Abstract: The subject of this research is youth oeuvre of the prominent Russian composer of the second half of the XX century Boris Tishchenko. The symphony “Crainquebille” was composed in 1958 based on the eponymous acute social story by Anatole France on misadventures of a Parisian greengrocer, a “little man” who was caught up in the wheel of justice. In 1993, the composer renamed the symphony “Crainquebille” into “French”. Special attention is given to symphonic dramaturgy, programmability in music, and interrelation between music and literature. Tishchenko creates a virtuosic concerto for the orchestra within the framework of the classical symphonic cycle, imbues it with the novel compositional techniques, experiments with orchestral colors and timbres, gradually carries the main theme through the entire work, and is apparently fascinated by speech intonation and the word conveyed through the instrumental motif. It is concluded that Tishchenko decided to make virtually no changes to his early symphonic composition; the quality of the material created during his second year at Leningrad Conservatory contributed to emergence of a remarkable and novel symphonic opus written in a modern relevant, orchestrally imbued, rich and bright language. The novelty of this research consists in the fact that this article is the first reference in Russian musicology to the “French” symphony of B. Tishchenko, as well as a comprehensive review. The author reveals its content, analyzes difficulties of performing, and cross-cutting dramaturgy.

Keywords: grotesque, dramaturgy, French, Anatole France, programm music, literature, symphony, Boris Tishchenko, musical theatricality, Leningrad

Abstract: This article reviews the universal conceptual system of Ancient China, an intrinsic part of which is the so- called quinary classification or the doctrine of Five Phases of Wuxing, and its impact upon the modern Chinese culture (modernity implies the period from the beginning of the XX century to the present). The doctrine of Five Phases , which emerged during the period of the early categorical thinking (approximately 1045 – 221 BC) and comprised the backbone of the traditional Chinese culture Yinyang and Wuxing (Yinyang Wuxing Wen hua 阴五行文化), continues influencing the life of modern China, having overcome the disastrous consequences of the “Cultural Revolution” of 1966-1976. Within the framework of historical-philosophical research, the author analyzes the two traditional spheres of Chinese culture – martial art Taijiquan and music, revealing the substantial structural components in their theoretical frameworks that indicate the profound conceptual rootedness in the culture Yinyang and Wuxing. It appears that the conceptual framework of Taijiquan includes not only the basic proto-categorical conceptual constructions Yinyang 阴阳, Sancai 三才, and Wuxing 五行, but also the closely related 8 trigrams Bagua 八卦and the magic Lo Shu Square 洛书. It is not a coincidence that the pentatonic system or five colors of Wŭ Sheng 五声 becomes the fundamentals of musical thinking in China. Along with the musical system Shí-èr-lǜ 十二律吕(12 pitches), the pentatonic system is a continuation of the ancient proto-categorical thinking that took foothold in the Chinese mentality.

Keywords: magic square, eight trigrams, taijiquan, quinary classification, basic classifications, protocategorical thinking, Chinese philosophy, Ancient China, Chinese traditional music, pentatonic scale

Abstract: The subject of this research is the philosophical conceptualization of evil in the Confucianism. This goal is achieved by solving the following tasks: 1) assessment of Confucianism as a synthesis of the philosophical views of Confucius and Mencius; 2) determination of good and evil as  the contrasting concepts in the ethical space, which is based on the ideal of a “person of high nature” Junzi and the real world of a “petty person"; 3) evaluation of evil as the antipode of good, which is based on the sense of duty and regard of moral rules. The novelty of this research consists in the first within the Russian historical-philosophical literature comparative analysis of the views of Confucius and Mencius upon the nature of evil, examination of the genesis of such representations, and their relevance for modern philosophy. Representations on the nature of good and evil of Confucius and Mencius are based on the contrast within the ethical space of the ideal of a “gentleman” (due) and the reality of a “petty person”. The virtue of a “gentleman” is a means of achieving good; and the virtuous life leads to prosperity of the country. Evil of a “petty person” captured by selfish motives, leads to social demise and political disintegration. Mecius applies same moral principles, which govern the individual’s everyday life, to the political sphere of social existence. The thinker underlines circumscription of the monarchs, indicating that even the monarch – if not a “gentleman”, but merely a “petty person” – can be corrupted by evil, in which case the country faced demise.

Keywords: being, Mencius, Confucius, evil, good, ethical space, confucianism, due, noble man, little man

Abstract: The subject of this research is the history of relations between Prishvin and Kalinin – a prominent revolutionary and party leader of the Soviet era, who was the head of the state for many years after the October Revolution. The author observes that the biographical material about communication of Prishvin and Kalinin contained in the works of the writer and the memoirs of their contemporaries is sufficiently studied, while his diary notes that significantly change the representations on the true nature of their relationship are yet to be researched. The article employs the method of historical reconstruction of the ideological-political context of the Soviet society, which gives a better outlook on the peculiarities of the writer’s attitude towards the political activity of Kalinin. The novelty of this research consists in introduction into the scientific discourse of the new facts from the 18-volume Prishvin’s Diary (1991-2017), which was published only in the post-Soviet period. This revealed new facts and aspects of his relations with the state leaders during the Communist Era. Using the specific examples of communication of Prishvin and Kalinin, the author demonstrates that the role of the latter in addressing the important state problems was quite limited, which was predetermined by the country’s governing principles , i.e. the decision-making monopoly belonged to the highest political leadership of the ruling party represented by Stalin.

Keywords: politics, ideology, state, revolution, Bolshevism, Marxism, Stalin, Kalinin, Prishvin, literature

Abstract: The development of opera genre in Europe and Russia in the XIX century is of particular interest for the Chinese and Russian art historians. The subject of this article is the history of European and Russian opera in the XIX century. The object of this research is the works of the leading opera composers and the novelties introduced by each of them into the opera genre. The goal consists in examination of the following aspects of the topic: specificity of emergence of opera in Russia in the XVIII century, establishment of the national opera schools – Italian, French, German and their prominent representatives, as well as peculiarities of the Russian opera tradition of the XIX century. The novelty lies in determination of similarities and differences between the European and Russian opera in the XIX century from the perspective of of Chinese art history. The author's special contribution consists in the attempt to discuss the subject matter in the context of Chinese art historians who take interest in the peculiarities of opera of the XIX century. The acquired results demonstrate that the development of opera within the framework of the vocal and musical performance in the XIX century is a unique sociocultural phenomenon, which manifested through the system of spiritual values and spiritual life of the Russian and European nations.

Keywords: composer, innovation, tradition, opera, XIX century, Europe, Russia, orchestra, repertoire, performer