The thesis represents a complex research of interpretation of Ukrainian partes music in the terms of Historically Informed Performance. The authentic interpretation implied original sound of the composition intended by the author. Thus, such interpretations were built on the knowledge of performance practice of the definite historical period, retrieved from musical treatises of the time. The epoch, which attracted the most attention of historically informed performers, was baroque. One of the most important mind-sets of baroque period was regarding music as divine art, its main function was to nurture, transform, and elevate the human hearts. Baroque artists developed the theory of musical affects that is a wide range of feelings embodied in music and to be understood and embraced by listeners. Due to this idea the rhetorical means were applied to music. The musical rhetorical figures were formed and learned, and the special semantics was expected to be retrieved from the composition. The exemplary image of professional musician was formed with emphasis on high requirements to his personality, musical taste, knowledge, and technique in their integrity.
Ukrainian baroque music is mainly represented by partes works. The partes singing was cultivated in monasteries, metropolitan residences, and educational centres that is brother’s schools, collegiums, and in Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. In the music lessons students had been taught singing, musical notation, and musical theory, and had mastered their musical instruments at leisure time. The partes singing was cultivated in Lutsk, Ostrog, Lviv, Univ, Pochaiv, Kyiv, Chernivtsi, Kharkiv, and Pereyaslav.
The correlation between verbal semantics and its musical realization is a significant attribute of musical expression in partes works. That is why the rhetorical perception of musical language of the compositions is absolutely necessary to understand and interpret this music. The scientific novelty of the research is a characteristic of rhetorical style of both composers, and the selection of mutual means which represent the national version of rhetorical language in partes works. Rhetorical tools in M. Dyletskyj’s compositions are more emphatic, while the concerts of I. Domaratskyj reveal the structural and didactical functions of rhetoric. Both composers personified Biblical characters using different elements of musical language. The mutual attribute of their rhetorical style is an intentional special meaning of definite kind of musical development. For example, the symbolic embodiment of quantity was represented by polyphonic structure (especially imitative polyphony), and the symbol of eternity was a complex of chords – the descending parallel triads.
Each performance of the early music work should include the redaction of the musical text prepared by the performer (conductor) himself as it was usual for baroque performance practice. Expressional means, decision on which is deduced from the theoretical research, are tempo, correlation between tempo and meter changes, musical articulation, general dynamics, and finally, quantity and disposition of musicians. The tempo correlations in meter changes can be realized in several different ways, each in correspondence with musical and verbal context. Such correlations can be measured by proportions, by identical rhythmic motive, similarly to the modern metro-rhythmic practice, and in the manner described in the anonymous treatise «Proportion». The musical articulation in partes works should reflect the thoughtful reproduction of verbal text. It concerns the phrasing, combination of the touches, application of the articulation rests, rhythm and melodic accentuation. On the junction of musical articulation and dynamics lays the sound effect called messa di voce. This expressional tool was inherent for baroque sound emission and voice-leading furthermore, it also highlighted the contrast in melodic and rhythmic development of different choral parts. The most natural for partes music is the contrast dynamics. Historically informed interpretation implies also a special account of acoustics. The space of the stage (or other concert room) has to be filled with sound stereophonically through the disposition of performers, special dynamic effects and expressive musical articulation.
The scientific novelty of the research is a formulation of an algorithm of learning and performing the partes music by the modern conductor. This process includes knowledge from early treatises and practical experience of historically informed performers. The results might be used in the subsequent studies of Ukrainian partes music, baroque performance, and musical rhetoric (especially the rhetoric in Ukrainian music of the 17th and 18th centuries). The described pattern of interpretation of partes works might be also applied into performances of Ukrainian choirs and ensembles, as well as into educational programs for choral conductors.
