The Intertextual Conception of Sergei Taneyev’s “Oresteia”: In Search for the Author’s Meaning
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The object of analysis of the present article is “the author’s word” in Sergei Taneyev’s trilogy
“Oresteia.” Starting from a systematization of the authorial conceptual utterance in the genre of
opera by musicologist Marina Raku presuming a precise verbal localization in correspondence
with the concept of “the word,” the author of this research expands the perception of the present
phenomenon as an occurrence of procedural character. It matures during the course of the
development of the operatic action and in direct tangency with it acquires its own formation.
The authorial “word” is examined as a dynamic semantic structure in correspondence with the
concept of “meaning,” a category of dynamic order. The attention of the author of the verbal text is
concentrated on the disclosure of a profound musical-conceptual storyline, reflecting the formation
of the basic ideal notion of the composer who wrote the verbal text, which receives verbal expression
at the moment of “semantic explosion,” bringing the formation of authorial thought to complete
lucidity. In Taneyev’s “Oresteia” such a structure, spanning all three parts of the trilogy, acquires
an intertextual form, referring to Wagner’s operatic words, interconnecting in a deep intertextual
“plotline” the movement from images of pagan myth (“Der Ring des Nibelungen”) to Christian
concepts (“Lohengrin”). Thereby, the intertextual, purely musical plan of the opera by means of
a coordinated system of figurative correspondences (the sword Nothung – the annihilating sword
of killers, Siegmund – Orestes, the Walkyries – the Erinyes, Lohengrin – Apollo) endows the
formation of the author’s conception a special prominence of unfolding “from darkness to light”
and becomes that prism through which the Ancient Greek storyline acquires an interpretation in
light of Christian values.
Keywords: Taneyev’s “Oresteia,” Wagner, the authorial text in opera, intertext, semantic
explosion.
Article Details
Copyright
The rights on the results of intellectual activity and equated means of individualization are protected in accordance with Part IV of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. The authorship, author's name, executor’s name, inviolability of the work and result of execution are protected by the rules of Part IV of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation of the author or executor, regardless of providing legal protection of such results of intellectual activity at the time of their forming.
Copyright laws regulate the civil legal relations for using works of science, literature and art. Such relationships are formed as the result of the author’s writing his or her texts. In this case the author can rightfully claim copyright of the work.
The author has certain rights to reuse the work (see: “Ethical Aspects in Terms of Multifold Publications).
Licenses
All copyrights on the articles belong to their authors. The author transfers the rights on using the article the publisher.
PDF versions of scholarly articles of the journal PMN are published by using the license Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives cc by-nc-nd, allowing loading and distributing works on the assumption of indicating the authorship. The works may not be changed in any way or used for commercial interests.
Criteria for Authorship, Co-authorship
The term “author” refers to all persons (co-authors) who have made a substantial contribution to conducting the research and creation of the manuscript and responsible for its content. The person (author) who has submitted the manuscript to the editorial board shall bear responsibility for the complete list of the group of authors and the changes made to the manuscript in accordance with the results of the peer reviewing and editing.
1. Authorship is based on the following criteria:
1) The author made a substantial contribution to the research activity and development of concept, collected the data, made analysis and interpretation of the data.
2) The author carried out the writing of the text of draft articles and edited it attentively and substantially.
3) The author approved the final version of the article prior to its submission.
4) The author bears responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript.
2. The authors shall guarantee that the submitted manuscript is the original work.
3. Scholarly reviews for some issue or other should be objective, present material in a wide range and at the same time take into account the views of the author of the review.
4. The authorship of scholarly publications is obligated to reflect accurately the contribution of individuals to the research activity, with specific information about the authors.
5. The authors may not mislead the readers by publishing acknowledgements of gratitude to people who were not actually involved in writing the work. Other persons who made contribution to the work, but are nevertheless not the authors, may be listed in the rubric of “Acknowledgements,” with indications of the type and extent of their activities.
6. Authors are obligated to provide a description of their contribution to the publication.
7. The order of authorship must be a joint resolution of co-authors. The authors should be ready to explain the order of their enumeration and listing.
8. The authors shall be entirely responsible for the correct definition of authorship acting in accordance with the rules adopted in their institution.
9. Investigators must ensure that only those persons who meet the criteria for authorship (that made a significant contribution to the work), shall be considered the authors, and the researchers who do not merit authorship will be excluded from the list of authors.
References
2. Bernandt G. B. S. I. Taneev: monografiya [S. I. Taneyev: Monograph]. Ed. by N. Yudenich. 2nd Edition. Moscow: Muzyka, 1983. 290 p.
3. Zinchenko V. P. Mysl' i slovo Gustava Shpeta [The Thought and Word of Gustav Shpet]. Moscow: University of the Russian Academy of Education, 2000. 208 p.
4. Korabel'nikova L. Z. Tvorchestvo S. I. Taneeva. Istoriko-stilisticheskoe issledovanie [The Musical Legacy of Sergei Taneyev. Historical-Stylistic Research]. Moscow: Muzyka, 1986. 296 p.
5. Lotman Yu. M. Semiosfera [Semiosphere]. St. Petersburg: Iskusstvo, 2000. 704 p.
6. Raku M. G. «Avtorskoe slovo» v opernoy dramaturgii: avtoref. dis. … kand. iskusstvovedeniya [The “Author's Word” in Opera Drama: Thesis of Dissertation for the Degree of Candidate of Arts]. Moscow, 1993. 25 p.
7. Raku M. G. «Pikovaya dama» bratiev Chaykovskikh: opyt intertekstual'nogo analiza [“The Queen of Spades” by the Tchaikovsky Brothers: An Attempt of Intertextual Analysis]. Muzykal'naya akademiya [Musical Academy]. 1999. No. 2, pp. 9–21.
8. Taneev S. I. Oresteya: muzykal'naya trilogiya v 3 chastyakh, 8 kartinakh po Eskhilu. Libretto A. A. Venksterna [Oresteia: A Musical Trilogy in 3 Parts, 8 Paintings by Aeschylus. Libretto by A. A. Venkstern]. Pianoforte. Moscow: Muzyka, 1970. 352 p.
9. Eskhil. Evmenidy. Perevod S. Apta [Aeschylus. The Eumenides. Translated by S. Apt]. Eskhil. Tragedii [Aeschylus. Tragedies]. Moscow: Iskusstvo, 1978. URL: http://lib.ru/POEEAST/ESHIL/eshil1_4.txt. (15.11.2018).
10. Yakovlev V. V. Izbrannye trudy o muzyke. T. 2. Russkie kompozitory [Selected Works on Music. Vol. 2. Russian Composers]. Editorial Board: E. Grosheva et al. Moscow: Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1971. 458 p.
11. Knust M. Music, Drama, and Sprechgesang: About Richard Wagner’s Creative Process. 19th Century Music. 2015. Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 219–242.