Features of symbolism and modernity in the piano work of S.V. Rachmaninov: on the example of Etude-painting op. 39 № 5

INTRODUCTION. Etude-painting op. Sergei Rachmaninov’s 39 No. 5 in E-flat minor was the composer’s last composition completed in Russia before emigrating. The principles of modernity (ornamentation, the cult of refined beauty, the intrinsic value of texture) are embedded in the musical fabric of this work and symbolism (the multiplicity of figurative content, the idea of art synthesis, and understatement), the more important it is to turn to a comprehensive analysis of the Art Nouveau style and the aesthetics of symbolism in Rachmaninov’s piano work. The purpose of the study is to prove the hypothesis of a deep connection between the musical language of the Sketch and the painting op. 39 No. 5 with the artistic principles of Art Nouveau and symbolism, which confirms the synthetic nature of the composer’s style.

METHODS AND METHODOLOGY. A set of musicological methods has been used: a holistic musical and theoretical analysis, a historical and cultural approach, and a comparative stylistic analysis to identify the specifics of the implementation of stylistic features of the era.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. The specific elements of the musical fabric of the sketch are analyzed and systematized, revealing the features of Art Nouveau (ornamentation of texture, intrinsic value of sound matter) and symbolism (multidimensional figurative content, harmonic variability). It is established that the dramaturgy of the play, built on contrast and the absence of positive resolution, reflects the key worldviews of the era – tragic premonition and existential crisis. The methodological approach formed and the conclusions obtained can be applied in further musicological studies of the work of Rachmaninov and his contemporaries, as well as in pedagogical practice in the study of Russian music at the turn of the 19–20 centuries.

CONCLUSION. Etude-painting op. 39 No. 5 is an organic synthesis of the late romantic tradition and new stylistic trends, where the principles of Art Nouveau and symbolism become decisive for the composer’s artistic expression in a crucial historical period, organically translating the philosophical depth and complex imaginative sphere of his time.

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