"Bifunctional code" of chamber activity as a semantic approach to instrumental ensemble genres

Abstract

Purpose of the research is to identify of genesis of the concept of chamber activity, to study transformation processes of the chamber phenomenon in instrumental ensemble genres and to substantiate semantic and style ambivalence of chamber activity as a genre phenomenon. Methodology. There are philosophical-aesthetic and historical-cultural methods, as well as retrospective and comparative methods for studying the development of chamber instrumental genres and ensemble music-making used in the research. Scientific novelty. For the first time chronotopic and semantic "universality" of the chamber category has been determined. Chamber activity in instrumental and ensemble art appears as a multi-level phenomenon: according to the conditions of performance, quantitative/qualitative structure, expressive means, semantic parameters and acoustic-spatial indicators. Conclusions. Semantic chamber  characteristics, born in Baroque era, exist as a genetic "core" in the varieties of chamber-ensemble creativity and, by adding new qualities typical to every new historical era, they do not lose their fundamental principles, combining common-trivial, elevated-sacred, amateur-playing and professional-performing, chamber-intimate and concert-overemotional. Instrumental ensemble genres have a tremendous potential of quantitative-instrumental and qualitative-timbral variability, as well as a wide range of artistic possibilities for the embodiment of all, sometimes totally opposite features of chamber semantics. In 20th- 21st centuries having experienced the influence of many artistic and aesthetic trends, chamber instrumental ensemble genres continue revealing their new expressive possibilities at the new stage of their historical development, preserving its genetic genre chamber code as the orientation into the higher spiritual sphere. Keywords