Manifestations of National Identity in Classical Music: A Cultural Studies Perspective

Classical music, while being a universal language of art, is simultaneously a powerful medium for expressing unique national characteristics. This article investigates the artistic means of expressing national identity in classical music through examples from Russian and Chinese compositions. The focus is on the work of composers from both countries who, while working within academic genres, deliberately constructed and affirmed national consciousness through musical imagery. The relevance of the study is driven by the need to understand culture's role in shaping identity within multi-ethnic societies. The aim is to identify and conduct a multi-level analysis of these means through the lens of the "dual identity" theory, which allows for distinguishing and tracing the interaction between ethnic (cultural) and national (civic) components within the unified artistic space of a musical work. The research is based on a comparative analysis of specific mechanisms representing national identity within the two compositional schools. The methodology combines the cultural theory of "dual identity," detailed musicological analysis (including specifics of melody, the integration of folk instruments, and unique modal systems – Russian modality and Chinese pentatonicism), and comparative analysis to identify both general patterns and national specificities. The scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of national identity in classical music based on the "dual identity" theory, as well as in the comparative analysis of the specific mechanisms of its representation in Russian and Chinese cultures, which reveals both common patterns and nation-specific characteristics. The study has identified and systematized three main categories of national identity manifestation, illustrated by specific works: 1. The use of folk motifs and narratives (exemplified by the operas "Sadko" and "The White-Haired Girl"). 2. The integration of folk musical language, including the quotation of melodies (e.g., "Vesnyanka" in Tchaikovsky's Concerto, folk songs in Xian Xinghai's "Rhapsody of China"), different approaches to instrumentation (stylization in Russian music vs. the direct inclusion of folk instruments in the orchestra of Chinese opera), and the use of unique modal systems. 3. The embodiment of the national spirit, including its duality (as exemplified in Tchaikovsky's The Seasons and Fifth Symphony) and patriotism during periods of historical trials (the "1812" Overture, "the Leningrad" Symphony, "The March of the Volunteers", and the opera "The Red Guards on Honghu Lake").