Author, institution: Robertas Budrys, Kaunas University of Technology
Science area, field: Humanities, History and Theory of Arts – 03H
The Doctoral Dissertation is available at the library of Kaunas University of Technology (K. Donelaičio St. 20, Kaunas).
Scientific Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Rytis AMBRAZEVIČIUS (Kaunas University of Technology, Humanities, History and Theory of Arts, 03H).
Dissertation Defence Board of History and Theory of Arts Science Field:
Prof. Dr. Darius KUČINSKAS (Kaunas University of Technology, Humanities, History and Theory of Arts, 03H) – chairman;
Dr. Austė NAKIENĖ (Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, Humanities, History and Theory of Arts, 03H);
Prof. Dr. Habil. Gustaw JUZALA-DEPRATI (Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Science, Humanities, Ethnology, 07H).
Annotation:
Musical scale is a multidimensional phenomenon which is concerned with the intervals and relationships between the tones, their importance, intonation, usage in the musical form, and other aspects. Only two dimensions of a scale—intervallic structure and tonal hierarchy—are considered in this study.
The aim of the study is to determine the statistical regularities of scales of the Lithuanian traditional singing in the theoretical, historical, and geographical contexts. Recordings of folk songs performed by Lithuanians and neighbouring nations (Belarusians, Poles, Latvians) were analysed. The acoustic and statistical analysis, psychological testing, classification, comparative method, and mathematical modelling were applied.
In the first part of the study, the phenomenon of a scale is discussed from the viewpoint of music psychology and studies on scales of Lithuanian vocal tradition are overviewed. In the second part, research methods are presented and assessed. In the third part, the scales of Lithuanian vocal tradition are examined in different aspects.
Traces of equidistant scale were found in the Lithuanian vocal tradition. Some examples are distinctive of higher intervallic asymmetry which leads the scales to assimilate with Western 12TET. Both equitonic and diatonic principles of scale construction are found in the vocal traditions of neighbouring nations. Lithuanian folk songs have clear tonal hierarchies recognized by the contemporary listeners.
