The Stylistic Palette of Songs of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen’s Struggle: Features of Melody and Poetics

Abstract

The purpose of the work is to present the stylistic palette of songs of the Ukrainian struggle during the Ukrainian liberation struggle of the 1910s–1920s; to analyse the significance of song compositions by the Sich riflemen for state building; to form a value-orientation position regarding the understanding of the place and role of song heritage in the cultural identity of the nation. Research methodology. The basis is an interdisciplinary approach, which allowed for a comprehensive understanding of the aspects of the creation and dissemination of wartime songs of the 1910s–1920s by referring to cultural, art, sociological, and musicological sources. The personal approach allowed us to comprehensively present the creative personalities of the authors of songs of the Ukrainian struggle, participants in military formations of the specified war period. Scientific novelty. The art historical, cultural, and musicological characteristics of the songs of the Ukrainian struggle of the period of the liberation struggles of the early 20th century have been clarified through a broad understanding of the revolutionary discourse of the songs of the Sich riflemen. Conclusions. The battle songs of the Sich riflemen are of unique importance for the preservation and reproduction of the polyphonic song heritage of both military and social themes in the 1910s–1920s. The birth of rifle songs was facilitated by real events, facts, names, and incidents from the lives of the ususus (soldiers of the military formations of the USS – Ukrainian Sich Riflemen), which became the themes of poetic, mostly romance, canto-like, hymns, passing on to subsequent generations vivid memories of the glorious past of riflemen. The songs of the Sich riflemen were a source of inspiration for raising fighting spirit, growing Ukrainian patriotism, creating military vocal and instrumental folklore, and for transmitting to the new generation authentic riflemen’s melodies, third sound, semantics, and marching marching music for the folk orchestras of the USS. The song heritage of the Sich riflemen is an inexhaustible source for imitation in the time of the modern struggle of Ukrainians against the Russian invader.