The quality of a button accordionist’s “element” thinking: performer’s text and the sound image of the modern button accordion
Authors: Melnychenko Maksym 
Published: August 2024

Statement of the problem. Modern musical language serves as a stimulus for the further improvement of the artistic indicators of the button accordion performance technique: composers incorporate new performing techniques into their works, expanding the original button accordion literature and integrating innovative techniques into its. This promotes the development of modern musical language in button accordion art. An important aspect of contemporary button accordion art is the performer’s “element” thinking, which refers to their ability to act intuitively, following an inner emotional impulse and musical inspiration. The “element” thinking of a button accordionist allows them to freely interpret the musical text, adding their own individuality and artistic expressiveness. This is particularly important in the performance process, where the instant emotional response to music is key to creating a lively and dynamic performance. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the study. The purpose of the article is to characterize the quality of a button accordionist’s “element” thinking in the process of forming the sound image of the modern button accordion. This goal requires the solution of the following tasks: • identify modern performing techniques of button accordion playing; • investigate the stable and mobile elements of the composer’s text; • determine the components of performing mastery and the qualities of the button accordionist’s “element” thinking. The following methods were used to address the proposed issues: the method of systematizing the performance techniques in contemporary button accordion art; the organological method, which helps to reveal the specifics of the accordion’s sound in the context of new artistic and expressive means; and the structuralfunctional method, which pertains to the analysis of elements of the composer’s text (texture distribution of the material, principles of timbral diversification, use of sound imitation, and specific button accordion techniques). The study is the first experience of considering bayan playing techniques as mobile elements of a composer’s test in performance interpretation. Results and conclusion. To characterize the quality of a button accordionist’s “elemental” thinking in the process of creating the sound image of the modern button accordion, two key aspects were considered: contemporary performance techniques on the button accordion and the stable and mobile components of the composer’s text. Contemporary button accordion creativity employs various performance techniques and effects that reveal the instrument’s versatility and significantly enrich the musical content of the works. Composers and performers, using such techniques as vibrato, tremolo, ricochet, cluster, non-tempered glissando, air playing, percussion effects, register playing, and extramusical noise effects, create unique and expressive sound textures that enhance the emotional and artistic expressiveness of the music. The stable components of the composer’s text include elements clearly defined by the composer, ensuring the structural integrity of the piece. In contrast, the mobile components allow the performer to contribute their creative input to the performance, including timbre shades, dynamic nuances, and phrasal variability. Thus, the quality of the button accordionist’s “elemental” thinking is formed through the ability to integrate contemporary performance techniques and the creative interpretation of the composer’s text, forming their own performance text. This characterizes the sound image of the modern button accordion, which fully meets the demands of the time. Prospects for further development. For further research in contemporary button accordion art, it is important to expand the spectrum of analysis of musical works that contain innovative playing techniques and methods. The prospects for studying the quality of the performer’s “elemental” thinking in the process of creating the sound image of the modern button accordion may include psychological aspects of creativity.