Religiously-philosophical comprehension of the music art in the 20th century

This paper overviews the questions of comprehension of music art by leading Russian and European composers of 20th century and also examines the theologicaly- liturgical approach to the studies of liturgical singing in the works of Orthodox authors. The vast musical material gives opportunity to systematize this creative heritage according to the axiological ground. The final conclusion about the importance of religious comprehension of creative act and musical influence made by many authors is interpreted here in a scheme that shows the communicative nature of music art and the energetic nature of music itself. The determination of the mutual creative process “creator-interpreter- recipient” leads to an attempt to mark some “force” in music and its logos’ tendency. Value characteristic of the conceptual compositions of secular authors of the 20th century and the symbolic interpretation of liturgical singing by the religious thinkers determine similar processes in philosophy and theology, which conclude a whole era in music art. Beside this, the understanding of the eight Church modes as a theology in sounds leads us to the recognition of the importance of composer’s ministry and the necessity of value cleansing in the approach towards the nature of melos.