CC BY
108
Babich Tatsiana, PhD., in Art, the Faculty of Culturology and Sociocultural Activity Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, Minsk E-mail: [email protected]
CLASSICAL CROSSOVER STYLE IN THE INTEGRATION SPACE OF CONTEMPORARY ART
Abstract. Hybridization of all spheres of culture and art, the integration of their various forms, expressive means generate new phenomenon, which are most fully reflect all the options of modern life. One of the most relevant today is the Classical Crossover, which originated as a symbiosis of academic music and mass culture. This phenomenon is examined in the article.
Keywords: Classical Crossover, music art, music style, integration process, mass culture, contemporary art.
The globalization of all spheres of public life has led to the Methodology and research methods.The specificity of the
fact that modern human being is immersed in the global flow phenomenon is based on multipurpose to research on the of integration processes. The multi-vector system of modern presentation of art form, which is implemented on the basis means of mass communication is aimed at the destruction of artistic and style boundaries. New polysynthetic art forms that have emerged in recent decades as products of hybridization are become unique art phenomena.
Today there has been a cardinal turn in the forms of existence of classical music the time has come for new phenomena. The tendency to increase metabolic processes has led to the emergence of special genre-style "alloys", artistic hybrids that are not amenable to strict classification (for example, co-creation of pop artists and classical musicians, rock musicians and opera singers, ballet artists and professional athletes). Classical music is used to create a business image of both an individual and commercial companies and social groups. Classic sounds in the space of everyday life, is included in the context of modern design, fashion, quickly adapts to the rhythms of modern society. Classical music demonstrates the desire of modern human being to erase the boundaries of the era, style and genre, to neutralize the presence of the author, is able to create a mixture of associations and phenomena in space and time.
European contemporary music represents by the wide use of different styles and genres. It is right to state the fact that stylistic diversity has become one of the main features that can characterize the contemporary musical performance. Currently, there are quite a number of studies in the field of variety music, which are devoted to the coverage of many problematic aspects. However, it cannot be entirely argued that the problems of existing inter-relations contacts are sufficiently developed. On the basis of this, there is a need for a study of one of the leading musical styles of the late 20th and early 21st century, which identified as Classical Crossover.
The purpose of study is to reveal the peculiarities of the formation and development of Classic Crossover style in the context of integration process space of contemporary art.
of the comprehensive consideration principles and objectivity. The comprehensive approach is used in combination with historical, comparative methods, the method of art history analysis, sociocultural and functional analysis. The usage of other methods (induction, deduction, empirical methods, analytical, descriptive) helped with the solution of the tasks assigned in the article.
In recent years, due to the special popularity of the Classical music Crossover, a large number of articles are published in periodicals, as well as on Internet pages in which the musical crossover is studied in academic disciplines and as a form of modern pop culture. The work is based on research materials of such authors as R. MacDonald, D.J. Hargreaves, D. Miell [6], Yu. Astafieva [1], L. Danko [2-3], E. Semenchenko [8], E. Dukov [4], A. Morahan [7], P. Klevakin [5], and others.The phenomenon of Classical Crossover and Mass Culture is a special scientific discussion subjects. Works of such scientists-musicologists as L. Danko, P. Klevakin, Yu. Astafieva, E. Semenchenko, Yu. Verevkina, A. Tsukerand others are devoted to this issue.
There is a paradoxical situation in contemporary pop music, when the classic music works continue to live in the format of new standards; they are transformed and begin to function as objects of mass culture. Attributes and problems unusual for it actively penetrate to mass culture. Such integrative way formed a new phenomenon of "high" art or Classic Crossover.
Classical Crossover (literally "to cross classical music", to go beyond it) is a musical style based on synthesis and harmonic combination of elements of classical music with pop, rock and electronic music. The style emerged in the 1970s as a result of combination of classical and rock music. Later it included elements of pop and electronic music. This style gained wide popularity, since it can be used not only in vocal
music but also in instrumental and electronic music, and quite often in their close interaction.
The definition of "Classical" indicates that this style represents a connection with academic music. In the Classic Crossover, various genres and styles of music from the 20thand 21stcenturies got together: jazz, rock and roll, rock, electro, disco, pop music and hip-hop. There are a lot of performers who work in this style on the modern stage. The name was officially established not so long ago, having entered the list of nominations of the music award "Grammy", annually awarded by the National Recording Academy of the USA. Sometimes as applied to the vocal music of this style, the definitions of "operaticpop" or "popera" are used. The crossover as a musical style was formed gradually, over several decades having overcome the path from eclectic experiments on the combination of rock and classical to widespread recognition.
The concept of a Classic Crossover combines works that have completely different origins, such as modern interpretations of classical works, works of new genres created using academic musical instruments (rock -, pop- and folk operas, combining different styles, etc.), academic "cover versions" -author's musical compositions, reworked in an academic manner performed by a symphony orchestra or operatic vocals ("Metallica", "Scorpions", "Deep Purple", "Bon Jovi", etc., performing together with a symphony orchestra, Russian group "Turetsky Choir", vocalists A. Bocelli, S. Brighton, etc.). It should be recognized that this kind of music today is incredibly popular with audiences with a wide age range, as evidenced by the number of performances in this genre on the show "Voice" in different countries of the world.
The Crossover style has become a music phenomenon thanks to the work of the opera masters Domingo, Carreras and Pavarotti. The principles of harmony of classical and pop music were embodied in the unions of famous performers, including Kaballe and Mercury, Kaballe and Baskov, Fabian and Krutoy, Hvorostovsky and Fabian, Netrebko and Kirkorov and others.Among the famous performers of the classical crossover it is necessary to mark out Luciano Pavarotti - one of the greatest opera tenors of the 20th century and the most great singer in style of the classical crossover, whose talent helped the whole world to hear and fall in love with beauty and harmony of a sound. A classic of the modern crossover is the Italian tenor ofAlessandro Safina popular on a domestic platform. Among the famous performers it is necessary to mark out also Emma Shapplin - one of the most courageous authors and performers of the world classical crossover. When speaking about crossover, we cannot but mention the so-called "Latin explosion" that continued in the late 1990s. Among the rising stars there were Ricky Martin, Thalia, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez. Collaborations between classical
and popular performers have included Sting and Edin Karam-azov's album Songs from the Labyrinth.
It is necessary to mention the features for creation of a classical crossover composition. The basis of it is a classic work or a part of it, or the main theme with added elements of pop, rock or electronic music or all of them in many cases. For example, the Neapolitan songs "O sole mio", "Santa Lucia", and Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" have already received a "modern, not classical interpretation". The opposite situation is also possible: a pop song can be mixed with operatic vocal and performed by a symphony orchestra, e.g. the Italian song Volare performed by a popular British singer Russell Watson received a new, "classical interpretation". Collaboration between the late pop singer Freddie Mercury and prima opera Montserrat Caballé resulted in the worldwide hit "Barcelona".
Every performer today has the utmost freedom to interpret and manipulate classical music, such wise becoming co-author. Classical works in modern practice are arranged in various ways in the styles of pop and rock music, are reduced, divided into fragments and arranged in accordance with the context in which they are included. Any structural elements are freely excluded (or included) from the classics which leads to a partial or complete change in the semantics and architectonics of the work.
For Classical Crossover products, a combination of symphonic instruments and electronic, including fully synthesized sounds is characteristic, in addition, they use computer voice processing. A striking example is the composition of Eric Serra "The Diva Dance" from the film "The Fifth Element" (1997), where the singer's academic vocals are "refined" by means of sound engineering (including montage and morphing) and combined with dynamic electronic orchestration. This example demonstrates the phenomenon that is characteristic of synthesized musical art projects, namely, the directed sounding.
The classical crossover also develops new currents in modern music. For example commercial projects of French musicals "Mozart: rock opera", "Notre Dame de Paris". It should be noted that many of arias of a performance "Notre Dame de Paris" became hits of the classical crossover. The demand of the classical crossover as the industries is confirmed by its rapid development in Russia (Netrebko, Bashmet, Ger-giev, Spivakov, Matsuev, pop artists Krutoy, Baskov, Kirkorov, group "Turetsky Choir").
The concept of "Classic Crossover" does not have a strict terminological definition. It applies to both vocal music and instrumental music, solo and ensemble creativity. The Crossover is interpreted as a contemporary musical style, as well as a genre of pop music. Semenchenko states that phenomenon Classical Crossover has huge potential and demands the deep scientific analysis and judgment. Author proves there is a kind of entertaining art so far as the popular music focused on wide
audience of listeners; it is necessary to pay special attention to mass culture and popular music in general. Semenchenko considers different aspects of popular music through a prism of mass culture [8, 165-167].
Today popular music succeeds traditional, classical music. The last, however, does not disappear from musical space at all, and on the contrary - there are its "modernization" and acquaintance of musical public with the famous classical works. Zurkovaobserves that classical music as filler of free time and waiting time. According to the author, classical music fills "time with esthetic impressions which can be regarded by the individual" as a kind of valuable acquisition, possession" [11,4].
According to the opposite view (critical direction) of musicology, pop music was underestimated, had negative characteristics. Confirmation to that are the words of the famous Russian musicologist Tsuker. Tsuker emphasizes the importance of scientific and technical progress is which significantly affected culture in general and mass music in particular. A. Tsukerdeclares that "the technical means which arose in the second half of the 20th century transformed all culture, having brought to life new forms and the musical registration corresponding to them" [9, 45-46]. New level of a research seems in A. Tsuker'swork who claims that "mass musical culture is in the difficult relations with the academic musicology, being for it in many respects the closed book". The scientist emphasizes insufficient attention to mass music, its importance and the importance in modern culture. He also notes a tendency to the shift of characteristic signs of different types of arts and mobility of borders between them.
Musicologists differently define a role and value of mass culture and music, their value in culture, for example, the lack of the esthetic and practical value or a standardization and primitiveness. In spite of the fact that the majority of mass musical production is recognized spiritually both esthetically primitive and directed to commercial success and profit, the classical crossover as one of types of popular music is an exception of the general rule. This musical style represents a peculiar synthesis, a harmonious combination of elements of classical music and pop rock of electronic music. It is directed to granting esthetic and intellectual pleasure. In this regard classical music stops being "boring" for the general public that demonstrates the general growth of level of culture.
Let's return to the characteristic of the classical crossover. For many years classical works won popularity among fans of mass culture, pop music in particular. Practice of use of a subject, genre and style, etc. in a format of citing, arrangement and stylization was also widely adopted from 1920s. One of widespread examples of the crossover is execution of the classical repertoire in modern processing: jazz interpretations of traditional classical works or modern classical works. Zurkova
notes that this movement is also known "as classical pop, operatic pop, neoclassical, contemporary classical or just crossover, however a set of examples not only in vocal, but also tool creativity left the name Classical Crossover as the basic" [11].
Stylistic diversity became one of the main features which can describe contemporary pop music. Currently, there is considerable number of studies in the field of pop song art, covering many problematic aspects. But it cannot be stated strongly enough that problems of existing interstyle relations are sufficiently developed. For this reason, there is a need for studying one of the leading musical styles of the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century -Classical Crossover.
Conclusion.Classical Crossover is the style which has resulted from a compromise between elite art and modern mass culture. Thanks to the synthetic nature the genre has the sufficient flexibility of development allowing to combine an academic background with the most current musical trends. Elements of the academic sounding, inherent Classical Crossover, in combination with a staginess factor (invariable attribute of pop culture) provide to a genre commercial success among the wide age audience which is far beyond adherents of exclusively academic music. Thanks to it one of the major Classical Crossover functions which consists in promoting of the academic music is carried out.
The term of Crossover applied to music that deliberately mixes genres. "Fusion" is a more common term for this phenomenon. From our scientific point of view, the crossover phenomenon conditionally is considered as: 1) creation of a resolute music hybrid; 2) the crossover as extension of musical style through the collaboration music art and pop culture sphere; 3) new possibilities for creativity, also advance and promoting of performers and their works.
Classical Crossover can be identified as a kind of synthesis, a harmonious combination of elements of classical music and jazz, pop, rock, electronic music. Analysis of modern projects allows us to conclude that the tendency to present the Classical Crossover phenomenon in synthesized music and art projects is a widespread practice. This testifies to the commercial profitability of this phenomenon and its wide recognition by the mass audience. Examples of forms of implementation lead to the conclusion that Classical Crossover can be described as a project of variety-academic genesis, hybrid phenomenon of contemporary art due to the peculiarities of the synthetic nature.
The analysis of examples revealed that the expressive possibilities of the Classical Crossover phenomenon are emphasized and multiplied due to the obligatory presence of the entertainment factor, the integration of modern audiovisual technologies.
The results of this research have a social importance and can be applied to researches (training of specialized scientific publications and monographs), education (the development
of the learning courses in educational institutions with artistic profile), and music practical (vocal classes, master-classes, concerts) activity.
References:
1. Astafieva Yu. Development of Classical Crossover and major themes in classical crossover music texts // Philology and linguistics, 2017.- No. 2.
2. Danko L. The Musical direction of classical crossover, modern audiovisual culture: PhD thesis... art criticism: 17.00.09.-St. Petersburg, 2013.
3. Danko L. Classical Crossover: evolution and forms of manifestation // News of the Ural state University: Series 1: Problems of education, science and culture, 2010.- Vol. 84.- No. 5.
4. Dukov E. Concert in the history of Western European culture.- M.: Klassika-XXI, 2003.
5. Klevakin P. History and theory of Crossover // Traditions and innovation in culture and art: the connection of times Collection of articles on the materials of the V Russian scientific and practical conference / ed. L. Savvina, 2017.
6. McDonald R., Hargreaves D. J., Miell D. What are musical identities, and why are they important? Oxford University Press, 2002.
7. Morahan A. Synthesized musical and artistic project as a cultural phenomenon of the turn of the XX-XXI centuries: PhD thesis. art criticism. - St. Petersburg, 2009.
8. Semenchenko E. Classic crossover as an object of mass culture // Historical, philosophical, political and legal Sciences, cultural studies and art history. Theory and practice. 2016.- No. 1 (63).
9. Tsuker A. And rock, and Symphony. / A. Tsuker.- M.: Composer, 1993.
10. Verevkina Yu. Non-Academic performance of academic music: actual trends of the last third of the XX - beginning of the XXI century: PhD thesis.. .art criticism - Rostov-on-Don, 2012.
11. Zurkova D. Classic music in modern mass culture of Russia: PhD thesis.culturology, 2012 [Electronic resource].- Access mode: URL:http://cheloveknauka.com/klassicheskaya-muzyka-v-sovremennoy-massovoy-kulture-rossii# ixzz4eWvkZ-wxW.
