Papers by Stacy O Jarvis
Journal of Music and Folklore Studies, 2024
Chopin's mazurkas represent a remarkable fusion of folkloric tradition and
innovative compositio... more Chopin's mazurkas represent a remarkable fusion of folkloric tradition and
innovative compositional technique, establishing their enduring significance within the Western art music canon. Far from being superficial adornments, the folkloric elements in these works are intricately woven into their structure, rhythm, harmony, and texture, demonstrating Chopin's deep engagement with Polish folk traditions. The structural framework of the mazurka, characterized by the repetitive ‘ostinateness’ of dance figures, reflects Chopin's reverence for the dance form, while his sophisticated rhythmic patterns capture the physical energy of the traditional mazurka. Harmonically, Chopin employs modal scales and ambiguous tonalities derived from Polish folk music, enriching the emotional depth of the compositions. Texturally, the mazurkas evoke the rustic sounds of folk instruments, reinforcing their connection to the rural Polish landscape. Beyond their musical dimensions, Chopin's mazurkas transcend their origins, existing as timeless works of art that embody both national identity and universal beauty. The philosophical implications of these compositions suggest that they represent a synthesis of folk tradition and eternal artistic principles, resonating with the mathematical precision and beauty that underpins all great art. Through his mazurkas, Chopin immortalized the spirit of Polish folk music within the broader context of classical composition, creating works that are both deeply personal and universally resonant.
Revue Annales du patrimoine, 2024
This article aims to illuminate the remarkable yet often overlooked contributions of Maria Szyman... more This article aims to illuminate the remarkable yet often overlooked contributions of Maria Szymanowska (1789-1831), a Polish pianist and composer whose significance in the musical landscape of the early 19th century deserves renewed attention. Drawing upon a wealth of archival documents and contemporaneous recollections, a detailed portrait of Szymanowska’s life and artistic endeavours is meticulously crafted. Central to the narrative of Szymanowska’s life are her enduring friendships with Princess Zinaida Volkonskaya and Princess Varvara Gorchakova. Through an in-depth exploration of their relationships, we gain insight into the social milieu in which Szymanowska operated, as well as the profound influence these connections had on her personal and professional development. In examining Szymanowska’s life and legacy, this article seeks to restore her rightful place in the annals of music history. By shedding light on her achievements and enduring influence, we honor the memory of a pioneering artist whose contributions continue to resonate with audiences around the world.
Canadian Acoustics, 2024
This article provides a compressed examination of sound studies, wherein the author explores the ... more This article provides a compressed examination of sound studies, wherein the author explores the nexus of sound and listening as pivotal junctures intersecting semiotic and phenomenological discourses. At the same time, sound and listening are clarified as perplexing lacunas in the philosophical realm of sound. The study focuses on sound studies as a subject of inquiry to scrutinise its ontological underpinnings. Additionally, the article delves into the conundrum of why investigations into sound-related issues have predominantly occurred within the realms of science and art, often remaining confined within the purview of technology. In addressing these questions, the author seeks to elucidate the limitations of the current discourse on sound. The article explores the dimensions of representational sound, soundscape, and sound installation, thereby broadening the scope of inquiry within the field of sound studies.
Collection Littérature, Art et Langue, 2024
The article is dedicated to the emergence and development of the piano nocturne thanks to the cre... more The article is dedicated to the emergence and development of the piano nocturne thanks to the creativity of the "Russian Irishman" John Field and the Polish genius Frédéric Chopin. The interweaving of Slavic motifs and compositional techniques drawn from folk art is presented by the author as a convergence of ideas and explorations of the two composers. An analysis of Field's and Chopin's nocturnes is conducted through the prism of national and folkloric origins. As a result, it is demonstrated that the figurative-intonational structure of the nocturnes, their harmonic characteristics and the distinctiveness of the musical text of the nocturnes correlate with the interpretive process, at the core of which lies the awareness of national origins for both classics.
Journal for the Interdisciplinary Art and Education, 2024
The theme of St. Petersburg in Russian literature is currently explored quite extensively, wherea... more The theme of St. Petersburg in Russian literature is currently explored quite extensively, whereas in music it remains largely unexamined. This article investigates the portrayal of St. Petersburg in two operas by Pyotr Tchaikovsky-Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades. The research subject is the 'dualism' as an essential characteristic of St. Petersburg in these two operas by Tchaikovsky, the bipolarity of its culture, the ambivalence of its image and the nature of interaction between these poles. The study is based on the works of Yuri Lotman and Vladimir Toporov the latter of whom introduced the concept of the 'Petersburg text' into scholarly discourse. Within the philosophical consideration of the image of St. Petersburg from a systemic approach, this work relies on the parameter of 'temporality'. By analysing compositional techniques, the author identifies the peculiarities of depicting St. Petersburg in the two operas through the lens of temporal and spatial perception of the city as a holistic system of Tchaikovsky's era. After examining the content of Tchaikovsky's two operas and conducting searches for the essence of the phenomenon of St. Petersburg, a conclusion is drawn about the specific genesis of the northern capital, which lies in the unique combination of its European nature with Russian tradition. The study of the capital as a metaphor in contemporary musical art appears promising and sheds light on new possibilities for the development of urbanistic theories, and on the other hand, it continues the exploration of the sphere of musical content.
Akofena, 2024
There is an opinion that lullabies are too simplistic in melody, texture, and harmony to warrant ... more There is an opinion that lullabies are too simplistic in melody, texture, and harmony to warrant detailed and comprehensive analysis. However, in this study, using the analysis of Frederic Chopin's Berceuse (1844), this viewpoint is refuted. The author concludes that this composition goes beyond the commonly accepted characteristics and standards of the lullaby genre. During the analysis, the research author explores ways to penetrate the 'messages' encoded in the pianistic miniature of the composer. Drawing on the philosophy of Theodor Adorno regarding the social aspect of intimacy, it is inferred that despite the traditional inclusion of words in lullabies, Chopin's 'song without words' is unique, lyrical, emotional, melodious, and possesses rich expressive potential for conveying feelings (in emotional nuances) and thoughts (expressed in meaning). The author raises the question of verbalizing musical art as a possibility of elevating music to the realm of language. Chopin's work helps the composer express intimate thoughts about his unsuccessful family and unborn children, nostalgia for a lost family and homeland. The lullaby preserves the son's memory and nostalgia for his Polish family abroad and serves as a means of inculturating the Polish people.
MEDITERRANEAN PEOPLES, 2023
In Dmitri Shostakovich's mature work, a specific set of structures has been established, transiti... more In Dmitri Shostakovich's mature work, a specific set of structures has been established, transitioning from one composition to another and functioning as a kind of leitmotifs - condensed, easil recognisable configurations, endowed with certain extramusical connotations. A leitmotif that has gained prominence is what can be loosely termed the 'motif of violence'. Due to their exceptional prevalence and with the support of other semantically significant elements, Shostakovich's body of work, taken as a whole, presents a vast narrative of violence and helpless, plaintive protest.
The author explores the cathartic function of the leitmotif of violence in the opera Katerina
Izmailova, establishing a connection between classical music and violence. As a result, various methods of expressing violence in Dmitri Shostakovich's opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District have been analysed, and a conclusion is drawn regarding the association of classical music with violence as a transmedia trope.
This book examines the theoretical understanding of quietness and its significance in contemporar... more This book examines the theoretical understanding of quietness and its significance in contemporary culture. Quietness is explored as a cultural phenomenon, defining its cultural and philosophical significance. It also highlights the different forms found in the culture, such as pauses, fading sound, stillness, and tranquillity. The paper analyses the interaction and mutual reversibility of noise and music. It treats this process as a natural progression in music art development. A new notion of quietness' functional specificity in music composition is introduced in the article: the ‘quiet’ finale, the non-culminating finale, the postlude, and the fading of the sound. The monograph examines the poetics of quietness in contemporary musical art and examines the different forms of stillness in culture. The paper explores the multi-dimensional nature of stillness, encompassing both existence and interpretation, drawing on Cage and Schiarrino interpretations. The author explores the poetics and manifestations of quietness in musical works, examining the 'movement pattern' of quietness in compositions and attempting to classify culminations involving the concept of quietness. Quietness is seen as a figurative and semantic universal that connects different artistic tendencies and enables the synthesis of different art forms. Its significance in music is evidenced by composers such as Gubaidulina, Schnittke, Cage, Nono, Mahler and Pärt, who consistently use it as a stylistic characteristic.
ECHO DE LA RECHERCHE INTERDISCIPLINAIRE, 2023
The term “classical crossover” emerged to denote a synthetic form of musical art strongly influen... more The term “classical crossover” emerged to denote a synthetic form of musical art strongly influenced by the classical music tradition. Despite its apparent simplicity and significant volume of literature studying this phenomenon, classical crossover raises more questions than answers. This article provides an explanation of the genesis of this phenomenon, presents a historical overview of its development, identifies distinctive features, functions, and manifestations of classical crossover in audio-visual arts.
E-Journal of Music Research (EJOMUR), 2023
The theme of childhood in contemporary musical art has evolved into a distinct and multifaceted c... more The theme of childhood in contemporary musical art has evolved into a distinct and multifaceted cultural sphere. Despite its apparent simplicity and accessibility, the theme of childhood often arises in complex psychological and philosophical contexts, becoming an integral part of serious artistic concepts. In terms of content, the theme of childhood in art belongs to the category of ‘eternal’ themes. This article is dedicated to Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Children's Album, which reflects the philosophical, aesthetic, and social ideas of its time. The article analysed the definition of the concept of ‘modernity’ proposed by Jean-François Lyotard and Thierry de Duve. This definition defines modernity as a period that follows the postmodern stage of innovation, struggle, and contradictions. Using Tchaikovsky's Children's Album as an example, the article examined the transition from postmodernity to modernity. This analysis reveals a parallel between Ludwig Wittgenstein's ideas about language and the process of learning language practice through musical impressions.
Journal of Science, Humanities and Arts, 2023
The article presents Michael Nyman's work which has been identified as close to bricolage. He is ... more The article presents Michael Nyman's work which has been identified as close to bricolage. He is a famous composer, and his compositions are widely performed, earning his work to be compared to that of Philip Glass, an American composer. Nyman ensured that his work was original and unique from the contemporary composers. His work looks original compared to the works of British composers of the second half of the 20th century. Nyman's bricolage is characterised by a unique composition strategy, including the analysis of the original source, the selection of material, and its recombination based on a new compositional logic. His style is based on processing someone's materials through disassembly and reassembly, which is vital for the production process. For instance, the transformation of 'I'm not angry' is different, and the composer heavily relied on the original source's potential. Nyman is not afraid to integrate art from different periods, as demonstrated by his decision to settle the folk melodies in 18th-century Venice. The process of creating analysed opuses is consistent with the laws of bricolage. When creating bricolage works, Nyman turns to combinatorics, minimalist techniques, and elements of ground form. Nyman's reliance on the bricolage technology makes the principles of combination significant as the techniques borrowed from minimalism. His composition type makes it easily understood as the choice of the original source and the combination of its elements in a new work. An analysis of Nyman's work highlights that his technique arises from the artistic practice of the 20th century.
Revue Annales du patrimoine, 2023
This article highlights the fascinating interconnectedness of different art forms-music, painting... more This article highlights the fascinating interconnectedness of different art forms-music, painting, and literature-through the lens of Frédéric Chopin and George Sand's relationship during their stay in Majorca. The focus is on how these great artists' experiences influenced and enriched each other's creative expressions. Overall, the article reveals the intricate tapestry of culture, where music, painting, and literature converge, enhancing and enlivening each other. The interconnectedness of these art forms underscores the universality of artistic expression and serves as a testament to the enduring impact of creative collaborations in the realm of culture.
Art and Design Review, 2023
The Songs of Bukovina by Leonid Desyatnikov, composed in 2017 and inspired by folk tunes, continu... more The Songs of Bukovina by Leonid Desyatnikov, composed in 2017 and inspired by folk tunes, continue the tradition of piano prelude cycles, which originated in the Romantic era and were actively developed thereafter. This article attempts to interpret the composition as an example of neoromanticism, acknowledging its inseparable connection to the past while simultaneously exploring the stylistic features of the composer’s method. Significant attention is devoted to the romantic idea of synthesis: “The Songs of Bukovina” exhibit a fusion of incongruous elements, seamlessly combining disparate and diverse materials.
Carnet-Critique, 2022
This article explores the concept of death in the musical legacy of the great composer Tchaikovsk... more This article explores the concept of death in the musical legacy of the great composer Tchaikovsky. Its understanding is envisaged through the analysis of Kochubey’s performance scene and the dramaturgy of the development of the individual scenes.
The aim of this article is to reveal the particularity of the poetics of Tchaikovsky’s opera through the prism of the concept of death. The development of the opera’s plot, intonation, and thematic complexes, as well as the semantics of thematic forces and tonalities, led the composer to create a ‘quiet’ finale atypical of nineteenth-century opera.
The new religious-philosophical perspective in the study of the concepts of Tchaikovsky’s operas has broadened the understanding of their tragic themes, their singularity of genre and style, the motives behind the plot collisions and the spiritual and moral nature of the conflict and the images of the protagonists, as well as revealing the textual and subtextual semantic planes at the verbal and musical levels.
The approach to the study of opera (specifically, Mazeppa in the light of its tragic concept) used in the article is based on the method of conceptual analysis, which has made it possible to present the musical text as a multi-layered semantic score through the prism of poetics as a system of means of expression.
TAMGA-Turkish Journal of Semiotic Studies, 2023
The article deals with the problem of intertextual analysis of Tchaikovsky's operas. The author a... more The article deals with the problem of intertextual analysis of Tchaikovsky's operas. The author assesses the composer's stylistic system from the point of view of M. Bakhtin, i.e. consideration of the author's style as a complexly organized code which transforms a mass of borrowed components - intertexts - into an original statement. The study is analyzing Tchaikovsky's work on the opera libretto. The book addresses for the first time the problem of the cultural dialogue and various facets of creative intersections of the great 19th century composers Tchaikovsky and Bizet, Tchaikovsky and Glinka. The author uses concrete musical examples to illustrate the numerous intertextual parallels in the works of contemporary composers in the field of symphonism and opera in accordance with the socio-cultural and musical realities of the time. Semiotic approach is used as a research method. The research is oriented on the consideration of a musical work as a sign system, where the musical intertext acts as a language sign, capable of transmitting different meanings. On the basis of the analysis the conclusion is made about the external intertextuality in the work of Tchaikovsky, namely the conscious work according to the model, the conscious inclusion of the intertext in accordance with the programmed idea of the work, the unconscious borrowing of the melodic units from other composers, perceived through the prism of his creative work.
International Journal of Music Science, Technology and Art, 2023
The article examines three popular search platforms JSTOR, WorldCat, and RILM. JSTOR is a search ... more The article examines three popular search platforms JSTOR, WorldCat, and RILM. JSTOR is a search platform that explores different topics from humanities, social sciences, and Art literature, among others. RILM is also a search platform that mainly explores music articles and other disciplines. In contrast, WorldCat, on the other hand, is a global library that allows users to search for books, articles, and other materials held in the library. WorldCat covers items in the library worldwide. The article will explore the three databases as search platforms for secondary literature. Each platform has its unique characteristics; therefore, the platform will explore its importance, advantages, and disadvantages and compare its differences with each platform. Databases such as JSTOR, RILM, and WorldCat have been the main source and storage of literature in the music orb. The Reference Index to Music Literature is a bibliographic database of over 2.6 million citations to writings about music from over 70 countries. The Research Institute produces RILM for the Study of Music at the University of Buffalo. JSTOR is an e-library of academic journals, books, and primary sources. Database JSTOR helps scholars find, utilise, and build upon a vast range of literature through a powerful teaching and research platform. Another database, WorldCat, is the world's biggest library catalogue, assisting scholars in finding library materials online. An evaluation of these databases in the music sphere by looking into the description and intended use and finding similarities and differences. Through comparison, these aim to serve different purposes, though they have the same goal of providing and storing literature. Also, since each database has different parts of literature that it majors on, the intended use of the three databases is evaluated. It can be found in the description, scope, and intended uses section. These areas are crucial to the research as it addresses the functional or literature differences among the three databases. It is also found that these databases have different quantitative potentials. It is determined by addressing the year each database began collecting literature and the number of articles, periodicals, albums, conference proceedings, music, dissertations, digital media, essays collections, journal articles, monographs, online resources, reviews, and reference materials that can be found in each one of them. It can be found in the sections description, scope and intended uses and the importance of the database in identifying literature on different topics. To compare the delivery of services to the users, the importance of databases in identifying literature on different topics is also addressed in the section -the importance of databases in identifying literature on different topics. Even though these databases are used in research, they all have disadvantages and advantages. It is addressed in the sections on advantages and disadvantages. It will be significant in determining which of the three is the best. Also, it will help address how the shortcomings of one database can be addressed by utilising two databases together while conducting research. It is addressed in the section a combination of RILM and JSTOR. All this information revolves around the idea that a huge amount of quantitative and qualitative data can be found in the presented databases on music and digital content; however, each database has a different construction and material features contributing to the musical scholarship.
Conference Presentations by Stacy O Jarvis
International Conference Meaning of Music, 2024
In this study, we examine common intonational formulas with fixed meanings, revealing a tendency ... more In this study, we examine common intonational formulas with fixed meanings, revealing a tendency towards symbolisation. It is characteristic that the primary representational function typically remains intact but transitions into the domain of formal features and structural elements. The semantic aspect, however, enriches with new, secondary content where the status of the symbol becomes paramount. We are not merely discussing musical language figures but also musical symbolism, closely intertwined with culture, encapsulating numerous semantic formulas.
This article seeks to extend the ideas of Bence Szabolcsi, Deryck Cooke,
and Jaroslav Jiránek regarding the functions of migratory intonations. The
Hungarian scholar argued for the existence of universal principles of “sche-
mata-invariants” in musical thinking, while the English musicologist devel-
oped the concept of “basic turns of the musical vocabulary”, with the latter writing about “incoming semantic elements”. Intonation is a historically
and culturally rooted category; each era forms its intonational thesaurus
with its semantic range, relevant to the existing worldview and cultural par-
adigm.
Analysis and arguments are illustrated through the works of Frederic Chopin and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Utilising the schema method, the author analyses the semantics and characteristic instances of applying chords of the altered subdominant, “migratory” intonations in shaping the semantic context of a musical theme, the peculiarities of climaxes, and the transformation of reprisals against the semantic figure of sorrow in the works of Chopin and Tchaikovsky.
The basis for isolating structures with similar meanings lies in the extensive reservoir of musical memory (auditory analogies, associations), and intonation-speech experience. The author concludes that the mechanism for forming migratory intonations is multi-layered, with its ultimate result being the formation of stereotypical sound connections. Throughout the evolution of the musical language, intonational turns or specific semantic figures gain relevance. Hence, speech and music are socially conditioned forms of human consciousness, founded on a shared intonational nature, the physical laws of sound, and the psycho-physiological processes of its perception. The most apparent similarity parameter between speech and music, from which the commonality of forms of existence and storage of sound information emerges, is communicativeness.
Musical and speech intonation indirectly encapsulates information about the subject (age, gender, mental state), the group to which the individual belongs, and the cultural paradigm of the era. All these information flows national, gender-based, historical, individual-style-based, image-thematic – converge in musical or speech intonation, representing the intonation of culture and can revive in the creations of later times.
International Conference Learning in Transformation (Tartu Summer School of Semiotics), 2024
This study examines the intersection of philosophical ideas proposed by Juri Lotman and classical... more This study examines the intersection of philosophical ideas proposed by Juri Lotman and classical music. The author demonstrates that a central focus of Lotman's works lies in the phenomenon of boundary transgression, or transgression. Lotman's investigations allow for the explicit elucidation of various aspects of the transgression phenomenon and its determination within musical compositions. Through examples from the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and Frederic Chopin, the author argues that transgression serves a structurally formative and meaning-generating function in classical musical compositions. During transgression, tendencies towards the dissolution of musical themes within a stream of variations, their extraction from a stable and self-identical state, and the transcendence beyond inherent boundaries, even to the point of erasure, come to the forefront. The author concludes that transgression is a universal and essential component not only of artistic but also of musical text itself.
9th Conference of the Royal Musical Association Music & Philosophy Study Group , 2024
Determining the term "contemporary" is an important aspect of the functioning of modern art. Acco... more Determining the term "contemporary" is an important aspect of the functioning of modern art. According to the definitions of Jean-François Lyotard and Thierry de Duve, modernity and postmodernity are two interdependent states, allowing us to outline the paths of change in the struggle of "contemporaneity" for survival and prestige. This study conducts several comparisons to attempt to answer the question of what postmodern tendencies were already emerging during Tchaikovsky's composition of the “Children's Album.”
Firstly, an authentic space arises for addressing specific linguistic challenges within this musical cycle. This pertains to Tchaikovsky's involvement in the emergence of the so-called "linguistic turn" (in the 1920s) and allows for parallels to be drawn with Ludwig Wittgenstein's ideas. Recognising the key points of intersection between Tchaikovsky's work and Wittgenstein's appears significant: not only their mutual pursuit of utmost language precision but also the precision of language and the clarity of their emotional expression, as well as the role of emotional certainty in educating children in both music and language.
Secondly, the emergence of "contemporaneity" reveals the role of tradition, which is not discarded as unnecessary but becomes the ground for the struggle between the "old" and the "new." An unusual example of this is the question that arises when comparing the early autograph and the edition by Jurgenson. Tchaikovsky altered the order of pieces in 9 out of 24 cases. As a result, cyclicality was disrupted, and the composer returned to the initial concept – a "series of small fragments." The comparison of the variations in the placement of pieces essentially demonstrates two different concepts: a suite (in the edition) and a cycle unified by a single narrative (the early autograph), which can symbolically be referred to as the child's day. This order of pieces has been preserved in all subsequent publications to this day.
Following Wittgenstein's premise that "nothing is hidden," in this gesture by the composer, there is a noticeable desire to overcome the barrier of time and directly address future generations of musicians. Tchaikovsky's goal becomes not only the creation of a work of art as an object but also the demonstration of an art idea, the fixation of which is accomplished through the introduction of an ambiguous situation, inevitably leading to conflicts of interpretation.
Est-il possible d’éduquer aux enjeux sociaux par les arts sonores? En collaboration avec l’Association d’Acoustique Canadienne, 2024
This article critically examines the intersections of semiotic and phenomenological discourses wi... more This article critically examines the intersections of semiotic and phenomenological discourses within the realm of sound studies, identifying enigmatic lacunas in the philosophy of sound. Focused on investigating the ontological foundation of sound studies, the author employs examples from cinema, music, and fiction to construct a persuasive thesis. The inquiry prompts reflection on the novel insights that emerge when sound is approached through a philosophical lens. Addressing the limitations that confine sound studies to the realms of science, art, and technology, the abstract raises probing questions about the restricted exploration of sound problems. Additionally, it explores the dimensions of representational sound, soundscape, and sound installation. The study contends that sound's philosophical exploration is hindered by an undue emphasis on technological facets, urging a broader engagement with its ontological essence. The author posits that unravelling sound's philosophical depth requires transcending disciplinary constraints, contemplating representational intricacies, and delving into the transformative potential of soundscapes and installations. In conclusion, this paper advocates for a paradigm shift in sound studies, encouraging scholars to embrace a holistic, multidisciplinary approach that places sound at the forefront of ontological inquiry, fostering a deeper understanding of its multifaceted nature within the realms of philosophy and beyond.
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Papers by Stacy O Jarvis
innovative compositional technique, establishing their enduring significance within the Western art music canon. Far from being superficial adornments, the folkloric elements in these works are intricately woven into their structure, rhythm, harmony, and texture, demonstrating Chopin's deep engagement with Polish folk traditions. The structural framework of the mazurka, characterized by the repetitive ‘ostinateness’ of dance figures, reflects Chopin's reverence for the dance form, while his sophisticated rhythmic patterns capture the physical energy of the traditional mazurka. Harmonically, Chopin employs modal scales and ambiguous tonalities derived from Polish folk music, enriching the emotional depth of the compositions. Texturally, the mazurkas evoke the rustic sounds of folk instruments, reinforcing their connection to the rural Polish landscape. Beyond their musical dimensions, Chopin's mazurkas transcend their origins, existing as timeless works of art that embody both national identity and universal beauty. The philosophical implications of these compositions suggest that they represent a synthesis of folk tradition and eternal artistic principles, resonating with the mathematical precision and beauty that underpins all great art. Through his mazurkas, Chopin immortalized the spirit of Polish folk music within the broader context of classical composition, creating works that are both deeply personal and universally resonant.
The author explores the cathartic function of the leitmotif of violence in the opera Katerina
Izmailova, establishing a connection between classical music and violence. As a result, various methods of expressing violence in Dmitri Shostakovich's opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District have been analysed, and a conclusion is drawn regarding the association of classical music with violence as a transmedia trope.
The aim of this article is to reveal the particularity of the poetics of Tchaikovsky’s opera through the prism of the concept of death. The development of the opera’s plot, intonation, and thematic complexes, as well as the semantics of thematic forces and tonalities, led the composer to create a ‘quiet’ finale atypical of nineteenth-century opera.
The new religious-philosophical perspective in the study of the concepts of Tchaikovsky’s operas has broadened the understanding of their tragic themes, their singularity of genre and style, the motives behind the plot collisions and the spiritual and moral nature of the conflict and the images of the protagonists, as well as revealing the textual and subtextual semantic planes at the verbal and musical levels.
The approach to the study of opera (specifically, Mazeppa in the light of its tragic concept) used in the article is based on the method of conceptual analysis, which has made it possible to present the musical text as a multi-layered semantic score through the prism of poetics as a system of means of expression.
Conference Presentations by Stacy O Jarvis
This article seeks to extend the ideas of Bence Szabolcsi, Deryck Cooke,
and Jaroslav Jiránek regarding the functions of migratory intonations. The
Hungarian scholar argued for the existence of universal principles of “sche-
mata-invariants” in musical thinking, while the English musicologist devel-
oped the concept of “basic turns of the musical vocabulary”, with the latter writing about “incoming semantic elements”. Intonation is a historically
and culturally rooted category; each era forms its intonational thesaurus
with its semantic range, relevant to the existing worldview and cultural par-
adigm.
Analysis and arguments are illustrated through the works of Frederic Chopin and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Utilising the schema method, the author analyses the semantics and characteristic instances of applying chords of the altered subdominant, “migratory” intonations in shaping the semantic context of a musical theme, the peculiarities of climaxes, and the transformation of reprisals against the semantic figure of sorrow in the works of Chopin and Tchaikovsky.
The basis for isolating structures with similar meanings lies in the extensive reservoir of musical memory (auditory analogies, associations), and intonation-speech experience. The author concludes that the mechanism for forming migratory intonations is multi-layered, with its ultimate result being the formation of stereotypical sound connections. Throughout the evolution of the musical language, intonational turns or specific semantic figures gain relevance. Hence, speech and music are socially conditioned forms of human consciousness, founded on a shared intonational nature, the physical laws of sound, and the psycho-physiological processes of its perception. The most apparent similarity parameter between speech and music, from which the commonality of forms of existence and storage of sound information emerges, is communicativeness.
Musical and speech intonation indirectly encapsulates information about the subject (age, gender, mental state), the group to which the individual belongs, and the cultural paradigm of the era. All these information flows national, gender-based, historical, individual-style-based, image-thematic – converge in musical or speech intonation, representing the intonation of culture and can revive in the creations of later times.
Firstly, an authentic space arises for addressing specific linguistic challenges within this musical cycle. This pertains to Tchaikovsky's involvement in the emergence of the so-called "linguistic turn" (in the 1920s) and allows for parallels to be drawn with Ludwig Wittgenstein's ideas. Recognising the key points of intersection between Tchaikovsky's work and Wittgenstein's appears significant: not only their mutual pursuit of utmost language precision but also the precision of language and the clarity of their emotional expression, as well as the role of emotional certainty in educating children in both music and language.
Secondly, the emergence of "contemporaneity" reveals the role of tradition, which is not discarded as unnecessary but becomes the ground for the struggle between the "old" and the "new." An unusual example of this is the question that arises when comparing the early autograph and the edition by Jurgenson. Tchaikovsky altered the order of pieces in 9 out of 24 cases. As a result, cyclicality was disrupted, and the composer returned to the initial concept – a "series of small fragments." The comparison of the variations in the placement of pieces essentially demonstrates two different concepts: a suite (in the edition) and a cycle unified by a single narrative (the early autograph), which can symbolically be referred to as the child's day. This order of pieces has been preserved in all subsequent publications to this day.
Following Wittgenstein's premise that "nothing is hidden," in this gesture by the composer, there is a noticeable desire to overcome the barrier of time and directly address future generations of musicians. Tchaikovsky's goal becomes not only the creation of a work of art as an object but also the demonstration of an art idea, the fixation of which is accomplished through the introduction of an ambiguous situation, inevitably leading to conflicts of interpretation.
innovative compositional technique, establishing their enduring significance within the Western art music canon. Far from being superficial adornments, the folkloric elements in these works are intricately woven into their structure, rhythm, harmony, and texture, demonstrating Chopin's deep engagement with Polish folk traditions. The structural framework of the mazurka, characterized by the repetitive ‘ostinateness’ of dance figures, reflects Chopin's reverence for the dance form, while his sophisticated rhythmic patterns capture the physical energy of the traditional mazurka. Harmonically, Chopin employs modal scales and ambiguous tonalities derived from Polish folk music, enriching the emotional depth of the compositions. Texturally, the mazurkas evoke the rustic sounds of folk instruments, reinforcing their connection to the rural Polish landscape. Beyond their musical dimensions, Chopin's mazurkas transcend their origins, existing as timeless works of art that embody both national identity and universal beauty. The philosophical implications of these compositions suggest that they represent a synthesis of folk tradition and eternal artistic principles, resonating with the mathematical precision and beauty that underpins all great art. Through his mazurkas, Chopin immortalized the spirit of Polish folk music within the broader context of classical composition, creating works that are both deeply personal and universally resonant.
The author explores the cathartic function of the leitmotif of violence in the opera Katerina
Izmailova, establishing a connection between classical music and violence. As a result, various methods of expressing violence in Dmitri Shostakovich's opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District have been analysed, and a conclusion is drawn regarding the association of classical music with violence as a transmedia trope.
The aim of this article is to reveal the particularity of the poetics of Tchaikovsky’s opera through the prism of the concept of death. The development of the opera’s plot, intonation, and thematic complexes, as well as the semantics of thematic forces and tonalities, led the composer to create a ‘quiet’ finale atypical of nineteenth-century opera.
The new religious-philosophical perspective in the study of the concepts of Tchaikovsky’s operas has broadened the understanding of their tragic themes, their singularity of genre and style, the motives behind the plot collisions and the spiritual and moral nature of the conflict and the images of the protagonists, as well as revealing the textual and subtextual semantic planes at the verbal and musical levels.
The approach to the study of opera (specifically, Mazeppa in the light of its tragic concept) used in the article is based on the method of conceptual analysis, which has made it possible to present the musical text as a multi-layered semantic score through the prism of poetics as a system of means of expression.
This article seeks to extend the ideas of Bence Szabolcsi, Deryck Cooke,
and Jaroslav Jiránek regarding the functions of migratory intonations. The
Hungarian scholar argued for the existence of universal principles of “sche-
mata-invariants” in musical thinking, while the English musicologist devel-
oped the concept of “basic turns of the musical vocabulary”, with the latter writing about “incoming semantic elements”. Intonation is a historically
and culturally rooted category; each era forms its intonational thesaurus
with its semantic range, relevant to the existing worldview and cultural par-
adigm.
Analysis and arguments are illustrated through the works of Frederic Chopin and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Utilising the schema method, the author analyses the semantics and characteristic instances of applying chords of the altered subdominant, “migratory” intonations in shaping the semantic context of a musical theme, the peculiarities of climaxes, and the transformation of reprisals against the semantic figure of sorrow in the works of Chopin and Tchaikovsky.
The basis for isolating structures with similar meanings lies in the extensive reservoir of musical memory (auditory analogies, associations), and intonation-speech experience. The author concludes that the mechanism for forming migratory intonations is multi-layered, with its ultimate result being the formation of stereotypical sound connections. Throughout the evolution of the musical language, intonational turns or specific semantic figures gain relevance. Hence, speech and music are socially conditioned forms of human consciousness, founded on a shared intonational nature, the physical laws of sound, and the psycho-physiological processes of its perception. The most apparent similarity parameter between speech and music, from which the commonality of forms of existence and storage of sound information emerges, is communicativeness.
Musical and speech intonation indirectly encapsulates information about the subject (age, gender, mental state), the group to which the individual belongs, and the cultural paradigm of the era. All these information flows national, gender-based, historical, individual-style-based, image-thematic – converge in musical or speech intonation, representing the intonation of culture and can revive in the creations of later times.
Firstly, an authentic space arises for addressing specific linguistic challenges within this musical cycle. This pertains to Tchaikovsky's involvement in the emergence of the so-called "linguistic turn" (in the 1920s) and allows for parallels to be drawn with Ludwig Wittgenstein's ideas. Recognising the key points of intersection between Tchaikovsky's work and Wittgenstein's appears significant: not only their mutual pursuit of utmost language precision but also the precision of language and the clarity of their emotional expression, as well as the role of emotional certainty in educating children in both music and language.
Secondly, the emergence of "contemporaneity" reveals the role of tradition, which is not discarded as unnecessary but becomes the ground for the struggle between the "old" and the "new." An unusual example of this is the question that arises when comparing the early autograph and the edition by Jurgenson. Tchaikovsky altered the order of pieces in 9 out of 24 cases. As a result, cyclicality was disrupted, and the composer returned to the initial concept – a "series of small fragments." The comparison of the variations in the placement of pieces essentially demonstrates two different concepts: a suite (in the edition) and a cycle unified by a single narrative (the early autograph), which can symbolically be referred to as the child's day. This order of pieces has been preserved in all subsequent publications to this day.
Following Wittgenstein's premise that "nothing is hidden," in this gesture by the composer, there is a noticeable desire to overcome the barrier of time and directly address future generations of musicians. Tchaikovsky's goal becomes not only the creation of a work of art as an object but also the demonstration of an art idea, the fixation of which is accomplished through the introduction of an ambiguous situation, inevitably leading to conflicts of interpretation.
The study is underpinned by an aggregation, comprehensive study, systematic categorisation, and analytical scrutiny of classical musical compositions that vividly depict the expression of natural disasters as hydrometeorological phenomena. Notable works encompassed within this exploration include Piotr Tchaikovsky's Storm and The Tempest, Sergei Rachmaninov’s Storm and Arion, Ludwig van Beethoven's Storm (from Sonata No. 17), specifically the 3rd movement titled Allegretto. Antonio Vivaldi's Summer: Storm from the larger cycle The Four Seasons; Franz Liszt's Thunderstorm extracted from the cycle Years of Wandering and a thunderstorm sequence embedded within the 3rd movement of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique.
The chosen compositions inherently epitomise the cataclysmic potential of natural disasters. Consequently, the research's focal tenet underscores the importance of individuals proactively acquainting themselves with the latent hazards inherent to their geographic locale. This knowledge equips them to navigate, comprehend, and prepare for plausible natural adversities, thereby mitigating the multifaceted repercussions of diverse natural disasters.
In conclusion, the research embarks on an intellectual journey that navigates the realm of classical musical compositions, employing their harmonious narratives as a catalyst to imbue individuals with an enhanced awareness of the formidable forces of nature. The ultimate objective of this undertaking is to kindle a collective commitment to safety and preparedness in the face of natural disasters.
From the author's perspective, a comprehensive approach to interpreting the concept-forming role of the finale, which may introduce novel imagery, serve as a culmination, continuation, synthesis of preceding motifs within the cycle, or undergo transformation, assumes significance. The selection of the final strategy is notably influenced by the prevailing stylistic tendencies and historical period in which the composer was active. In this context, a genre analysis of the concluding section as an integral component of a musical composition, examined through the lens of content embodiment, becomes imperative.
The primary objective of this study is to investigate the nuances of the poetics of silence in classical opera and employ it as a reflective "mirror" shedding light on the panorama of artistic and stylistic trends within musical works of the Romantic era. In the twentieth century, musical compositions saw a departure from traditional culminating finales, giving rise to unconcluded endings, contingent upon the composer's vision and the libretto's narrative. This paradigm shift allows for the interpretation of the silent finales in Verdi's operas "Aida," "Otello," "La Traviata," Tchaikovsky's "Mazepa," Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov," and Rachmaninoff's "Aleko" as a distinct thematic strand in the taxonomy of opera conclusions.
A semiotic approach has been employed to dissect the concept of silence, encompassing an exploration of the narrative components within the two selected operas and an examination of intertextual elements. Utilising these works as case studies, semiotic analysis has been conducted to trace the evolution of the concept of quietness leading to the "quiet" finale. This analysis has uncovered the meaning and significance of quietness within these compositions, elucidating overarching patterns associated with the functioning of the "quiet" finale.
As a culmination of this investigation, the author has discerned that the poetics of silence comprises numerous gradations, encompassing the quietude of a contemplative soul, the hush filled with mystical anticipation, the serenity of bidding farewell to the world, and the solemnity of pain and mortality.
The analytical method was used for theoretical analysis of literature and reference materials; the method of systematisation and generalisation was used for systematisation and generalisation of information on the research topic; the historical and cultural method was used for general comprehension of the evolution of artistic and aesthetic principles in Renaissance music, the historical development of performing opera aesthetics and stylistics in their connection with changing cultural realities, for the most accurate and reliable extrapolation of the vocal traditions of the first half of the 17th century in the modern world; and the method of the historical and cultural analysis was used for the analysis of the historical and aesthetic principles of Baroque opera.
The monograph examines the poetics of quietness in contemporary musical art and examines the different forms of stillness in culture. The paper explores the multi-dimensional nature of stillness, encompassing both existence and interpretation, drawing on Cage and Schiarrino interpretations. The author explores the poetics and manifestations of quietness in musical works, examining the 'movement pattern' of quietness in compositions and attempting to classify culminations involving the concept of quietness.
Quietness is seen as a figurative and semantic universal that connects different artistic tendencies and enables the synthesis of different art forms. Its significance in music is evidenced by composers such as Gubaidulina, Schnittke, Cage, Nono, Mahler and Pärt, who consistently use it as a stylistic characteristic.
The semiotic approach allowed the author to analyse the components that play an important role in the formation of atypical finales in two operas: Verdi's Aida and Tchaikovsky's Mazeppa. A conceptual framework is developed through the study of character systems, verbal semiotic signs, tonalities, concepts, narratives, chronotopes and instrumental semantics used in both operas. The research resulted in the development of a classification of ‘quiet’ finales within a traditional and semiotic framework. The author identified common characteristics of the finales in Aida and Mazeppa, which allowed me to formulate a number of innovative ideas in the issue of ‘quiet’ opera finales.
Analysing the composers' musical techniques in the finales of these two operas revealed a trajectory of sound attenuation leading to a ‘quiet’ finale. This raises the question of introducing this term into musicological literature. As a result, the ‘quiet’ finale as a musical and dramaturgical unit becomes the subject of an independent, multidimensional study for the first time. The outcome of the study adds to our understanding of certain aspects of the composers’ work, allow us to take a fresh look at well-known operas and gain a deeper understanding of the evolution of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's and Giuseppe Verdi's operatic thinking and musical approach.