Nurieva I. M. The Theory of Rhythm in the Works by E. V. Gippius and Modern Approaches to the Problem (Оn the Example of Udmurt Traditional Music)

The Theory of Rhythm in the Works by E. V. Gippius and Modern Approaches to the Problem (On the Example of Udmurt Traditional Music)

Irina M. Nurieva
Udmurt Federal Research Center, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Izhevsk, Russia

Introduction. The author of the article is the first to raise questions about the degree of continuity in the scientific ideas of E. V. Gippius, the possibility of correlating his scientific theory with the theory of rhythmic organization developed by his follower B. B. Efimenkova, as well as the practical significance of these scholars’ theoretical contributions for Udmurt ethnomusicology. This topic is relevant not only for Udmurt musical folklore, which was shaped by the monumental ideas of E. V. Gippius, but also for Russian ethnomusicology as a whole, as it addresses methodological issues in the study of orally transmitted music. The aim of the research is to analyze the theoretical approaches to the problem of rhythmic organization in traditional music by E. V. Gippius, Z. V. Ewald, and contemporary ethnomusicologists.

Materials and Methods. The comparative method was used in analyzing the theoretical approaches of various scholars to the problem of rhythmic organization in folk music. The desire to delve into the research logic, as well as to identify additional meanings and connotations in the authors’ arguments, required the use of textual analysis. The material for the research consisted of Russian scientific works by E. V. Gippius, Z. V. Ewald, and B. B. Efimenkova, dedicated to the problem of rhythm.

Results and Discussion. The study of the works of E. V. Gippius and Z. V. Ewald revealed that Udmurt music became a unique scientific experimental platform for developing the general theoretical principles that Gippius later expanded upon in his subsequent works. The innovation of his theory lies primarily in identifying quantitative rhythmics as an independent rhythmic system. The study of rhythmic systems was continued by Gippius’s student and follower, Borislava Borisovna Efimenkova, who developed a comprehensive theoretical concept of rhythm based on East Slavic folk songs. A comparative analysis of these two scientific concepts showed that in B. B. Efimenkova’s research, certain aspects of E. V. Gippius’s rhythmic classification were revised and presented in a somewhat different manner, raising questions and necessitating scientific discussion.

Conclusion. The study of rhythmic types, conducted using Udmurt traditional music, has demonstrated the possibility of comparing the scientific concepts of E. V. Gippius and B. B. Efimenkova, as well as the applicability of the rhythmic classification developed by B. B. Efimenkova on East Slavic material to Finno-Ugric, specifically Udmurt traditional music.

Keywords: Udmurt traditional music, E. V. Gippius, E. V. Evald, B. B. Efimenkova, quantitative musical-rhythmic system, typology of rhythm

Conflict of interest: The author declares no conflict of interest.

For citation: Nurieva I.M. The Theory of Rhythm in the Works by E. V. Gippius and Modern Approaches to the Problem (On the Example of Udmurt Traditional Music). Finno-Ugric World. 2024;16(2):226–236. https://doi.org/10.15507/2076-2577.016.2024.02.226-236