Maksym Rylsky and Music: Aspects of the research problem

Abstract

The article considers the issue “M. T. Rylsky and Music”, which has not been comprehensively studied for the last 50 years. The 125th anniversary of the birth of the poet, translator, scientist, and public figure has caused a surge of interest in his life and work. It is emphasized that research of this topic acquires practical significance in view of the approval of new school programs.

It was noted that the topic “Rylsky and Music” was first addressed by scholars of Institute of Art Studies, Folklore and Ethnology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in a collective monograph (1969). Since then, musicologists have explored only on some aspects of it. A comprehensive review of the musical vectors of M. Rylsky’s life. Moreover, some of their aspects are considered and briefly described.
It was stated that poetry and music accompanied M. Rylsky throughout his life, although only poetry became as a profession. He had a fine sense of music, played the piano (studied with M. Lysenko who had a great influence on Rylsky’s worldview), was a sensitive accompanist.

In fact, M. Rylsky spoke several foreign languages, therefore he translated many opera arias and romances and songs by V. Mozart, J. Brahms, R. Schumann, F. Schubert, and others.

It was traced that M. Rylsky as the head of the literary part of the Kyiv Opera and Ballet Theatre took part in the project of the “new Ukrainian opera”: he wrote the libretto of the operas “Khvesko Andiber” by V. Zolotarev, “Shchors” by S. Zhdanov and B. Liatoshynsky; “Stolen Happiness” by Yu. Meitus, “Crimson Stars” by G. Zhukovsky. In addition, M. Rylsky translated into Ukrainian the libretto of the operas “Dawn over the Dvina” by Yu. Meitus, “The First Spring” by G. Zhukovsky, as well as Western European and Russian classics. He also edited “Zaporozhets on the Danube" by S. Hulak-Artemovsky, all operas by M. Lysenko, and others. A separate page of creativity consists of art criticism articles, reviews, studies.

It was found out that different generations of Ukrainian composers turned to M. Rylsky’s poetry for more than a hundred years: they wrote solo songs, vocal ensembles, choirs, cantatas and oratorios, music for children, mostly lyrical (feelings, mood, landscape, etc.).

It was concluded that the presented aspects of the topic “Rylsky and Music” allow not only to realize the importance of the poetic heritage of M. Rylsky, but also to rethink it in a new way. It increases the significance of Rylsky’s creative work and proves the uniqueness of his figure in Ukrainian and world culture.