Orchestration of D. L. Klebanov and V. M. Zolotukhin: a comparative analysis
Authors: Savchenko Hanna 
Published: March 2021

Background. In the last two decades there was a constantly increasing scholar interest to Kharkiv school of composition as a phenomenon of Ukrainian musical culture. Despite this, a lot of unstudied questions remain, which need to be researched. This includes problems of orchestral thinking, orchestral style and orchestral writing of Kharkiv composers, particularly, D. Klebanov and V. Zolotukhin. The novelty lies in the systematization of the principles of orchestration in the symphonies of D. Klebanov (based on the symphonies 1, 3, 6, 7) and the First Symphony of V. Zolotukhin. Analysis of literature. Orchestral music of both composers is researched quite sporadically. Its several facets are studied in works by M. Cherkashyna (1968), I. Frumina (1969), O. Gusarova (1988), T. Krasnopolska (1964), Yu. Malysheva (1967), N. Ocheretovska (2007), Е. Ponomarenko (2005), O. Roschenko (2005; 2016), А. Zamotaylo (2001), O. Zinkevych (2005), I. Zolotovytska (1980), A. Dmitriyeva (2016). There is an article by H. Savchenko (2018), specially devoted to orchestration of D. Klebanov The goal of this article is to reveal the principles of orchestration in symphonies by D. Klebanov (No. 1, 3, 6, 7) and V. Zolotukhin (No. 1) in aspect of comparative analysis. In the article the author operates such methods of research as analytical, functional, and comparative. Conclusions. In results of studying of orchestral works by D. Klebanov and V. Zolotukhin (First Symphony) in aspects of orchestral thinking and principles of orchestration, we have reached the following conclusions: 1) both composers prefer a triple orchestra, which is quite flexible, in order to achieve full-bodied orchestral texture and be able to operate different timbral colours; 2) in the works of both composer, there is an inclination to equal understanding of orchestral groups, including percussion in the first Symphony by V. Zolotukhin; 3) in the vertical projection there is a differentiation of the groups through orchestral functions, which causes a great transparency of the score; 4) much more slow changes of type of a texture and timbral combinations in horizontal projection sets apart orchestration of V. Zolotukhin from orchestration of D. Klebanov; 5) overall, orchestration of V. Zolotukhin is more dense, filled with doubles, it is dominated by “large touch”, which causes continuity and smaller degree of detailing; 6) a special trait of orchestration of D. Klebanov is thinking by timbral and textural layers with obvious distinction of orchestral function between them. Inside of these layers there is an additional split of orchestral functions which causes rather rare usage of doubles between instruments of different orchestral groups. For V. Zolotukhin, thinking with clearly defined timbral and textural layers is characteristic, which tells about realisation of orchestral polyphonic thinking on the macro level or the whole texture; 7) in orchestration of both composers there is a tendency to colouring: in the First Symphony by V. Zolotukhin it is brighter and more robust due to usage of more diverse timbral palette (from piano harp, celesta to extended group of percussion).