Ukrainian Song in the System of Cultural and Artistic Codes

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to examine the specificity of cultural codes and musical codes through the example of the song genre. The research methodology combines general scientific methods with approaches of cultural studies and musicological analysis. The scientific novelty of the study lies in exploring the specificity of cultural and musical codes using the song genre as a case study. A cultural code is defined as information embedded in well-known and commonly accepted song genres. A musical code is understood as a type of artistic code that comprises a set of means of musical expression revealing the content of a song. Conclusions. Calendar-ritual songs are presented as a primary cultural code through ritual, cyclic time, and collectivity. The musical codes in these songs are characterised by stable formulaic patterns, repetition, and modality. In the lullaby “Oi khodyt son kolo vikon” (performed by K. Tsysyk), the cultural code of the genre is individualised, while the musical codes are oriented toward conveying calmness and smoothness. The humorous song “Oi na hori dva dubky” (performed by R. Kyrychenko) continues the tradition of revealing ritual codes through musical features of movement, play, and repetition with a humorous function. Contemporary songs (“Zlyva”, “Troiandy”, “Pazly”) make it possible to reveal the features of cultural codes, though transformed within mass culture. Archetypes of love, unity, and emotional experience are expressed through new musical codes (arrangement, rhythm, timbre). Despite their genre, stylistic, and temporal differences, the works under consideration demonstrate a common mechanism of song functioning as a cultural code, in which stable meanings (ritual, love, unity, emotional experience) are transmitted through variable musical codes adapted to specific historical and artistic contexts.