THE FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE OF STRING INSTRUMENTS IN EUROPEAN BAROQUE MUSIC

Abstract

The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the functional purpose of string instruments in European musical culture of the Baroque era as one of the determining factors in the formation of instrumental art, genre system and performance practice of the 17th – first half of the 18th century. The aim of the article is to identify the main functions of string instruments in various forms of musical activity during the Baroque era and to determine their role in the formation of orchestral composition and the principles of musical dramaturgy. The study examines the evolution of the string section in the context of general Baroque stylistic processes, in particular the establishment of homophonic-harmonic thinking, the development of the tonal system, and the formation of the concert principle. Functional models of the use of string instruments in solo, ensemble and orchestral performances, as well as their interaction with vocal genres, are analysed. Particular attention is paid to the role of string instruments in the structure of basso continuo, where they combined harmonic-supporting, rhythmic and timbre-expressive functions, ensuring the integrity of musical language. The article highlights the leading role of the violin as the dominant melodic instrument of the Baroque era, which became the basis for the development of virtuoso technique and the solo concert genre. The specifics of the functioning of the viola, viola da gamba, cello and double bass are considered, in particular their participation in the formation of polyphonic texture, harmonic foundation and timbral balance of the ensemble. The variability of the functions of string instruments is emphasised. The article highlights the leading role of the violin as the dominant melodic instrument of the Baroque era, which became the basis for the development of virtuoso technique and the solo concert genre. The specifics of the functioning of the viola, viola da gamba, cello and double bass are considered, in particular their participation in the formation of polyphonic texture, harmonic foundation and timbral balance of the ensemble. The variability of the functions of string instruments depending on the genre context – sonatas da chiesa and da camera, concerto grosso, solo concertos, suites, operas, oratorios, etc. – is emphasised. The theoretical provisions of the article are based on an analysis of the works of leading European composers of the Baroque era – C. Monteverdi, A. Corelli, A. Vivaldi, J. S. Bach, G. F. Handel, in whose works string instruments are an active carrier of figurative and dramaturgical development. It is concluded that the functional purpose of string instruments in Baroque music is a multidimensional phenomenon that determined the further development of European instrumentalism and orchestral style.