CREATIVITY OF VIA “SMERICHKA” IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF SONG AND POP CULTURE OF UKRAINE IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY

Abstract

The article highlights the creative aspects of the artistic activity of the vocal-instrumental ensemble “Smerichka”, to analyze its influence on the development of Ukrainian pop music in the 70s of the 20th century. The ensemble is characterized as one that, in the turning point for Ukrainian song, was able to combine modern and traditional, time-tested musical forms and new genre and style trends. The creativity of VIA “Smerichka” became one of the important elements of the creation of a new type of Ukrainian variety show, which took a course on the development and popularization of national treasures and, with the help of the director L. Dutkivskyi and the availability of appropriate creative resources, became a coherent artistic unit that participated in the processes of development and formation of song-pop culture of Ukraine in the second half of the 20th century art. VIA “Smerichka” belonged to the ensembles that relied on national folklore elements and performed the works of Ukrainian authors, thereby popularizing them. “Smerichka” entered the history of Ukrainian pop music as one of the collectives of the new stage of the formation of the national song. The ensemble combined folk motifs, a unique interpretation of folklore, innovative rhythms and, like the Liverpool “The Beatles”, performed songs that gave a philosophical assessment of contemporary events and phenomena and were extremely popular among the youth of that time. The theme of the ensemble's creativity has absorbed traditional and current trends of Ukrainian pop music: love for the native land, singing of pure and deep feelings and the beauty of nature, highlighting the emotions and feelings of a simple Ukrainian soul. Thanks to the interweaving of elements of folk song material into his work, the sound of the folk song performed by VIA “Smerichka” acquired a new color, refreshed the perception of folklore by people of the older generation, and also became attractive to a young audience, in the context of attracting it to folk sources. A more convex and sharp sound of folklore was provided by the polyphony, which the members of the band used very often and which was complemented by the sound (sound) of rock music, which made the compositions close to European ones without losing national individuality.