«TEN PRELUDES» O. 46 BY FEDIR YAKYMENKO: AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF IMPRESSIONISM IN UKRAINIAN MUSIC

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to identify the peculiarities of musical language in the piano works of the Ukrainian composer Fedir Yakymenko of the early period of his work (1900–1915). It is noted that among the multi-genre heritage of the artist, one of the most prominent places is occupied by piano works: preludes, etudes, nocturnes, as well as several notebooks of program pieces. The piano cycles of this period are characterized by a contrasting juxtaposition of a wide range of images, paintings and moods, and a new musical language. The analysis of the dominant means of expression in the chosen cycle – «Ten Preludes», Op. 46 - demonstrated the use of a number of innovative means in the impressionistic key, primarily in the harmonic, harmonic and textural plans. The harmonic language in the pieces of the cycle is bright and colorful: unusual harmonic juxtapositions, elliptical turns, altered septacords and nonaccords of side steps, their reversals, chords with the addition and replacement of sounds. The compositions are dominated by folk music modes, the whole-sound scale, and pentatonic. In melodic terms, the composer distinguishes expressive narrow-volume motifs or phrases that serve as the basis for the development of each of the layers, since polyphony is one of the manifestations of polyphonic presentation. The form and compositional patterns, the organization of the musical material of the preludes reveal rational and intellectual signs of the composer’s thinking, in particular, periodic repetition, sometimes fragmentation, both within the whole prelude and within parts of the work. Two- or three-part forms prevail. As for the texture, the homophonic-harmonic presentation is replaced or alternates with polyphonic, the latter being created by combining several layers, usually of different character. The means of unity of the cycle are briefly outlined. The analysis of the «10 Preludes» Op. 46 shows that the piano cycle is built on the principle of contrast in the following parameters: mood palette, tempo comparisons, texture. It is noted that in the piano cycle «Ten Preludes» Op. 46 the composer demonstrated a high compositional technique.