A comparative analysis of “Hutsulka” in the performing interpretations by two violinists representing the tradition of the Kosmach-Brusturiv areal
Authors:   Mykola Lysenko Lviv National Music Academy, Pavliv Jarema 
Published: February 2021

In the offered article, a comparative analysis of two performing versions of the wedding ceremonial dance “Hutsulka”, dominant in the Eastern Carpathians region of Ukraine has been made, with outstanding violinists-capellists, which, based on traditions and their own virtuoso style, developed this dance genre due to the accumulation of stable and mobile elements of melo-, rhythm- and form-making, as well as the establishment of aesthetics of regional styles. The material for the study was the audio version of the “Hutsulka” recorded on the basis of the performance of two violinists representing the region of Kosmach- Brusturiv villages tradition – Kyrylo Lyndiuk (“Vityshyn”, 1929–2003) (recorded by prof. Bogdan Lukaniuk in 1991) and Ivan Sokoliuk (born in 1944; Musician's own recording of 2017) – and transcribed by the author of the article. The performance of “Hutsulka” by each violinist is characteristic of common and distinctive features concerning the formation of the variative composition, the thematic material (respectively, 29 and 43 themes of kolomyika, kozachok and voloshka bases), tonality and rhythmic structuring, individual interpretation of ornamentation, which is collectively connected with artistic orientation on certain artistic and performing directions, presented by iconic musicians-predecessors. The formal features of the Hutsulka composition depends on scenery where it is performed (1); the tonality outline determined by established regional tradition (2), and rhythmic outline, by the overall style, varyation technics, updating and ornamentation of rhythmic formulas, characteristic of the personal manner and style of the performer (3). Ornamentation, as the essence of the performing style of any Hutsul musician, in K. “Vityshyn” is characterized by intense interweaving of short melismatic legal groups and non-legal figurations within melodic line and texture. I. Sokoliuk 166 enriches the linear movement with prolonged melismatic groups and rhythm- intonational and figurational turns that decorate it and amplify the expression of dance overall sonority. In performing aesthetics of K. Lyndiuk prevails an acute articulation of melodic expressiveness with accented and often pointed rhythmic patterns that provides representative-temperamental virtuosity. For strategic performance aesthetics of I. Sokoliuk, rich in virtuosic expressiveness, is characterized by choral and transparent ringing articulation in the context of “stratum”-development creation of the whole large-scale virtuoso composition. Each version reveals individual compositional, improvised, techno-performing, emotional as well as aesthetic mind of their creators. All these qualities, formed by both musicians in a single tradition and expressed in related kolomyika and kozachok-voloshka tunes, present the decision of developmental, composite, rhythmic, intonational, articulation, tempo and many other aspects of style, characteristic of folk violinists – soloists and capellists, inherent to each of them, in their performing manner, evident in “Hutsulka” rendering.