Music of the “Anthem of Ukraine” by Mykhaylo Verbytsky in the Words of Pavlo Chubynsky: Spiritual Symbols
Authors:   Zaremba Vocational Music College Department of Music Theory, Varavkina-Tarasova Nadiya 
Published: May 2024

The study is devoted to the main musical symbol of the Ukrainian people. It is revealed that the work has a high prophetic symbolism regarding the evolutionary development of the country. The method of analysis of the spiritual content of melodies helps to identify a systematic objectification of its potential, based on the category of “spiritual reality”, and is considered from a musicological point of view. The melody reveals a symphonic technique of proto-intonation development. The genre basis of the melody is prayer. The system reproduces the basis of musical drama of Ukrainian folklore. The method of microminiature art, typical of Ukrainian folk masters, is embodied. The methodological basis helps to focus on the development of the sacredness of space-time content. The program potential of this work is able to lead the transformation of the spiritual state of man. Sacred symbols are placed in the center of energy development. The music conveys the idea of a renewed pulse. The people recognize Nature as the Temple in which man exists. The world of spirituality is sanctified by its living perception. The music of the “Anthem of Ukraine” perfectly combines the world and consciousness of people who woke up from eternal slavery. The melody contains courage and tenderness, firmness of spirit and faith in a good awareness of Truth and Joy. The cosmic law of consonance, the law of analogy is embodied. In the microstructure of the thematic core of the melody there is a point and its energy “engine” – dotted rhythm, a microelement of the iambic foot of the One Whole, which serve as two symbolic parameters of the formed core of themes. They perform in the energy layer the fundamental microfunction of the level of the heart, the function of the highest prayer to the Spirit, which helps the manifestation of spiritual consciousness in the density of the musical structure. the masculinity of the major is affirmed and ends with the gentle, feminine softness of the parallel minor, which indicates the systematic fluctuations of their paired periodicity in melodic-syntactic structures. A peculiar system of expressive symbolism of artistic and figurative drama of Ukrainian folklore, a reflection of the powerful genre of youth lyrics, the core of the spiritual greatness of culture, which is still preserved in the folk traditions of family education. The most popular image of the Mother of God is inspired by the Ukrainian prayer site, a sacred symbol of the famous icons “Protection of the Blessed Virgin” of the Zaporozhian Cossacks. The highest feminine principle encourages the protection of the male community, the whole nation, endows the Almighty with an effective symbol of patriotism, covers with its omophorion, gathers an army of men on the battlefield, the sanctity of monasticism, which protects spiritually. Intuitively and intelligently, the composer-priest conveyed that the invisible Hierarchy of Light stood up for the protection of hearts that dream and know of dignity and honor, honesty and spiritually high justice in the reality of earthly existence.