SONG-REQUIEM “PLYVE KACHA PO TYSYNI”: SEMANTIC-PHILOSOPHICAL AND STATE-BUILDING DIMENSIONS

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive cultural and musicological analysis of the song-requiem “Plyve kacha po Tysyni” to identify its semantic and philosophical meanings and clarify its state-building potential in both historical and contemporary perspectives. Based on historical-cultural and musicological approaches, the study examines the genesis of the song, features of its melody, as well as its symbolic system and dramaturgy. It is demonstrated that the semantics of the work represent archaic notions of the boundary between life and death, the transition between worlds, and the sacrificial role of the warrior-defender. The study establishes that the preservation of connections with ancient laments and funeral rites is ensured by its intonational archaism, which allows the song to be interpreted not only as an artistic work but also as an acoustic code of the nation’s collective memory. Particular attention is paid to the philosophical interpretation of the conflict between the personal and the collective, maternal love and social duty. The transformation of the song’s functioning amidst contemporary socio-political upheavals is analyzed, particularly during the Revolution of Dignity and the Russian-Ukrainian War, when it acquired the status of an unofficial national requiem and became part of memorial rituals of farewell to fallen defenders of Ukraine. It is emphasized that, while preserving its archaic foundation, the song has been integrated into both academic and popular performance spaces, fulfilling a consolidating function. The article concludes that “Plyve kacha po Tysyni” is a sacralized musical symbol of historical continuity, collective mourning, and the spiritual resilience of the Ukrainian people. Thus, the song-requiem emerges as a multidimensional phenomenon of Ukrainian musical culture, synthesizing folk tradition, professional performance, and contemporary social experience. Its functioning within the state’s memorial space demonstrates the capacity of folk melos to perform not only aesthetic but also worldview-shaping, consolidating, and state-building functions. This underlines its particular cultural value and scholarly significance as an object of further interdisciplinary research.