The Genre Specificity of the Variation Technique in Azerbaijani Song and Dance Forms

Abstract

The author researches the issue of the variation technique and the principle of intonational
development and form-generation in Azerbaijani music of the oral tradition – songs, dances,
tesnifats, rengats and diringats. The variation technique demonstrates itself in these genres as the
characteristic features of construction of folk texts, their modal-intonational, rhythmic, textural
and structural expression. On the one hand, the conducted integrated research of Azerbaijani music
of the oral tradition made it possible to indicated typical variation forms which can be found in
their song and dance forms. On the other hand, a new perspective of the issue has been formed in
the context of comparative analysis which helped juxtapose various genre systems and reveal the
particular traits of variation in them. Analysis has shown that the variation technique interacts in
Azerbaijani folk music with refrains, sequences, intergrowth, ornamentation and combinatoriality.
The specificity of the variation technique in the genre system of Azerbaijani music has stipulated the
emergence of refrain connections: in songs and dances – in the classical guise with the preservation
of the relevant proportions in the tesnifats and rengats – in a free artistic interpretation. The songs
and dances contain the principle of variation identity, make use of techniques of micro-variation,
and show a prevalence of periodical structures; the traditional song and dance forms connected with
the mugam show an importance of tendencies of variational renewal of thematicism, juxtaposition
of registral or modal means, and emergence of through monothematic structures.

Keywords: Azerbaijani music, oral tradition, song, dance, comparative analysis, genre-related
specificity, variant features, development, form-generation.