TEXT, WORD AND MEANING: THE AESTHETIC-INTERPRETATIVE COMPONENT OF INDIVIDUALITY AND THE PRACTICE OF THE TEXT-CENTRIC CONDUCTOR

Abstract

The article examines the role of the verbal text and the linguistic-intonational factor in shaping choral interpretation, and outlines the relationship between the culture of diction and the artistic persuasiveness of performance in the practice of text-centric conductors. The study proposes a view of choral performance as a phenomenon at the intersection of music and the word; attention is focused on the semantics of the poetic text, the logic of stress, prosody, and orthoepic norms that determine the rhythm-accent and timbral-intonational organization of the choral texture. It is shown that clear diction is not merely a technical prescription: it performs an aesthetic function, serving as a means of communication with the listener and a component of the musical image; at the same time, the need for a balance between articulatory expressiveness and a singing legato is emphasized, especially in polyphonic textures. The concept of “text-centricity” is refined as a typological feature of conducting style that manifests itself at all stages of work – from score analysis and the development of unified orthoepy to rehearsal technique and concert realization. Drawing on domestic and international practices, the paper characterizes techniques for combining “active” diction with the smoothness of the vocal line (distribution of consonants, lengthening of sustained sonorants, nuanced tempo and dynamics), as well as the impact of articulation on the timbral palette and phrasing. It is substantiated that varying the degree of textual intelligibility is an interpretive tool that makes it possible to shape a stylistically appropriate character of sound – from lyrical to expressive. The study concludes that the conductor’s careful work with the word enhances the clarity and emotional efficacy of performance, fosters deeper interaction with the listener, and simultaneously affirms the national vocal-intonational culture; it also outlines prospects for introducing targeted modules in vocal diction within choirmaster training and for expanding the experimental base of acoustic analysis to quantitatively measure intelligibility.