Notion “Genre Type” as the Metalіngual Unit of the Modern Musical Theory

Bohdan Siuta

Information about the author: Doctor of Musicology, Vice-Rector, Professor of Kyiv Art Academy

e-mail: syuta@ukr.net.

Title: Notion “Genre Type” as the Metalіngual Unit of the Modern Musical Theory

Rubric: Terminology of Social and Economic Sciences

Language: Ukrainian

Abstract: The notion “genre type” is actual metalіngual unit of the modern musicology and musical theory. The theoretical comprehension of this term is connected with the problem of the theory of the musical genre, which is actual for contemporary musicology. This term (as far as its correspondences in musicological discourse of the countries of Eastern, Central and Western Europe) in Ukrainian musicology is still totally uncertain and not codified. This creates an obvious metalіngual lacuna. In the adequate theoretical representation, the term “genre type” outlines the higher level of the hierarchical category of the speech genre, which combines the characteristics of the speech and creative genres in music.

Since the end of the 19th century phenomena musical forms / models / patterns (song form, form of rondo, etc.) and the content of music are the subject of studying and classification within the academic discipline “The doctrine of the musical form”. And in relation to the studying of genre types, other criteria are the determining factors: performance composition (instrumental, vocal, vocal-instrumental, musical and theatrical work), text, functions, place of execution, structure of construction. Additional factors of the systematic classification are periods (such as the Renaissance, Baroque, Viennese classicism) and styles (respectively, genres).

The process of emancipation of functional music (which had certain social functions) determined the emergence in the 20th century so called “pure music”, almost unrelated to the primary circumstances of origin and existence.

In 20th century composers begin to avoid the narrow qualifications of “genres” and established “genre types” and create “hybrid mixed forms” within the usual “classical genre types” (such as chamber symphony) or with the involvement of other types of art (for example, performances as a mixed form of art based on singing action of dance, theatre and music). In the middle of the 20th century began to differentiate musical-creative and musical-language genres within the T. Adorno’s classification of music practices for E-music, U-music and F-music. However, in contemporary Ukrainian musicology we have not a general acceptance of theoretical and methodological principles for the demarcation of classical music and entertainment. Accordingly, there is no proper musicology terminology.  Working out of approaches and convincing criteria of the decision of these difficult theoretical and practical issues still continues. In connection with this, the necessity of introducing into the scientific circle the concept of “genre type”, as well as comprehension of its musical and speech nature is actualized.

Keywords: musical-creative genre, musical-speech genre, genre type, genre functions, functional music, musical communication.

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