Specificity and functions of texture in the piano music of modern Ukrainian composers (based on Z. Almashi’s and D. Malyi’s works)
Authors: Jing Yang 
Published: January 2025

Statement of the problem. The individualization of textural solutions actualizes the problem of classifying types of texture both, in the musicological-theoretical plane and in performance practice, because the multi-faceted understanding of texture is one of the necessary and very important components of a pianist’s work on a piece of music (Kasianenko, 2019; Nikitska, & Savchenko, 2024; Prykhodko, 1997; Chernyavska, 2015a, and others). In turn, the definition of texture functions in modern piano (and not only) music is both determined and complicated by the genre situation, the essence of which can be briefly characterized as principled freedom, multiplicity and individualization of genre solutions. Recent research and publications. Various approaches to the classification of texture types and composition types can be found in the scientific works of H. Ihnatchenko (1984), S. Kostka (2004), I. Tukova (2021), S. Shyp (1998) and others. A panoramic overview of the currently existing approaches to understanding the essence of the texture is presented in the dissertation research by R. Kashyrtsev (2021). About the functions of the musical texture H. Vynogradov (1977), H. Ihnatchenko (1984), I. Denisenko (2010), V. Moskalenko (2000), V. Prykhodko (1997), M. Chernyavska (2015b), S. Shkoliarenko (2017) and others wrote. Researchers emphasize the importance of logical (Ihnatchenko, 1984; Prykhodko, 1997), style-forming and genre-forming functions (Vynogradov, 1977; Prykhodko, 1997; Borysenko, 2005; Chernyavska, 2015b; Shkoliarenko, 2017), single out the artistic function (Moskalenko, 2000; Denisenko, 2010; Shkolyarenko, 2017) and the related function of implementing program of the work (Denysenko, 2010) and creating meanings (Prykhodko, 1997; Savchenko, 2021; Savchenko, 2023). Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The purpose of the article is to analyze the works of modern Ukrainian composers in terms of texture organization and texture functions. The material of the research is works for piano: Zoltan Almashi’s “The Bard’s Unfinished Song” (2011) and Dmytro Malyi’s “Diatonic Etudes” (2024). Systemic, functional, and genre research methods are used for studying named works. For the first time in Ukrainian musicology, the texture of the selected works is analyzed. Results and conclusion. In Z. Almashi’s “The Bard’s Unfinished Song” selected genre determines all the parameters of the composition, including the texture, which has the characteristics of both, the homophonic- harmonic, and the polyphonic-harmonic types, which belong to the common kind of the melodic-harmonic texture. The texture functions in this work are quite traditional. Let’s add to them the function of implementing the program idea, because the work is called not just “song”, but “The Bard’s Unfinished Song”, which imposes additional requirements of artistry on the performer. In the cycle “Diatonic Etudes” by D. Malyi there is a gap between the genre definition and the type of texture organization. The composer uses the following texture types: monophonic with hidden polyphony (“Olympus Mons”), monophonic-polyphonic with doubling of tones (“Aphrodite Terra"), mixed on the basis of monophonicpolyphonic with doubling of tones, adding the elements of contrasting polyphony and harmony (chords) (“Mare Tranquillitatis”), choral mono-rhythmic texture basing on the sonorous effects (“Pantheon Fossae”). The texture performs here all the traditional functions assigned to it, and, as in the previous example, the function of implementing the program idea. In this case, let’s emphasize the importance of impulse functions of the texture for creating a performer concept and orienting the listener’s perception.