The image of Ukraine in the symphonic frescoes «Taras Bulba» by Sergey Turneev
Authors: Belova Ye.D. 
Published: March 2021

Introduction. The choice of the researchtheme and material was determined by the fact that the author of the article played the percussion part in the performance of the symphonic frescos «Taras Bulba» by S. P. Turnieiev in 2016. A true creator seeks to unite in his work the subconscious, intuitive and conscious rational. Thence there is a need to conceptualize the performance of the piece in unity with the composer’s concept and present thought process in the form of scientific reflection. Theoretical Background. The theoretical basis of the research was the works representing three directions in the study of picturesque in musical art: 1) the picturesque principle of composition in an epic symphony: works by I. Alieksieieva, V. Valkova, N. Vynokurova; 2) genre of symphonic picturesque: research by O. Yendutkina (Shyriaieva); 3) history and typology of picturesque and pictorial images of music: Ph.D. thesis by N. Rybak. The purpose of the research is to identify the image features of Ukraine in the symphonic frescos «Taras Bulba» by S. P. Turnieiev in accordance with the specific embodiment of civic lyrics in the work. Methods. The epic drama «Taras Bulba» by L. Toma (after M. Hohol), for the performance of which S. P. Turnieiev wrote music and afterwards created symphonic frescos, is a dialogue in the ‘Great Time’ (Bakhtin’s concept). The proposed symphonic work reflects the national world picture. Therefore, the author of the article refers to the scientific model of I. Romaniuk, adapting it to the character of the musical piece. The latter represents the principle of the Synthesis of the Arts at the newest stage of cultural development. Results. The principle of picturesque in S. Turnieiev’s Symphonic Frescos joins reception of picturesque as a phenomenon and as a concept and manifests itself in different semantic connotations; 1) picturesque as an artifact of fine art (through the fresco of the Virgin, the visual series of the peice); 2) picturesque as an attribute of the performance (through the connection with the music for the drama performance); 3) the picturesque principle as a factor of establishing links between the visual and other types of art (through the poetic word and visual series expressed in music); 4) the picturesque principle of thinking and composition implemented in the epic symphony (interaction of “narration” and show) is implicitly present in the symphonic frescos; 5) the picture of the world in accordance with the definition of I. Romaniuk, who defines this concept in the chosen discourse. S. Turnieiev’s work is interpreted in the cultural context of the «Great Time». The development of culture is possible due to the continuity, which I. Romaniuk considers as a «criterion of the Ukrainian world picture». The formation of continuity in the perception of the national world picture by different generations of the Ukrainians (I. Romaniuk ‘s concept) is carried out through dialogue in the «Great Time» owing to the «Great Memory» of the people of Ukraine (Bakhtin’s concept). The image of Ukraine unites the perception of the homeland from two points of view: emotional and sensual, on the one hand, and social – as an awareness of the existential realities of the Ukrainians with their value assessments of everyday life and the inner entity of a person, on the other hand. Timpani (tulumbas) used to be an irreplaceable attribute of the Cossack’s troops. S. P. Turnieiev’s statement that the hero of the work is the Cossacks with Taras Bulba as one of them implies the personification of the protagonist by the timbre of the timpani. On the other hand, at a more generalized level of personalization, the role of the timpani can be defined as a symbolic embodiment of the whole Cossacks, rather than an individual representative. Conclusions. Thus, the picturesque in the analyzed work is manifested through the innovative embodiment of the concept of artistic synthesis and reproduction of the mental picture of the world. The latter is determined by the continuity of the Ukrainian cultural paradigm, its values and spiritual landmarks and at the same time it resonates with the civil lyrics of L. van Beethoven. The principle of show, illustration of the poetic word by music, is combined in S. Turnieiev’s work with a symphonic generalization, due to which the piece is perceived as akin to Beethoven’s concepts. The connection with the music for drama performance, which was the basis for the creation of the symphonic frescos, is maintained through thinking in pictures which make up the stage process. The work presents the sound images of percussion instruments extensively. In particular, the timpani play a meaningful conceptual role as expression of personification – the Cossacks as a community, on the one hand, and Taras Bulba as a victorious warrior, the protagonist of symphonic frescos, on the other hand. As a research prospect, the author of the article offers further investigation of the sound images of percussion instruments (in expressive and conceptual terms) in the works of modern Ukrainian composers.