The principles of re-intonation of multinational folklore in the work of Ludwig van Beethoven (on the example of the collection of arrangements “Songs of Different Nations”)
Authors: Davitadze A.H. 
Published: March 2020

Background. The study of Beethoven’s arrangements of folk songs touches upon the corpus of theoretical and methodological issues related to the problem “a composer and folklore”, and, accordingly, with the re-intonation of folklore in composer creativity, with the dialogue of “national and international”, “folk and professional”, “traditional and modern”. These phenomena contemporary musicology considers more often in relation to new and newest directions in the musical art, defining them in terms of “folklore”, “neo-folklorizm”, “new folklore wave”; they represent by various forms of direct or indirect appealing to folklore sources. Studying the classical legacy in the genre of folk song arrangement, theoretical musicology significantly deepens the understanding of this area of the professional composer creativity, revealing the genesis of the phenomena mentioned above. Such a range of issues is considered by A. Gnatyshin (2014), G. Golovinsky (1981), A. Derevianchenko (2005), B. Zabuta (2018), I. Zemtsovsky (1978), I. Konovalova (2007), A. Protopopova and others. Beethoven’s creativity in the context of the chosen theoretical concept is highlighted in the works of L. Kirillina, Ya. Soroker (2012) and others. The purpose of the article is to identify and characterize the principles of re-intonation of multinational folklore in the genre of arrangement a folk song in Beethoven’s creativity (on the example of the collection “Songs of Different Nations”). There are represented the structural-functional, genre, style, intonation types of analysis among the used methods of studying. Results. The main tool of dialogue between the author and the folk music is the method of re-intonation, which in L. van Beethoven’s creativity is implemented in samples of ethnically different folk song (sometimes dance) sources arrangements. The certain logics is observed in the principle of the collection assembly. So, by ethnicity, the composer alternates songs of different peoples, following the logic of contrast and unity. Within the loop, you can also find the manifestations of several more cyclization layers by different traits and the nature of the combination – mini-cycles where the national style is the principle of the choice. Songs of the same nation that are naturally related in intonation, in particular, in melodic-harmonic content, in figurative and genre traits, alternate with one another or dispersed in the collection, forming monocycles and arches (Nos. 1–3, 5–6, 8, 14, 15–16, 24, 17–18). The binary method of connection by the above criteria differs from the first type of cyclization, although it also represented by songs of same nation, but by genre and figurative characteristics these songs contrast sharply with one another, forming “unity of opposites” (Nos. 4, 22; 5, 7, 6–7; 9–10, 11–12). Such a “mini-cyclization” does not exceed more than three ethnically homogeneous songs in a row. The largest part of the collection is the five Tyrolean songs (Nos. 4, 15, 16, 22, 24), and their distribution throughout the collection is like to the principle of “a refrain”. The Songs nos. 15–16 go in succession and united by common features – the type of melody that is similar to the shepherd songs in the yodel genre, by the piano and string accompaniment texture, by the triple meter, the F major tonal basis and by the general content and character of music. The Song № 24 also adjoins by the listed characteristics to the songs nos. 15–16. The mini-cyclization one can also traces in the combination of songs of different ethnicity. Single samples of songs of different ethnicities – Nos. 13 (Swiss), 19 (Ukrainian), 20 (Danish), 21 (Swedish), 23 (Hungarian) correlate dialogically, creating affinity or contrast with their surroundings and with each other at the macro-level of the cycle. The lyrically dramatic Ukrainian song is preceded by a dance Polish song, followed by a knightly Danish song with the chorus, the next is a Swedish lullaby, and the pastoral Hungarian song is framed by two Tyrolean songs. Thus, the tendency to cyclization, based on the principles of contrast and unity, operates in the collection of both micro- and macro-level, which is responsible for the composition of the whole. Interesting for the researcher is the genre content of the collection. Some of the songs are mono-genre - these are those that have the characteristics of the song genre (name, content, melody, harmony, rhythm, texture): nos. 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22. The poly genres are those that combine the features of song and dance (conventionally - dance song or song dance): nos.1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 15, 17, 18, 23, 24. The composer’s creative dialogue with the folklore tradition takes place at other levels of the musical text. Beethoven adds instrumental accompaniment to the song tune in the composition of piano, violin and cello (piano trio). The function of “cementing” the form belongs to the piano, which is a constant participant of the ensemble throughout the song, as well as in the additional parts of the form created by the composer – introductory and closing ritornellоs. In addition, the piano performs the function of harmonious accompaniment, development of thematic material, is responsible for the dynamics of development on a whole scale. Indicative for the Beethoven method of folklore processing is the circle of tonalities to which the composer refers. These are the most convenient for the artist sound systems (do not exceed 1–3 key signatures) designed for a wide «consumer» and ease of performance (both vocal and instrumental). The most active dialogue of the composer with the folklore source takes place in the intonational and harmonic spheres. Obviously, Beethoven tried to be adjusting to the unknown and unusual for him musical-theoretical systems. Analyzing samples of the author’s harmonization of folk melodies, we can conclude that the German classic «spoke» with a broad international circle of songs in same language. The key decisions of the German master show a subtle understanding of the folk songs harmony: harmonizing various folk sources, the composer does not burden them with complicated harmonic sequences, in agreement with that, which is supposed in folk melody. In addition, the choice of tonality was very responsible, emphasizing the clarity and simplicity of these songs, their democratic orientation, both in relation to the performer and the listener. Conclusions. Beethoven’s principles of thinking are manifested at all levels of organization of the musical whole. The re-intonation of folklore material occurs both at the level of the form of each individual song (micro level), and at the composition level of the entire collection (macro level), which translates into a tendency toward cyclization, the formation of mini- and macrocycles, and a tendency to build holistic dramaturgy. At the genre level in “Songs of Different Nations”, re-intonation occurs due to the combination of “pure” (song) and synthetic genres (synthesis of song and dance genres in one sample). The instrumental trio accompaniment performs certain functions in the structure of the musical text (thematic development, dubbing of the vocal part, timbre saturation, harmonious component, the introduction of classical performing traditions) and is an active stylistic, genre, and dramatic factor in the сomposition. The composer, as a whole, subdues folk music material to the classical type of musical thinking.