Karmazin A. The national history in artistic images as the essence of Mykhailo Verykivsky's composer creativity

The dissertation is devoted to the study of creative thinking of M. Verykivsky (1896-1962) and the determinism of its essence by national-historical themes. The relevance of the research topic is determined, firstly, by the introduction into scientific circulation of the concept "paradigm of national-historical themes of M. Verykivsky's work" and, secondly, by studying the manifestation of the paradigm of national-historical themes in the composer’s work. The main direction of the research is determined by specifics of the chosen topic: from periodization of Mykhailo Verykivsky's creative path in the context of national-historical themes to orchestration by the author of the dissertation of Piano Concerto with orchestra, which fully allows to objectively assess the artist's work, his significant contribution to the national musical culture. National-historical themes proved to be the core of a holistic synthesis of the composer’s worldview and thinking, covering all genre layers of creativity. There was a gradual formation of the paradigm of national-historical themes of M. Verykivsky's work, in which the experience and traditions of predecessors and older contemporaries of the artist (M. Lysenko, M. Mussorgsky and K. Stetsenko) became one of the prerequisites for its creation. Family upbringing and artistic atmosphere of Kremenets were the starting point in the formation of the paradigm of national-historical themes of M. Verykivsky's work. The historical past of the Ukrainian people was for the composer a pervasive direction of creativity. The periodization of M. Verykivsky's creative path allows us to trace the changes in the attitude to the history of Ukraine in general and to its reflection in works of art. The basis of the paradigm of national-historical themes of M. Verykivsky's work is a set of his knowledge, values and beliefs, which determine the semantic concept of the formation of artistic image-thematic sphere. Its features: retrospectiveness of composer’s thinking, the predominance of the past over the present and the future; awareness of the need to address national-historical issues in the difficult conditions of a totalitarian society; dominance of national-historical themes in all periods of creativity; embodiment of national-historical themes in all genre spheres, especially choral, opera and instrumental music; reliance on folklore, appeal to its archaic and autochthonous strata; programmatic thinking as a constant principle of full-fledged creative representation. The choral fantasy "Haidamaky", the program cycle of piano pieces "Volyn watercolors" and the Concert for piano and orchestra are considered. These works, given the leading general importance in the artist’s work, by their features embody various internal directions of the national-historical themes of the composer: "Volyn's" local lore and ethnography, of the author's musical Shevchenko and musical-instrumental direction in the purest "form".