Studiul Artelor şi Culturologie: Istorie, Teorie, Practică (Jun 2021)

LULLABIES SERIES, OP. 33 BY JOSEF SUK: AMIDST THE ROMANTIC BERCEUSE AND THE ETHEREAL OF IMPRESSIONISM

  • TURTĂ-TIMOFTE, IOANA-LAURA

Journal volume & issue
no. 1 (38)
pp. 90 – 93

Abstract

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Th e aim of this article is the presentation of an interpretative and stylistic analysis of the series Lullabies, op. 33 by Josef Suk. Although the Berceuse or Lullaby genre was known from the Antiquity period, the romantic composers were the ones who have established its form and internal structure: an ostinato rhythm pattern, accessible melodic lines that originated from folklore music, a soothing refrain character, almost improvisatory, in 3/4 or 6/8 (but in the 20th century, these measures were binary or even compound). At the beginning of the 20th century, there is a tendency to transform this genre by merging the Romantic patterns of the Berceuse, with the new harmonic ideas of Impressionism. Th e Lullabies suite is one of the works that demonstrates this preference of modern composers. Even though Josef Suk kept the construction patterns inherited from the Romantics, the chromatic harmonic language, the unexpected tonal changes and the whole atmosphere that is created are elements of the Impressionistic current.

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