EVOLUTIONARY PROCESSES IN ROCK MUSIC OF THE SECOND HALF OF THE 1960S

Abstract

The article focuses on clarifying the status of the "classical" within the realm of rock music by combining cultural-historical and music-theoretical approaches. The author examines classical heritage as a stable element of musical culture that forms during periods of artistic ascent and serves as a benchmark for subsequent generations. It is emphasized that in mass musical culture, the term "classical" functions not only as an evaluative label but as an analytical category, enabling the identification of genre development patterns and mechanisms of continuity. The study traces differences in the perception of rock music across various generations. For younger audiences, the primary factor is the chronological distance of the work, whereas for older listeners, it is the connection to personal listening experience and cultural memory. This divergence leads to a variety of interpretations and highlights the dependence of "classical" status on the sociocultural context. The central focus is an analysis of the second half of the 1960s as a pivotal stage in the establishment of rock music as an independent phenomenon. It is demonstrated that this period saw the formation of a complex set of principles for working with musical material that defined the genre’s further evolution. These include: the dismantling of established genre boundaries and active synthesis of diverse elements; the expansion of harmonic and rhythmic models; a reorientation toward creating original repertoire; and the consolidation of the collective nature of creativity, where the rock band acts as a single creative unit. The practice of cover versions is examined separately as a method of interpreting borrowed material and manifesting the individual style of performers. The conclusions emphasize that the "classical" status of rock music is determined not merely by historical distance or popularity, but primarily by the resilience of artistic principles and models that remain productive in subsequent musical practice. This allows for the interpretation of the concept of "classical" as a synthesis of cultural status and specific musical-structural characteristics