The folksong element in the choral music by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov: specifics of musical material and methodological recommendations

The article opens the veil of a special aspect of the creative work of the outstanding Russian composer Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908): the wide use of folklore and ethnographic material for his works of almost all genres. It should be noted that the main form of functioning of folk genres was collective; practically the entire song structure represents a collective form of music-making. The composer was well aware of the nuances of folk music, understood its genre nature and, most importantly, loved it, which was reflected in his entire creative work. The love and interest in ancient folk rituals, way of life, special musical language and bizarre forms of its expression manifested themselves in the composer quite early and remained in his heart to the very end. The article offers a definition of the specifics of the folksong material that formed the basis of the composer’s work and methods of working with it. It is worth noting that the composer perceived authentic material in a special way and “combed” the natural basis of folk song culture using compositional means of the Western European school.