Nº 86 (2025)

The paper considers the information potential of the minutes of the meetings of the North Ossetian Regional Committee of the CPSU bureau and the possibilities of their use in studying the socio-political life in North Ossetia during the Khrushchev Thaw. The regional material shows specific manifestations of the liberalisation of the regime: rehabilitation of victims of political repressions of 1937-1938, expansion of the rights of the Soviets of Working People’s Deputies, etc. The analysis of the archival documents used by the authors allowed them to come to the conclusion that during the Thaw in the North Ossetian ASSR, despite certain liberalisation, strict ideological control of the regional committee of the CPSU over socio-political processes in the republic was maintained, and the bureau of the regional committee remained the main link in the super-centralised system of governance in the region.

This article is the first attempt to examine one of the most original works by A. Tcherepnin - the piano cycle “Four Romances”, op. 31. The cycle is presented in the context of the Russian composer’s piano heritage. Its uniqueness is manifested, on the one hand, by the instrumental interpretation of the genre, vocal by nature (such interpretation has its own romantic traditions) and, on the other hand, by the demonstration of this tradition within the framework of the cyclic composition. The substantive concept of the work, according to the author’s view, consists in a consistent and multidimensional assertion of the conversational structure. The focus of the article is on the genre-stylistic dialogue, which ensures not only the process of cycle formation, but also the aesthetic-semantic, dramaturgic and compositional aspects of this composition. In addition, the dialogic nature of the cycle is confirmed by the characteristics of the composer’s style, which combined late romantic and avant-garde features in his work in the context of a fusion of chamber and virtuoso-concerto composing. The article is addressed primarily to performers, which does not exclude the combination of historical and analytical observations.

The article analyses the performance interpretation of N. Rimsky-Korsakov’s romances, belonging to different periods of the composer’s work, by the remarkable Russian singer Nikolai Okhotnikov. Okhotnikov’s interpretations are considered in the context of the evolution of Rimsky-Korsakov’s composing style. The issue of the romances’ connection with the traditions of Russian folk song, oriental themes, etc. is touched upon. Okhotnikov’s attraction towards performing Rimsky-Korsakov’s romances in whole cycles is substantiated, which is associated with the artist’s dramaturgical decisions.

Before 1917, the memorialisation of Alexander III in Russia was a large-scale and unique process. The peacemaker tsar was immortalised in a variety of forms (sculptures, busts, chapels, churches). The monuments contained various commemorative narratives, which received different assessments. In particular, monuments in the capitals caused heated discussions in society, demonstrating a wide variety of political views. The study of commemorative practices aimed at creating memorials dedicated to Alexander III allows us to reconstruct the perception of monarchism in various social groups of the empire, as well as to obtain additional data for interpreting the process of forming the image of Emperor Alexander III in society.

The article is devoted to the concept of harpsichordism in the French harpsichord music of the 17th-18th centuries. The concept is widely used in the works of domestic musicologists, but did not receive methodological understanding in them. The author, considering this concept, understands it in relation to such historiographical concepts as “school”, “tradition” and “culture”.

The article examines the features of the image of the founder of modern dance Loie Fuller on French theatre posters of the late 19th century and the first quarter of the 20th century. Analysing the works of J. Cheret, J. de Paléologue (Pal), A. Meunier, J. de Fer, M. Orazi and P. Colin, the author reveals the evolution of Fuller’s image in the poster art: the transition from a realistic image of the dancer to an abstract transmission of the essence of her dance, which was caused not only by a change in artistic styles (from naturalism to art nouveau and modernism), but also by a new understanding of theatrical art, where movement and light become the main components of theatrical performance.

This article reviews D. Shostakovich’s arrangements of Russian folk songs. The composer’s activity in this sphere summarises the achievements and approaches of the previous generation of composers and outlines the ways for the development of this aspect in the work by the “new folklore wave” musicians.