Musical Language Research Articles

Analysis of the "patriotic feelings" and singing of the chinese art song "Wang Xiang Ci"

"Wang Xiang Ci" is one of the representative works of Chinese art songs, composed by the renowned composer Lu Zaiyi to the poem "Wang Da Lu" by the calligrapher Yu Youren. This article discusses various aspects of "Wang Xiang Ci", including its creation background, musical form, musical language, and emotional expression. Through the exploration of the use of national musical elements, the stratification of emotional expression, and the discussion of technique and artistic expression in singing practice, the article further clarifies the expression of the theme of home and country in the song; It also explores how to better convey the sentiment of home and country in singing practice.

PLAYING WITH SOUNDS. EARLY AND PRESCHOOL MUSIC EDUCATION THROUGH KODALY APPROACH AND EDWIN GORDON’S MUSIC THEORY

The early introduction of children to the art of music is a recommendation in numerous curricula and approaches to music education. However, there is a need for a more profound understanding and the development of clear guidelines for working with music educators in children's educational institutions. In addition to guidance for music educators, it is crucial to persuade parents, the primary source of musical stimulation for their children, to engage with their children's musical development. Children in early childhood express natural curiosity in exploring the sounds of their environment. The incorporation of music into the natural surroundings of children can stimulate their interest in singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments. Many scholars engaged in research on children’s music education are interested in understanding how to develop children’s musical abilities to support their understanding of musical language.

Michael Tippett: Specification of the Work for Orchestra and Soprano "Byzantia"

The purpose of the research is to reveal the deep image-sound layers and features of the Irish bardic tradition in the work of M. Tippett through the prism of the work for orchestra and soprano "Byzantium". The methodological basis of the research is historical-conceptual, hermeneutic method and comparative analysis of factual data based on the works of Thomas Weiskel, David Clark, Edward Venn, and Meirion Bowen. Scientific novelty. For the first time in the Ukrainian art history segment, M. Tippett's work for orchestra and soprano "Byzantium" was analysed with an emphasis on the dramaturgy of the composition, cyclical elements, metaphorical sound images, symbolism and characteristic features of the musical and poetic tradition of Irish bards. Conclusions. Biographical collisions of M. Tippett influenced his creative aspirations and attitude to the surrounding world. M. Tippett's aesthetic views are a dialogue between romantic aspirations and sceptical realism of the modern era. Michael Tippett's musical language absorbed both tradition and the entire palette of accumulated world musical experience, as well as duality of meanings, symbolism, imagery and conflict. The work analyses the composition for orchestra and soprano "Byzantium" by M. Tippet, which is based on the mosaic of images, the logical sequence of musical motifs, and cyclicity. It is necessary to highlight the fragmentary nature of musical sections, variable motifs, the presence of contrasting material, the symbolism of magical, changing life force as secular ephemerality, the destruction of the musical text using the technique of expansion and fragmentation. Thus, the composition "Byzantium" is a reincarnation of Irish cultural nationalism in the aspect of traditional forms of bardic poetry. The musical language of M. Tippett in the work "Byzantium" is based on the forms crystallised by the work of L. Beethoven and updated by the musical context of modern and postmodern.

Self-quotation in Personal Creation. The Journey from Musical Self-Portrait to #Selfie

Music composition is an art that allows the creator to encapsulate her/his personality and conceptions in an abstract manner, as well as to mirror his whole being into the music, like in a self-portrait. A single musical theme may be both the key to the evolution of the compositional techniques and a witness to the inner self transformations that occur during one’s life. This study follows a theme and some of its iterations in other personal works over the last 25 years in order to capture the relation between life, creation and compositional traits, using the concepts of time and memory to explain the evolution of my own musical language.

SPECIFICITY OF WORK ON INTONATIONAL-SEMANTIC ORGANISATION OF PLAYING THE FLUTE WHEN MASTERING WORKS OF COMPOSERS OF THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY AND EARLY 21ST CENTURY

The article is devoted to the formation of professional performers’ skills to interpret works for the flute created during the second half of the 20th century and early 21st century, that is, related to the so-called “modern repertoire”. The author concentrates on the intonation-semantic organisation of performance when mastering works of this category and identifies two key problems: the distance of the style and language of the works from the classical-romantic “basis” formed in performers at the initial and secondary stages of training, as well as a huge variety of musical languages, each of which a performer needs to master. In conclusion, the author of the article proposes a project of his own methodological model that involves mastering of the art of composition by students as a means to learn the principles of modern compositional techniques and, consequently, musical languages and styles as deeply as possible, and thereby to obtain the “keys” to the correct intonation-semantic organisation of performance.

Klassisia muotoja persoonallisin kääntein: Erik Tulindbergin jousikvartetot op. 1 ja op. 2

This article concerns the String Quartets of Erik Tulindberg (1761–1814), who was the first known Finnish composer. Tulindberg was musically active primarily in the late 1770s and early 1780s, when he was studying at the Royal Academy of Turku (Kunglika Akademien i Åbo). He was respected as a skilful violinist and a chamber musician, playing in the Academy’s orchestra on ceremonial occasions and giving public concerts. Tulindberg’s compositional oeuvre comprises two Violin Concertos, six String Quartets and a few works for solo violin. The corpus of Tulindberg’s String Quartets is approached from two perspectives, namely conventional strategies of the Classical style on one hand, and Tulindberg’s recurrent choices as attributes of his personal musical language on the other. Widely used analytical tools are applied in studying the corpus, and the Quartets are compared with certain works that originate in the same period and reside in Tulindberg’s archive. The theoretical framework includes writings that focus specifically on describing the compositional strategies used in Classical and Pre-Classical music, the authors including James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy, Graham Hunt, William Caplin, Poundie Burstein and Danuta Mirka, among others. The discussion covers 1) the overall structure, the key design and cadences in the opening movements, all of which are in sonata form; 2) the essential harmonic traits; and 3) surface characteristics and expressive means such as topics, melodic figuration and instrumental writing. The analysis reveals that Tulindberg adopted the commonly used strategies and main expressive means of the Classical style. The attributes of his musical language include traits such as the constant use of extended modal mixture, enthusiasm for a varied rondo-form and frequent violoncello solos in the upper register. Although the String Quartets are conventional in structure, each one is individual in its construction. The stylistic correspondence between the works and those of composers such as Joseph Haydn, Luigi Boccherini and Ignace Pleyel, shows his thorough understanding of the music written by his contemporaries.

TRADITIONS AND INNOVATIONS IN THE GENRE OF CHILDREN’S ALBUM IN THE WORKS OF SAINT PETERSBURG COMPOSERS OF THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY AND EARLY 21ST CENTURY

The article presents the results of studying a number of children’s albums created by Saint Petersburg composers in recent decades. At the same time, the works are considered through the prism of the traditions of this genre, laid down by P. I. Tchaikovsky in the second half of the 19th century. It is noted that the children’s album genre, experiencing its heyday in the second half of the 20th century and early 21st century, on the one hand, absorbs the latest trends in the eld of musical language and style, and on the other hand, retains the close connection with tradition.

Differences in the Piano Performances of Modern Composers of Different Countries: Are the Specifics of Piano Pedagogy Different in Different Countries (For Example, China and Italy)?

ABSTRACTThe relevance of the research topic is due to the enrichment of the musical language and methods of performing works of the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as a significant update in the means of their transmission to the listener. The study aimed to reveal the tendencies of modern pianism in the context of Western (Italy) and Eastern (China) traditions, which contribute to the realisation of its uniqueness in the process of formation of high‐level professionals. This study is based on theoretical and practical methods. Theoretical methods include analysis, comparison and synthesis. Practical methods are online monitoring with systematisation and questioning. In China, the reliance on folklore is manifested in 85%, the philosophical interpretation of the content of musical works and their interpretation in 80%, the perfection of the mastery of performance technique in 95% and the synthesis of the achievements of Chinese and world performance practice in 80%. The spiritual and semantic aspect of piano performance in the framework of both countries is meaningful in 85%, the material and technical basis in 80% and ethnic self‐identification in 82%. The present findings can be used both in pedagogical and performance practices of different countries, traditions and cultures.

Celtic music, Shakespeare and fandom

Abstract Why would Celtic women performers invoke a dead colonialist English poet in their airs and dance sets? This article provides close readings of Shakespearean elements in the musical compositions of gold- and platinum-selling artists Loreena McKennitt, Ensemble Galilei, and Méav. It assesses the archaicising musical language, structural reshapings, and ekphrastic elements as signals of ‘restitutional creativity’ and trans-temporal collaboration. It also analyses the reception of these works by fans and critics, responses replete with invocations of tradition and of timelessness. Like the fanfic-producing enthusiasts of Johnathan Pope's Shakespeare's Fans, the fans for Celtic music capitalise on their awareness of Shakespearean elements in this music to display personal expertise. In so doing, they enhance their own belonging within the Celtic music community.

Some Characteristics in Light Music Performance Towards Sustainable Development in Vietnamese Cultural Identity

Objective: The goal is to introduce readers to the characteristics of pop music performances, to clarify more about pop music singing (mainly Rock-Pop), the differences compared to normal singing, in this article the author wants to introduce some characteristics in the way of performing pop music songs. Method: The study uses two main groups of methods: theoretical research and practical research to evaluate the overall data. In which, the focus is on observation and pedagogical experiments. Results: Research results have shown that, with special attention to novelty, uniqueness, and strong impression on the audience, since its inception, light music (Rock-Pop) has had a special appeal to the audience, especially the young. As a popular music genre, highly entertaining, paying important attention to the cyclical rhythm, often associated with dance music, musical language, singing style, performance, and use of the orchestra of light music have many different characteristics compared to classical music and popular music. Bringing positive values in the sustainable development of Vietnamese national culture Contribution: Understanding the characteristics of singing light music is one of the necessary things for singers and light music teachers at vocal training facilities to promote advantages and limit disadvantages.

Unlocking the Perfect Beat: Reflections on Musical Hybridisation in the Work of Lander Gyselinck

ABSTRACT This article explores the artistic and scientific practices of Lander Gyselinck, focusing on the hybridisation of jazz and beat-based electronic dance genres. The research investigates how cross-fertilisation can stretch boundaries and break conventions in rhythm, harmony, and texture. Through an integrated approach of art and research, Gyselinck examines the symbiosis between man and machine to inspire new creative processes. Employing a cyclical methodology of discovery, listening, transcribing, studying, creating, and composing, Gyselinck reveals a dynamic interplay between inspiration and systematic practice. This process has enriched his artistic-creative practice, resulting in a new musical language and techniques. The composition Sun Salutations from the album Disleksikon exemplifies these innovative rhythmic and textural elements, illustrating how the Footwork genre has influenced Gyselinck's drumming. This article reflects on Gyselinck's artistic journey, offering insights into the genesis of his music and methodologies. By documenting these processes, the work contributes to the on-going hybridisation and evolution of music, providing valuable perspectives for other musicians to enrich their own practices.

Romances by Alexei Stârcea on the lyrics of Anatol Gujel: imaginary structure, musical language, interpretative tasks

Romances of Alexei Stârcea written on the lyrics of Anatol Gujel, are analyzed from the point of view of poetic content, the interaction of the music with the literary text, musical language, and vocal performance. The theme of the romances Noaptea pe lac, Iluzii and Te aștept is associated with love lyrics, which in the poetry of A. Gujel is closely related to images of nature. The romance Struguri de Moldova glorifies the beauty of the native land. All the four romances were written by A. Stârcea in the second period of his activity (1957–1968) and reflect some features specific to this decade, such as the interest in the work of Moldovan poets, the in-depth development of national themes, the reflection of folklore elements in the musical language, the emergence of a genre symbiosis of romances and songs, the further researches in the field of vocal expressiveness, the dialogic interaction between the vocal and piano parts.

The aria Ma-ntorc la tine iar from the musical Adio, Chiustenge! by Dumitru Lupu: musical language, architectonics, specifics of vocal performance

The article is dedicated to a fragment from the musical Adio, Chiustenge!, composed in 2016 by the Romanian composer Dumitru Lupu, namely Ma-ntorc la tine iar. The stylistic and genre methods, structural aspects of this aria, the vocal techniques, interpretative challenges, and recommendations for overcoming them are highlighted.

MUSICAL INTONATION IN THE LINGUISTIC AND SYMBOLIC CONTEXT: FROM SCIENTIFIC REFLECTIONS TO DEFINITIONS

The article examines various aspects of the relationship between verbal and musical languages, in particular, in the symbolic plane. The study traces the historical evolution of scientific knowledge about these cultural phenomena, and also marks the milestones in the development of musicological thought from the point of view of the synthesis of “word” and “music”.

The Gates of Sky by Ede Terényi: Music Analysis

In our previous paper, we examined the genesis of the choral work, its textual and musical sources, the intellectual and cultural influences that may have played a role in its creation. Starting from this complex ideological background, in this paper we will examine, through a detailed analysis of the score, how the composition’s structure, musical language and techniques bring the text to life, where its message is directed, and what additional conceptual and expressive value they provide. The Gates of Sky is, in a certain reading, a cultural-anthropological journey, partly based on historical references, partly mythical. However, its rich musical language and symbolic meanings only gain significance if they are combined with a suitable and convincing sound dramaturgy. For the author’s basic aim is not merely to evoke a ritual, but to give the performers and the audience the opportunity to experience the metamorphosis it embodies. Keywords: Ede Terényi, Ernő Lendvai, The Gates of Sky, choir music, ritual, world tree

Scherzo Op. 31, No. 2 by Frédéric Chopin

Frédéric Chopin’s contribution to the development of the genre of scherzo is unique. The four independent Scherzos composed by Chopin represent the development and the innovation he brought to the traditional scherzo. Chopin’s Scherzos share very little of the playful character of the classic scherzo, being considered rather dramatic works. Chopin’s different approach to the genre and the names of the genres went along with the stylistic changes of the early 1830s. His approach can be described as renovating, creating a kind of internal order in the permissive world of the pianistic genres of the nineteenth century. Chopin did not choose the genre titles arbitrarily, nor used them without sense. They had thought it was not necessarily conventional, generic meaning. The composer, however, did not ignore the connotative values of the titles. More than that, he has absorbed them and built values based on these titles that he later transformed into new genres. The purpose of this article is to decipher the features of Chopin’s scherzo and his style of composition, through the analysis of Scherzo No. 2 and comparing all the scherzos composed by Chopin, which will lead to a better understanding of his musical language. Keywords: scherzo, trio, tradition, independent genre.

A Multilevel Analysis of Fazil Say’s Sonata for Violin and Piano Op.7

This article introduces Fazıl Say’s Sonata for Violin and Piano op. 7, composed in 1997, shortly after his international success. Despite being an early work, it exhibits the architectural complexity characteristic of Say’s style, blending his Turkish cultural heritage with innovative compositional techniques. The authors aim to analyze this sonata thoroughly, exploring its mature style and cultural influences in order to provide a series of guiding principles for interpretation. They discuss the architectural and semantic meanings that reside in the incorporation of Turkish musical elements, such as modal approaches, folk traditions, and dance rhythms, throughout the sonata’s three movements. Each movement is examined, highlighting technical challenges, interpretive nuances, and thematic connections to Turkish culture. The sonata’s structure, culminating in a palindromic arrangement, is investigated, emphasizing its coherence and narrative thread. The first movement introduces melancholic themes, the second movement evokes Turkish instruments and rhythmic patterns, the third movement emulates the Horon dance, and the second to last movement draws from Turkish folk songs. The conclusion praises Say’s fusion of tradition and innovation, highlighting the interpretive freedom left to performers and listeners. Overall, the Sonata op. 7 reflects Say’s distinctive musical language and showcases his prowess as both a pianist and composer, blending tradition with modernity in a captivating manner. Keywords: Fazıl Say, Sonata op. 7, violin, piano, Turkish culture, composition, musical elements, modal approaches, folk traditions, dance rhythms, interpretation, structure, thematic connections, melancholy, Turkish instruments, rhythmic patterns, Horon dance, folk songs, tradition, innovation, interpretive freedom.

The quality of a button accordionist’s “element” thinking: performer’s text and the sound image of the modern button accordion

Statement of the problem. Modern musical language serves as a stimulus for the further improvement of the artistic indicators of the button accordion performance technique: composers incorporate new performing techniques into their works, expanding the original button accordion literature and integrating innovative techniques into its. This promotes the development of modern musical language in button accordion art. An important aspect of contemporary button accordion art is the performer’s “element” thinking, which refers to their ability to act intuitively, following an inner emotional impulse and musical inspiration. The “element” thinking of a button accordionist allows them to freely interpret the musical text, adding their own individuality and artistic expressiveness. This is particularly important in the performance process, where the instant emotional response to music is key to creating a lively and dynamic performance. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the study. The purpose of the article is to characterize the quality of a button accordionist’s “element” thinking in the process of forming the sound image of the modern button accordion. This goal requires the solution of the following tasks: • identify modern performing techniques of button accordion playing; • investigate the stable and mobile elements of the composer’s text; • determine the components of performing mastery and the qualities of the button accordionist’s “element” thinking. The following methods were used to address the proposed issues: the method of systematizing the performance techniques in contemporary button accordion art; the organological method, which helps to reveal the specifics of the accordion’s sound in the context of new artistic and expressive means; and the structuralfunctional method, which pertains to the analysis of elements of the composer’s text (texture distribution of the material, principles of timbral diversification, use of sound imitation, and specific button accordion techniques). The study is the first experience of considering bayan playing techniques as mobile elements of a composer’s test in performance interpretation. Results and conclusion. To characterize the quality of a button accordionist’s “elemental” thinking in the process of creating the sound image of the modern button accordion, two key aspects were considered: contemporary performance techniques on the button accordion and the stable and mobile components of the composer’s text. Contemporary button accordion creativity employs various performance techniques and effects that reveal the instrument’s versatility and significantly enrich the musical content of the works. Composers and performers, using such techniques as vibrato, tremolo, ricochet, cluster, non-tempered glissando, air playing, percussion effects, register playing, and extramusical noise effects, create unique and expressive sound textures that enhance the emotional and artistic expressiveness of the music. The stable components of the composer’s text include elements clearly defined by the composer, ensuring the structural integrity of the piece. In contrast, the mobile components allow the performer to contribute their creative input to the performance, including timbre shades, dynamic nuances, and phrasal variability. Thus, the quality of the button accordionist’s “elemental” thinking is formed through the ability to integrate contemporary performance techniques and the creative interpretation of the composer’s text, forming their own performance text. This characterizes the sound image of the modern button accordion, which fully meets the demands of the time. Prospects for further development. For further research in contemporary button accordion art, it is important to expand the spectrum of analysis of musical works that contain innovative playing techniques and methods. The prospects for studying the quality of the performer’s “elemental” thinking in the process of creating the sound image of the modern button accordion may include psychological aspects of creativity.

Music Education in the Western Zhou Dynasty and its Practical Significance

In the Western Zhou Dynasty, the organization of music education was large and the teaching management was strict. The content taught by music, music language and music and dance were the main body. The teaching progress and teaching time were managed to a certain extent and had high standardization. Educators through learning a variety of musical skills, such as instrumental music, vocal music, music and dance, to achieve the all-round development of people. This paper aims to find the connection between modern and contemporary music education and Western Zhou music education by combing the system and content of music education in Western Zhou.

ТРАДИЦИОННАЯ ЭСТЕТИКА И ФИЛОСОФИЯ «НОВОЙ МУЗЫКИ» КИТАЯ

The present study analyses the correlation between traditional aesthetics and the philosophy of China's "new music". The author provides a brief characterisation of national ideas of philosophy and aesthetics, special attention among which is paid to the concepts of "philosophy", "wisdom", "knowledge", "heaven", "earth", "man" and "unity". Their manifestation was found in the compositions, musical techniques, and performances of Tian Jianping, Zhou Wenzhong, and Qiu Xiaosong, who drew not only on philosophical and aesthetic national ideas but also on the contents of the Book of Changes. As a result, it is found that philosophical and aesthetic thinking has a broad influence on national composers, as many of them are now adhering to the principle of "returning to the roots". These outstanding composers have demonstrated the contemporary transformation of national philosophy and aesthetics through their unique musical language and creative methods. Their works are not only a tribute to tradition, but also a glimpse into the future, reflecting the ways of modernising and internationalising folk music by absorbing the essence of world music through the heart. In doing so, the manifestation of certain themes of Chinese aesthetics is presented in an organisational form based on their relationship with central philosophical concepts. We must realise that these themes are not only a means of artistic expression, but also a bridge between past and future, East and West. In today's multicultural world, Chinese "new music" not only carries the mission of inheriting the cultural heritage of the millennium, but also meets the challenge of innovation and development in the new era. By analysing the relationship between traditional aesthetics and philosophy of Chinese "new music", this study reveals an important fact: folk music innovation is not a rootless tree, but rooted in deep cultural soil, drawing on the nourishing environment of history and philosophy.