Melody of polyphonic and homophonic types as a problem of theoretic musicology (by the exampleof instrumental compositions of the late French baroque composers)

The theory of melody has a centuries-old history but dueto a number of reasons it still has not formed a complete well-composed conception. The main reason of the current situation can becalled as follows: the variety of analytical methods reflects the changing stylistic and historical and cultural contexts and thus hampersthe creation of the complex theory. Within the bounds of one theory it is really difficult to describe the music of both early Middle Agesand 20th century composers. Therefore, the theory of melody must currently be approaching the theory of mode (which includes severalconceptions - modality, tonality, modes of monadic cultures, sound arrangement of dodecaphony, etc.). In the same way under the strictand free style melody differs essentially (in the principles of its composition and occurrence in music in many parts) in the music of the18th - the 1st half of the 20th centuries. And if the theory of homophonic style melody has become more or less established, the theoryof polyphonic style melody has not been under special consideration so far. It is necessary to note that the word combination polyphonicmelody in musicological texts contains contradiction per se: polyphony always means music in many parts, whereas melodymeans music in one part. Strictly speaking, melody cannot be polyphonic, that is why in appropriate contexts it is more correct to mentionmelody of polyphonic music or melody of polyphonic styles. We offer to define the melody of polyphonic music as sound andpitch lines, harmonically and rhythmically arranged on the basis of and as a result of their reciprocal coordination and subordination inthe texture in many parts. The study of the polyphonic age music is traditionally divided into strict and free styles. In the musicologyof our country it is accepted to deal with the issues of melodies composition and their combination in single and multiple counterpointin the theory of strict style, and as to free style the issues of melodic arrangement are hardly studied (except the analysis of intonationcomposition of some composers styles). In this context it is essential not to divide the theory of polyphonic style melody into strictand free styles, but to define general mechanisms responsible for arising of polyphonic texture. For this reason, we consider it necessaryto study the principles of melodic organization not in terms of complete style patterns, as it is traditionally accepted, but by example ofthe transient style of the late French baroque (in the instrumental music by Francois-Joseph Gossec, Antoine Dauvergne, Jean-JosephCassanea de Mondonville). It is especially important that in this very period different ideas interact, studying which we can understandwhy and how ones were developing while others quite potential melodic models were not noticed. What is more, this analysis can helpto get the gist of the term melody of polyphonic style which is new for Russian musicology.

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