Unknown impressionism

Borys Lyatoshyns`ky (1894, Zhytomyr – 1968, Kyiv) – Ukrainian composer, conductor, teacher. He has graduated Kyiv University (1918), at the same time he has been studing composition under Reingold Glier in Kyiv Conservatory (graduated 1919). After the Second World War he worked as a professor of composition at the above conservatory. He is one of the founders of the modern Ukrainian composer`s school (he tought such composers as Valentyn Silvestrov, Leonid Hrabovs`ky, Myroslav Skoryk, Lesya Dychko, Ivan Karabyts` and others). He has written two operas, five symphonies, three poems for symphony orchestra, works for chamber ensembles, pieces for piano, romances, arrangements of folk songs.

Lyatoshyns`ky studied composition under Reingold Glier in Kyiv Conservatory and I think that his early, student works yet are full of Russian composers influence – Borodin, Glazunov, Tchaikovsky, Rakhmaninov, Scriabin because their music occupied dominating place in concert programs. Their creative manners were very popular example for imitation at that time. At the end of Lyatoshyns`ky`s studying in his first symphony we can feel Scriabin`s influence¹⁷ (not in ideological direction but only in affecting on sound peculiarities). This work became a turning-point in Lyatoshyns`ky`s development who from the beginning of the 20s gradually has been gotten free himself from alien influences and started demonstrating peculiar author`s manner.

Active Lyatoshyns`ky`s participation in work of AMM¹⁸ was an important catalyst in a process of crystallization of his individual music language¹⁹. A range of Lyatoshyns`ky`s music images changes: here expressive and very tense passions occupy the main place, they are brought together in critical contradiction, sometimes in antagonism.

Correspondingly his music language experiences radical renewal. Instead of diatonicism the composer “appeals to chromatising of modal systems”²⁰, through which in some works of this period a tonal center actually is absent or disguised. The base of harmony is not formed of triads but it`s formed of seventh chords, ninth chords, chords of non-triad structure, compound sound complexes consisted of several layers. Accordingly a melodic line became more broken and tense, acquired sharp contours. For its interval structure there are typical jumps on the tritone, major seventh, major and minor ninth. In general in the 20s Lyatoshyns`ky`s style has drawn together with Expressionism although without extreme manifestation (exaggeration of horror pictures or the passions of powerless obedience to faith).

At the same time we can observe a tendency to impressionistic strivings in the works of 1922–1926s. They are naturally blended in general situation of the 1920s Lyatoshyns`ky`s works, thus here was shown peculiarity of Impressionism principles interpretation by composer. In my opinion next works concern to Impressionism. There are circle “Moon Shadows” – four romances op. 9 (1923, poems by Verlaine, Sievierianin, Balmonte, Wild), Two romances op. 10 “My dreams in loneliness fade”, “Moon” (1924, poems by Shelley in translation by Balmonte), romance “Ozymandia” op. 15 (1924, poem by Shelley in translation by Balmonte). Partly impressionistic signs are retraced in compositions for chamber ensemble: Quartette № 2 op. 4 for strings (1922), piano circle “Reflections” op. 16 (1925), Sonata for violin and piano op. 19 (1926).

The vocal music was the most significant for impressionistic world-perception so far as here the selection of poetical texts already clears and specifies the images which are interesting for the composer. Here is peculiar a range of chosen poets: Lyatoshyns`ky is attracted by Russian symbolists and foreign masters in translation of the same symbolists. Among them the most intimate for him was Percy Bysshe Shelley with his expressive aestheticism in attitude to the world, irreproachably finished poetical form and delicate melody of a verse accentuated in translation by Balmonte.

The main “hero” of two cycles op. 9, 10 is a moon and poetry of a moonlight night – an image depicted with love by Debussy (“Moonlight”, “Moonlight night”). For the realization of this image Lyatoshyns`ky discovers his own unique colours, which has become typical for his world-perception. Every time there are given different textural design and interesting sound complexes (from the point of view of the phonic effects) in the romances from circle “Moon Shadows”. In № 1 “And Moon is White” (written in a ternary form) the texture of piano part consists of two layers which moves to meet each other: the lower one by delicate jumps-“swining” (a distance of wide intervals – tenth, sixth) is rising by the tones of a dominant seventh chord, and the upper one, based on the augmented triad, little by little is sliping down. Refinement of the texture is amplified with its poly-rythmic organization: quadruplet as a base of the lower layer, sextolet – of the upper one, triplet is in the vocal part. (Ex.25)

The borders between form sections Lyatoshyns`ky marks by textural and harmony means. A transition to second section is realized through an ascending in the upper register a chain of the parallel triads. Intonation peculiarities of this sequence (one link – two major triads on the distance semitone – is connected with similar one through major triad etc.) in whole with metrical and rhythmical peculiarities (⁴₄ and ²₄ as a desire to unite all motion, united by the triplet groups) create an impression of some illusion, unreality of a sound facture.

The middle section of this romance, contrasting with last one, has its peculiar textural and harmonic design, that is emphasized by some flexibility, freedom of measure (⁴₄; ⁵₄; ⁴₄; ³₄; ⁴₄; ²₄; ⁴₄). But contrary motion of both layers in the piano part makes it related with set off parts. Here a secondary seventh chord with major seventh is a harmonic base. Its register disposition, including large space, accentuates ethereality, weightlessness of sounding. Chord complex breaks down on two elements: the chords of fourth and fifth (difference between them is as the rhythmical “splash” of triplet in the upper layer), – are placed on the distance of three, two octaves. It is interesting that both textural lines even are crossed.

In the second romance “Prelude” (“The Moon Shadows”) fancifulness of the moon shadows image has been embodied in the piano part by the descending series of the original “glass” sound complexes, consisted of a secondary seventh chord with major seventh (without fifth) and a chord of fourth and fifth. Beside the accompaniment`s extraordinary colour the vocal part is more traditional through its clear tonal outlines in F sharp major. But the words “the shadows of grief” are coloured by minor third, so an augmented triad appears in the vocal melod, adding an image of the romance. (Ex.26)