Images of Nature in the Choral Miniature of Western European Romantic Composers: Semantic Aspect

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to identify the artistic uniqueness of the semantic content of nature imagery in the Western European choral miniature of the Romantic era. The research methodology is based on a combination of semantic analysis (to decode musical symbolism), a hermeneutic approach (to interpret the philosophical content of landscape lyrics within the context of the Romantic worldview), and the the typological method (to identify the approaches of various composers to reflecting similar natural phenomena). The scientific novelty of the article is determined by an integrated approach to studying nature imagery as the structural and semantic centre of the Romantic choral miniature. For the first time, the article systematises the semantic field of “natural” symbols in choral writing (forest, night, the elements) and proposes a differentiated approach to choral phonics and agogics as key instruments for creating a soundscape in a cappella singing. Conclusions. The publication proves that nature in the Romantic choral miniature has evolved from a background decoration into a central semantic hub. It serves as a sacred space for self-discovery, where the concept of Waldeinsamkeit (forest solitude) becomes a benchmark for healing seclusion, and night mysticism acts as a medium for philosophical reflection. The semantics of these images are inextricably linked to specific musical formulas (harmonic colours, imitation of natural sounds, choral texture). The musical language of Romanticists in embodying nature imagery is based on deep psychologism. It has been established that the use of descending chromatics (passus duriusculus) and sudden tonal “chiaroscuro” (tertiary relationships) serves to convey the “emotional resonance” of the protagonist. Tone-painting in the scores of Western European Romantic composers carries an intellectual subtext, where the imitation of natural sounds (bells, horns, waves) symbolises memory or the inevitability of fate.