Fourteen Composers in Today’s Ukraine
Gerald Gabel
A
Brief History
Ukrainian music has not been widely researched
in the West likely because Ukraine has traditionally been in the political and cultural
shadow of Russia. Prior to the middle of the twentieth century perhaps their
best known composer was Dmitry Bortniansky who thrived at the end of the 19th
century, yet studied and lived many years in Russia. And while most are familiar with the dynamic
“Great Gate at Kiev” from Mussorgsky’s Pictures
at an Exhibition the gate itself is Ukrainian in origin, and the music is
of a Russian composer and yields little insight into the music of this country!
Sacred
chant from Byzantia was evidently introduced into Ukraine in the late tenth
century when St. Vladimir converted to Christianity and adopted the sacred
music of the Orthodox Church. By the middle of the eleventh century, Ukrainian
melodies were being used in the liturgy and the sixteenth century witnessed a
great flourish of polyphony inspired by music imported from Poland. Music in
the church then became more diverse with the use of Bulgarian, Greek and
Ukrainian melodies. But, in 1654, Ukraine and Russia established a political
agreement causing many Ukrainian composers and performers to move to Moscow to
study Western music. The loss of talent to Russia produced a reduction in
Ukrainian musical activity for a great length of time.
There were some notable Ukrainian composers in the 19th century.
These included Mykola Ovsianiko-Kulikovsky, S. S. Gulak-Artemovsky (1813-73),
Petro Nistchynsky (1832-96), Pyotr Sokal'sky (1832-87). Volodymyr
Sokal’sky(1863-1920) (a nephew of Pyotr), Mykola Arkas (1852-1909) and Mykola
Kolachevsky (1851-97). They wrote in the standard genres of nineteenth century
Europe with emphasis upon symphonic works, operas and folksongs. Such progress
was facilitated by the establishment of the Kiev Philharmonic Society
and the Kiev Russian Music Society. Through the efforts of the Russian Music
Society, the Music College in Kiev was established in 1868.
Mykola
Lysenko (born in 1842) is sometimes called the “father of Ukrainian music”. He
was very interested in the folk songs of local peasants and composed many songs
to texts of his countryman Taras Shevchenko. His primary teachers were Karl
Reinecke at the Leipzig Conservatory and Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov in Saint
Petersburg. In 1904, he founded a musical institute in Kiev and was active as a
composer, performer, ethnomusicologist, and teacher. Composers
influenced by Lysenko's music included Kyrylo Stetsenko (1882-1922), Yakiv
Stepovy (1883-1921), Mykola Leontovych (1887-1921), and Alexander Koshyts.
These composers were establishing a distinctly Ukrainian music. But the Soviet
regime did not allow Stetsenko, Stepovy and Leontovych to continue their work
and exiled F. S. Akimenko (1876-1945), Koshyts and Nestor Horodovenko. This
brought an end to what might have been a flowering of Ukrainian music.
After inactivity during the early years under Soviet control, a new generation of Ukrainian composers became known. Included in this group are Mykola Skorulsky (1887-1950), L. M. Revutsky (a leading figure at the Kiev Conservatory), and Boris Lyatoshyns'ky (1895-1969) who was a pupil of Rheinhold Glière. During this time, Lviv developed into an important center for Ukrainian musical activity. The Mykola Lysenko Music Institute was founded in Lviv in 1903.
The
most prominent Ukrainian composers of the mid-20th century include Andriy
Shtogarenko (born in 1902), Yuly Meytus (born in 1903), Konstantin Dankevych
(born in 1905), A. Koss-Anatolsky (born in 1909), A. D. Fylypenko (born in
1912), Herman Yukovsky (born in 1913), Hryhory Mayboroda (born in 1913), Piaton Mayboroda (born in 1918), Vadym
Gomoliaka (born in 1914), Viktor Kireyko (born in 1926) and Alexander
Znosko-Borovsky (born in 1908).
The State of Composition in Ukraine Today
In 2007, I was in Ukraine for a total of 26 days meeting
with and interviewing Ukrainian composers. The information contained in this
article is a synthesis of information from these interviews. Ludmila Yurina was the first person I approached nearly
two years ago with a proposal to meet and interview composers from Ukraine for
purposes of presenting them to the western world in this article. She worked
tirelessly to insure the success of this project. To her, I extend gracious thanks and
gratitude for her efforts.
The
greatest obstacle in realizing this project was my poor understanding and
abilities with either the Russian or Ukrainian languages despite my crash
course in Russian. The American Embassy
in Kiev suggested a person to serve as translator for all meetings with
composers and also with administrators at the National Academy of Music. Alexander Krivyts is fluent in Russian,
Ukrainian and English. He proved to be a
wonderful asset in all meetings. His attention to detail, cordial and gracious
manner and magnanimous sense of humor were a great asset. To Alex, I also
extend gracious thanks and gratitude.
Ukraine, in essence, is a very young country. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in
1991, it was once again free to establish its own governance without control of
Soviet leaders. This change has created economic difficulties. The government
is taking steps to broaden its economic base to become more industrial and to
welcome foreign investment. If such plans are successful, the future of Ukraine
is bright. Its people are highly educated, resourceful and hard working.
.
Conditions
for composers in Ukraine are not very different from those of composers in the
United States and other Western countries. Many composers earn their living
teaching in the four state universities and numerous musical institutes
throughout the country. Others work for composers’ unions in the larger cities
even though there are limited job opportunities with these organizations. The
unions are funded by the government through the Ministry of Culture which must
support all arts on a limited budget. Igor Shcherbakov, director of the Kiev
Composers Union, described conditions for composers in Kiev:
There are 196 composer and musicologist members. According to rules, a ratio of composers to
musicologists must be maintained (this was inherited from the time of Soviet
control). They organize an annual
festival with 30 concerts for orchestra, choir and other ensembles. It also organizes concerts of music of
different composers. There is not a lot
of funding for this. It is accomplished
with money from the City of Kiev and the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Culture provides most of the
money to rent office space and pay the salaries of five employees per
year. There is little money for other
things. The festival is financed 80% by
the Ministry and 20% by the City of Kiev.
When asked whether they actively seek donations from
individuals, foundations or corporations, Shcherbakov responded:
Only 2 or 3 times in the past have private foundations
donated funds for our activities. Some
embassies have helped. They support
composers from their countries. A couple
of foundations in Poland and Italy have helped by supporting composers from
their countries.
Sergey Zazhytko, also an officer of the Composer’s Union,
offered his perspective:
There are laws in the West which encourage private and
corporate donations for the arts. These
laws don’t exist in Ukraine. There are
two areas of government support. It
supports composer organizations and individuals to partake in festivals. Sometimes composer groups ask corporations to
make donations but this is usually not successful.
Besides the festival in Kiev, there are major festivals in other cities, most notably Lviv and Odessa, which support new music. When asked if there were many performance opportunities with the festivals and with other performance organizations, Alexander Shymko replied:
There are not many.
My pieces are played more in Poland than in Ukraine. Progress has been made and more opportunities
might be available in the future. An
emphasis upon our culture is needed in Ukraine and composers are receiving more
state awards. It helps that tickets are
not required to attend our festivals because the concerts are free to the
public. This doesn’t help greatly
because new directions in classical music are not as accepted by the public as
developments in pop music.
Sergey
Zazhytko gave an interesting perspective on why some performing musicians are
reticent to perform the music of living composers:
During Soviet times, people did not know Western styles and
musicians did not play Western music. It
is difficult for performers of traditional music to learn new techniques and
styles. Therefore, I mostly work with
young musicians. They are more flexible
and are willing to use new techniques.
One
composer, Olena Leonova, who has traveled to western Europe and spent several
months teaching in Jamaica, noted: “I have the same opportunities as composers in other
countries. The same problems exist here
as in other countries.”
I asked,
specifically, if there were sufficient opportunities for young and emerging
composers. Sergey Zazhytko laughed and
replied:
The Ministry of Culture has plans for cultural
activities. Within their budget and
plan, they support new music in Ukraine.
In general, the support is low.
They don’t differentiate on the basis of style. Support is low for all styles.
I
asked all composers if their life is different now than it was before the
downfall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Only one composer, Volodymyr Zahortsev, emphatically and enthusiastically
stated that his life was better. For him, having the freedom to write the music
he desires, without censorship, is more important than other considerations.
The youngest composers were mostly still engaged in studies at the
Conservatories during this time and offered no opinion since they were not
active during the time of Soviet rule. Gennady Lyaschenko, who lived his entire life
under the Soviet regime responded:
Composers were better supported under the Soviets and the
government took care of them. There was
a publishing company. It still exists
but it is private now and they charge composers to publish a work. In Soviet
times, the economy was planned and they knew what they would publish in
advance. I had one work published each
year and they paid me! I worked most of
my life for the Soviets. No one created
obstacles for me and I continue to write in the same way.
For
composers whose styles and ideas were acceptable to the government, there were
few problems. Others were subjected to censorship and, sometimes,
imprisonment. Igor Shcherbakov provided
additional insight:
Maybe it is better in the sense that it is more open and
composers can interact with composers and musicians of other countries. Ukrainian people can’t listen to the world’s
great orchestras because the state can’t finance tours for such concerts. During Soviet times, composers were better
supported. On the other hand, one cannot
replace freedom with money! I started
composing during the last years of Soviet control. All music was ordered via the Ministry of
Culture. A sonata might take six months
to compose and the Ministry gave 250 rubles.
But if I write a song about Lenin, I might receive 300 rubles – and a
song takes a lot less time to compose than a sonata! I changed my political views and refused to
write the song about Lenin. But now I would
write the song to get the money!
Gabel - “Might you write a song for your current President?”
Shcherbakov – “No! He
is alive! For Lenin, maybe – he is
history!
My family supports the idea that Ukraine should be free and
independent. I even took part in some
demonstrations in 1991. On the other hand, countries should maintain friendly
relationships. Freedom is great but
composers were better supported by the Soviets.
I would prefer the support.”
Yehven Stankovych
Yehven Stankovych (born 1942, in
Svalyava) studied composition with Adam Soltys at the Lviv Conservatory from
1962-63, and with Borys Lyatoshynsky (1965-68) and Myroslav Skoryk (1968-70) at
the Kiev Conservatory. From 1970-76, he
worked as an editor for Muzychna Ukraina, the lone music publisher in
the Soviet Ukraine. Since then, he has been Professor of Composition at the
Ukrainian Music Academy (formerly the Kiev Conservatory). Stankovych has
composed several large works for the stage including the folk opera When the Fern Blooms for soloists, folk
chorus, and small orchestra. His works
for dance include a ballet legend entitled Olha
and full ballets entitled Spark, Prometheus, and the Vikings, and he has
composed numerous film scores.
His orchestral output is quite large with eight symphonies, seven
chamber symphonies, a sinfonietta,
concertos for cello, violin, viola and violin with piano, as well as
miscellaneous orchestral works. His chamber works include several recent
compositions for mixed chamber ensembles as well as three sonatas for cello,
two for violin and one for clarinet, two string quartets, a Concertino for
flute and violin and two pieces for violin and cello. Since 1991, he has produced several choral
works on religious themes. There are also many secular choral works and works
for solo piano and organ.
The Chamber Symphony No. 5 is
in one movement and is scored for clarinet, six violins, two violas, two
violoncelli, and one contrabass. The chamber ensemble is treated in a decidedly
symphonic manner at times while, at other moments, it is a chamber work. In measures 1-13, the major thematic units
for the work are presented. The clarinet presents an initial opening line which
is repeated in variations with extensions for the duration of the passage
emphasizing the primary pitch focus on “f”, “a” and “c”. The strings present
three gestures which will be important through the work: a 16th and
32nd note passage in measure two in the violin 1 part, a triplet
sixteenth figure in measure 5 in violin 2, and a 32nd note passage
in measure 8 in violin 3 (Example 1).
Example
1:
Stankovych, Chamber Symphony No. 5
mm. 1-8
In measures 34-35, all three of the violin
figures comprise the entire accompaniment creating a complex texture before the
clarinet entrance. The clarinetist’s focus is, once again, on f natural (Example 2).
Example
2:
Stankovych, Chamber Symphony No. 5
mm. 34-35
Beginning with the Piu Mosso
in measure 71, the same string figures are found but now in their original form
as well as in augmentation. The clarinet
retains a contour similar to the beginning but now featuring sextuplet
sixteenth notes with an emphasis of f natural which moves to f# passing to g in
measure 75 (Example 3).
Example
3:
Stankovych, Chamber Symphony No. 5
mm. 71-72
The climax of this
section appears in measures 130 through 134. At this point, the clarinet solo
has adopted some aspects of the original string figures. After displaying the
same rhythms in measure 130, the strings progress in ascending eighth notes to
the climactic chord at measure 134. This
sonority ranges from D#5 in the cello part up to E6 in the violin 1 part. Except for the minor third between the first
and second violins, the remainder of the ensemble is packed in half and whole
steps created a tightly packed sonority of considerable tension. The clarinet
figure in measure 134 outlines the same intervallic range as the strings but a
perfect fourth higher (Example 4).
Example
4:
Stankovych, Chamber Symphony No. 5
mm. 130-134
The Piu Mosso in measure 135
presents a decidedly different texture than the frenzied declamation of the
previous measures. This middle section of the work provides the greatest
contrast and relief in the entire work.
Again, similar rhythmic figures may be found in the clarinet although
greatly augmented. The strings sustain another tense sonority but with greater
range for the ensemble from E flat2 to G6 (Example 5).
Example
5:
Stankovych, Chamber Symphony No. 5
mm. 135-140
In measure 235, Stankovych increases
the tempo to allegro. At measure 247, he re-introduces materials
heard earlier in the work in variation with the violoncello temporarily
assuming the melodic line (Example 6).
Example
6:
Stankovych, Chamber Symphony No. 5
mm. 247-248
This final section of the work recalls
virtually all materials heard earlier in the work. The final measures recall the climax of the
first section with the rapid ascending runs in the clarinet followed by a final
passage in which the instrument repeats a series of notes though here the
passage is more varied and melodic in nature than earlier. The strings exhibit
a similar ascent to a chord but this time the chord is sustained to the final
two chords in the composition (Example 7).
Example
7:
Stankovych, Chamber Symphony No. 5
mm. Measures 333 – end
The Mass “In Time of Famine”
is an imposing work for orchestra, chorus, soloists and narrator which
commemorates a very tragic time in Ukrainian history. During the late 1920s and
early 1930s, the Stalinist regime was attempting to move all farmers onto
collectives fulfilling one of the tenets of Stalinist philosophy. The Ukrainian farmers resisted Stalin’s
dictates preferring to maintain the land they owned and, in instances, had been
a family heritage for centuries. Frustrated by this resistance, the Soviets
instituted a famine upon Ukraine. For
decades the Soviet government denied that such a decision had been made. With the downfall of the Soviets in 1991,
documents were discovered which verified the fact that the famine was not a
natural phenomenon. In the years 1932 and 1933, approximately one-third of the
population of Ukraine died of starvation.
Hungry and with many citizens dying, the farmers’ resistance gradually
weakened and they reported to the collectives. Assured of victory in the
standoff, the government food supply lines were re-established.
With the establishment of the new
Ukrainian government in 1991, a commemoration of this event was designated for
a day in November each year. The citizens of Ukraine gather in a plaza in each
city carrying candles for the souls of the people who died. The candles are sometimes arranged in
patterns with a huge cross at the center.
In Kiev, the Mass “In Time of Famine” of Stankovych is performed each
year as part of this solemn ritual.
Volodymyr Zahortsev (born 1944, in Kiev) began private piano lessons at
15 with F. Kalikhman, a pupil of Rachmaninov, and music theory with O.
Guberman. From 1962, he studied composition with Professors B. Lyatoshyns'ky
and A. Shtoharenko at the former Kiev State Peter Tchaikovsky Conservatoire
from which he graduated in 1968. In the
60’s, he, together with his friends Valentin Silvestrov, Leonid Hrabovsky and
Vitali Hodzyatsky, formed the informal group, known in Western countries as
"Kiev Avant-Guarde". A performance of his Gradations (January
1980) by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under Zubin Meta was an important
event in his life. In 1968, he joined the Ukrainian Composers' Union. Since 1968, his music has been performed in
many cities of the world: New York, Boston, Berlin, Las Vegas, London, Zagreb
and Bratislava. He was a permanent
participant in such festivals of new music as "Season's Premieres,"
and "Kiev Music Fest".
Zahortsev’s output includes works in all genres including sonatas for
many instruments, four string quartets, a piano concerto and seven chamber
concertos, four symphonies and numerous other orchestral works, an opera and
works for chorus and orchestra. In
addition to the numerous sonatas, he has also written many works for solo
piano, mixed chamber ensembles, and a chamber cantata.
Zahortsev’s early style was similar to
the European avant-garde of the 1960’s.
His Gradations for Orchestra, composed in 1962, exemplifies this
style with angular melodies, quasi-serial pitch organization, use of a large
percussion section, and new notation symbols for improvisational sections and
moments. The work commences with a lively interchange between various
instruments and sections of the orchestra.
In measure two, the vibraphone presents a notation for
improvisation. This returns many times
in the work. After articulating the tense sonority (d4, e4, c#5 and f5), the
performer improvises according to the shape of the following irregular,
undulating line (Example 8).
Example 8: Zahortsev, Gradations for
Orchestra mm. 1-3
Example 9: Zahortsev, Gradations for
Orchestra, page 10
Example 10: Zahortsev, Gradations
for Orchestra, page 11
Example 11: Zahortsev, Gradations
for Orchestra, page 22
His techniques for notating aleatoric or limited aleatoric moments seems
to be an influence from the music of the Polish school of the 1960s. Page 10 of
the score shows the accumulation of a string cluster sustained for the duration
of an eight second segment. Over the
next thirteen seconds, the strings gradually change from a sustained cluster to
a “cloud-like” cluster of short events performed sul ponticello (Example 9).
As the strings build to a dynamic of ffff,
this texture is abruptly replaced by a one-second sparse hocket between bells,
horn, trumpet and trombone followed by another intense, though varied dense
texture. This ten-second unit is very dramatic with all instruments playing at
a high dynamic with considerable improvisation particularly in the violins and
vibraphone. While the woodwinds and brass must perform specific pitches, there
is some freedom in time proportions between parts. This example displays
precisely notated events along with limited aleatorism and improvisation
(Example 10).
At the end of the work, improvisation dominates. Only in the brass and
percussion are limited aleatoric events notated (Example 11). This conclusion
is very dense and very dramatic with an abrupt cut-off. This work begins
largely with precisely notated events.
It progresses to a mixture of precision with limited aleatorism and
improvisation and in the end improvisation dominates.
Forty years later, Zahortsev
completed his Kammerkonzert #7 for flute, B
Example 12: Zahortsev, Zahortsev Kammerkonzert #7, mm. 128-131
While the textural nature
of the work is much more conventional, the pitch language is similar to his
works of the past. Measures 1-2 of the Kammerkonzert #7, present a
sonority with d1 and c#2 in the piano, g2, b2 and c 2 in the cello with a
sustained B
The final chord of the work is drawn from the initial sonority with the
piano articulating d1 and c#2 with the cello on g2. The flute adds a c4 creating a pitch class
cluster with the piano notes. The cello
g2 with the violin a
Example 13: Zahortsev Kammerkonzert
#7, mm. 1-9
Example 14: Zahortsev, Kammerkonzert #7 mm. 240-246
Myroslav Skoryk
Myroslav Skoryk was born in Lviv
(then Poland, now Ukraine) in 1938. He came from an educated Ukrainian family.
His grandmother was a sister of an eminent opera singer, Solomea Krushelnytska.
He began studying music in Lviv in 1945 but
in 1947, the Skoryks were repressed on political grounds and deported to
Siberia. After Joseph Stalin's death they were allowed to return to Lviv where
he studied at the Lviv State V. Lysenko Conservatoire (now the Lviv Music
Academy) under Professors Stanislav Ljudkevych (music history and theory),
Roman Simovych and Adam Soltys (composition) from 1955-1960. Between 1960 and
1963, he was engaged in post-graduate studies in composition at the Moscow
State P. I. Tchaikovsky Conservatoire with Prof. Dimitri Kabalevsky. Since 1963, he has lectured in music theory
and composition at the Lviv Conservatoire and the Music Academy of Ukraine. His output includes various musical
genres: an opera, a ballet, a “Requiem”,
concertos (1 for orchestra, 1 for cello with orchestra, 3 piano concertos and 2
violin), pieces for orchestra, various ensembles, solo piano and solo works for
other instruments and voices; music to numerous films and theatre plays; jazz
and popular music.
Skoryk completed his Ph.D. in
musicology in 1967 and has authored the monographs “S. Prokofiev's Modal
System” (Kiev, “Muzychna Ukrajina”, 1969), and “Structure and Expressiveness of Tunings in 20th-Century
Music” (Kiev, “Muzychna Ukrajina”, 1984). He is a member of the Ukrainian
Composers' Union and its secretary for many years, and has been head of the
Board of the Lviv Branch since 1988. He has edited Ukrainian classic operas Na
Rusalchyn Velykden by Mykola Leontovych, Kupalo by Anatol'
Vakhnjanyn, and Roksoljana by Denys Sichynsky. Stylistically he has continued traditions of
the Lviv composers' school of organic unity with various primary genres. He has
developed an personal modern vision of the Ukrainian style, especially
incorporating Carpathian folklore, Lviv urban and salon music as well as
contemporary popular music, especially jazz.
Skoryk”s
opera Moses is a fifty minute work scored for soloists, chorus and
orchestra on a libretto written
collaboratively with B. Stelmakh. In this work, one discovers the essential
elements of Skoryk’s style: homophonic textures intermingled with polyphony, a
tonal orientation enlivened by added note sonorities and occasional surprising
chord successions all within a neo-romantic style. His Partita #5 for
solo piano illustrates his style in miniature forms. The first movement,
“Prelude,” begins with a C major triad but the first note heard is b3 adding
the 7th to the initial sonority. In measure two, he adds an
insistent c# sonority which ultimately resolves to d in measure 6. The harmonic
succession from the first measure to the sixth moves from I7 to vi7 (with the
right hand c# there is a hint of a split-third chord) to
After a repeat of the opening six measures, the resolution of the dominant chord in measure 20 is surprising. Measure 21 features a sequence of linear figures seemingly very foreign to the tonal declamation of the preceding measures. With closer observation, one notices that the initial pitches of each figure utilize only the pitches of the work’s initial sonority. This is true with the exception of the fourth figure beginning with a “d7”. Measures 26 and 27 then effect chromatic descents in both voices which lead to another implication of “V” and, in measure 28, the opening is heard again (Example 16).
Example 15: Skoryk, Partita #5, Movement one, mm. 1-15
Example 16: Skoryk, Partita
#5, Movement one mm. 20-28
Gennady Lyashenko
Gennady Lyashenko (born in Primorsk,
1938) graduated from the Lviv State Conservatoire where he studied with A. M.
Soltis. He has since established a
formidable career as composer, musicologist and professor. A member of the Composer’s
Union, a candidate of Musicology, professor at the National Academy of Music,
he is author of numerous periodical articles and his dissertation, Fugue and Its Role in the Dramatic
Compositions of Non-polyphonic Forms, is highly regarded.His main works
reflect different genres of symphonic, chamber, choral, vocal and programmatic
music. He has composed five symphonies,
numerous other compositions for symphony orchestra, four instrumental concerti,
over thirty chamber instrumental works, choral works, songs and music for
films. He is a classicist in the sense that technique and form are extremely
important. Yet, he is willing to use programmatic content as the basis for his
compositions, particularly if the program reflects typical Ukrainian culture.
Lyashenko’s Third Symphony,
from 1982 begins with an extended pseudo-impressionistic passage featuring an
ominous chord accompanying melodic interaction between the oboe and English
Horn (Example 17). Page 2 features a variation of this opening texture with two
clarinets engaged in countrapuntal interaction accompanied by harmonics in the
harp. A return to the opening sonority and varied counterpoint between oboe and
English Horn follows at rehearsal 1. A
variation of the clarinet and harp measures is heard with the contrapuntal
lines assumed by flute and bassoon producing a static accompaniment and
featuring oscillation back and forth between C4 and C5. As this section
unfolds, he introduces a three-half-note figure in the timpani which becomes
very important as the work progresses.
Example 17: Lyashenko,
Symphony #3, Movement one, p. 1
Rehearsal three produces a
short outburst with triplet eighth notes in the brass and percussion. This
enticing energy is cut short at rehearsal 4 with a return to another variation
of the melodic counterpoint, this time, however, the counterpoint is replaced
by a chordal representation of the melodic line with, initially, two
instruments and, later, two additional instruments doubling each of the lines
already presented. At rehearsal 5, the energetic material returns with the
triplet eighths in the brass suggesting the possibility of an imposing
march-like development later in the work.
This is the accompaniment for the main melodic line in the flutes and
violins acting as an expansion of the line heard in the previous section. At rehearsal 6, the march-like rhythms
predominate (Example 18).
Example 18: Lyashenko, Symphony
#3, Movement one, p. 15
At rehearsal 9, another pause in the
action with a return to opening melodic fragments is followed by an increase in activity with rapid eighth note passages in woodwinds
and strings followed by dramatic melodic passages in the brass. There is one
more return to the very beginning of the work with a variation of the opening
sonority and a brief recall of the opening oboe melody. At measure fifteen, the march returns with
the triplet eighth notes producing a relentless rhythmic background in the
strings with melodic statements in the woodwinds and brass (Example 19).
Example 19: Lyashenko, Symphony
#3, Movement one, p 46
Rehearsal 18 displays the
culmination of the first movement with an intense chordal sonority sustained in
the strings and woodwinds. The brass proclaim the robust melodic materials and
the percussion continue the march rhythms unrelentingly (Example 20).
Example 20: Lyashenko, Symphony
#3, Movement one, p. 57
Lesya Dychko
Born in 1939 in Kiev, Lesya Dychko graduated from the Kiev M.V. Lysenko
Secondary Musical School (in theory) in 1959 and, in 1964, she received a
degree in composition from the Kiev National Musical Academy of Ukraine under
Professors Dankevych and Lyatoshynsky. She completed post-graduate studies with
Professors Lyatoshynsky and Pejko in 1971. Dychko has since then lectured at
the Kiev Pedagogical Institute (1965-1966), in music history at the Kiev Arts
Academy (1972-1994), at the Studio of the Honored Ukrainian State Bandura
Players Choir (since 1965) and as a teacher at the National Musical Academy of
Ukraine (composition and music theory) since 1994. In 1989, she lectured about contemporary
Ukrainian choral music in Canada.
Dychko’s list of works is significant especially in the area of works
for chorus. She has, however, written
many instrumental works. The
instrumental repertoire includes works for solo flute and violin, organ and
piano and several works for orchestra including three suites and tone
poems. In the vocal area there are many
works for vocal soloists with accompaniment ranging from piano or organ to
orchestra. There are also many works for
SATB mixed chorus, female, male and children’s chorus. Particularly notable are
12 cantatas, 4 choral concertos, three ballets and an oratorio entitled
“Vertep”. She has also composed music for film, animated films and popular
science films. She continues the Ukrainian tradition in her religious music but
her style has united features of Ukrainian folk and church choral singing and
aspects of artistic and cultural universality.
Dychko’s Triumphant Liturgy is a 73-minute work for a cappella
chorus and soloists. The male soloists generally have lines reminiscent of traditional
chant. The beginning of movement 9 displays one of the longest solo sections in
the work. The majority of this section features the baritone/bass soloist with
two short interjections from the tenor (Example 21).
Example 21: Dychko, Triumphant
Liturgy, Movement 9, opening solo section
The chorus enters as a response to
the soloists with short “alleluias” interspersed between solo segments. From measure 13 until the end, the chorus
predominates with a lovely declamation featuring chordal planing of major and
minor triads. At the end of the
movement, the development of chordal planing reaches a climax in seventh chords
against a sustained D major triad (Example 22).
Example 22: Dychko, Triumphant
Liturgy, Movement 9, m. 34 to the end
Movement 15 begins in B major
featuring a one measure melody which is immediately repeated but with rhythmic
alteration. This primary melody is then
stated a whole step higher and repeated before returning to the original
texture (Example 23).
Example 23: Dychko, Triumphant
Liturgy, Movement 15, mm. 1-8
The middle section of the work
continues with the same melodic material but initially stated in C major with
an immediate repetition. These two measures are then transposed up to D minor
for two measures, then back to C and ultimately to A minor at the climax of the
section in measure 15. Throughout this
section, the melodic line features an ascent from “e5” in measure 9, to “f5” in
measure 11, to “g5” in measure 13, and ultimately to “a5” in measure 15. The movement ends with a varied return to the
opening section completing the ternary form (Example 24).
Example 24: Dychko, Triumphant
Liturgy, Movement 15 mm. 9-17
Volodymyr
Runchak is a composer, conductor and accordionist born in 1960 in Lutsk. He
studied accordion at The Lutsk Music College and at the former Kiev State P.
Tchaikovsky Conservatoire (which is now the National Music Academy of Ukraine)
where he also studied conducting and composition. As a conductor, he has
presented concerts with orchestras of Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, and France,
and has directed world and Ukrainian premieres of more than 100 works by
contemporary composers. He was founder of the New Music concert series
in Kiev.
Runchak is a prolific composer with numerous works for symphony and
chamber symphony, choral, mixed instrumental chamber ensemble, solo vocal and instrumental
works, trios, quartets and quintets, a work for wind ensemble, a chamber opera
and a work for an ensemble of Ukrainian folk instruments. In his music, he has attempted to unite
emotionalism and structural precision but, in the 1990s, he became concerned
that the world of classical music was too serious and he decided to instill
humor by giving some of his works unconventional titles such as “Quasi
Sonata No. 2 - An Attempt at Self-Analysis” or his “AntiSonatas Nos. 28,
29 and 53”.
Runchak’s Time “X” or Farewell,
Non-Symphony is scored for a quintet of flute (doubling alto flute),
clarinet (doubling bass clarinet), piano, violin and violoncello. All performers are also instructed to sing
(mostly humming) at the beginning and near the end of the work. This is realized as an ongoing alternation
between two distinct textural types: the
first features short and crisply articulated notes in a cluster configuration
with some sustained notes hummed by the performers. The second type features
lyric motives presented imitatively between two instruments for the majority of
the work with an occurrence of three-part counterpoint toward the end of the
work.
The opening section reaches its apex at rehearsal
two. In the first measure, three layers of activity are present. The flute
plays short sixteenth and triplet eighth notes while also singing short notes.
The clarinet performs a chromatically descending line in flutter-tongue while
the violin and ‘cello engage in short, rapidly articulated events with the
cello’s 64th note passages surpassing the speed of the violin. The
next two measures display a complex interaction between layers in short
reiterated notes maintaining the same cluster of the first measure. In this instance, the three layers are flute
and clarinet combined, the piano, and violin and cello combined. It is a rhythmically intricate passage
producing an effect not unlike
klangfarbenmelodie even though it is static in terms of pitch movement
(Example 25).
Example 25: Runchak, Time
“X” or “Farewell, Non-Symphony” Rehearsal 2, mm. 1-3
The first appearance of the lyric
texture is at rehearsal 3. Here the clarinetist plays the lead line. While sustaining a pitch on the instrument,
the player must also hum a related line. It is a challenge for the performer,
but the result is very engaging (Example 26). Texture “A” returns at rehearsal
4. It builds quickly in density and then recedes to the entrance of texture “B”
at rehearsal 5. This time the clarinetist is playing bass clarinet while
singing in unison or octaves with the instrument. After a short interruption recalling texture
“A”, the cellist performs a counterpoint to the clarinet/singing line at
rehearsal 6 (Example 27). This interaction is a linearization of the cluster
activity of texture “A”. In the fifth measure of rehearsal 6, the pianist joins
the clarinet and cello with a generally chromatically descending line recalling
the flutter-tongued clarinet passage at rehearsal 2.
Example 26: Runchak, Time
“X” or “Farewell, Non-Symphony” Rehearsal 3, mm. 1-3
Example 27: Runchak, Time
“X” or “Farewell, Non-Symphony” Rehearsal
5 and the beginning of Rehearsal 6
Example 28: Runchak, Time
“X” or “Farewell, Non-Symphony” Rehearsal 8, mm. 1-5
At rehearsal 7, the two textural
types begin to unite even though both are varied. At rehearsal 8 (Example 28),
the pianist is rapidly alternating articulations of C and A#, fortississimo at the upper end of the
keyboard. The violin and cello enter with a similar interaction but in more
extended durational values. Finally, the flute and clarinet return with
frenetic materials featuring rapid runs interspersed with more linear
statements. This passage continues to its apex in rehearsal 11 followed by a
denouement to the final section and
featuring a return to the lyric texture “B”.
Initially the flute and ‘cello engage in a duet but after an
interruption from the piano, the clarinet and flute alternate statements before
the violin assumes the main line at rehearsal 15.
Ludlmilla Yurina
Ludmila Yurina is a composer and
pianist born in Uzin. She was a 1981 graduate of the Glière State Music College in Kiev with a degree in piano
performance and in 1990, she graduated with a degree in composition from the
National Music Academy of Ukraine where she studied with Yehven
Stankovych. She completed postgraduate
courses at the National Music Academy of Ukraine earning a Diploma with
Distinction and attended master classes in Germany with P. H. Dittrich, I
Arditti, H. Zapf, G. Staebler, J. Durand, Wolfgang Rihm and Rene Lachenmann.
Since 1995, she has been a Professor of Composition at the National Music
Academy.
Yurina expends great energy in
support of musical events in her country and in Europe. From 1990-1992, she was
a music director in theaters and studios in Kiev. Since 1993, she has been a member of the
organizing committee and coordinator of programs for the International Forum of
Young Composers in Kiev and she was the 1997 Artistic Director of the Festival
of Modern Ukrainian Art entitled “Meta-Art” where she presented her lecture
entitled “Theoretical Problems of New Music and Visual Art”. In 1999, she presented a lecture on Ukrainian
music for flute at the Rheinsberg (Germany) Academy of Music and, since 2002,
she has been Chair of the Ukrainian Association “Women in Music”. Yurina is a
member of the National Composers’ Union of Ukraine, the Adkins Chiti Foundation
(Italy), National Soviet of Women of Ukraine, International Association of
Women Composers, European Conference of Promoters of New Music (Holland), and
the New Music International Association.
Yurina has composed several works for
full and chamber orchestra including a Concerto for trombone and
orchestra and shorter, one-movement works including Incoming for full
orchestra and Ran-nan for chamber orchestra. She has produced works for
mixed chamber ensemble and small chamber groups and there are a few works for
solo voice and chorus with varying instrumentations. Her compositions for solo instruments are
numerous including seven works for solo piano, as well as single works for solo
trombone, flute, oboe and violoncello and she is also one of the few composers
from Ukraine to compose works using electronics including Perseus-Beta-Algol
for computer sounds and live electric guitar. She has also written music
for two films entitled The Garden of the Shadows and Streams.
Her Incoming (That One Might
Enter) for orchestra is a tightly constructed eight-minute quasi rondo form
which begins with interaction between two gongs. Shortly thereafter, the bells
enter with a basic thematic unit from which the source pitch material for the
entire work emanates. While the bells continue with rhythmically altered
versions of the original line, other instruments enter with variations building
a rhythmically activated sonority based upon the original pitch materials (Example 29).
Example 29: Yurina,
“Incoming” mm. 9-11
Measure 25 introduces an increase in
tempo with short, harsh chords in the strings as a background to increased
melodic and figural activity in the winds and percussion. Gradually, all of
these materials are passed back and forth between orchestral sections and there
is a recession back into a less active section serving as a variation of the
opening of the work with additions of melodic and figural elements from the
second section.
At measure 78 (Example 30), the tempo
increases to 128 and a more vigorous and unrelentingly rhythmic texture is
introduced. The timpani provide the primary force with block chords in the
winds and strings. The chords are not always
articulated simultaneously between sections creating a constant but consistent
and timbrally differentiated pulsation. The durations of pitches in the block
chords gradually increase and the intensity of the timpani subsides as well,
leading back to the opening section with a counterpoint of gongs. This time, however, the strings sustain an
“icy” cluster sonority which gradually decreases in dynamic until the end
(Example 31).
Example 30: Yurina’s “Incoming”
mm. 98-100
Example 31: Yurina, Incoming String Sonority for
the Last Section
Yurina’s Gemma is a tour de force for solo flute with a similar pitch
language but it is entirely different in nature. The work is based on pitch
relationships and also upon an exposition of the range of timbral resources of the
instrument. In terms of pitch, the work begins with a centricity on “e4”. In measure 15, the range of emphasis begins
to expand to form a cluster between d4 and f4. There are momentary emphases on
d