PECULIARITIES OF THE RHYTHM AND MELODY OF THE ICONIC UKRAINIAN MILITARY MARCHES

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify the peculiarities of metro-rhythmic figures and melodic models of famous Ukrainian military marches in musical forms that implement the artistic and aesthetic intent. The research methodology combines comparative historical and theoretical musicological methods. Scientific novelty. The article is the first to analyse the metro-rhythmic elements and melodic models of military marching compositions: "Zaporizhzhia March", Sich march "Hey there on the mountain Sich is going", "We are Haidamaks", Ukrainian nationalists' march "We were born in the great hour", "For Ukraine". It is concluded that all these marching military musical pieces are united by a single idea to set the soldiers in a courageous stoic mood. It is found that in the "Zaporizhzhia March" the key role is given to the dotted rhythm, which gives the work an emotional character, while emphasising the elements of syncopated rhythm in the first part. The attention is focused on the fact that this march is written in two-part form. Its rhythmic pattern and measured tempo do not change throughout the work. Each presentation of the musical material of "Zaporizhzhia March" from the very first notes keeps the listener in suspense, preparing for the next bars. The alternation of different durations of 8:16:2 and syncopated rhythm give the work an emotional character. The peculiarities of the interweaving of ascending and descending triads in the "Zaporizhzhia March" are determined, which are distinguished by overlaps with octave jumps, indicating the cheerful nature of the composition. The ascending tetrachords in the march composition "We are Haidamaks", which lead to a musical and verbal culmination, are highlighted, in contrast to the march song "Hey, there on the mountain Sich is coming" with descending tetrachords and an octave jump. The expressive ascending leaps of quartets and sextets add solemnity to the final steady cadence. The measured tempo of the two-part scheme and the sharp dotted rhythm inherent in marching music express the emotional component of this work. The march of Ukrainian nationalists "We were born in a great hour" explores the twelve-bar presentation of musical material in the four-bar minor key, which from the first phrase develops the melodic ascending line of the work. The descending quintuple leaps of the dotted rhythm in it prepare smoother ascending quartet leaps that give the melody a bravura colouring. It is established that despite the small number of phrases framed by a dotted rhythm, the spirit of marching is still felt, accentuating individual words that emphasise their meaning with the sharpness of sound.