Ukrainian "Children’s" Piano Concerto: Genre Specificity, Development Trends

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to determine the main features and reveal the peculiarities of the development and functioning of the Ukrainian piano concerto genre as a component of the children’s pedagogical repertoire. The research methods are based on the use of an integrated approach, including the historical method, which allows us to study the development of the genre in chronological sequence; the comparative method – in order to identify and compare the individual characteristics of the music of the selected authors; the analytical method – to reveal the performance and genre-stylistic aspects of the samples of the genre of “children’s” piano concerto. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that the genre of the Ukrainian “children’s” piano concerto has become the object of a holistic musicological analysis. Although there are many works in the musicological literature devoted to piano works for children (cycles, albums), no specialised articles have been found that deal in detail with the children’s piano concerto in Ukrainian music. This indicates the prospects for further research in this area, including an analysis of existing works, their genre and style features, and pedagogical value. Conclusions. At the present stage, the genre of the “children’s” piano concerto is widespread as a component of the pedagogical student repertoire. In the Ukrainian music of the twentieth century, the main traditions of this genre were formed, laid down by I. Berkovych and M. Silvanskyi, which were creatively reinterpreted by a galaxy of composers of the following generations. In addition to the obvious features of the genre that distinguish it from the so-called “adult” or “mature” Ukrainian piano concerto (concertos written for professional performers), including, first of all, technical accessibility of the material, smaller textual volume, use of low-key tonalities and a range of images interesting for young performers. Specific differences at the present stage are also manifested in a significant orientation towards classical-romantic traditions in the genre of the “children’s” concerto (as opposed to the “adult” one), relative ease in finding a “first performer” (due to the simplicity of the text, the predominant transparency of the textual canvas), and a significant difference in composers who work in the genres of the “children’s” and “adult” piano concerto. The genre of the “children’s piano concerto” is best understood by a composer who is a piano teacher, and they are mainly the authors of contemporary piano concertos for children.