Solo Instrument Research Articles

Trombone as a solo instrument in the light of organology and historiography

Problem statement. In contemporary instrumentology, the primary task is to identify not only technical but also semantic (artistic) qualities of instruments that belong to the general concept of “instrument style”. This regards trombone artistry, the study of which extends beyond instrumentation and intersects with issues in philosophy, aesthetics, and culture studies. Such contextual understanding of trombone style is presented in this article, which is dedicated to studying the least researched aspects of trombone creativity and performance — solo trombone. The purpose of this paper is to identify the organology characteristics of the instrument within the context of researching the solo trombone. The relevance of the article lies in the demand for comprehensive developments of instrumental styles, including trombone, in contemporary theoretical musicology, as well as the absence of works dedicated to incorporating the corresponding musical material required for developing a similar theme. The results. From the perspective of organology as a comprehensive science of instruments as “organs”, “tools” of musical thinking, trombone is a melodic instrument of the brass aerophones group, which, thanks to its slide, can reproduce segments of the chromatic scale within three octaves with the possibility of natural glissando. The trombone’s acoustic and semantic resources are combined in its stylistic image, allowing for multifunctional use of this instrument in various music genres. The article outlines the path of forming the solo qualities of the trombone, presents classification of the types of trombone soloing, among which solo unaccompanied works for the trombone are highlighted. These mostly include miniatures of both programmatic and non-programmatic content, as well as sonatas for the trombone presented in the works by both foreign and Ukrainian authors. The specificity of such works is concluded in the combination of concert characteristics (the principle of soloing) and chamber characteristics (reproduction in a single voice of ensemble functions with equally potent voices-registers). This layer of trombone creativity is the least researched and therefore requires separate study, the beginning of which is laid out in this article. The scientific novelty of the research. Solo trombone music becomes an autonomous center containing everything characteristic of the trombone image and, within its competence, demonstrates all genres that exist or have existed in it. The proper qualities of the solo trombone are revealed in unaccompanied miniatures, the characteristics of which are illuminated for the first time in this article. Therefore, the issue of involving self-sufficient solo trombone works into musicological discourse pertains not only to the technical aspect but also contributes to a new perspective on the aesthetics and poetics of this instrument, its new philosophy, as demonstrated by the music of the Modern era.

Across the Borders of Music Eras and Forms

AbstractIt is well known that the 52 concertos for keyboard(s) or other solo instruments of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach constitute a repertoire that crosses the borderline of Baroque and Classic eras from both a chronological and a stylistic point of view. However, their analogous position concerning the Baroque ritornello form and the various Classic concerto-sonata types is not yet as clear as it should be, since most scholars tend to examine and classify these works in a rather one-sided way, basing their views either on the earlier ritornello form or on both theory and practice of (only) the late eighteenth-century concerto, thus ignoring many important aspects of formal design in Bach's concerto movements in particular. The present paper submits the findings of a comprehensive research on Bach's whole concerto output, clearly distinguishing between movements in ritornello and concerto-sonata forms; furthermore, it highlights the impressive variety of concerto-sonata structural types that Bach uses in his works: ternary but also binary sonata forms with five, four, or three ritornellos, the specific role and function of which (and especially of the intermediate ones) cannot be always restricted to the specifications of even the most recent (and seemingly all-embracing) related typologies.

VIOLA CLASS AT THE TCHAIKOVSKY NATIONAL MUSIC ACADEMY OF UKRAINE: SCIENTIFIC VECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

To write the article, the author studied numerous dissertation researches devoted to various issues of viola performance, carried out by teachers and students of the department of the bowed string instruments at the P. I. Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine. It was found that, despite the colossal potential of timbre and expressive possibilities, the viola for a long time remained in the shadow of its closest relatives from the string-bowed family - primarily in the aspect of solo performance. The path of the viola to recognition as an equal solo instrument is described, which began during Romanticism in the second half of the 19th century, gained rapid momentum in the first half of the 20th century, and, in fact, continues today. It is emphasized that the introduction of viola issues into scientific and musical circulation is one of the means of cultural propaganda of the instrument, along with its performance presentation. The presence of scientific potential among viola players is indicated, because in the period from 1971 to the present day, 9 candidate theses were defended in Ukraine, devoted to various problematic issues of viola performance, of which 5 were carried out by teachers and students of the viola class of the P. I. Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine. The author provides information on the biographies of viola musicologists and characterizes each dissertation research. The relevance and progressiveness of the research topic, which is often ahead of its time, is noted. The importance of the further continuation of scientific research in the field of viola performance is emphasized. It has been proven that the department of bowed string instruments of the P.I. Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music of Ukraine today is not only a quantitative, but also a qualitative leader in the field of viola performance research.

Algorithms of interpretation of poly-timber vocal and instrumental ensembles in the concertmaster class

Statement of the problem. A significant part of the repertoire in the concertmaster class is chamber vocal works that engage the synthesis of Word and Music, that is, the inseparable trinity of the poetic text, its vocal embodiment, and instrumental accompaniment, which calls for the need for accurate correlation of the efforts of the singer and concertmaster, the performers’ synergy. And although chamber vocal works mostly have purely piano accompaniment, in some cases a part of a string or wind instrument is added to it, and then the mentioned trinity of musical and poetic synthesis is complicated by the appearance of a new, “performance” trinity unit of vocal and two instrumental parts, which requires especially high-quality ensemble, and therefore a special study of algorithms for its achievement, because the teacher from the concertmaster class has to be a kind of director in coordinating all the layers of the musical texture of such a poly-timbre ensemble. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The purpose of this article is to designate a certain algorithm for the interpretation of a chamber vocal-instrumental ensemble in the concertmaster class as a poly-timbre structure represented by the performance trinity of vocal and instrumental parts. Until now, the interpretative issues of a musical and poetic work have not yet been thoroughly considered in scientific publications under such angle. Imagery and dramatic, intonation, timbre and textural, structural and functional, and performance analysis of the musical and poetic text of a number of chamber vocal compositions of different times and styles (by J. Brahms, V. Barvynsky, V. Sylvestrov), carried out in the study, reveals the specifics of the formimg the ensemble vocal and instrumental texture of works as an artistic integrity. Research results and conclusion. Given the specifics of vocal and instrumental compositions with the involvement of an additional string or wind instrument in the piano accompaniment, we state the advisability of using a certain algorithm for learning them in the concertmaster class. First, it is an in-depth analysis of the poetic original source of the work, if necessary, its complete translation from a foreign language, in order to reveal its leading idea and circle of images. Secondly, it is necessary to determine the main factors influencing the style and quality of the performance of the piece, namely: – the type of relationship between Words and Music, as well as the syntactic features of the verbal text, which determine the character of vocal and instrumental intonation; – genre orientation of the composition; – the functions of the instruments in the ensemble, according to the figurative dramaturgy and structure of the composition, both purely textural (solo, accompaniment, subvoice), and figurative-semantic (“Author’s voice”, “adding”, “finishing” of the vocal part, “leit-timbre”, etc.). Therefore, the poly-timbre quality of the accompaniment of the vocal part becomes an important “starting point” of the interpretive work on the vocal piece in the class of concertmaster skill. The performance “trinity unit” obliges to a particularly coordinated ensemble, in particular, between the instrumental parts, when they together realize the artistic idea of the vocal work as the embodiment of the “correlation of the author’s systems (Poet – Composer)” (Buchok, 2022: 44). Regarding the latter, according to our observation, the considered type of chamber vocal instrumental ensemble is connected with the involvement of poetic sources with special semantics – those that appeal to images and ideas of a “higher plane”, are aimed at spiritual contemplation, or convey personal “movements of the soul”, the adequate perception of which is impossible outside the context (in the examined compositions by J. Brahms, V. Barvinsky and V. Sylvestrov – spiritual and religious ones), which implies the presence of poly-semantic figurative structures in such works. So, the use by composers of the timbre of an additional solo instrument in chamber vocal compositions can be connected with the artistic embodiment of a “higher principle”: the inclusion of a segment of “pure” (instrumental) music best conveys the sublimity and spiritual pathos of the images of the poetic Word, reveals its semantic connotations, “personifying” the higher ideological level of the work or the actual “voice” of the Author (Poet – Composer).

KAZAKH PRIMA-KOBYZ – YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW

The article is devoted to a modernized Kazakh ethnic musical instrument called prima-kobyz, which was reconstructed in the style of the European string-bowed violin instrument. This type of bowed chordophone was created in the 1930s and was generated by the new stage in the development of the musical culture of Kazakhstan and according to the other tasks set for the country, including the creation of a modern orchestra of Kazakh folk instruments. Later, the prima-kobyz became an actively developed solo instrument, allowing the performers to present a wide range of works by Kazakh, Russian, and foreign composers to the public. Being under reconstruction, all the musical instruments required refinement and improvement of several characteristics at all times. Prima-kobyz has gone a long way in improving its sound qualities and morphological characteristics. Even though the instrument is in high demand and growing in interest, artisans are still attempting to modernize it. Consequently, the issues of its reconstruction remain relevant and deserve special attention and analysis. In addition, this issue has yet to be reflected in up-to-date ethnomusicology and needs to be studied more. The state-of-the-art innovative invention - electrokobyz, is considered within the framework of the presented work. Indeed, it has become a factor popularizing prima-kobyz and a new musical instrument that fits perfectly into the creative space of not only Kazakhstan but also the entire Central Asian region. Being a performer on a modern four-string acoustic prima-kobyz, the author writing the article resorts to the method of interviewing prima-kobyz masters in the process of implementing the study as well as other performers on such instrument, including the only performer on an electro-kobyz. The method of collecting and analyzing the received information was also applied.

Хор как «вокальный оркестр» в творчестве современных российских композиторов

The article presents the first analytical description of a new trend in the development of contemporary Russian music — creation of compositions for solo instrument and choir as a "vocal orchestra". Analysis of 20th century works (A. Schoenberg, A. Lurie, L. Nono, D. Ligeti) allows the authors to conclude that there are general grounds for the emergence of the phenomenon of "vocal orchestra", and also to understand more deeply the originality of its embodiment in the works of modern Russian composers — A. Tchaikovsky, E. Podhaits, K. Bodrov. On the basis of the considered compositions of recent years, which have become a notable event in the concert life of our country — Concerto for choir and solo piano "Gloria", Concerto for domra and choir a cappella by K. Bodrov, A. Tchaikovsky's piece "Cherry Orchard" for domra and choir and E. Podgaits' "Prayer to the Virgin Mary" for accordion and choir — the authors come to the following conclusions: the phenomenon of the "vocal orchestra" in the understanding of modern Russian composers is primarily associated with the transfer of the functions of the orchestra to the choir in works of concert or concert-related genres. The work of prominent Russian musicians is also identified as a "catalyst" of the trend under study: Е. Mechetina (piano), E. Mochalova (domra) and M. Vlasova (accordion).

10.36871/hon.202402137

This article is devoted to the musical style of Yuri Kasparov (b. 1955), Russian composer and music teacher, Professor at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, who writes primarily chamber music. Many of his compositions are scored for a chamber orchestra comprising flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, harp, piano, percussion, two violins, viola, cello and double bass (an instrumentation derived from A. Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony No. 1). His works include over 80 chamber compositions of different genres written for one to 17 instruments. He tends to use non-standard instrumentation rather than ensembles typical for classical music such as string quartet, string trio, piano quintet, etc. Most of the techniques common to the avant-garde music are found in Kasparov’s works: the twelve-tone technique, sonorism, aleatoric music, electroacoustic music, musique concrète, performance, instrumental theatre, sound collage. Still, he remains quite a traditional composer that does not break down the boundaries of what is considered “musical” and “non-musical” sound. Kasparov’s music is beautiful, emotional, easy to understand, full of melodies and continuous instrumental solos. A simple word “beauty” becomes a stylistic innovation in his music. Kasparov believes that contemporary music can be divided into two categories: sonorism and “musical graphics”. Sonorism is focused on timbre, while “musical graphics” is distinguished by a greater use of pitch. Most of Kasparov’s works can be considered sonoristic, but today he prefers “musical graphics” — “colorless black and white composition” in which “line is important”.

Etienne Ozi – «a great bassonist of incredible talent»

Statement of the problem. Etienne Ozi stands out as a bassoonist due to his significant creative achievements in various spheres of his multifaceted activities. As a bassoonist soloist, he successfully debuted in the “Concerts Spirituels” and for more than two decades was actively performed in front of Parisians in the best halls of the capital. An equally significant achievement of Ozі as a teacher was the preparation of the first instructional manual for the specialists “Nouvelle méthode de basson adoptue par le Conservatoire” (1803), which remained the main official publication of the Paris Conservatory for many years. The composer’s work also became an important part of the bassoon repertoire, which was actively used by him and his students in performing and teaching activities. Despite the importance of E. Ozi’s contribution to all spheres of bassoon art, the artist’s multifaceted creative activity still has not been properly assessed by modern researchers and requires a more detailed study. Recent research and publications. Among the works of domestic scientists, there are hardly any publications dedicated to E. Ozi’s creative activity. An outstanding Ukrainian musician, teacher and scientist V. M. Apatsky (2017) in his fundamental reference publication «Bassoon from A to Z» covers only individual episodes of the musician’s biography. The figure of the French artist is considered more deeply by foreign researchers, among which it is necessary to single out the dissertation and monograph of H. E. Griswold «Etienne Ozi (1754–1813): Bassoonist, Teacher, and Composer» (1979), in which E. Ozi’s work is revealed in sufficient detail. However, over the forty-year period of its existence, a certain updating of historical materials took place, which requires clarification and correction of some facts. Among the latest publications, which in one way or another highlight E. Ozi’s work, it is worth mentioning O. Tiffou’s monograph «The French Bassoon in the 19th Century. Theory and Repertoire» (2022) and Á. D. Moreno’s thesis «Bassoon Playing in Perspective. Character and Performance Practice from 1800 to 1850» (2013). In each of the studies, the authors partly consider individual aspects of the musician’s creative work according to the chosen research direction. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The purpose of the study is to identify the main directions of Etienne Ozi’s performance and his role in the process of formation of the French bassoon school of the late 18th – early 19th centuries. The scientific novelty of the paper is determined by disclosing little-known facts of E. Ozi’s performance and his contribution to the formation of the French bassoon school. The study of E. Ozi’s performance required the use of a number of methods, such as historical to reveal the ideological and socio-economic factors of influence of the French Revolution on the development of musical art; historiography analyses to study and interpret musical and critical sources of the 18th century, chronological one to determine the time sequence of E. Ozi’s main concert performances; contextual and biographical approaches to highlight important stages of the artist’s creative work. Research results. The process of becoming Ozi as a performer is related to military brass bands, which, due to the lack of special musical educational institutions in France in the 18th century, remained the only place, where it was possible to learn to play wind instruments. Then, successful bassoon lessons under the leadership of the outstanding German bassoonist G. V. Ritter opened him the door to the concert stage. From 1779, he became an active performer-soloist of the prestigious “Concerts Spirituels” in the royal palaces. After the French Revolution and the overthrow of the monarchy, E. Ozi continued a successful performing and teaching career in the Paris Conservatory, the orchestras of the Théâtre Italien, Théâtre Feydeau and Théâtre de la République et des Arts. An important achievement of the talented musician was a convincing victory in the competition of nominees for the post of soloist of the Grand Opéra Théâtre, which allowed him to take the most prestigious place for a bassoonist in France. Conclusion. E. Ozi is one of the first French musicians who presented the bassoon as a solo instrument and created a multi-genre concert repertoire for it. Regular performances at the most prestigious halls of Paris allowed him to confidently occupy a leading positions not only among the French, but also European bassoonists. Active performing activity of E. Ozi and his fruitful teaching practice at the Paris Conservatory had a crucial influence on the development of European bassoon art of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Multidimensional piano in George Crumb’s chamber music (on the example of “Makrokosmos I”)

Statement of the problem. The article considers the issues of transformation of the sound image of the piano, which is extremely relevant for the last generations of pianists-performers, which in the modern era acquires new features or develops certain qualities of its own. On the example of the American composer George Crumb’s famous meta-cycle “Makrokosmos” for solo “amplified” piano, we can clearly observe an ability of the solo instrument to creation of a virtual symbolic ensemble, the participants of which very diversity new and traditional piano timbres become. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. Despite the attention of musicologists to the figure of G. Crumb, his chamber music as a leading genre of creativity, in particular the image of the piano as the most used instrument by the composer, in all its diversity and novelty, is not analyzed in detail. The ensemble qualities of the piano in its expanded composer’s vision, as well as the principles of pianistic performance of modern music on the new “a-classical” instrument with its enriched sonorous and spatial possibilities, remain overlooked. The purpose of this article is to use the example of the first volume of G. Crumb’s meta-cycle “Makrokosmos” to reveal in the multidimensionality of the “roles” of the solo piano a new quality of “symbolic ensemble” in the context of genre typologies of music of the XX–XXI centuries, in particular based on the idea of Professor I. Polska regarding solo performance as micro-ensemble forms. A comprehensive approach to the disclosure of the stated topic is applied, combining source studies, comparative, comparative-analytical, cultural and philological research methods. Research results and conclusion. Using the example of the analysis of “Makrokosmos I” it is demonstrated that G. Crumb is far from unification in his interpretation of the piano. His “expanded piano” emphatically appeals to timbre and figurative polyphony, i.e. a multidimensional ensemble, the participants of which, in addition to the pianist himself who involves different “territories” of the piano in the musical performance (beside a keyboard, also the open strings, pedals, and corpus), are his voice, variously organized verbal replicas and whistling. Thus, in the collection of symbolic images that appear in various combinations and sequences in the 12 pieces of “Makrokosmos I”, we count up to a dozen symbolic roles-characters that build a fantastic picture where temporal and spatial dimensions intersect and interact. The rendition of such music, in addition to the performer’s mastering of its purely “technical” novelty, requires the transformation not only of the pianist’s consciousness and skills, but also of established theoretical views in the paradigm of modern genre typologies.

Ihor Kovach’s concert works for the four-string domra in the modern performance practice

Statement of the problem. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. Taking into account the problem of the original repertoire existing in the performance practice of domra players, the genre and stylistic analysis of I. Kovach’s two compositions is proposed: “Concertino” for the domra with orchestra and “Mazurka” from the opera “Blue Islands” for duet of domras and piano. These works became iconic for the formation of the basic repertoire for the four-string domra. However, the general assessment of the compositions remains an “open” issue of musicology. Hence, turning to the pieces by the famous Ukrainian composer in order to determine their historical role in the domra performance is an urgent research task. The purpose of the research is to determine the role of I. Kovach’s creative heritage in contemporary domra performance in terms of traditions and innovations. The historical and typological, genre and style, and performanceinterpretative methods are used in the study. The study is based on the materials dedicated to I. Kovach’s creativity (Tyshko, 1980; Roschenko-Averianova, 2007; Hrytsun, 2015; Kostenko, 2009), the genre of the domra concerto (Slipchenko, 2021), the creative connections between a composer and a performer (MaidenbergTodorova, 2020), the specificity of the instrumental genres (Nikolaievska et al., 2020), which allow to reveal the modern potential of little-studied examples of creativity in the history of the domra. This aspect is not presented in any of the named sources. The research results. I. Kovach’s music for the domra is bright and positive, filled with light, joy, and goodness. The “Concertino” (1960) is melodious and easy to remember. The composer presented the domra as an academic solo instrument, preserving the principle of competition between the soloist and the orchestra (soli–tutti). A rather complex domra part still forces the performers to “strain” even today, despite the fact that the overall level of performing skills of the domra players at the beginning of the 21st century has grown “many times”. Dmytro Klebanov (1951) wrote the first composition in the genre of a concerto for the domra accompanied by a symphonic orchestra. I. Kovach creates an original composition for the domra, which cemented the tendency to conceptualize the instrument as a virtuoso one. The first performance of the “Concertino” with an orchestra of folk instruments took place in the hall of the Kharkiv Conservatory (the soloist – B. Mikhieiev, the conductor – Ye. Bortnyk). Against the background of the dominance of ideologically engaged “pseudo-folk” compositions, the sound of the domra was unusually modern. Today, this piece is considered a classic of the 20th century domra repertoire. All the themes of the “Concertino” are original, which was innovative at that time. The composition is built on the principle of contrast. The main dance-scherzo theme and the cantilena secondary theme together create a dynamic combination of active and lyrical images. The nature of the domra is revealed in such distinctive qualities as the elasticity of the string sound, the bright silver timbre, the expressiveness of the tremolo, and virtuosity, which successfully represent the “image of the world” of the composition, the spirit of youth, confidence, and joy. The “Concertino” is competitive and is included in the concert repertoire of performers of a high professional level. The performing interpretation of the piece is briefly described on the example of the recording of Anastasia Platonova. The printed score of the “Concertino” does not contain performance instructions (fingering, strokes, playing techniques, timbre colouring). The performer has to find them on his/her own. The same can be said about the “Mazurka”, because it exists in the form of the manuscript. It has been noted that the optimal performance edition of both I. Kovach’s compositions was developed in the domra class of the Department of Folk Instruments of Ukraine at the Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts. Conclusion. I. Kovach’s domra compositions form the newest principles of creativity for this instrument: original themes instead of folk ones, solo cadences for the domra, the highest level of virtuosity of the solo part. This line is followed by I. Kovach’s students M. Stetsiun and V. Ivanov, who will also write “Concertino” for the domra. Therefore, I. Kovach enriched the ensemble repertoire of the domra players. The semantics embedded in his works contributed to the idea of the domra as a “sound image of the world”, the artistic and technical capabilities of the instrument. Popularization of these pieces are definitely relevant. There is an urgent need for the newest performance edition of the compositions, taking into account the level of skill of modern domra players.

Инструментальный концерт в творчестве Бента Сёренсена

In the musical output of the modern Danish composer Bent Sørensen, the genre of the instrumental concerto occupies the leading position. The composer has written eight concertos, as well as a number of orchestral works in which particular solo instruments stand out. Based on their analysis, the article reveals the composer’s approach to this genre and the possibility of maintaining it. One of the characteristic features of Sørensen’s concerto works is the programmatic quality. The composer’s works are united by common themes of decay, disappearance, as well as reflection of musical culture, which leads to a saturation of the musical material by means of various stylistic allusions. The unified conceptual sphere gives rise to the phenomenon of connections between different musical works in the output of the Danish composer, while the stylistic juxtapositions, as well as the contrasts of the heterogeneous material in terms of timbre and texture embody the principle of dialogue, which is characteristic of the genre of the concerto. The programmatic quality determines the variety of compositional solutions of Sørensen’s concertos, in which connection, it is proposed to differentiate all of his compositions into two categories: one is represented by compositional models that preserve or revise the concerto form (for example, the Violin Concerto, the Clarinet Concerto, the Third Piano Concerto), and the other demonstrates models, each one focusing on an individual project (for example, the First Piano Concerto, the Accordion Concerto, the Harpsichord Concerto, etc.). In the latter case, elements of instrumental theater are often introduced into the concerto genre. One specific means of dramaturgy in Sørensen’s concerto opuses is the technique of transformation of the timbre and acoustics of the sound sphere, which involves changing the means of playing, the instruments or the sound sources (for example, a transition of the functioning of the orchestral musicians to singing and playing harmonicas in the Accordion Concerto, the transition from playing tremolo to creating sounds on sandpaper blocks in the composition Mignon — Papillons, the substitution of acoustic sound with tape recording in the Clarinet Concerto). The provided analysis allows us to arrive at the conclusion that the sphere of the instrumental concerto forms a single musical-semantic space in Sørensen’s musical output, which is endowed with its own personal characteristic features.

Influence of musical stimulus on the perception of clarity in rooms and its relation to [formula omitted

C80 is an acoustic parameter that evaluates the influence of the room on the perception of musical clarity. Numerous studies have been carried out to determine its just noticeable difference (JND). In those evaluations different musical pieces have been used, and different results have been observed depending on the pieces. In some studies, the difference was considered significant, while in others it was not. The lack of agreement on the effect that the musical piece has on the assessment of C80 is the main motivation for this research.A listening test was carried out in order to assess whether the musical motif has an influence on the perceived musical clarity of a room. In studying this influence, it was necessary to use musical motifs with very different characteristics. A total of five pieces were selected: one liturgical vocal piece, one fast tempo solo piece, one slow tempo solo piece and two orchestral pieces, one fast and one slow. These motifs were used to create the stimuli used in the test by convolution with impulse responses of rooms with different C80 levels. Impulse responses were obtained by modifying the virtual models of three rooms. Eighteen impulse responses were used with C80 levels between −5.90 and 6.75 dB. The listening test was carried out by 36 participants with varying degrees of musical training.It was intended to answer two different questions. Firstly, whether the participants were able to percieve C80 changes in all musical motifs. And secondly, whether the musical motif was a significant factor when assessing the C80 level of a stimulus. The first question was assessed using regression analysis and Cochran-Mantel–Haenszel (CMH) analysis. It could be observed that the participants were able to notice changes in the C80 level for the solo instrument pieces and the vocal motif. For the orchestral pieces, on the other hand, this differentiation ability could not be seen. To assess whether the motif is a significant factor in evaluating a C80 level, a CMH analysis was performed. The results indicate that, for all rooms, musical motifs are a significant factor in assessing the clarity of a venue. Consequently, it can be stated that the musical motif used for the evaluation of the clarity of a room by means of a listening test has an influence on the results obtained.

The specificity of timbre expressiveness in N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestral program compositions

The subject of the study is the forms of manifestation of timbre expressiveness in the program orchestral compositions of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. The object of the study is the peculiarities of the composer's symphonic creativity on the example of program compositions. The practical significance of the study lies in the fact that the results of the study can be in demand by professional musicians of various specialties and serve as a source of educational and methodological materials for general and special courses of higher and middle-level music education. The following methods were used in the study: a historical and stylistic method aimed at considering the evolutionary processes that took place in the orchestral work of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov; a method of comparative analysis and analogy, thanks to which it was possible to identify common and distinctive features in the use of timbre expressiveness in the works of the composer of different periods of his work. The relevance of the article is connected with the little-studied issues of timbre dramaturgy and the peculiarities of instrumentation dictated by them in the symphonic scores of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov's program compositions. In modern Russian musicology, there is an actualization of research attention to the field of studying the specifics of timbre expressiveness. Therefore, the appeal to the work of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, as a composer-discoverer of many techniques of timbre development, seems relevant. The novelty of the research lies in the holistic coverage of issues devoted to the specifics of timbre expressiveness in the composer's program orchestral works. The peculiarities of the use of such techniques of timbre dramaturgy as timbre personification, mixing of timbres are considered from the standpoint of the manifestation of the composer's unique timbre hearing and in the context of the general stylistic trends of Russian music of the late XIX century. Conclusions: N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestral program compositions reveal a number of innovative solutions dictated by the program design. The revealed means of timbre expressiveness: the abundance of orchestral solo instruments of the woodwind group, techniques of timbre personification and timbre mixes, testify to the manifestation of the composer's unique gift — timbre hearing.

3. Pianist Aurelia Simion - Talent, Creativity, Performance

Abstract Coming from a family of musicians, the descendant of a dynasty that traces its roots back to the 19th century, had Lia Oxinoit as a teacher at the pre-university cycle and Ludmila Vaverco at the Gavriil Musicescu State Conservatory from Chisinau. The artistic career of the pianist Aurelia Simion is impressive, ascending, marked by important professional successes realized in concerts and solo recitals or in collaboration with soloists, teachers, students and pupils, with participation in the Musical Olympics, in national and international competitions as an accompanist, member or president of the juries. It is particularly important to highlight the fact that Aurelia Simion, in her artistic ascent, performed on concert stages in the Romania and abroad (Ukraine, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, Holland, Austria, Russia etc). Inquisitive spirit, always concerned with learning something new, she also played the harpsichord, celesta, marimbaphone and vibraphone, learned to play the portable organ with pedals, and in the moments when she had to complete the timbral color of the scores as part of the Percussion Ensemble Alternances, led by Constantin Stavrat, played claves, guiro, maracas and other small percussion instruments. Her compositional creation materialized in scores for solo piano, solo instruments with piano accompaniment, arrangements for percussion ensemble. For her academic and artistic achievements, she was awarded numerous awards, medals and diplomas of merit, honor and excellence awarded by various cultural and educational institutions.

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...

The Emergence of Efficient Musical Texts during the Age of Reason

Modern Western musical notation is “efficient” in the sense that every element of a text corresponds to an essential element of the composition represented and to an essential element of every valid performance of that composition. Western notation became efficient only during the eighteenth century. Previously, much Western music — especially music for solo instrument and small ensemble — operated on pretextual, oral principles: it was performed in small communities dominated by celebrated performer/composers who re-created compositions with each performance; their students were taught to perform in this quasi-improvisational way. In such circumstances, a composition could be represented by many different texts. Notation became efficient when increasing numbers of recreational amateurs required music that did not have to be re-created with each performance and that could be learned by realizing texts literally. Printers and composers accommodated them. As texts became efficient, compositions became stable entities defined by texts established by their composers.

КОНЦЕРТ-СИМФОНИЯ ДЛЯ ДОМРЫ С ОРКЕСТРОМ РУССКИХ НАРОДНЫХ ИНСТРУМЕНТОВ А. А. ЦЫГАНКОВА (художественно-выразительные средства и роль тембра)

The problem of timbre in modern music is particularly relevant nowadays. Until today, composers who have created works for folk instruments have mainly focused on the development of orchestral writing, expanding the instrumentation and improving its technique. Now the authors and performers of academic folk music face new challenges associated with both the expansion of the genre palette of compositions and the search for special timbre means. In this context, composers use registers that were previously uncommon to folk instruments, apply special techniques of sound extraction, experiment in the field of timbre mixes. The article analyzes the Concert-Symphony for domra and orchestra of Russian folk instruments by composer A. Tsygankov from the standpoint of the role of timbre, as well as textural and timbre features. Special attention is paid to the timbre specifics of the domra as a solo instrument, which becomes the main carrier of the major timbre patterns of the composition. At the same time, the artistic expressive means of the work, revealing the author's intention, are investigated. In the course of a detailed analysis of the Concert, conclusions are drawn about the important formative and meaningful role of timbre in the work.

Problemo de tempo en verkoj de Jacob van Eyck bazitaj sur melodioj de profanaj kantoj. Studo de ekzemploj (ESPERANTO)

Der Fluyten Lust-hof by Jacob van Eyck (circa 1590-1657) is the largest collection of works for a solo instrument in the history of European music, which documents both the variety of techniques of early Baroque ornamentation and presents the vast repertoire of popular and folk songs of that time. It was that type of compositions that the blind recorder player also known as the Orpheus of Utrecht used to choose as the basis for his famous, improvised instrumental arrangements, which were later dictated by him in order to be published. After van Eyck’s death, his compositions lost popularity and were soon forgotten, and the new wave of interest in the works included in Der Fluyten Lust-hof only emerged in the 1970s along with the development of the historical performance trend. At present, van Eyck’s musical activity is relatively well explored, which we primarily owe to the work of Ruth van Baak Griffioen and Thiemo Wind. Despite that, some problems remain unsolved. One of the particularly important issues is related to the nature of separate compositions and the pacing in which they could be rendered at that time, which is still a subject of disputes among both musicologists and recorder players. Using three compositions as an example, this article presents a method to reconstruct this aspect of musical practice coming from the analysis of notation patterns and the comparison of the van Eyck’s ornamentation style with earlier written down compositions on the basis of which he created his improvisations. This last standpoint made it possible to show that the diminutions created by van Eyck in many cases do not have a purely technical character, and in some of them one can find numerous musical phrases indicative of a deeper connection between the variations included in Der Fluyten Lust-hof and lyrics of original songs and the specificity of their melodies than previously thought.

Poetics of hypertimbralism in music

My presentation is an attempt to introduce and clarify an original concept which I called Hypertimbralism, that refers to music based on Hypertimbre as the foundation for musical composition. It points to either orchestral, chamber or solo instruments music which relies on unusual timbre involving polyspectral energy. In contemporary music, two factors led to the arousal of Timbre-based aesthetics: sound mass (very dense textures) and extended instrumental techniques. Hypertimbralism embraces already written music and at the same time opens imagination for new insights in this matter. A poetics of hypertimbralism would provide a musicological background for composition based on an enhanced vocabulary of timbre and on a higher understanding of timbre perception.

Poetics of Hypertimbralism in Music

My presentation is an attempt to introduce and clarify an original concept which I called Hypertimbralism, that refers to music based on Hypertimbre as the foundation for musical composition. It points to either orchestral, chamber or solo instruments music which relies on unusual timbre involving polyspectral energy. In contemporary music, two factors led to the arousal of Timbre-based aesthetics: sound mass (very dense textures) and extended instrumental techniques. Hypertimbralism embraces already written music and at the same time opens imagination for new insights in this matter. A poetics of hypertimbralism would provide a musicological background for composition based on an enhanced vocabulary of timbre and on a higher understanding of timbre perception.