Ancient Russian vocal art in the modern cultural space: mechanisms of actualization and transmission of the cultural code

The subject of the research is Old Russian singing traditions. Historical circumstances, triggered by the church schism of the 17th century and the subsequent secularization of culture, led to the loss of the performance practice of authentic chants. The focus of the study is the creative activity of medievalists and choir conductors in actualizing the ancient Russian cultural heritage. The author examines such aspects of the topic as the genesis of the scientific school of Russian musical medieval studies, tracing back to the work of M. V. Brazhnikov, and analyzes the evolution of methods developed for the reconstruction and study of Znamenny chant not as an archaic relic but as a relevant phenomenon of contemporary culture. Special attention is given to identifying and exploring the mechanisms of actualization and transmission of ancient Russian singing heritage in the performance activities of choir conductors. For this purpose, the creative interaction of A.V. Konotop with the Synodal Choir, N.S. Sergeina with "Rossika," and K.N. Nikitin with the choir of Valaam Monastery is considered. Based on a comprehensive approach that includes general scientific methods of description, analysis, and synthesis, as well as cultural-historical and musicological analysis, the creative symbiosis of medievalists and choir conductors is studied in the process of actualizing ancient Russian musical culture. A special contribution of the author to the research topic is the examination and analysis of the multifaceted process of actualizing ancient Russian singing heritage in the modern auditory space, including scientific reconstruction of authentic chants (M. V. Brazhnikov, N. S. Sergeina, A. V. Konotop), performance interpretation (choirs "Revival," "Rossika," Valaam's Courtyard, Danilov Monastery), educational practices, and festival activities ("Academy of Orthodox Music," "Heritage"). The evolution of methods for deciphering neume notation, paleographic analysis, and stylistic modeling is also considered, which has allowed for the introduction of unique monuments of Znamenny and syllabic singing from the 16th to 17th centuries into scientific and performance discourse. The most successful method for reconstructing authentic chants, in our opinion, is a comprehensive method that integrates paleography and historical-cultural context, allowing ancient Russian singing art to transition from silence to the field of active scientific discourse. The scientific novelty of the work lies in examining the interaction of science, performance, education, and festival activity as a unified system that ensures the viability of the ancient Russian musical tradition in the 21st century.