ORIENTAL PICTURES IN THE PIANO PIECES OF FELICIEN DAVID

Abstract

This article is devoted to one of the most prominent French composers of the 19th century, the founder of musical orientalism, F. David. Particular attention is drawn to the lack of comprehensive studies of the composer’s oeuvre in Ukrainian musicology, especially with regard to his piano music. The early period of the composer’s career, associated to his travels to the countries of the Middle East, is examined. The focus is on the first stage of his Eastern career, when David stayed in Smyrna after Constantinople. Some facts from the composer’s life which influenced his perception of Eastern traditions are presented. The article analyses five piano works from this period, emphasising their programmatic nature. The works are considered within their broader cultural and biographical contexts. The piece ‘Le harem’ is presented as a genre sketch-dialogue between the sultan and his concubine. The means of expression used by the composer to create contrasting images (intonational-thematic, textural, dynamic and register contrasts) are identified. In the piece ‘Smyrne’, the lyrical mood, imbued with subtle poetry and tenderness, is noted. The role of second-interval intonations in the melodic line, the transparent texture, and the simple harmony, which help to convey the atmosphere of the ancient city and create a luminous mood, is emphasised. The piece ‘A une Smyrniote’ has been analysed, and its genre has been identified as a musical portrait. The multifaceted nature of the character is highlighted, as conveyed by the varied nature of the thematic material. Attention is drawn to the presence of two principles in the piece – the feminine and the masculine – whose opposition is revealed through the use of various types of contrasts. In the piece ‘L’Almée’, which combines a genre scene and a portrait, a contrasting structure typical for Eastern dances is noted; emphasis is placed on the leading role of rhythm in conveying the atmosphere of rapid movement and on the characteristics of the harmonic accompaniment and texture in the fast sections of the piece; the structural features of the initial theme (an intonational core with development) and its subsequent varied development, which brings the music closer to national models, are revealed. The piece ‘Souvenir d'Occident’ is considered as a psychological sketch. The originality of the revelation of the programmatic content is noted. The features of the thematic material and its development, as well as harmonic, textural, modal-tonal and other means of expression, are identified. The semantic significance of stylistic contrasts is emphasised. The conclusions underline the importance of the early Eastern pieces for F. David’s subsequent creative explorations, aimed at recreating Eastern imagery in his music through stylistic parameters.