Variance in Belarusian rites spring dance songs “Oj, nie rasci, kropie”

The article is devoted to the study of variation of Belarusian calendar ceremonial songs on the example of ancient spring songs-dances “Oj, nie rasci, kropie”. In different embodiments it exists up to the present in the local traditions and at Belarus Polessye performed on Velikden valachobny. We analyzed a number of tunes and texts of songs recorded in different regions of Belarus in the second half of the twentieth century. As the result of options comparison some features and regularities of its existence, of different local styles and traditions were found, a number of reasons that affect the emergence of song choices (place, time, form of existence, age and individual abilities of performers, and others) was identified. In modern folklore variation is understood as a specific feature of folklore which manifests itself in the existence of folk art in in different versions. Results of the study revealed the existence of optional variety of Belarusian spring folk songs and round dances “Oj, nie rasci, kropie”. Rich material allowed us to make some conclusions about the structural and semantic pattern of existence of these options on traditional form of lines of verse, about different variants of the rhythmic structure of the song verse, nature of the melody, harmonies, and plot of invariant lexical elements. The study was conducted in line with the system analysis of verbal and musical components of folk calendar-ritual songs that are relevant in modern science in the field of Belarusian folklore, and as a whole.

1. Bartashevich G. A. Belarusian folk poetry of spring cycle and Slavic folklore tradition. Minsk, Navuka i tekhnika Publ., 1985. 184 p. (in Belarusian).

2. Zakharava V. A. Belarusian folklore in contemporary records: tradition genres. Brest region. Minsk, Publishing house of the Belarusian State University, 1973. 302 p. (in Belarusian).

3. Zakharava V. A., Kavaleva R. M., Litsvinka V. D. Belarusian folklore in contemporary records: tradition genres. Gomel region. Minsk, Universitetskae Publ., 1989. 384 p. (in Belarusian).

4. Beili Dzh. Selected articles on Russian folk verse. Moscow, Yazyki russkoi kul’tury Publ., 2001. 416 p. (in Russian).

5. Belorussian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Arts, Ethnography i folklore. Spring songs: Belarusian folk art. Minsk, Navuka i tekhnika Publ., 1979. 608 p. (in Belarusian).

6. Institute of Arts, Ethnography and Folklore named after Kandrat Krapiva: 60 years since its foundation, International inference, Minsk, October 10, 2017. Minsk, Prava i ekanomika Publ., 2017. 240 p. (in Belarusian).

7. Ragovich U. Crown of Belarusian folk songs. Minsk, Navuka i tekhnika Publ., 1988. 432 p. (in Belarusian).

8. Ragovich U. I. Songs Falclor Palessia. Vol. 1. Songs of the Sacred Calendar Minsk, Chatyry chvertsi Publ., 2001. 528 p. (in Belarusian).