Chinese and Soviet oratorios of the 1930s and 1960s: parallels and intersections
Abstract
The author of the article compares the works of the oratorical genre created by composers of the Soviet Union and China during the period of totalitarianism, in order to comprehend the specifics of the genre's existence in the cultural and historical context of the declared era and create a foundation for further formation of a scientifically based picture of its functioning in Chinese culture. It is revealed that the formation of the genre took place in two stages. The systematization of data on Chinese oratorios created within the framework of each of them was carried out, chronologically attributed lists of compositions were formed indicating the authorship of the music and text. The study of musical material from a comparative historical perspective showed that, being alarge cyclic work for choir and orchestra, the oratorio was very difficult to master in the absence of a professional Western-type school of composition in the country, a developed tradition of choral and orchestral music making, however, it allowed us to solve significant tasks in the context of building a new state. Such genetic features of the genre as its belonging to the field of applied-interacting music and the initial focus on the mythologized word turned out to be decisive. The genre turned out to be organic for the collective national identity. The defining period for the formation of the Chinese version of the genre canon was the second period associated with the strengthening of friendly relations with the Soviet Union. This led the composers to turn to the Soviet model of the oratorio. The inevitable simplification of its content and musical style, caused by the need to meet the requirements of socialist realism, had a positive impact on the development of the genre in China, making it accessible for mastering at the stage of formation of the national school. A positive consequence of the ideological dictate was the attention of Chinese composers to the rich folklore heritage of various regions of the country, the elements of which are reflected in both the poetic and musical material of the compositions. Thanks to the genre of the oratorio, significant episodes of Chinese history were comprehended, which generally contributed to the enrichment of the world's artistic heritage.
About the Author
Wenjun Bi
Nizhny Novgorod State Conservatory named after M.I. Glinka
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Bi Wenjun, trainee assistant, specialty 5.10.3. Types of art (musical art) (art criticism), scientific advisor – Candidate of Arts, Associate Professor E.V. Pridanova
603005, Nizhny Novgorod
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Review
For citations:
Bi W. Chinese and Soviet oratorios of the 1930s and 1960s: parallels and intersections. ARTE. 2024;(4):47-54. (In Russ.)
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