The formation of the original repertory for the Folk Instruments Orchestra of Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts as a historical mission of Kharkiv composers (1950–1960)
Authors: Andriy Strilets 
Published: January 2022

Statement of the problem. The Folk Instruments Orchestra of Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts has been performing for more than 90 years. However, the original works composed for this orchestra have never been the subject of serious scientific interest. The relevance of the problem is determined by the necessity to generalize the previous generations of composers’, performers’ and teachers’ experience in the field of folk instrumental art, in particular, the training in the orchestra of folk instruments as a concert unit. Analysis of recent publications shows, that the study on folk instruments orchestral performance has not been reflected in national scientific journals for a long while, but currently this is considered as an up-to-date issue. The articles by N. Bashmakova and V. Kikas and Yu. Fedotov (2018), Z. Stelmashchuk (2014), K. Maidenberg-Todorova (2019), I. Fedun (2020) are confirming this statement. The main purpose of the article is to find basic principles of the original repertoire formation for the Folk Instruments Orchestra of Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts related to the creative activities of Kharkiv composers in the 1950–1960s. For the first time, the historical mission played by Kharkiv composers in the original repertoire formation of the Folk Instruments Orchestra of Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts is determined. The concept of the article is based on the interdisciplinary interaction of historiographical, holistic, genre-stylistic and performing methods of researching, as well as a phenomenological approach to the analysis of the individual style of a composer based on the example of the particular works. Results and conclusions. The selected works by O. Steblyanko, D. Klebanov, V. Borisov, B. Alekseev, I. Kovach, P. Haydamaka and V. Podgorny included in the concert program of the creative project of 2021 have been analyzed due to their compositional, intonation and dramaturgical structure. The compositions that have been arranged for the folk instruments orchestra from the scores of symphony orchestra or ones instrumented from the compositions for accordion, domra ensemble, domra accompanied by piano were identified. According to the results of analysis, the creative approach of the composers of Slobozhanshchina in the 1950s–1960s was based on the thematic development of folklore material (song and dance prototypes) or the creation of the original themes, which are as close as possible to the folk samples. Having created large forms for domra and balalaika, Kharkiv composers fulfilled a historical mission in the formation of the original repertoire and, correspondingly, genre and stylistic priorities of the Folk Instruments Orchestra of KhNUA named after I. P. Kotlyarevsky. Due to the arrangements of these works for the folk instruments orchestra, a high academic status of playing folk instruments was demonstrated. It is necessary to emphasize the genre and stylistic orientation of these works on the Western European tradition. Along with the traditional forms of processing and arrangement, the folk instrumental art received the entire genre palette of European music, from miniatures to suites and concerts (in terms of timbre and texture capabilities of the folk instruments). On this way we see the keys to the academic status of the folk instruments orchestra. The prospects for further development of the theme. On the basis of the formed original repertoire at a certain historical moment it is possible to substantiate other leading principles of the orchestra as a concert and educational unit: the combination of an orchestra performer’s training, the formation of his professional skills with the ensemble’s concert activity; the introduction of academic approaches in the training of the folk instruments performers, conductors etc.