DIALOGUE BETWEEN CHINESE POETRY AND THE EUROPEAN MUSICAL TRADITION IN THE ART SONG (A CASE STUDY OF HUANG ZI’S «TA XUE XUN MEI»)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the dialogue between the Chinese poetic tradition and European musical aesthetics within the genre of the Chinese art song, using Huang Zi’s Ta Xue Xun Mei as a case study. The research seeks to expand the international vocal repertoire by incorporating Chinese art songs and to establish a methodological foundation for their more expressive and stylistically authentic performance. Particular attention is paid to overcoming the language barrier that often prevents Western performers from engaging with this repertoire. The song Ta Xue Xun Mei by one of the leading Chinese composers of the early twentieth century, Huang Zi, was selected for analysis. Despite his significant influence on the formation of China’s national vocal school, his oeuvre remains insufficiently studied in Western musicology. Methodology. The article employs an integrated methodological approach combining historical-stylistic, structural- analytical, and comparative methods. A detailed analysis of the poetic text and the musical realization of Ta Xue Xun Mei is undertaken, examining its modal-intonational, rhythmic, textural, and semantic-imagery features. The analysis is based on both the musical score and the works of contemporary Chinese and Western music scholars, allowing for an exploration of the interaction between traditional Chinese poetry and European compositional techniques. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the development of an interpretative and performance- oriented approach to the Chinese art song addressed to singers who do not speak Chinese. For the first time in Ukrainian musicological scholarship, a comprehensive analysis of a song by Huang Zi is proposed that takes into account the poetic source, the phonetic specificity of Putonghua, and the vocal practice of the Western bel canto tradition. Literal and poetic translations of the text are provided, along with practical transcriptions based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and the pinyin system. Conclusions. The study demonstrates that the Chinese art song is a unique phenomenon of intercultural synthesis in which ancient Chinese poetry and the European musical tradition are organically combined. The proposed analytical and performance-oriented approach contributes to a deeper understanding of the stylistic features of this repertoire and creates preconditions for its more active inclusion in international concert and pedagogical practice. Familiarity with works such as Ta Xue Xun Mei opens new artistic horizons for singers and researchers and encourages further exploration of Chinese vocal culture.