The Cherubikons of Ukrainian Composers of the 20ᵗʰ–21ˢᵗ Centuries: The Spiritual Genre in Modern Stylistic Interpretation

Authors

  • Maryna VARAKUTA Department of History and Theory of music, Dnipropetrovsk Music Academy named after M. Glinka, Lyvarna str. 10, Dnipro, Ukraine. E-mail: amilomarina@i.ua https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0863-8829
  • Daryna KUPINA Department of History and Theory of music, Dnipropetrovsk Music Academy named after M. Glinka, Lyvarna str. 10, Dnipro, Ukraine. E-mail: emirdarina@gmail.com

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24193/subbmusica.2023.2.09

Keywords:

Cherubikons, sacred choral music, sacred music, music of modern Ukrainian composers, musical style, musical genre, musical language

Abstract

There are considered the features of the Cherubikons as a special troparion in the system of Orthodox worship. It is emphasized that the singing of the Cherubikon is characterized by extraordinary splendor and solemnity; historically, it always stood out noticeably from other chants. It is indicated that the style of the Cherubikons of various stages of the development of the liturgical singing was influenced by the general style panorama of that era. It is determined that, despite this, during each of the historical eras, significant samples of the Cherubikon were created, which retain visible connections with the genre invariant, based on the reliance on the text, strophic and melodiousness. It is determined that the Cherubikons performed in churches today are stylistically simple, but very convenient for choral singing. Separately allocated spiritual music, written not for church use, but for concert performances by modern composers. It is revealed that Cherubikons songs written by modern Ukrainian composers belong to sacred music and have no direct links with liturgical practice. They are individual author’s implement of the canonical text. The musical language of these Cherubikons is extremely complex and involves the use of modern composition techniques. This allows composers to embody the symbolism of the content of the liturgical text and a new look at the traditions of Christian singing.

Author Biographies

Maryna VARAKUTA, Department of History and Theory of music, Dnipropetrovsk Music Academy named after M. Glinka, Lyvarna str. 10, Dnipro, Ukraine. E-mail: amilomarina@i.ua

Maryna Ivanivna VARAKUTA is Ph.D. in Art, Docent, Professor at the Department of History and Theory of music, Dnipropetrovsk Music Academy named after M. Glinka (Dnipro, Ukraine). Was born in Dnipro, Ukraine. She studied music at Dnipropetrovsk musical college and graduated in 2007 with a master’s degree in musicology from Donetsk State Musical Academy named after S. Prokofiev. She received her PhD in 2011 at Odessa National Music Academy named after A. Nezhdanova (Odessa, Ukraine). The title of her dissertation is: Genre of choral miniature in modern Ukrainian music (on examples of V. Zubytsky's work). Since 2014, she is supervisor and lecturer at Dnipropetrovsk Music Academy named after M. Glinka. She teaches Analysis of Musical Works. She has published over 20 articles in scientific journals and conference proceedings (including WoS and Scopus – 6), a monography Genre-stylistic Specifics of Volodymyr Zubytsky's Choral Miniatures (2016). She is member of editorial board of music research periodical Musicological thought of Dnipropetrovsk region, Member of National Union of Musicians of Ukraine. Main research interest is genre and stylistic features of musical art, modern Ukrainian music.

Daryna KUPINA, Department of History and Theory of music, Dnipropetrovsk Music Academy named after M. Glinka, Lyvarna str. 10, Dnipro, Ukraine. E-mail: emirdarina@gmail.com

Daryna Dmytrivna KUPINA is Ph.D. in Art, Docent, Associate Professor at the Department of History and Theory of music, Dnipropetrovsk Music Academy named after M. Glinka (Dnipro, Ukraine). Was born in Donetsk, Ukraine. She studied music at Donetsk musical college and graduated in 2012 with a master’s degree in musicology from Donetsk State Musical Academy named after S. Prokofiev. She received her PhD in 2019 at National Music Academy named after P. Tchaikovsky (Kyiv, Ukraine). The title of her dissertation is: The European genre traditions in Ukrainian organ music. Since 2017, she is a supervisor and lecturer at Dnipropetrovsk Music Academy named after M. Glinka. She teaches Theory and History of Music, Solfege, Musical Genres, and Styles. She has published over 20 articles in scientific journals and conference proceedings (including WoS and Scopus – 4), a monography The European genre tradition in Ukrainian organ music (2020). She is member of editorial board of music research periodical Musicological thought of Dnipropetrovsk region, Member of National Union of Musicians of Ukraine. Main research interest is genre and stylistic features of musical art.

References

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Published

2023-12-30

How to Cite

VARAKUTA, M., & KUPINA, D. (2023). The Cherubikons of Ukrainian Composers of the 20ᵗʰ–21ˢᵗ Centuries: The Spiritual Genre in Modern Stylistic Interpretation. Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Musica, 68(2), 129–140. https://doi.org/10.24193/subbmusica.2023.2.09

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Articles