Orthoepy as a cross-cultural determinant of performer interpretation of vocal music

Abstract

The relevance of the proposed topic is due to numerous political events that have changed the lives of many people around the world over the past few years. In 2022, music became one of the essential channels of social support for Ukraine. Opera houses, concert halls worldwide, and the digital space of social networks contained numerous professional and amateur performances of Ukrainian songs and the National Anthem. Let us pay attention to the technical side of this process. Orthoepy became a key technical detail in the performance of Ukrainian music. World-famous musicians sought specialist consultants to help regulate the proper pronunciation of Ukrainian texts in vocal music. The example of supporting Ukraine through music is only an aspect of a more complex issue related to the ability of words in music to symbolize a particular culture. The correct pronunciation of words in a vocal work is essential for understanding the text, but not only for this. When a singer performs a composition in a foreign language, he overcomes the language barrier and begins a specific dialogue of cultures. Beyond personal performances, orthoepy plays vital roles in preserving collective memory and cultural heritage. In the history of music, genres, styles, and manners of performance connected with a particular language are well known - for example, opera seria, bel canto (Italian), zingspiel, gezang (German), solospivy (singing), holosinnia (lamentation) (Ukrainian), etc. Thus, orthoepy today is an essential aspect of a musical work that takes on artistic and expressive functions and becomes a symbol of a particular musical vocal tradition