory policy of each department by defining their professional guidelines. Conclusions. The analysis of the historical roots of the art of collaborative performance, the traditions of forming chamber ensemble and concertmaster departments, and the competent interpretation of the glossary of definitions used in defining the profession of musicians in these areas are important components of a clear understanding of the functioning of these units of pianists’ training, contributing to the logical differentiation of their performance repertoire. This makes it possible to actualise the issue of forming special competencies in pianists in the context of each typpe of their musical-pedagogical and performance training. Key words: chamber ensemble, concertmaster’s class, repertoire policy.

The Specific of Folk Song Arrangements in Yaroslav Vereshchagin's Vocal Cycles

It is well known that the genre of folk song arrangement is widespread in Ukrainian music, as the folklore heritage of Ukraine is extremely rich and diverse. It is not surprising that authentic folklore samples have become a source of inspiration for many composers and performers. Artists use the folk melody in their work, embodying it through modern arrangements and processing. This approach allows not only to preserve the historical heritage, but also to give it a new sound. The analysis of musicological research shows that every Ukrainian composer in his work intentionally or subconsciously uses elements of Ukrainian folklore, and Yaroslav Vereshchagin is no exception.
 Ya. Vereshchahin (1948-1999) was a bright master of the pen in the field of chamber music, a sophisticated artist of the poetic word. At the moment, the home archive of the composer's daughter Bohdana contains about 120 works of various genres, 48 of which were written for the voice accompanied by piano and chamber ensemble. It is especially worth noting the composer's love for creating vocal cycles: there are 14 of them in his oeuvre, each of which consists of two to four vocal miniatures. Unfortunately, to date, only 11 cycles have been fully discovered, and among them are arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs - two vocal cycles for voice and piano «Two Ukrainian Hayivkas» and «Two Ukrainian Songs». The relevance and novelty of the study lies in the choice of works by Ya. Vereshchagin for analysis that have not been covered yet in musicology.
 The object of the study is the vocal cycles «Two Ukrainian Groves» and «Two Ukrainian Songs» by Ya. Vereshchagin. The subject of the study is the specificity of Ya. Vereshchagin's arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs. The purpose of the study is to analyze Ya. Vereshchagin's work with the folklore source on the example of the vocal cycles «Two Ukrainian Groves» and «Two Ukrainian Songs».
 In conclusion, on the basis of the analyzed arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs, the basic principles of Ya. Vereshchagin's compositional work with the folklore source is indicated, which allow generalizing the concept of the composer's compositional style on the example of the analyzed works. In the course of a comparative analysis of these arrangements, signs of late Romantic and post-Romantic stylistic coloring are clearly traced, which testifies to the affinity with the compositional vocabulary of Western European and domestic composers of the late XIX - mid XX centuries. In particular, the vividly altered intra-fret dissonance appeals to the creative searches of B. Bartok, Z. Kodály, B. Liatoshynsky, and L. Revutsky. At the same time, in some pieces, in particular in «Willow Plank», one can feel the influence of jazz stylistics inspired by the creative experience of M. Skoryk, whose student Ya. Vereshchagin was.
 The aspect considered in the publication suggests further research on the example of analyzing other artistic ideas of the artist, which will be the goal of the author's next work.

Chamber Ensemble Named After Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński: 20 Years of SocioCultural Communication

The relevance of the study. Problems of socio-cultural communication in music art are of highest relevance in sociology and music studies, especially, during the war, when it is necessary to preserve all cultural assets of the country.
 The purpose of the article: to trace stages of formation and activity of honoured collective representative of Polish culture – Chamber ensemble named after Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński of social organization Zhytomyr Regional Association of the Poles of Ukraine in the beginning of the XXIst century and had been actively concertizing before the very beginning of the “great war” (February 2022).
 In order to achieve the said purpose the following methods were used:
 
 of culture studies (historical-genetic, historical-dynamic, comparative);
 of sociology of music (sociological observation);
 communicative music studies (content analysis, discourse analysis, functional-communicative);
 of theory of performing (historical-stylistic, genre, interpretation).
 
 Problem statement. Activity of the ensemble for 20 years has been covered in newspapers, magazines, sites of Zhytomyr Regional Union of the Poles of Ukraine, social networks, TV shows “Slovo polske” [The Polish Word] and “Poliaky Zhytomyrshchyny” [The Poles of Zhytomyr land]. Mostly in genre of announcements, reviews, feedback of listeners.
 History of the ensemble and professional assessment of its creative work and social activities became actual only with awareness that important cultural phenomena can exist not only in the capital, but in province as well.
 Scientific novelty. Distinctive features of the Chamber ensemble named after Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński as subject of research is duration and cultural edifying and educational nature of its functioning. Suggested research is the first attempt to trace activity of this group in the said aspect.
 Statement of basic material. The article reviews activity of the ensemble starting from its creation at the late XX and early XXI centuries until the last concert that took place before the “great war”.
 We have distinguished main spheres of its activity: performing music composers of Volyn-Zhytomyr land; revival of traditions of Catholic Church concerts; social and educational activity.
 Conclusions and directions for future research. Chamber ensemble named after Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński is a rather rare example of self-organization of the collective ideologically motivated. The research perspective could be monography about its activity.

Istoriya razvitiya fortepiannogo kamernogo ansamblya v Kitae

The polytembre piano duet, as an independent performing and instrumental composition in the genre system of a chamber ensemble, has long been in the focus of attention of modern musicians. The combination of multidirectional cultural vectors - Chinese and Western music - within the framework of an integral duet musical composition of the beginning of the 21st century testifies to the strengthening of globalization processes and confirms the relevance of this study.

The Piano in Chamber Ensemble: An Annotated Guide by Maurice Hinson and Wesley Roberts

Reviewed by: The Piano in Chamber Ensemble: An Annotated Guideby Maurice Hinson and Wesley Roberts David A. Day The Piano in Chamber Ensemble: An Annotated Guide. 3rded. By Maurice Hinson and Wesley Roberts. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2021. [xxxiv, 817 p. ISBN 9780253056733 (hardback), $85. Also available as e-book, ISBN and price vary.] Over the course of his fifty-eight-year career at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, pianist and musicologist Maurice Hinson (1930–2015) produced a remarkable legacy of repertory guides and bibliographies related to the piano. Highlights include his Keyboard Bibliography(Cincinnati: Music Teachers National Association, 1968), Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire(Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1973, [End Page 385]1987, 1991, 1994, 2000, 2014), Piano Music in Nineteenth-Century America(Chapel Hill, NC: Hinshaw Music, 1975), The Piano in Chamber Ensemble: An Annotated Guide(Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1978, 2006, 2021), The Piano Teacher's Source Book: An Annotated Bibliography of Books Related to the Piano and Piano Music(Melville, NY: Belwin-Mills, 1974, 1980), Music for Piano and Orchestra: An Annotated Guide(Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981, 1993), Music for More than One Piano: An Annotated Guide(Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1983, 2001), The Pianist's Reference Guide: A Bibliographical Survey(Los Angeles: Alfred Publishing, 1987), The Pianist's Guide to Transcriptions, Arrangements and Paraphrases(Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990, 2001), The Vienna Urtext Guide to Piano Literature(Valley Forge, PA: European American Music, 1995), The Pianist's Bookshelf: A Practical Guide to Books, Videos, and Other Resources(Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1998), and The Pianist's Dictionary(Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2004, 2020). Many of these works were subsequently published in foreign languages, including Korean and Chinese. This third edition of The Piano in Chamber Ensemblewas produced by Wesley Roberts, who also collaborated with Hinson in releasing the second edition in 2006. Roberts also oversaw the fourth edition of Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire(2013) and the second edition of The Pianist's Dictionary(2020). The authors have consistently pointed to the attraction of chamber music: its special intimacy and depth of emotion. Promoting the love of chamber music is identified as their primary purpose. The publisher's description indicates the current edition encompasses more than 3,200 works by more than 1,600 composers. Otherwise, the entries are not numbered, and the size of the total repertory is not identified. The preface to the third edition states that more than 1,400 new compositions representing more than 300 additional composers have been added since the second edition. Roberts further notes that this enlargement embraces both new works from the first two decades of the twenty-first century and works from previous periods. The scope of the repertory is confined to "compositions requiring no more than eight instruments (including piano)" (p. ix). The period of coverage is mostly limited to 1700 forward (basically corresponding to the birth of the modern piano). Beginning with the first edition, however, select early trio sonatas with keyboard realizations were also included. By the compilers' own admission, the selection of works is somewhat subjective, and both Hinson and Roberts acknowledge the difficulty of identifying every worthy work. In theory, only works where the piano has an equal musical importance to the other instruments are included. But, given that the overwhelming majority of the repertory is duos, mostly in the form of sonatas for a solo instrument with piano accompaniment, this claim can and has been challenged by other reviewers. Across all three editions, the guide maintains a consistent organization and focus. Roberts reaffirms his intent to address Hinson's three foundational questions (p. ix): What is there? What is it like? Where can I obtain it? The contents are organized by size of ensemble, starting with duos and extending to octets. Within each of these categories, the specific instrumentation is organized following orchestral scoring—first strings, followed by winds and brass, then percussion. Headings at the top of each page make it reasonably easy to browse the contents. Within each instrumental category, works are organized alphabetically by the composer's last name. As stated somewhat vaguely in the opening remarks, [End Page 386]multiple...

АЛЬТОВАЯ МИНИАТЮРА В ТВОРЧЕСТВЕ РЕБЕККИ КЛАРК

The work of English composers of the first half of the XXth century, who actively composed for viola, is little known to music lovers. The now popular English composers L. Tertis and W. Wilton were most prominent in large-form works for viola (primarily in the genres of sonata and concerto with orchestra). One of the pioneers of chamber music for this instrument is the talented, but now almost unknown composer and violist Rebecca Clarke, who established the viola miniature as a distinctive and striking artistic phenomenon. The relevance of the study lies in the urgent need to introduce into musicology the information about the creative heritage of composers who created those works for viola that reveal the multifaceted artistic possibilities of this instrument. The purpose of the article is to illuminate the creative heritage of R. Clarke in the genres of miniature for viola and piano. Objectives of the article — to present the main biographical information about the composer; to show the importance of the viola in the development of the composer's style; to comprehensively analyze R. Clarke's miniatures for viola and piano. The author attempts to explore the composer's language, which is based on romantic traditions and heavily influenced by C. Debussy. The article focuses on R. Clarke's significant contribution to affirming the performance potential of viola in the chamber repertoire. The materials of the article can be used both by teachers of viola class and chamber ensemble as educational and didactic material, and by concert musicians to enrich their own performing repertoire.

Nourishing Cultures: An Interview with Farangis Nurulla-Khoja

In this interview with Terri Hron, Tajik-Québécoise composer Farangis Nurulla-Khoja describes moving from Tajikistan to study in Europe, and eventually, to live and work in Canada. She speaks of her experience composing a series of chamber ensemble works using poetry about the refugee experience. She shares her thoughts on being an immigrant composer in Quebec and Canada and the challenges and successes she has experienced. These include creating music in collaboration with oriental and occidental instrumentalists and finding inventive ways of working and notating.

Ukrainian folk instrumental ensemble music-making in the historical process

Statement of the problem. The ensemble is a type of collective musicmaking that dates back to ancient times and is an integral factor in the spiritual life of any nation. For Ukrainian culture, the traditions of the folk-instrumental ensemble have always been important, because they were associated with labor and ceremonial-ritual functions in society, people’s daily life, and secular forms of musical art. The article singles out significant elements of the process of academicization and chamberization of accordion ensembles in order to determine the characteristic features of Ukrainian folk-instrumental professionalism in ensemble music-making. In this context, the phenomenon of creative activity of “triple musicians” is highlighted, as a significant type of Ukrainian ensembleinstrumental performance. Special attention is paid to the crystallization of ensemble functions, and to the definition of the characteristic features of the Ukrainian harmonica and bayan culture. The bayan began to be introduced into European chamber-ensemble instrumental music only in the last decades of the 20th century; hence, the phenomenon of academization and chamberization of bayan ensembles is understudied, which determines the relevance of the research topic, prompting to make sense of their place in the general historical and stylistic process of ensemble music-making. The purpose of the article is to determine the characteristic features of Ukrainian folk-instrumental professionalism in the field of ensemble musicmaking, in order to popularize this type of performance in the Ukrainian national tradition. Recent research and publications. Relevant to the topic of the article is Yu. Loshkov’s work “Harmonica in Ukraine”, where “the specifics of harmonica performance in various spheres of domestic musical culture of the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries” are determined (Loshkov, 2014: 238), and Igor and Liudmila Sniedkov’s article devoted to the Kharkiv bayan school (Sniedkov & Sniedkova, 2021), which contains information about the features of ensembles with the participation of the bayan. In M. Pliushchenko’s dissertation (2021) on timbretextural specificity of bayan and accordion transcriptions by Kharkiv composers of the late 20th – early 21st century, the parameters of Ukrainian instrumental and folklore professionalism are singled out. The scientific novelty of the presented study lies in emphasizing the role of folk-instrumental ensemble music-making in the historical-stylistic process and its peculiarities in Ukraine. Research results. The evolution of harmonica-bayan ensembles took place at first outside the traditions of classical chamber ensembles. The genesis of harmonica-bayan ensembles is closely related to the folk-instrumental tradition. In the aspect of the further movement of accordion ensembles towards academicization, as historically the first, such genetic and stylistic folklore features should be defined: the professionalism of instrumental ensembles since ancient times, which contributed to the further improvement of organological qualities and the development of ensemble playing; tendency towards individualization / differentiation of performers’ personalities (ensemble voices, in particular, in “triple musicians”); improvisational presentation of themes and theatricalization of musical communication. Conclusion. Collective musical performance has its roots in the ancient instrumental folk tradition. In the historical-stylistic process, genetically the first forms of collective music-making related closely to folklore instrumentalism were developed. With the obvious difference between folklore and academic types of music-making, there are also linked, tangential functions and properties of instruments. In the second half of the 20th century the bayan quickly assumed the position of both solo and ensemble status due to academicization and subsequent chamberization. These processes were related not only to folk instruments (bayan, domra, balalaika, bandura, whose classification as “folk” today does not correspond to the essence of their socio-cultural existence), but also to historically established accomplices of chamber-ensemble genres – violins, pianos, brass, percussions. And therefore, each new generation of musicians-performers on folk instruments has a need to research the mentioned tradition with the aim of further implementation of individual instrumental-folkloric segments into modern author’s compositions.

Asian American Female Composers and Digital Memory

Asian American Female Composers and Digital Memory

SONATA FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO BY VLADIMIR ROTARU: PECULIARITIES OF THE MUSICAL LANGUAGE, COMPOSITION AND DRAMATURGY

The Sonata for violin and piano by Vladimir Rotaru has long been included in the pedagogical repertoire of the class of the chamber ensemble of the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts, as it is distinguished by the originality of the compositional idea and vivid images. The Sonata is also representative from the point of view of the typical features of the author’s style associated with the influence of national folklore. This article provides an analysis of the musical language, composition and dramaturgy of this work, since the perception of the peculiarities of the figurative development and structural design of music is necessary for musicians to develop an appropriate performance version. It is concluded that the two-part structure of the Sonata reflects the combination of Doina and dance, typical of Moldovan folklore and the complex intonational and rhythmic organization gives the work a contemporary character.

Traditions and Innovations in the Creative and Performing Activities of the Precarpathian Bandura Quartet Gerdan

The purpose of the research is to highlight the formation of the Precarpathian bandura quartet Gerdan and its creative and performing activities. It emphasizes the phenomenon of the female ensemble bandura playing as well as determines the contribution of the quartet to the development and popularization of modern bandura playing. The research methodology comprises the use of general scientific methods of cognition, namely, the chronological, analytical, as well as methods of generalisation and systematisation that gave the opportunity to study the formation and creative-performing activities of the Precarpathian bandura quartet Gerdan in dynamics and time. The scientific novelty of the study is that for the first time the stages of formation and creative performing activity of the Carpathian bandura quartet Gerdan in the context of the modern ensemble bandura playing development were studied in detail. Conclusions. The article underlines the dominance of female chamber ensembles, especially bandura quartets, in the development of modern ensemble bandura playing. The Precarpathian bandura quartet Gerdan is noted to be one of the prominent modern bandura quartets, which creative and performing activities brightly popularize the bandura art, both in Ukraine and abroad. Presenting the innovative approach and creativity to its own artistic activities, the quartet has become original and unique in the formation of its repertoire. The ensemble impresses with the wide range of performance opportunities in vocal and instrumental aspects. Its highly professional performing art skillfully combines the emotional sphere and the analytical approaches that focused great attention on the characteristics of creative and performing activities of the ensemble in the context of the development of modern music culture, which is characterized by national traditions as well as correspondence to European and world cultural and art standards.

Music for Bass Trombone: A Reference Book of Works for Solo Bass Trombone with Orchestra, Band & Chamber Ensemble by Clinton F. Nieweg, and: Modern Times for Brass: Experimentelle Spieltechniken auf Blechblasinstrumenten = Experimental Playing Techniques for Brass Instruments by Malte Burba and Paul Hübner

Reviewed by: Music for Bass Trombone: A Reference Book of Works for Solo Bass Trombone with Orchestra, Band & Chamber Ensemble by Clinton F. Nieweg, and: Modern Times for Brass: Experimentelle Spieltechniken auf Blechblasinstrumenten = Experimental Playing Techniques for Brass Instruments by Malte Burba and Paul Hübner Peter G. Fielding Music for Bass Trombone: A Reference Book of Works for Solo Bass Trombone with Orchestra, Band & Chamber Ensemble. 3rd ed. By Clinton F. Nieweg. Vancouver, BC: Cherry Classics Music, 2018. [292 p. ISBN 9790530057865 (paperback and e-book), $52.50.] Bibliography, list of publishers and sources, select indexes by accompanying ensemble. Modern Times for Brass: Experimentelle Spieltechniken auf Blechblasinstrumenten = Experimental Playing Techniques for Brass Instruments. By Malte Burba and Paul Hübner. Translation by Daniel Costello. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 2019. [154 p. ISBN 9783765104459 (paperback), $72.] German and English. Illustrations, diagrams, indexes of music examples. Clinton Nieweg's Music for Bass Trombone provides a revised and enlarged update to the recent second edition of 2017 and serves as a significant expansion of the original sixty-three pages of Music for Bass Trombone with Orchestra: A Handbook (Denton, TX: Kagarice Brass Editions, 2010). This work is constructed as two autonomous compendiums of repertory information for solo bass trombone and accompanying ensemble. Part 1 surveys solo bass trombone repertory with orchestra (or string ensemble), and part 2 provides a similar listing of solos with varied band ensembles (concert band, wind ensemble, brass band, jazz ensemble, big band). Each part is augmented with lists of compositions for three or more trombones. Each part contains introductory materials, including a preface, accompanying instruments, pricing, grade level, and acknowledgements. The work contains over seven hundred entries for compositions, including information concerning composer/ arranger, instrumentation, duration, movements, first performance, range, grade level, sources, publisher, copyright date, available recordings, You-Tube links, and information about alternate editions and alternate accompanying ensembles. The extensive internal cross-referencing of solos with both orchestral and band accompaniment is valuable. The entries make frequent reference to Vern Kagarice's Annotated Guide to Trombone Solos with Band and Orchestra (Lebanon, IN: Studio Publications Recordings, 1974), Thomas G. Everett's Annotated Guide to Bass Trombone Literature (Nashville, TN: Brass Press, 1985), and Erik Thomas Shinn's "Annotated Bibliography of Works for Solo Bass Trombone and Wind Band," D.M. treatise, Florida State University, 2015 (http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-9453, accessed 3 January 2022), a resource to which Shinn provides updates through a website listing wind band solo repertory at http://www.erikshinn.com/bassboneband (accessed 3 January 2022). Music for Bass Trombone is a valuable resource for institutions possessing a sizable bass trombone studio and needing to support bass trombone performance, literature, and research projects, as well as orchestral and band ensembles and organizations that regularly schedule solo bass trombone works in their artistic seasons. Given the number of hyperlinks and URLs Nieweg provides, I recommend the e-book format for ease of access to these web-based resources. Malte Burba and Paul Hübner's Modern Times for Brass is a bilingual English-and German-language treatise with companion compact disc that surveys extended brass performance techniques and their notation to help convey the nuances of pitch and timbre that these approaches can produce. The foreword, by Romanian-born German composer and music educator Adriana Hölszky, affirms relevance of the volume to contemporary solo brass repertory, reflecting explorations at Darmstadt and the Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/ Music to transcend conventional notation and sound possibilities. Over seventy music compositions spanning [End Page 569] fifty-one composers are referenced, with a large number of twenty-first-century examples. While somewhat trumpetcentric, reflecting the authors' expertise, this work provides a comprehensive chronicle of extended performance techniques spanning a range of traditional brass instruments, as well as historical (ophicleide, Wagner tuba) and less common brass-affiliated aerophones (alphorn, didgeridoo, hose tubing). The book is divided into chapters, with a detailed table of contents and subheadings in lieu of an index. Fundamental aspects of sound production are paired with acoustical explanations to present and explain a range of extended and nonstandard alternative sound production techniques. To provide an example of breadth...