Abstract: The esthetics of German romanticism and surrounding concepts are the basis for the interpretation of Robert Schumann’s "Die Pilgerfahrt der Rose" as suggested in the paper. Not only the interpretation of the plot is the focus of the author’s attention, but also concepts and ideas forming the title of musical and literary whole - R. Schumann’s - M. Horn’s creation. This title carries the diversity of dynamic and constructive meanings expressed through the piece’s form via its spatio-temporal features. The leading ideas of German romanticism as well as some works and doctrines that had influenced the ideology of Jena’s mystics precede the analysis of the paper’s main topic. The above mentioned analysis is based on comparative and historical method. The shaping of the paper’s concept has attracted a lot of sources. It’s possible to mention among them scholarly writings on philosophy and esthetics of romanticism that are divided into two following groups of sources: the works of romantics themselves on philosophy and esthetics (Novalis and Ludwig Tieck’s novels, works of Friedrich Schlegel and Friedrich Schelling) and also other eras’ thinkers who influenced the formation of romantic esthetics (Plato’s dialogues, religious treatises of Meister Eckhart and Jakob Böhme). The author argues that the main idea of "Die Pilgerfahrt der Rose's" subject organizing the work’s poetic whole is the concept of hierarchy and transformation of essences being the key idea of many mystical and religious doctrines and practices embodied in German romanticism. Robert Schumann’s work’s topic is rendering the scheme "Flower - Girl - Angel". This scheme is based on the idea of God’s trinity inherited by romantics from Jacob Böhme who finds it repeated in the world of angels, nature and man when the Natural and the Human when enlightened become godlike and divine.

Keywords: "Die Pilgerfahrt der Rose", R. Schumann, topic’s interpretation, oratorical works, German romanticism, esthetical principles, mysticism, Ludwig Tieck, Novalis, Jakob Böhme

Abstract: Christoph Flamm has released a fundamental scholarly work «Russian Composer Nikolai Medtner. Research and materials» in Berlin in 1995. Until now this is the best foreign book on Medtner. In the present paper the author is presenting Medtner’s book «The Muse and the Fashion» putting it into the broad context of esthetical ideas from early antique philosophers to German idealists. The scope of issues presented is very broad: Medtner’s literary writing, the story of «The Muse and the Fashion»’s creation as well as putting together Medtner’s literary and musical works. The narration is very intense and exceptional especially having in mind the deficiencies of Russian musicological research on Medtner. The translation is made in collaboration with the author and includes some corrections as compared with the first publication where some details need to be reconsidered.

Keywords: N.K. Medtner, «The Muse and the Fashion», Russian musical esthetics of the XXth century.