SYNTHESIS OF EUROPEAN AND AFRICAN TRADITIONS AS A FACTOR IN THE FORMATION OF US MUSICAL IDENTITY

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive musicological analysis of the formation of the United States' musical identity, viewed as the result of a unique historical synthesis of European and African cultural layers. The relevance of the study is driven by the necessity to reappraise the genesis of African American genres within the context of contemporary choral literature and performance practice. The author substantiates the thesis that American musical culture is not merely a collection of borrowed elements but represents a holistic synthetic system that emerged from deep acculturation. The primary focus is on the mechanisms of interaction between Anglo-Celtic folklore and the rhythmic-intonational traditions of West African peoples. The paper details the key stages of this synthesis. Specifically, the minstrel show is examined as the initial attempt at stage adaptation of African American elements within the framework of the European theatrical model. Special emphasis is placed on the genre of ragtime, which became the instrumental embodiment of the fusion concept by combining the European march structure with African polyrhythm and syncopation. The analysis of spirituals as the supreme manifestation of spiritual and artistic synthesis holds particular scientific value. The author proves that this genre achieved a perfect balance between the Protestant chorale and the African manner of intonation (blue notes, glissando, and the «Call and Response» antiphonal structure). The conclusions emphasize that the concept of fusion is the decisive vector in the development of American art, determining its capacity for constant self-renewal. The materials presented in the article can be utilized in educational courses such as «Сhoral Literature», «History of Jazz», and «World Music Culture».