“In memoriam”: vision of the composer by V. Sylvestrov and M. Popov

Abstract

The trends in the sacred music of Ukraine in the first decades of the twenty-first century, using the example of modern composers as a case study are highlighted in the article. The research is devoted to he study is devoted to major contemporary works of the vocal and choral genre that include the Latin word-phrase “in memoriam” (“in memory of <…>”) in their titles: “In memoriam” by Valentyn Silvestrov for a cappella choir (2020) and “Messa-memoria” by Mykola Popov for soloists, choir and orchestra (2017). While in M. Popov the word memoriam is added to the genre of mass clearly defined by the composer, in V. Silvestrov the signs of the genre are hidden by the generalized title “In memoriam”, although in its structure (five out of nine parts – № 1 “Requiem”, № 2 “Lacrimosa”, № 4 “Requiem aeternam”, № 5 “Agnus Dei”, № 7 “Lacrimosa”) and the content of the work is entirely in the tradition of the requiem. Both works represent the characteristic features of the composer’s vision when addressing one common word-image “memoriam”. The attention is focused on specific approaches in the composers’ construction of the musical form of mass/requiem as receptive genres, their subjective vision of them in the combination of Latin, Old Slavonic and Ukrainian languages. “Messa in memoria” by M. Popov, dedicated to the memory of the composer’s wife, represents the author’s understanding of the concept of the traditional mass, subjectifying it and focusing on personal experiences. “In memoriam” by V. Silvestrov is dedicated not to the memory of a particular loved one, but the mass victims of the events of the Revolution of Dignity in 1914. The whole work is united by a common figurative and meaningful atmosphere of deep lyricism, reflection and prayer.