New facets of musical images of Rachmaninov`s romances arranged for flute

Abstract

   The article raises the problems of creative rethinking of the timbre of the flute in modern performing practice on the example of arrangements of Rakhmaninov’s romances. The new characteristic roles of the flute, which were the result of bold experiments by instrumentalists of the second half of the 20th and especially the 21st century, expanded its capabilities as a cantilever and sensual instrument, establishing invisible bridges to the works of Debussy, Gluck, and from there to the ancient art of the mellifluous Orpheus. The author focuses on a number of Rachmaninov`s vocal compositions and, above all, on Vocalise as the highest achievement of the romance lyrics of the great romantic. Some aspects of melody, harmony and musical texture are analyzed, the multifaceted possibilities of which make it possible to transpose romances for flute accompanied by an orchestra or piano, potentially programming the disclosure of new facets of their musical images. The author comes to the conclusion that the timbre of the flute can create or enhance a certain emotional background of the work, bring a dramatic effect, and also compete in sound with the cantilena of the human voice. In turn, compositions with rich figurative content, complex in texture and harmony, which, with skillful intonation of the vocal part, will create performing interpretations with a deep artistic effect, can serve as material for flute arrangements.