MA SICONG’S SUITE “SONG OF THE MOUNTAIN FORESTS” IN THE COMPOSER’S SYMPHONIC CREATIVITY

Abstract

The article analyzes the symphonic suite “Song of the Mountain Forests” by the famous Chinese composer and violinist of the 20th century Ma Sicong (Ma Sicong; Ma Sitzon) (1912–1987); the genre diversity of his symphonic work is noted, which includes two symphonies, a number of program suites, poems, overtures, the first examples in the China concertos for violin and two violins, piano and cello concertos with orchestra etc.; the presence of characteristic features of the artist’s creative method and compositional writing in the symphonic suite “Song of the Mountain Forests” was ascertained. It has been underlined that this work was of great importance both in his creative development and in the evolutionary development of Chinese symphony in the last century and the genre of the symphonic suite in particular. Ma Sicong belongs to the cohort of Chinese composers whose artistic formation and development of creative individuality took place during significant historical, political, economic and socio-cultural shifts in China, at the multicultural intersection of Eastern traditions and Western influences. The suite “Song of the Mountain Forests” was written in 1953–1954. It is emphasized that it’s a vivid example of Ma Sicong’s symphonic writing and compositional handwriting, his stylistic guidelines and musical expressive means. It is emphasized that in the five parts of the suite (“Call of the Mountain Forest”, “Over the Mountains”, “Love Song”, “Dance” and “Night”) there are allusions to the symphonic creativity of the French impressionist composers С. Debussy and M. Ravel. The analyzed suite was named “Chinese Symphonic Suite”. It appeared under direct impressions of the contemplation of the mountains and forests of the Yunnan region. It is emphasized that its themes were inspired by folk song and dance sources. It is noted that the composer depicting images of nature gravitated to sonorous-timbral thinking through the prism of original nationally authentic means of Chinese impressionism in music. It is indicated that Ma Sikong’s compositional technique, with a masterful combinatorics of themes, is close to neo-folklorism and Fauvism.