“PLYVE KACHA” AS A REPRESENTATION OF NATIONAL IDENTITY IN UKRAINIAN MUSICAL ART

Abstract

The Ukrainian Transcarpathian song “Plyve Kacha” is an outstanding example of musical folklore, which in the modern history of Ukraine has acquired special significance as a symbol of national memory, grief, and identity. Its transformation from a traditional Transcarpathian composition to a powerful marker of collective experience, especially after the events of the Revolution of Dignity and the military conflict in Eastern Ukraine, and the full-scale invasion requires a comprehensive musicological and cultural analysis. The study of this work in the context of the modern musical space, its performing interpretations, and social significance contributes to the disclosure of the mechanisms of national identity formation through music. The aim is to investigate “Plyve Kacha” as a musical, poetic and socio- cultural phenomenon, to determine its role in the formation national identity. The study uses a comprehensive approach, which includes a historical and cultural analysis of the origin of the song, a musicological analysis of its melodic and rhythmic features, and a semiotic analysis of the poetic text. Special attention is paid to the socio-cultural analysis of the meaning of the song in social discourse. The analysis made it possible to establish that “Plyve kacha” is a carrier of a deep cultural code, embodying the characteristic features of the Ukrainian folk worldview, where the theme of death and farewell appears not only as a personal, but also as a collective experience. The song has a minor key, smooth melody and meditative rhythm, which enhances its emotional impact. Performance interpretations from academic choral sounding to experimental arrangements testify to its versatility and ability to adapt to various artistic contexts. Analysis of the contemporary use of the work in public consciousness confirmed its important role in the processes of formation national identity, especially in conditions of crisis historical events. Further research may focus on the cross-cultural comparison of “Plyve Kacha” with other folk requiems, analysis of its impact on social psychology and research of new performance interpretations in various genres of contemporary art. Also relevant is the study of musical creativity as a means of national consolidation in the context of globalization and changes in the cultural policy of Ukraine.