Download article
Authors
Gulnar Abdirakhman
PhD in Arts, Professor, Musicology and Composition Department
Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory
Kazakhstan
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9803-0969Article information
Article publication date
2023-09-26
Article Page
49–62
Chapter
Arts & Humanities
License
Abstract
The article is aimed at determining the reliability of the information available on the Internet and in the Yapurai documentary film, shot by the Kazakhfilm Kazakh State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company in 1992, that the great Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff used in his last opus – Symphonic Dances – the melody
of the Yapurai Kazakh folk song in modern Kazakh musical practice, this striking example of Kazakh folklore has occupied a special place and, due to its wide popularity and frequent use as a source for adaptation, has acquired the status of a “symbol” of Kazakh lyrical song. The song was first recorded by the famous musical ethnographer Alexander Zatayevich and published in his musical and ethnographic collection “1000 Songs of the Kazakh People” in 1925. Study of archival materials and correspondence between Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexandr Zatayevich made it possible to verify that Alexandr Zatayevich, driven by the idea of giving unique examples of Kazakh folklore “worldwide expansion”, sent out his collection to the most famous musicians and cultural figures of his time. Among them was S. Rachmaninoff who had friendly relations with him and a longterm
communication. The ethnographer's archival statements confirmed that the figure of S. Rachmaninoff had to occupy the key place in solving the problem of the widest dissemination of Kazakh folk songs. The musicological analysis undertaken in the article of the musical texts of the Symphonic Dances and the Yapurai folk song recorded by A. Zatayevich revealed the presence of common intonations in them. The study of the ideological content of Rachmaninoff’s last opus confirmed that the conscious “reference” to Yapurai in the alto saxophone theme from the first part of the work is quite real and corresponds to the general concept of the final work of the Russian composer.
Keywords
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Alexander Zatayevich
Yapurai Kazakh Folk Song
“Symphonic Dances”
“1000 Songs of the Kazakh People”
References
Aravin, Yu. Muzykalnoe nasledie kazakhov – garmoniya vysokogo i vechnogo [orig. Russian: The Musical Heritage of the Kazakhs – the Harmony of the Spiritual and Eternal: Journalistic Material] // Kazinform International News Agency. – 23.09.2023. – [Digital source] URL: http://www.inform.kz/ru/yu-aravin-muzykal-noe-naslediekazahov-garmoniya-vysokogo-i-vechnogo_a2699390 [access date: 10.09.2023].
Daulbayeva, A. K.; Abdirakhman G. Narodnaya pesnya Yapurai – liricheskij simvol Kazakhskoj muzyki [orig. Russian: Yapurai Folk Song is Lyrical Symbol of Kazakh Music] // Scientific Community of Students. Interdisciplinary Research / compiled by Natalya Dmitriyeva. – Novosibirsk: SibAK, 2016. – PP. 91–96.
Dernova, V. P. Kazakhskaya narodnaya muzyka v adaptaciyakh A. V. Zatayevicha [orig. Russian: Kazakh Folk Music in Adaptations by A. V. Zatayevich] // A. V. Zatayevich. Issledovaniya, vospominaniya, pisma i dokumenty [orig. Russian: A. V. Zatayevich. Research, Memoirs, Letters and Documents]. – Alma-Ata: KGIHL, 1958. – PP. 95–133.
Erzakovich, B. G. Pesennaya kultura kazakhskogo naroda [orig. Russian: Song Culture of the Kazakh People]. – Almaty: Nauka, 1966. – 401 p.
Fisk, C. Nineteenth-Century Music? The Case of Rachmaninoff // 19th-Century Music. – 2023. – Vol. 31. – No. 3. – PP. 245–265.
Grachev, V. N. O hudozhestvennom mire “Simfonicheskikh tancev” S. V. Rakhmaninova [orig. Russian: About the Artistic World of Rachmaninoff’s “Symphonic Dances”] // SLOVO. – 10.10.22. – [Digital source] URL: https://www.portal-slovo.ru/art/36039.php [access date: 10.10.23 ].
Kravtseva, O. A. “Simfonicheskie tancy” S. V. Rakhmaninova. Programmnost' proizvedeniya i ego simvolika (2012g.) [orig. Russian: “Symphonic Dances” by S. V. Rachmaninoff. Programming of the Work and its Symbolism (2012)] // Personal Site of Kravtseva Olga Alexandrovna – 10.08.15. – [Digital source] URL: https://xor-piano.ru/симфонические-танцы-с-в-рахманинова/ [access date: 10.10.23 ].
Levitskaya, I. K. Zhivye dragocennosti: Dokumental'naya povest' ob Aleksandre Viktoroviche Zatayeviche, kompozitore, ehtnografe, otkryvshem miru nevedomuyu dotole stranu prekrasnogo [orig. Russian: Living Jewels: A Documentary Story about Alexander Viktorovich Zatayevich, a Composer, Ethnographer Who Discovered a Hitherto Unknown Country of Beauty to the World]. – Alma-Ata: Zhalyn, 1976. – 232 p.
Lyakhovich, A. V. Simvolika v pozdnikh proizvedeniyakh Rakhmaninova: monografiya [orig. Russian: Symbolism in the Late Works of Rachmaninoff: Monograph]. – Tambov: Pershina R. V. Publishing House, 2013. – 184 p.
S. Rachmaninov. Literaturnoe nasledie. Tom 1. Vospominaniya. Stat'i. Interv'yu. Pisma. [orig. Russian: S. Rachmaninoff. Literary Legacy. Volume 1. Memories. Articles. Interview. Letters.] / ed. and comp. by Z. A. Arapetyan – Moscow: Sovetsky kompozitor, 1978. – 648 p.
S. Rachmaninov. Literaturnoe nasledie. Tom 2. Vospominaniya. Stati. Intervyu. Pisma. [orig. Russian: S. Rachmaninoff. Literary Legacy. Volume 2. Memories. Articles. Interview. Letters.] – Moscow: Sovetsky kompozitor, 1980. – 583 p.
The Poetry of Music by Sergei Rachmaninoff // Bank of Russia – 13.02.23. – [Digital source] URL: https://www.cbr.ru/press/pr/?id=38296 [access date: 10.06.2023]. Walsh, S. Sergei Rachmaninoff 1873–1943// Tempo. – 2023. – No. 105. – PP. 12–21.
“Yapyrai”. Film ob Aleksandre Zatayeviche [orig. Russian: Yapurai. Documental Movie about Alexander Zatayevich] // Arman Karabayev. – 23.02.2013. [Digital source] URL: https://youtu.be/s_NvmYh_mpo?si=W4jeZM314-5LY4Sb [access date: 30.06.2023].
Zatayevich, A. V. 1000 pesen kazakhskogo naroda [orig. Russian: 1000 Songs of the Kazakh People]. – Almaty: Daik-Press, 2002. – 378 p.
Published:
2023-09-26
Дата подачи:
2023-10-18
Journal number
№ 3
Volume
11
Download article