About the Aleatory Technique in the Performing Process in Sergei Slonimsky’s Antiphons

The article is devoted to Sergei Slonimsky’s string quartet Antiphons – one of the brightest examples of this genre of the last third of the 20th century, which possesses a unique string quartet phonosphere. This composition has paved the way for the search of modern Russian composers in the direction of reinvention of the sound of this classical musical ensemble, its characterization as a single timbre endowed with rich coloristic possibilities. The original concept of this work, implicated by the contrast of sound in time and space inherent in it, is artistically manifested by means of avant-garde stylistic traits of musical language, where a substantial position is endowed to the aleatory technique. The element of chance is an important part of the artistic design of Antiphons, not only on the level of the creation of a musical composition, but also at the stage of its realization in performance. From the standpoint of the aleatory element of the performing process, the author examines various parameters of the musical language, which are established by each of the performers of the string quartet, according to the composer's instructions, as well as those components which pertain to the performers’ range of techniques: the musicians moving around on stage, intonating as a means of artistic expression, the organization of quantal rhythm, as well as individual playing techniques and methods of sound production. They are conducive to creating the antiphonic sounds of the string quartet ensemble endowed with a wide range of sonorous colors and bright coloristic effects, which creates the impression of a living, permanently changing musical fabric and total freedom of the performing process taking place on the stage. As a result, the author of the article asserts that due to the aleatory technique of the performance present in the Antiphons, the musicians in the string quartet act as sort of co-authors of the composition, each time creating a new version of it during every performance of it. This variety of act of collaboration between the composer and the performers presents a confirmation of the fact that the musical composition is living material capable of a multitude of performance interpretations. Keywords: Sergei Slonimsky, Antiphons, string quartet, aleatory technique, the process of performance, instrumental performance.