Analyse av Modest P. Mussorgskijs sangproduksjon : "Kutsjka"-nasjonalisme, folkeidiomer og realisme

Abstract

This treatise is entirely devoted to Mussorgsky's song production; That part of the composer's total production, that presumably is the least influenced by that of other composers. The English song titles will be used throughout the thesis. The aim of this thesis is to use Mussorgsky's production as a starting point for summarizing the compositional characteristics of his song production. By looking at Mussorgsky's song production, this thesis will attempt to answer thrre research questions: i) how did Mussorgsky express the principles of ‘Moguchaya Kuchka’ in his music? ii) To what extent can Mussorgsky's songs be said to belong to realism? iii) What is the essence of Mussorgsky as a vocal composer? It is claimed in A History of Russian Music that Mussorgsky was not only a misunderstood genius, but that it was precisely Mussorgsky who succeeded best in fully realizing the group's ideals. The composer was very concerned with the situation of the Russian serfs, which is perhaps reflected in his song production? The analysis part will be divided into five parts, broken down into the standalone songs and the four cycles Youthful Years, The Nursery, Sunless and Songs and Dances of Death. The analysis will be presented chronologically, with the earliest works, Youthful Years, first. The 'stand-alone songs' chapter will overlap with the three last cycles in time, as some of the individual songs were written before, between and after these cycles.