Folk Melodies Research Articles

RL-Chord: CLSTM-Based Melody Harmonization Using Deep Reinforcement Learning.

Automatic music generation is the combination of artificial intelligence and art, in which melody harmonization is a significant and challenging task. However, previous recurrent neural network (RNN)-based work fails to maintain long-term dependency and neglects the guidance of music theory. In this article, we first devise a universal chord representation with a fixed small dimension, which can cover most existing chords and is easy to expand. Then a novel melody harmonization system based on reinforcement learning (RL), RL-Chord, is proposed to generate high-quality chord progressions. Specifically, a melody conditional LSTM (CLSTM) model is put forward that learns the transition and duration of chords well, based on which RL algorithms with three well-designed reward modules are combined to construct RL-Chord. We compare three widely used RL algorithms (i.e., policy gradient, Q -learning, and actor-critic algorithms) on the melody harmonization task for the first time and prove the superiority of deep Q -network (DQN). Furthermore, a style classifier is devised to fine-tune the pretrained DQN-Chord for zero-shot Chinese folk (CF) melody harmonization. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model can generate harmonious and fluent chord progressions for diverse melodies. Quantitatively, DQN-Chord achieves better performance than the compared methods on multiple evaluation metrics, such as chord histogram similarity (CHS), chord tonal distance (CTD), and melody-chord tonal distance (MCTD).

Female chamber vocal cycle of the 1960s–1970s and the “new folk wave”. Part 1. In search of intonational authenticity

The subject of the study is the chamber and vocal work of Soviet composers of the 1960s–1970s, the works of the undisputed leaders of the young post-war generation of musicians from the “sixties”. The author of the article studies the neo-folklore searches and experiments of R. Shchedrin, B. Tishchenko, S. Slonimsky, V. Gavrilin, E. Denisov, which became the most important component of the significant artistic movement “new folklore wave”. During these years, there was a peculiar accumulation of outstanding sample compositions, striking in their originality and brightness, new recording techniques, and the authors’ extremely conscientious attitude towards original materials collected in conservatory folklore expeditions. At the turn of the 1960s, the chamber-vocal cycle took leading roles in the work of many Soviet composers and Russian music in general. Vocal compositions, with their inherent versatility, capable of flexible modifications, turned out to be a fertile area for the creative efforts of musicians of different generations. The article uses the following scientific research methods: comparative analytical, structural and functional, as well as cultural method. The author of the article uses literary-textual and musical-textual methods for research, and also relies on the fundamental provisions of general historical methodology, in particular, sociocultural, historical-chronological, and biographical. The main conclusion of the study is the idea that the chamber-vocal works of the “new folklore wave” have a “female face”, since most of them were written for performance by female voices. Folk melody and rhythm, a lively intonation environment, the direct emotionality of folklore became not only a kind of “counterweight” to sophisticated avant-garde techniques in the music of the second half of the twentieth century, but the most important component of the composer’s language and even thinking, and sometimes the main support of creative expression. The author for the first time deeply and fully explores the “female” vocal cycle of the 1960s–1970s, those works that are associated with the unique and powerful artistic movement “new folk wave,” a phenomenon that was at the forefront of the radical renewal of Russian music in the second half of the twentieth century.

Piano Arrangements as a Universal Principle of Adaptation of European Artistic Values to the Peculiarities of Chinese Musical Culture

The article examines the role of arrangements for piano in the development of the Chinese piano school. The dynamic development of the latter is shown in the context of the influence of Western art and the ability of Chinese music to refract this influence through its own cultural lenses. The authors trace the development of piano arrangements in connection with the evolution of compositional thinking and adaptation to European standards and emphasise the role of the Russian musical culture in the process of interaction between the representatives of the binary opposition of “East vs. West.” The article examines methods of manifestation of Chinese national coloration by means of textural, registral, and technical capabilities intrinsic to the piano instrumentation for revealing the parallels with the principles of working with original sources in the context of Western European musical art. Particular attention is paid to the significance of the timbres (timbral forms) of Chinese traditional folk instruments, allusions to which have often appeared in the works of contemporary Chinese composers. In this connection, the authors draw analogies to the arrangements of folk melodies in the works of Western European (Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven) and Russian (Mily Balakirev, Anatoly Lyadov) composers. The main vectors of national traditions and their refraction in the mainstream of 20th century composition techniques are outlined in the article, and parallels are revealed connecting the aesthetics of musical impressionism with the conditions under which it acquires a unique sound on the basis of Chinese culture.

An Analysis of Music Composition Techniques of Bao Yuankai: Case Study of “Little Cabbage”

The composition techniques of the folk song “Little Cabbage” within Chinese composer Bao Yuankai's “Yan Huang Feng Qing” are analyzed as research subjects. The concept of symphonic Chinese folk songs and musical creation techniques are investigated. The manner in which the composer incorporates Chinese and Western music theories in his compositions through the application of musical theory techniques is analyzed. The results of the research findings were: 1) The Chinese pentatonic scale 2) The use of Chinese folk melody in Western orchestra and 3) 3 Music texture: polyphonic technique and Chinese melody fusion. Exploring the composer's concept of symphonic Chinese folk songs is of paramount importance for further inheriting and advocating China's outstanding folk music culture.

Musical Composition of Evenk Heroic Poems

Music is an important component of the Evenk heroic folk poems. The article describes the role of folk melodies in the Evenk epos system including historic poems “Brave Hero Sodani” and “All-Powerful Develchen in the Embroidered and Decorated Clothes” based on the myths about the Evenks living in the Middle World, travelling to the Upper World and fi ghting against evil forces of the Lower World. While performing the Evenk heroic folk poems, musical recitation with an intensifi ed vocal and music component is used depending on the dramatic nature of the scene or the character’s description. The songs-monologues of the heroes have their own features of melody, mode, rhythm and timbre

Sonorism in Compositions by Soviet Composers for Non-Register Button Accordion

The object of the research is the works of Soviet composers for the non-register bayan (non-register accordion). The subject of the research is the sonorous technique. The aim of the study is to examine the specific application of sonorism in the works of Soviet composers for the non-register bayan. The author identifies the types of sonorous soundings and the ways they are formed; considering their textural, dramatic, and depictive significance. The materials of the article can be used for the professional activities of bayanists and composers, and can be included in the courses. The methodological basis of the research includes a comprehensive approach, which incorporates scientific methods of induction and deduction, typology, comparative, structural, systemic, and historical approaches. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that the sonorism in compositions for the non-register bayan is specifically explored for the first time. As a result of analyzing works of Soviet composers for the non-register bayan (original compositions, arrangements of folk melodies, adaptations), the author of the article concludes that sonorous technique is not frequently used in them, and the sonorous soundings employed (lines, spots, and stripes) are generally consist of a small number of sounds and brief. Nevertheless, by selecting the representative examples from the works of the renowned Soviet composers to illustrate, the author of the article demonstrates that sonorous soundings are employed in crucial dramatic moments, serve various depictive functions, and provide a background for the melodically leading voices. Identified applications of sonorous technique in works of Soviet composers for the non-register bayan represent a preparatory evolutionary stage leading to the "flourishing" of sonorism in music for the cassotto-сonverter instrument in the second half of the 20th century and the first half of the 21st century.

Folk Song "Sorrow After Sorrow" In The Works Of Borys Liatoshynsky: Intonation And Semantic Analysis

Relevance of research. Borys Lyatoshynsky (1895–1968) is one of the most outstanding composers of the last century. Many studies have been devoted to the study of his work in various aspects, although this topic remains incomplete and relevant. A manifestation of the composer's national thinking is, among other things, his use of folk melodies as the basis of thematism. A comparison of the composer's methods of working with folk song material in different genres has not yet been the subject of a special scientific study.
 The purpose of the study: to investigate the process of rethinking the folk song "Sorrow after Sorrow" in Lyatoshynsky's works, to consider and compare the principles of the composer's work on the folk melody in the genres of arrangement and symphony.
 Methods. The comparative, historical methods, as well as methods of genre-style, semantic and intonation analysis were used.
 The results and conclusions. The article analyses B. Liatoshynsky's approaches to working with folk song material using examples of works in which the composer refers to the folk song "Sorrow after Sorrow". The principles of processing this folklore sample in the genre of folk song arrangement for voice and piano are highlighted in the context of the evolution of the genre and in relation to the traditions established in Ukrainian music. The commonality of the basic methods of folk song arrangement in the works of M. Leontovych and B. Liatoshynsky is substantiated—the inviolability of the chant as a carrier of the intonation-semantic idea of the work, the usage of the latest compositional techniques of harmonic and textural variation, the development of the most expressive motifs in the accompanying voices or instrumental part, the construction of a through(endto-end) musical dramaturgy that pushes the limits of the original strophicity, the introduction of conceptuality and symphonic thinking into the genre. The place and role of the folk song melody "Sorrow after Sorrow" in the Third Symphony of B. Liatoshynsky is considered, the process of its involvement into the complex symphonic development is characterized: the inclusion of the theme into the leitmotif system of the symphonic cycle, the usage of intonational variation techniques, methods of timbral dramaturgy, polyphonic and motivic development in relation to the theme, due to which the theme appears in various figurative and emotional gradations, undergoes significant changes up to its transformation (the principle of monothemism).
 Conclusions are made regarding the continuity of the stages of working with the folklore primary source in the researched works of Liatoshynsky: in the genre of arrangement, a peculiar adaptation of the folk song sample to the field of academic music takes place, in the process of its compositional development, the intonational-semantic core—the motif of regret—is distinguished. At the next stage, this motif becomes the basis for a complex figurative and thematic development and author’s reinterpretation in works of other genres, an impetus for the implementation of significant symphonic concepts.

Stylistic Features of National Chinese Vocal and Song Creativity

The article is devoted to the consideration of Chinese song culture from the standpoint of its development based on folklore. The purpose of the article is to identify national stylistic features of Chinese vocal and song culture in accordance with regional characteristics, as well as in the process of socio-cultural changes in the country. Among the main tasks of the study was to highlight the significance of the musical folklore of China in accordance with its place in the composer's creativity, as well as in the context of socio-cultural changes. The research methodology: the dialectical method as a way to distinguish the stylistic components of Chinese composers’ work as a unity of traditions and innovations; the deductive method due to the research orientation from the general (socio-historical context) to the specific (reference to the genre); the historical and cultural method to identify general stylistic regularities of the aesthetic, ideological, and socio-cultural levels in the context of historical changes; elements of genre and style analysis to identify the genre component of chamber vocal music. The scientific novelty of the obtained results lies in the fact that for the first time in the Ukrainian scientific space, the influence of national traditions as a permanent quality of vocal and song creativity is considered; the study of the regional component in accordance with the development of Chinese vocal and song culture is in-depth. Conclusions. The result of the study was the highlighting of Chinese vocal and song creativity as a synthesis of folklore and academic influences, where folklore, associated with the peculiarities of phonetics and vocabulary, intonations of the national language are of central importance. In its development and formation, the Chinese vocal and song composing school has created a powerful base that determined the further vector of Chinese song culture in general, namely vocal arrangements of folk melodies, which logically entered the genre of chamber music, where national and stylistic origins later intersected with models of the Western song-romance style.
 Key words: national style, vocal lyrics, Chinese music, folklore.

CHINESE VOCAL MUSIC: DEVELOPMENT SPECIFI CS, NATIONAL TRADITIONS AND AESTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS

The article discusses the specifi cs of development, national traditions and aesthetic characteristics of Chinese vocal music. The national musical features of the Chinese folk melody (pentatonic scale) are analysed. The classifi cation of Chinese vocal art is given. The types of traditional vocal intonation are considered, as well as the features of modern vocal music through the prism of the repertoire of Chinese composers.

Compositions of song Nakhon Champasri for creative research and music instruction in contemporary Isan Folk Music ensemble

The compositions of "Nakhon Champasri" for a contemporary Isan folk music ensemble, focusing on creative music and music instruction in a contemporary Isan style The objective of this was to produce academic works that advance the understanding of creative music and contribute to broader research in music, the arts, and culture. Using a creative research approach, incorporating traditional Thai Isan folk melodies and infusing them with intriguing patterns, rhythmic rise, Western harmonies, and chords, such as random notations, block chords, pentatonic scales, passing notes, rhythmic patterns, ostinato, improvisation, and passing notes, while utilizing harmonies of different voice counts The findings showcase the successful integration of traditional Isan folk melodies with contemporary compositional techniques, resulting in captivating and harmonically rich compositions. The practical implications of its value as a teaching tool for students pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree, allowing them to explore and learn about contemporary Isan folk music composition, These compositions offer opportunities for musicians and music enthusiasts interested in general music composition to engage with and appreciate the unique genre of contemporary Isan folk music. contributing to the advancement of creative music and serving as valuable resources for music instruction.

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.

The Guitar Sound Image in the Creativity of Sabikas

The author proves that the concept of sound image appeared in musicological literature at the beginning of the 20th century. The defined phenomenon is characterized as a set of sound (speech, music, noise) elements that create, with the help of associations, a generalized image about material object, phenomenon, historical event, human character. In modern musicology, scientists consider the concepts of "sound image of an instrument" and "performance style" to be related, where these concepts are interpreted as an individual stylistic perspective in the perception of expressive possibilities of a musical instrument: timbral, dynamic, register characteristics and associated artistic semantics. The basis of the sound image of the Sabikas guitar was formed thanks to the environment of prominent representatives of flamenco - R. Montoya, A. Chacon, M. de Huelva and others, and the method of A. Marin was taken as the technological foundation. The author presents the main parameters of the sound image of Sabikas' guitar, which are based on the intonation dictionary of R. Montoya's era, as well as compositional, interpretive and technological innovations of Sabikas. It was found that the compositional innovations of Sabikas consisted in the use of traditional falsettos in other forms of flamenco (Sevillanas, Zambra, Garrotín, etc.), as well as the creation of a composition in the form of a theme with variations based on folk melodies. The virtuosity and purity of the intonation of the new sample, the timbre richness of the guitar texture, the use of artificial flagolets and chromatic scales during the solo performance were noted in the interpretive aspect. Technological innovations of Sabikas focused on innovation in the alzapúa technique, the rationality of the maestro's performance technique with the help of open strings and well-chosen left-hand fingering. The author proves this statement with relevant material. The conclusion is that the sound image of Sabikas' guitar became a reference point for many outstanding musicians of the next generation - Paco de Lucía, Manolo Sanlúcar, Vicente Amigo and others. The article provides an explanation that for many years the art of flamenco existed in a trinity - guitar, dance, vocals. It is noted that Ramón Montoya was the first soloist-guitarist, after whom it was Sabikas who got the opportunity (1959) to present the sound image of the flamenco guitar to US listeners during a solo concert in the most prestigious New York hall "Town Hall". It has been proven that Sabikas' discography was the largest among flamenco guitarists (about 40 studio albums), which can be conventionally divided into solo and ensemble recordings.

Using the Colouristic Possibilities of the Ready-Select Bayan in the Folk Songs Accompaniment

The purpose of the research is to analyze the use of the ready-select bayan (button accordion) flavour in the arrangements of folk songs by V. Marchenko for the collections “Wide Roots” (Issue 1 and Issue 2). Research methodology. The following general scientific methods were used: analysis (to identify the flavour possibilities of the ready-select bayan); formal-analytical (to compare technical performance and musical-expressive means); generalization (to formulate conclusions). Scientific novelty of the research. For the first time, the pieces from V. Marchenko’s collections “Wide Roots” (Issue 1 and Issue 2) are analyzed, the colouristic possibilities of the instrument are characterized, and the specific features of the ready-select bayan in the folk songs’ accompaniment are revealed. Conclusions. The research is based on the author’s own long-term artistic experience. The article highlights the peculiarities of instrumental accompaniment on a ready-select bayan and reveals the regularities of combining a folk melody and bayan accompaniment to reflect the artistic intent of the song in depth. The process of composing bayan accompaniment for pieces of folk art from different local regional traditions of Ukraine poses complex tasks for the author, and the main one is to preserve the traditional regional melodic flavour. A thoughtful approach and attention to the subtleties of the recording interpretation process, which together determine the artistic value of the works, and penetration into the essence of the song should become significant aspects of the composer’s interpretation process.

‘Take Her Out and Air Her’: Irish Dances as Arranged by Stanford and Grainger

Irish-born composer Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924) has received both acclaim and criticism for his integration of Irish folk melodies in his compositions and for his role in publishing collections of Irish folk melodies. Throughout his career, the music of Ireland provided the inspiration for a number of compositions including orchestral works, songs, opera and chamber music. This article critically examines his Irish Dances op. 89, later published and referred to as Four Irish Dances, the source material for the work and versions created for piano by both Stanford and the Australian composer Percy Grainger (1882–1961). The article also addresses gaps in scholarship related to the performance and reception of the work(s). It also highlights inaccuracies in contemporary commentary, and returns the authorship of the works to Stanford. This examination parallels other studies and enhances an understanding not only of Stanford’s compositional practice but the social, cultural and economic contexts of music at the turn of the twentieth century and their reception amongst audiences and critics.

THE GENRE OF ARRANGEMENT OF UKRAINIAN FOLK MELODIES IN THE PIANO WORKS OF VASYL BEZKOROVAINYI

The article is devoted to the piano heritage of Vasyl Bezkorovainyi, a composer, conductor, music and public figure, pianist-accompanist, whose work and creativity are forgotten and little known in Ukrainian musical culture. He was an active figure in the musical life of Galicia, founding music schools, choirs, and orchestras. Subsequently, since 1948, he worked fruitfully to popularize Ukrainian music among the postwar Ukrainian emigration to the United States. The article briefly discusses the need to revive the artist’s multi-genre heritage, which has come down to us in manuscript form in more than 360 works. The article describes the way Vasyl Bezkorovainyi’s archive was returned to his homeland, preserved and organized by his daughter Neonila and brought to Ukraine by her husband Yevhen Stetskiv. At the initiative of the composer’s relatives, Natalia and Bohdan Bezkorovainy, 2 volumes of the composer’s piano works were published in 2020. Among the one hundred and sixteen piano opuses, a significant part is occupied by the genre of arrangements of folk songs and samples of the calendar and ritual cycle. The selected exemplary pieces demonstrate a wide range of genre interests of the artist, and the studied musical, expressive, architectonic features reveal the stylistic foundations of Vasyl Bezkorovainyi’s piano heritage. It is noted that the piano compositions have artistic and pedagogical value. On the example of the analysis of a number of arrangements of folk songs and calendar and ritual samples, it is demonstrated how nationally specific expressive means and traditional European harmonic turns of the romantic direction form the linguistic and stylistic phenomenon of the artist. It is noted that for the composer, when working on folk melodies, it is not simplicity or complexity that is important, but compliance with the spirit of the folk song, the need to leave its harmonic, intonational and metrical basis intact. In terms of formation, we note national models and methods of developing thematic material based on the variant principle, improvisation, and the regulatory nature of structural constructions. Most of the compositions are dominated by two- and three-part forms. In the palette of stylistic features and linguistic expressive means, we observe a synthesis of the harmonic, harmonic, metrical principles of European music and the peculiarities of Ukrainian folklore, with the dominance of the latter.

ЖАНРОВО-СТИЛИСТИЧЕСКИЕ ОСОБЕННОСТИ КАЗАХСКИХ НАРОДНЫХ МЕЛОДИЙ

Based on the analysis of sources on the research topic, the authors presented the main genre and stylistic features of Kazakh folk melodies and analyzed two components of the structure of musical culture. The emergence, development and current state of traditional genres of Kazakh vocal and instrumental music are considered in general terms. The main types and styles of vocal and nstrumental music are analyzed. It is determined that their development is associated with a change in the way of life of the people. Definitions are given according to the constituent features, forms and features of genres. Special attention is paid to kyi, the leading instrumental genre of Kazakh usical creativity, the peculiarity of which lies in the improvisational freedom of performance based on the canonical structure of the form. Each section performs a certain function, underlined by the corresponding region zone. The most characteristic features of the two main regional performing styles of Kazakh instrumental music – tokpe and shertpe – are analyzed.

Verbal and musical texts: Interactions of semiotic codes

The purpose of the paper is to identify the mechanisms of interaction between two sign systems: the verbal text of the Dutch rhymed psalms of the 19th century and the musical text of the melodies. The text is broadly understood as an ordered set of semiotic codes that carry certain information. The discussion of both linguistic and musical material with the use of musicological and linguopragmatic analysis is innovative. In the course of the study, an attempt was made to establish the relationship between the type of rhyme and the way of musical arrangement of the text. For poetic texts with a cross rhyme, there is a tendency to use repetitions of the melody in accordance with the rhyme. Texts with a more complex rhythmic organization of the verse are decorated with variations or author’s reworking of the original melody. At the same time, the processing of musical material obeys the generally accepted patterns of melody development within the range of one octave. With a more detailed analytical review, different types of ways of using the original melodies and adapting them to the needs of choral church singing can be identified. The determining factor in the choice and interpretation of the original folk melody is the text of the psalm. Melodies do not have independence, but are completely subordinated to the verbal text. At the same time, the musical arrangement serves as an auxiliary means of accentual articulation and enhances the aesthetic function of the poetic text.

M. Leontovych’s Creative Heritage in the Context of Ukrainian National Culture

The purpose of the research is to systematise and give a comprehensive assessment of M. Leontovych’s creative heritage as an integral component of Ukrainian national musical culture. The research methodology is based on the application of an interdisciplinary approach to the studied issue. The author has used the following methods: comparative, analytical, cultural, source studies, and structural-logical. The scientific novelty consists in an attempt to comprehensively investigate the main parameters and characteristics of the creative heritage of M. Leontovych, an outstanding Ukrainian composer. Our tasks were also to reveal the multifaceted nature of his compositional activity, to analyse the methods of processing folklore works, to determine his contribution to the treasury of Ukrainian musical culture. Conclusions. M. Leontovych’s creative heritage is characterised by individuality, originality, and a high level of compositional skills. The artist entered the history of music as a brilliant creator of choral musical culture. The bases of his heritage are choral miniatures-arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs, which are still unsurpassed and are performed by the best national and diaspora choirs. Based on Ukrainian folk melodies, the composer created original choral compositions and gave them a unique sound. The themes of the composer's choral works are very diverse. These are ceremonial, spiritual, historical, humorous, playful, and everyday songs. The composer fruitfully continued both the centuries-old national choral traditions of brilliant famous and unknown secular and church musicians, as well as the classics of Ukrainian music. M. Leontovych managed to bring the Ukrainian song and choral singing to the world level, the works in his arrangements sound on all continents, demonstrate the beauty and originality of Ukrainian national folk music.
 Key words: choral singing, folk song, spiritual music, Ukrainian musical culture.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE COMPOSER A. MULEAR

The composer Alexandr Mulear was born on May 18, 1922 in the Ukrainian city of Savran, Odessa region, and died on June 17, 1994 in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. Throughout his life he distinguished himself as a talented composer and musician, a skilled pedagogue, and last but not least as an energetic cultural activist. A. Mulear bequeathed works that manage to stand out by their uniqueness and clarity, based mainly on the Moldovan folk art, treasury and folk melodies. His composition activity can be divided into three periods: the first period of musical creativity (1949-1955), the second period (1956-1970), and the third, last period of creativity, from 1971 to the end of ofhis life.

BELA BARTOK’UN ANADOLU’DA YAPTIĞI DERLEME ÇALIŞMALARI

Composer and ethnomusicologist Bela Bartok, who came to Turkey in 1936 in order to hold conferences and studies on Turkish folk music, researched.both the relationship between Turkish folk music and Hungarian folk melodies and the roots of the similarities between the music of the two countries, which are thought to come from the same root and got interesting and valuable information. He made field studies in certain regions of Turkey, compiled the folk songs in the areas he worked, notated the songs which he compiled and then classified these folk songs. In addition to her field work, she also worked with important musicians such as Ahmet Adnan Saygun, Necil Kazım Akses, Ulvi Cemal Erkin, whom we know as Turkish fives today. Throughout all his studies in Anatolia, he said that there were both similarities and differences between Turkish and Hungarian folk music, but he argued that the two musical cultures emerged from the same root. One of the most important theses he defended was that he said that Hungarian music culture was a clear Turkish music culture and that the motifs in Turkish melodies were seen in Hungarian music. Keywords: Bela Bartok, Turkish folk music, Hungarian folk music, Cultural transfers and similarities, Pentatonic