The influence of F. Busoni’s creative legacy on the performance and pedagogical traditions of Ukrainian musical culture
Authors: Zatynaiko Olha 
Published: January 2025

Statement of the problem. The study emphasizes the need to restore the historical context of Ukraine’s musical culture by the way of researching the influence of leading European composers on Ukrainian musical education and performance. The article analyzes the influence of Ferruccio Busoni’s creative legacy on the development of Ukrainian music performance and pedagogical tradition. In Ukrainian musicology, there has been little research dedicated to F. Busoni’s creative works, with the main focus on his pedagogical and editorial activities. A few studies examine his technical methods and contributions to piano virtuosity. Noteworthy publications include works by A. Hryshchenko (2015), L. Bondarenko (2016), and T. Sydorets (2017), who analyze various aspects of Busoni’s influence on piano performance and teaching techniques. Despite this, the influence of Busoni’s music on Ukrainian musical culture remains largely unexplored. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The purpose of this article is to analyze the significance of F. Busoni’s creative heritage and its impact on the historical development of Ukrainian musical art. The study systematizes and summarizes the available facts about Busoni’s influence on Ukrainian musicians and emphasizes the success of Ukrainian artists at the International F. Busoni Piano Competition illustrating the continuity of performance traditions. As the research instruments, a historical and musicological analysis, as well as empirical way for collecting and systematizing data on Busoni’s influence in Ukraine were applied. This approach allowed for a detailed examination of both the performance of his works and the achievements of Ukrainian musicians in the F. Busoni International Piano Competition. For the first time, the comprehensive analysis of F. Busoni’s influence on the development of Ukrainian performance and pedagogical traditions is provide; particular attention to the success of representatives of Ukrainian piano school in the International Busoni Piano Competition, as well as the challenges of performing his works on the Ukrainian stage is paid; the significance of Busoni’s pedagogical methods in shaping the Ukrainian piano school and their role in developing virtuoso performance styles is considered. Results and conclusion. Despite the fact that F. Busoni’s work remains little known to a wide circle of Ukrainian musicians and listeners, it played a significant role in the formation of the piano school in Ukraine. Pedagogical principles laid down by F. Busoni, as well as his editorial and executive activities, influenced the teaching methods of Ukrainian pianists, the effectiveness of which is confirmed by the latter’s significant achievements in the international arena. The performing tradition associated with the name of F. Busoni continues thanks to the participation of Ukrainian pianists in the International Piano Competition named in his honor. The victories of such musicians as Anna Kravchenko, Vitalii Samoshko, Mykhailo Danchenko, Oleksandr Romanovskyi, Dinara Clinton, Antonii Baryshevskyi, and Roman Lopatynskyi testify to the high quality of professional training of Ukrainian pianists and their ability to interpret complex musical works at the highest level. Their participation in the competition not only contributed to the popularization of the name of F. Busoni in Ukraine, but also opened up new opportunities for developing the Ukrainian piano school in the international cultural space. Insufficient availability of sheet music, as well as the lack of systematic scientific studies of the work of F. Busoni in Ukraine creates certain difficulties for the spread of his legacy among Ukrainian musicians and listeners. Considering the significant contribution of F. Busoni in the formation of the Ukrainian performance school, especially in the context of piano pedagogy and interpretation of the works of classical composers, for a full-fledged academic analysis of his work, further research is needed, in particular translations of his musicological texts and aesthetic works into Ukrainian, as well as the expansion of the practice of performing his works on concert stages of Ukraine, which could enrich the repertoire and enhance performance skills of musicians.