About one of the main lines of creative search. On the 90th anniversary of the birth of Alfred Schnittke

The paper initially asserts that the artistic backbone of the composer Alfred Schnittke's creative pursuits was the technique of polystylistics. In the subsequent examination of this phenomenon, the defining concepts chosen are "effect," understood as expressive means intended to create a strong impression, as well as the impression itself, and "affect," which refers to the passionate inspiration experienced by the composer in the course of utilizing polystylistics, along with the parallels that arise during its use. Having established the category of "polystylistics," the further exposition aims to determine Schnittke's role in its justification and his leading position in the development of this technique, unveiling the historical horizons of citation and allusive symbolism (musical styles of the Baroque, Viennese classics, 19th-century culture, and the most influential predecessors of Schnittke in the art of the 20th century). The following review of the most significant examples of Schnittke's polystylistic practice is conducted from the perspective of revealing the meaningful aspects of the realization of this technique's potential, leading to the conclusion that the composer sought to establish a connection between eras and to embody the heightened sense of historical memory inherent in the artistic thought of the second half of the 20th century.