The realization of M. Tsvetaeva's poetry in the choral concert "Trinity Day" by Y. Falik

Shikhragimova Emiliya Robertovna Postgraduate student, Department of Humanities, Saratov State Conservatory named after L.V. Sobinov 410028, Russia, Saratovskaya oblast', g. Saratov, ul. Prospekt Kirova, 1 emiliyarober@mail.ru

In the works of composers of the twentieth century, the genre of choral concert is undergoing significant modifications. The creation of works takes place in new historical conditions, which resulted in stylistic diversity and genre instability ^{[1, p. 233]}. Modern spiritual and secular choral concerts, unlike party and classical examples of the genre, do not have a stable structure. The form of the composition, its length, the performing composition, the choice of means of musical expression and literary sources are set by the composers very individually.

The choral concert took one of the leading values in the work of Yuri Falik. He owns five concerts for mixed a cappella choir: "Trinity Day" to poems by M. Tsvetaeva (1987), "Poetry by Igor Severyanin" (1979), "Oh, Nature!" to poems by B. Pasternak (1988), "Pushkin Stanzas" (1998) and "Elegies" (2001) to poems by A. Akhmatova and N. Gumilev. Musicologist S. I. Khvatova refers these works to secular (non-church) concerts ^{[5, p. 9]}. Yu. Falik presented his own, new interpretation of the genre. The main essence of the concert is the display of virtuosity, high skill, that is, the principle of concertina. Falik's virtuosity is achieved through the instrumentalization of vocal melodies, the interpretation of choral parts as orchestral instruments, which contributes to a significant enrichment of funds. Cluster harmonies, dissonances, unexpected staccato and other unusual requirements for this genre lead to impressive effects.

In 1987, the composer turned to the poetry of Marina Tsvetaeva. The choral concert "Trinity Day" was based on three poems by the poetess, which made up the following parts of the work: "Kaluga Road", "Something in the mirror", "Comb, my comb ...". Following the folklore theme of Tsvetaeva's poems, Falik reproduces elements of folk tradition in the music of the choral concert. However, the composer does not resort to quoting, he creates stylizations by composing his own melodies.

The basis of the "Kaluga Road" part of the concert is Yu. Falik wrote the poem "Over the blue of the groves near Moscow." The first stanza of the poem performs a pictorial function, unfolding the landscape surrounding the heroine, a picture of a rainy day and blind wanderers wandering along the road. Tsvetaeva has the ability to draw an integral poetic picture in such a way, selecting local features of the landscape and the environment, which together recreates a certain cultural and historical flavor ^{[3, p. 50]}. The second part describes the state of the lyrical heroine, who is in harmony with the pilgrims, with nature and her faith. The poem is distinguished by its unhurried rhythmic structure, the length of metrical accents. The breadth of breathing is especially felt in the first two lines, since it is in them that there are no pauses, punctuation marks. The composer reproduces this feature by musical means, using a variable meter and a large 3/2 size. Tsvetaeva's sense of chant is facilitated by the use of alliteration — the frequent use of the "o" sound in the first two lines: "Over the blue of the groves near Moscow / The bell rain is falling." This feature was felt and emphasized by Yu. Falik due to the chants of the stressed syllable in the word "blue" and the last words in the lines "grove", "rain". In addition, wanting to depict the sound of rain, the poetess actively uses hissing sounds: "grove", "rain", "Kaluga".

Tsvetaeva also uses means referring to the folklore tradition. It is possible to note the repetition of the preposition "by" in the last line: "Along the old road along Kaluga", it creates a softness of intonation and rhythm. It is worth paying attention to the place of the epithets that follow after the word being defined: "on the way along Kaluga"; "dear — Kaluga — song — beautiful"; "Russian speech". This inversion technique is also a distinctive feature of the folk song genre. 

The seemingly uncomplicated plot of the poem "Over the blue of the groves near Moscow" reveals semantic diversity upon careful examination. The mood of holiness, the desire for pilgrimage and the general bright, calm state permeate every line. Sensitively following the figurative series, Falik manages to find such intonation material, which, on the one hand, illustrates the picture of archaic, religious Russia, and on the other hand, exactly corresponds to the inner state of the lyrical heroine.  The composer uses the poem without significant changes (he spends twice from the third to the sixth lines of the first stanza), but the semantic accents are placed by him in a different way. As a result, the boundaries of poetic stanzas and musical sections do not converge, and the structure of the musical material consists of four parts. The unhurried rhythmic structure of the poem also determines the tempo of the musical work — Lento, the continuity of melodic movement.

One of the main motifs of the poem is the motif of the road and wandering wanderers. In the second part of the miniature, the lines depicting blind people wandering along the road are repeated. The composer decides to literally depict their step, their movement due to the chanting of the text on the same sound and the stability of the rhythm. The pitch line, on the other hand, represents an upward movement along the semitones from d to fis, probably symbolically depicting forward movement.

Another motif that forms the basis of the first and fourth parts of the number is the image of a bell. In Tsvetaeva's poem, he is mentioned only once and in the form of an epithet, as a comparison of his sound with rain. For Falik, this motif becomes an impulse in creating the main theme. The melody is characterized by the persistence of motifs, movement by the sounds of chords, and metrorhythmic dimensionality. It can be assumed that the unusual structure of the melody — the "looped", rounded movement of the theme in the first bar by the eighths and the stop at the highest point of the melody on the half, is caused by the desire to reproduce the chime of bells. Bell sonority, humming is also supported by the performance of tenor and bass parts with a closed mouth.

The contrasts between the sections are formed due to the timbre distribution of the material. In the first part, the theme is presented in the soprano and tenor parts. The violas and basses sound on a sustained sound. Their connection is associated with the introduction of the motif of the "cross" in the viola part on the words "I will put on the cross". The movement of the melody symbolically outlines the contours of the cross, and tart harmonies of quartaccords and chords with side tones are formed between the voices.

In the second part, the soprano part is switched off. The main melodic line goes to the lower registers, tenors and basses, while the violas, on the contrary, get a part on a sustained sound.

The climax of the issue "Kaluga Road" falls on the third part. In the line "I will put a silver cross on my chest", Falik emphasizes the word "cross", highlighting it dynamically, textured and rhythmically: this is the first appearance of a dynamic shade of f orte in the work, the use of dense chord texture, movement in large durations. The further development of the third section restores the principle of the antithesis of choral parts, although it acquires a more complex character of the relationship of voices here. The main line of the melody is distributed between the soprano and tenor, the bass is based on a sustained sound, and the violas carry out the motif from the first movement. The fourth section of the form represents a thematic arch.

The second part of Falik's choral concerto, written on the poem "Something in the Mirror", contains a completely different character. In the poem, Tsvetaeva refers to folk vocabulary, namely the use and repetition of the particle "so-and-so", "yes", as well as the use of the vernacular "everyone". This composition by Tsvetaeva is distinguished by the dynamics of the development of the plot and rhythmic syllable. In contrast to the traditional notation, Tsvetaeva shifts the end of the sentence to the next line. As a result, the rapid movement of the verse is constantly interrupted, stumbles. In addition, each line is replete with punctuation marks, which also contributes to pausing, interrupting movement. Due to the transfer of the verb to the next line, the effect of isolation of this word arises, as if it is pronounced in jerks. Such a rhythmic malfunction is an intentional device, possibly aimed at creating a premonition of discord, future tragedy.

In the organization of the choir form, the composer follows in many ways  the structure of the poetic text, and the boundaries of musical sections often coincide with the boundaries of poetic stanzas. But Falik solves the problem of pausing in an unusual way. The second part of the concert is characterized by the rapidity of development, which is formed as a result of the choice of tempo and size (Allegretto, 2/4). The division into semantic sections is created by metric (frequent size changes) and thematic means. This is how the words "dressed up", "bored" and other verbs stand out. Falik conducts them twice and, when repeated, builds on a new motif. If the author of a poetic text has only rhythmic means in his arsenal, then the composer reinforces the contradiction not only at the expense of rhythm, but also at the pitch level. This new motif performs the same function as punctuation and graphics in the poetess's text.

Unlike Tsvetaeva's poem, Falik follows the path of increasing emotional tension and dramatic effects. This affects the more fractional division of the text into stanzas, and the greater emphasis on some words and phrases.  In addition, the composer enhances the tragedy, exacerbating the conflict between women and society, introducing an introductory section with a solo soprano, as well as referring to the principle of contrasting choral tutti and a separate soprano part in the last section. The form of the second part of the cycle consists of seven sections.

The opening section is a cantilevered melody in the spirit of a folk drawl, performed with a closed mouth by a solo soprano.  Falik introduces the narrative in the first person, creating the image of a lyrical heroine. In the seventh section of the number, similar material is formed, as evidenced by the improvisational nature, breadth of breathing, and smooth melodic deployment.

The peculiarities of the thematism of the number "Something in the Mirror" are due to the genre of Tsvetaeva's poetic text. It resembles fast speech, a patter, and even evokes associations with a ditto. This connection with folk speech is projected in the musical text, as well as in the features of thematic development.  The basis of the themes in each section is a motif, repeated and varied many times. Regarding the work with the theme, O. V. Tarasova notes that the composer actively uses "accentual variation of melodic motifs" ^{[4, p. 17]}. So, in the first section, the theme is built up of two terse motifs f-a, d-f. In addition, the meter is played, 3/4 and 2/4 alternate alternately. The choral staccato technique also sounds unusual here, which helps to emphasize the rhythmic sharpness of the sound.

The second and third stanzas are based on a similar motif in the volume of the septima. If the first stanza was completely in the diatonic mode, then in the subsequent ones the music is chromatized, the sounds b, as arise. They are formed in a passing downward movement. In the fourth section of the form, the composer introduces rhythmic variation. The new motif, with a volume of a quart and a length of two bars, retains its pitch, but its rhythmic characteristic is constantly changing. Together with the change in size, this variation forms a spectacular rhythmic game.

The fifth section of the form is colorful in theme, it illustrates the "howl of the Volga". The composer decides to literally depict the content of the poetic text by musical means. So, on the words "And on the third night / the Volga howled", glissando appears in the soprano and alto parts. An unusual sound is also created due to the movement of the fifths in the bass part. The climax of the number falls on the point of the golden section, on the words "Here you have beaver fur / Turkish silk!". By musical means, the composer highlights this moment with a dense chord texture and dynamic nuance ff. The following sections of the form act as a reprise. The choral texture is stratified into two layers. The first one takes place in lower registers on the words of the last stanza, based on the motif of the first stanza. The second textured layer embodies the lyrical heroine, whose image was outlined in the introductory section. The soprano solo part is based on a cantilevered melody of wide breathing, improvisational nature, reminiscent of long-drawn folk songs.

Tsvetaeva's poem "Scallop", which is the basis for the third part of the choral concert, is directly related to folk traditions.  This is a reproduction of folk spells, witchcraft rituals. The comb in the Slavic tradition is a talisman, the purpose of which is to ward off diseases, spoilage and the evil eye from the owner. In addition to this function, the comb had another magical property — it was used in love, love magic. In carrying out such magical actions, magic words were also spoken, which must be repeated many times. In this poem, the repetition of the phrase "Comb, my comb, my comb!" and the repetition of the structure are realized. However, it is the metric structure that is preserved to a greater extent than the repetition of the text itself. It is undergoing minor changes. So, at first the appeal sounds: "Comb, my comb, my comb!". It follows: "The strings are the teeth of my comb!", and in the end: "There is a golden comb in the world." Probably, in such a variation, the poetess recreates the features of oral creativity, which, as is known, was improvisational and variable in nature with the possibility of changing words, rearranging lines, supplementing or shortening the text.

The third part of the choral concert is the longest. To create the process of enchantment, incantation, the composer decides to reproduce the patter, the rapid speech characteristic of this kind of rituals. For this, a fast pace (Allegro vivace) is chosen, as well as the variational principle of material development. The composer conducts the stanzas twice, rearranges their sequence. If Tsvetaeva's stanza consists of two lines, then Falik's stanzas either retain this structure or increase to eight lines.

The musical material is formed into a form of five sections. Their boundaries are marked by cadence turns, pausing, as well as a change of subject matter. The melody of the first movement is characterized by movement along the sounds of chords. The structure of the seventh chord is formed not only horizontally, a small minor seventh chord makes up the vertical already in the first measure. The composer applies rhythmic variation. The folk character is also formed at the expense of the fret, based on la Dorian. The choral texture includes both tutti and the division into groups. It is worth noting the accompanying function of basses and tenors when they perform consonances to the syllables "Um-pa", which are sustained in ostinato. An imitation of instrumental playing is seen here.  At this time, the upper solo voice leads the main melodic line, thereby transforming the image of the lyrical heroine. The end of stanzas/lines is often marked by the use of glissando and chord techniques in percussion instruments. "Comb, my Comb" is the only miniature in which accompanying instruments appear.

The second and third parts develop the thematic material of the first. The range is gradually increasing, there are jumps to a wider septim interval, and the sound tissue is compacted. In the third part, imitation development techniques play an important role. Here, too, a cluster occurs, executed with the mouth closed. New theming appears in the following parts. The fourth section presents the ostinate holding of a three-stroke phrase, which gradually rises, capturing a new height and increasing the tempo, thereby pumping up tension. The composer smoothly prepares the climactic section, which comes in 146 bars on the words "There is no more wonderful comb in the world." He enters the fff, with the remark Con brio. The energy accumulated in the previous sections, in the fifth part of the miniature, is concentrated and splashed out to the fullest, maintaining tension until the last beat. The section is based on a three—bar motif that is close to the previous material. It is also aged ostinato until the end of the work. The composer completes the miniature with the first theme, which is carried out completely and almost unchanged. The number "Comb, my Comb" is distinguished by a variety of textural and timbre solutions, in which percussion instruments play an expressive role. A contrasting sequence of alternating tutti sections with ensemble sections is built, where the solo and accompanying functions can be distinguished. 

Based on the conducted research, the following conclusions can be drawn. Tsvetaeva's poetry turned out to be surprisingly consonant with the work of Yu. Falika. The versatility and imaginative richness of the poetess's poems were an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the composer. The choral concert "Trinity Day" by Falik demonstrates the organic implementation of the content of Tsvetaeva's compositions by musical means. At the same time, following the main idea of the author of the poetic text, the composer often places semantic accents in his own way. The result is a deep reading of the content of the poems, which allows us to reveal new facets of Tsvetaeva's work. Coming into contact with the folklore tradition, the composer creates his own melodies, similar in spirit to folk songs. The main principle of development is variation, or rather "accentual variation of melodic motifs" ^{[4, p. 17]}. Folk flavor is also formed due to tonal and fret solutions. On the one hand, the composer sometimes strives for natural-fret harmony (Dorian fret is found), diatonics, and fret variability, thereby forming iridescent sound patterns with frequent changes of melodic supports. On the other hand, techniques from the field of chromatics are also actively used. The composer also resorts to complex harmonies, various types of seventh chords that organize both vertically and horizontally, resulting in, at times, an unusual impressionistic sound. The reception of parallel fifths in the bass part or the movement of parallel triads is expressive. Thus, we also see the adherence to traditional means of folk music, as well as the composer's desire to give the work a fresh harmonic sound.

As E. Ruchevskaya correctly noted, "Falik's choir performs in different roles, in different roles: as one voice, as an ensemble, and as an orchestra" ^{[2, p. 65]}. The choral sound is represented by a bright palette of timbre and dynamic shades. The composer is fluent in the techniques of polyphonic choral texture. In the concert "Trinity Day", polyphonism has the nature of a Russian folk song with its characteristic sub-vocalization and development techniques. In addition, there are classical techniques — there are such polyphonic techniques as imitations and canon. The choral cycle "Trinity Day" by Y. Falik confirms the fact of the musicality of Tsvetaeva's poetry. The composer managed to find such structural, melodic, rhythmic techniques and musical means that not only illustrate the content of the poems, but also brighten it with new colors.