The paradox of tradition: Alexander Spendiaryan, Lev Revutsky, Igor Stravinsky

Abstract

The article is devoted to relevance of the folklore tradition in the work of composers of various national schools, namely, A. Spendiaryan, I. Stravinsky, L. Revutsky. Tradition is considered from the perspective of the main characteristics of metamodern as one of the important semantic guidelines for the listener, who is in the conditions of semantic uncertainty and oscillation in modern culture. The article attempts to highlight the paradoxical nature of tradition, which lies in its avant-garde potential against the background of “habitualness” of innovations in modern culture. From the history of arts, examples of using traditional elements by the avant-garde in the works of A. Archipenko, K. Malevich, M. Saryan, A. Erdeli are given. The interpretation of folklore in the works of Spendiaryan, Stravinsky and Revutsky reveals both common and different features, which indicates the innovative potential of tradition. Spendiaryan and Revutsky follow the integrity of the original folklore source and its active development, creating a new colorful material, while Stravinsky explores it and, on its basis, creates a new synthesis of word, movement and sound. The conclusion is made that tradition may sound modern, it may sound more “avant-garde” than many of the presented innovations․