Sirash A. Chamber Choir Performance in Social and Cultural Space of Ukraine (the second half of the 20th — beginning of the 21st century)

The specificity of functioning of chamber choral art in Ukrainian cultural socium of the second part of the 20th — beginning of the 21st century is considered in the thesis. The impact of this unique branch of vocal performance on the processes of general cultural development of the period in question is revealed. The typological analysis of a chamber choir as an art phenomenon is made. A chamber choir’s attributive characteristics are identified by its comparison with a large choir and a vocal ensemble on the base of the conception of “chamber”. The analysis of specific features of a chamber choir is made with the help of the following criteria (classification features): quantitative composition (a basic comparative parameter, actually defining the typology of a chamber choir), qualitative composition, the degree of a collective’s mobility, sound and timbre capabilities, repertoire (or repertoire policy). On the basis of the comparative analysis of the typological features of a chamber choir its definition is formed. According to it, a chamber choir is a mixed or homogeneous vocal collective 12 to 40 performers; it’s characterized by high professional competence of each of the singers, large timbral capabilities, broad sonoric, agogic and dynamic range, ability to nuance, flexibility and mobility on the stage, repertoire variety by style and genre, diversity of the spheres of operation. Attеntion is also paid to the question of genesis of chamber choir performance art. The specifics of functioning of this art phenomenon is studied in the context of asynchronicity of the emergence of chamber choir itself and of a corresponding term’s advent: despite of several-century-history of small choirs’ actual existence, the specific name for them appeared circa six decades ago. It is much younger than the terms “chamber music” and “chamber orchestra” which appeared in the baroque era. The specifics of chamber choirs’ spread and functioning in the territory of Ukraine from the Middle-Ages to the beginning of the 20th century is considered. The historical and factologic material, concerning chamber choirs’ creative activities during the first half of the 20th century is analyzed. It was the time of their existence in the conditions of predominance of so called «large» choirs’ whose art potential was exploited as a powerful ideological and agitation instrument with the aim of certain social doctrines’ propaganda. The forms of chamber choirs’ functioning are treated. Such choirs existed as a musical component of the Temple Service at the beginning of the 20th century (before radical breaking of national choral singing’s historical traditions); then — as a basic component of vocal amateur performance after the October revolution. There6 also were small concert collectives. Among them: Ya. Stepovyi Ensemble (1919– 1924), “Yevokans” (a syllabic abbreviation; literally means: Jewish Vocal Ensemble, conductor — Ye. Sheinin (1929), “Zhinvokans” (literally means: Women’s Vocal Ensemble, conductor — V. Verkhovynets, 1930s).