Conceptual Space in the Music of 20th Century Composers

Main Article Content

Svetlana A. Mozgot

Abstract

The author analyzes over 50 musical works by a number of
20th century composers – Sofia Gubaidulina, Giya Kancheli,
Gyorgy Ligeti, Krzysztof Penderecki and others. The aim of this
research work is to study the conceptual space of 20th century
musical compositions and its constituent concepts. Four leading
concepts are highlighted: “nature – man – civilization”; “virtual
universes”; “the inner space of man – social space”; “life on Earth
after human extinction.” The methods of musicological analysis
and hermeneutics have shown that the conceptual space of music
by 20th century composers has demonstrated itself as a notional
system of global generalization. The conclusion is arrived at that
the concept in this system is presented in the guise of 1) a dynamic
structure – a complex of obvious and hidden notional intentions,
aimed at the disclosure of aesthetical themes that are of interest
to people; 2) a static structure – an archetypal event (the ritual of
mourning, a critical event in a person’s life) that preserves in itself
the cultural and social experience of mankind.

Keywords: the category of space, conceptual space, concept,
aesthetical theme, content of musical composition

Article Details

How to Cite
Mozgot, S. A. (2014). Conceptual Space in the Music of 20th Century Composers. Music Scholarship / Problemy Muzykal’noj Nauki, (4), 20–24. Retrieved from https://musicscholar.ru/index.php/PMN/article/view/56
Section
Artistic World of Musical Piece
Author Biography

Svetlana A. Mozgot, Institute for the Arts of the Adygeian State University

Candidate of Arts,
Associate Professor at the Department of Music Theory,
Music History and Methodology of Musical Education

References

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