Poetry submissions to North of Oxford’s Streur Anthology are now open!
North of Oxford would like to pay tribute to the late Russell Streur, poet and publisher of The Camel Saloon and The Plum Tree Tavern with an online anthology dedicated to Nature. Send us your poems of Nature, of floral and fauna, of forests and trees, of rivers, creeks and streams. Of farms, of urban nature, of parks and sanctuaries, of oceans and bays, of islands, of all things, Nature.
Send one to three poems for consideration of publication to North of Oxford at sahmsguarnieriandreutter@gmail.comSubject line of submission: Streur Anthology. Submissions will be accepted until 5/31/25. Only submissions attached as word doc will be reviewed. Please include a 100-word bio within the word doc.
Jacques Fleury’s book You Are Enough: The Journey Towards Understanding Your Authentic Self
Eva Petropoulou Lianou shares a short film inspired by NASA’s inclusion of her poetry in a capsule launched to the moon.
Synopsis On 26th February 2025 NASA launched a capsule with poems to the moon, one of them was the anti-war poem “Happy Birthday”. Written by Eva Lianou Petropoulou, Directed & Animated by Zina Papadopoulou, Music & Sound by Grigoris Grigoropoulos
Lunar codex, Athena, Minerva Excelsior, The Vagabond Anthology, edited by Mark Lipman, dedicated to the Palestinian poet Ahmed Miqdad
Also, our contributor Brian Barbeito’s new book has just come out, When I Hear the Night. This is a prose poem and landscape photography book. Included with the words and pictures are two literary and dynamic introductory essays, one by poet and editor Jude Goodwin, and another by the writer and editor Mary Buchanan Sellers, figures current and thus well-informed in the field. There are also author notes and question-and-answer sections. The writings can be said to have interesting elements of memoir, essay, belle-lettres, poetry, and short story forms. Their content often includes the mystic and inner vision of the author coupled with the outside world of nature walking and travel.
Now, for May 2025’s first issue: Paradoxical Understandings. In this issue, we explore various perspectives and vantage points, how multiple things can be true at once in our complex universe.
On a more personal level, Peter Cherches writes of understandings and misunderstandings, how much we can come to know or forget about those closest to us. Aziza Xazanova urges human understanding through avoiding assumptions and listening with empathy. Daniel De Culla relates a story where a person in trouble simply seeks a listening ear, not rescue.
One way people can understand each other better is by learning each other’s languages. Several contributors discuss pedagogical methods for language teaching.
Other contributors reinterpret language in concrete and abstract ways. Jerome Berglund renders different poetic forms into concrete images. Noah Berlatsky contributes a humorous poem about procrastination that uses repetition as a literary device. Christina Chin and Uchechukwu Onyedikam craft joint tan-renga poems, finishing each other’s pieces with images of music, nature, rest, and memories. Rus Khomutoff’s concrete poetry takes us on a journey of surrealism, music, and romance.
Like Khomutoff, other writers travel deep into their own psyches. Brian Barbeito reflects on his thought process and creative journeys, considering how he both opens his mind to emptiness and enlightenment and, like a skilled hockey player, remembers the basics of his craft. On another note, Nigar Nurulla Khalilova evokes writers’ block and an intense, foul mood as harsh as the Arab Simoom wind.
Mesfakus Salahin ponders the fragility of human identity and self-concept. Mark Young’s poetry explores creative processes, relationships, and the search for meaning. Texas Fontanella’s music digs deep for a dose of duende. Tagrid Bou Merhi draws on train travel as a metaphor for introspection and longing for one’s past or future. Stephen Jarrell Williams crafts a series of verses describing a person’s inner struggle and renewal. Ari Nystrom-Rice explores identity, wondering who he truly is underneath the surface. Mexribon Shodiyeva’s poetry celebrates the fragile butterfly and the beauty of being yourself. Shamsiya Khudoynazarova Turumovna relates having had the courage to free herself from an unhealthy situation and walk her own path.
Paul Cordeiro speaks to the aftermath of significant relationships and events and to how our feelings can reshape our memories. On a less serious level, Mark Blickley develops a farcical story of unemployment fraud inspired by a photo of a man with a sheep skull, where a character invests deeply into reinventing himself.
On a more cosmic level, Jack Mellender’s work looks at space, time, and humanity’s place in the universe. Ummnusalma Nasir Mukhtar relates a fanciful and expansive dream where she traveled to the moon and stars and gathered her strength. Jacques Fleury’s photography encourages us to view life from different vantage points, exploring concepts as varied as travel, physical attraction, thought, and justice.
Duane Vorhees reflects on ancient archetypes and how we tell stories about ourselves. Sayani Mukherjee reflects on the constant turbulence of human and natural history. Dr. Jernail S. Anand probes some basic paradoxes of modern human life.
Rezauddin Stalin reflects on the beauty and the price of freedom as Blue Chynoweth reflects on the blessing and curse of being able to contemplate one’s place in the universe rather than living by instinct.
Mahbub Alam wonders whether love or self-destruction will win the day. As a person of faith grappling with these issues, Chimezie Ihekuna addresses life’s seemingly intractable struggles, suffering, and human evil, and also God’s implacable goodness in a paradoxical couplet of poems. Lilian Dipasupil’s paired poems take a similar approach, warning of child kidnapping while honoring the love and sacrifice of Jesus.
As writers, one of the ways we can respond to evil is to bear witness and document it as a warning. This is one of the roles of journalism. Davronova Asilabonu affirms the value of journalism and speculates on the field’s future.
More traditionally literary writing can bear witness as well. Yucheng Tao provides a sobering reminder of the historical massacres of the indigenous people of the American West by European settlers and of many Cambodians later in history by the Khmer Rouge. Z.I. Mahmud explores how Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles brought realism into detective fiction, illustrating the monstrosity of human greed and vengeance. Rahmat Muhammad laments how people where she lives in northern Nigeria no longer honor elders and ancestors as much as they should.
Shuhratbekova Gulzoda describes the historical contributions of the humanist Jadid leaders of Uzbekistan to art, literature, science, and culture. Dilobar Maxmarejabova expresses her pride in her Uzbek heritage and her hometown of Qashqadaryo. Hashimjonova Durdana affirms her pride in her Uzbek heritage and culture. Nozima Gofurova outlines the many achievements of today’s Uzbek youth.
Bhagirath Choudhary points to the role of literature in terms of helping people and societies evolve to become more humane. Dr. Jernail S. Anand illuminates the power of art and literature to touch people’s hearts and souls and inspire wiser and more compassionate behavior.
Alexander Klujev highlights connections between Russian music and Russian philosophy and how both honor the triumph of life over death.
Various contributions celebrate different aspects of life. Shahnoza Ochildiyeva enjoys a picnic with her classmates on a sunny spring day. Su Yun evokes the struggle and beauty of flowers growing in an urban environment. Isabel Gomez de Diego photographs childhood exuberance in a neighborhood where humans coexist with nature, trees and bike paths near city apartments. Eva Petropoulou Lianou crafts a story around the evocatively named “Hero’s Path,” a hiking trail near a European monastery. She finds simple joy in nature and travel. Manik Chakraborty takes poetic inspiration from misty mountains as Taro Hokkyo honors his muse and the land on which he writes.
Marjona Jorayeva Baxtiyorovna expresses her respect for women and the feminine, which she links to nurturing and compassion. Gulsanam Qurbonova celebrates the tender nurturing of a mother’s love. Vo Thi Nhu Mai reflects on the warmth and tenderness of her childhood in Vietnam and how that inspired her creativity. Kylian Cubilla Gomez’ photography captures vintage childhood images: Snoopy, old Easter themed toys, a colorful frog, even possibly Dad’s aftershave. David Sapp enters the mind of a three-year-old, excited about cereal and dogs. Marjona Jo’rayeva relates her enthusiasm for a fresh term at school.
Kristy Raines expresses the simple yet profound joy of two souls finding true love and choosing each other. Eid Saleh writes in English and Arabic of the meeting of souls in a similar way, and refers both to romance and to close friendship. Qaraboyeva Zilola expresses the tender urgency, trepidation, and obsession of young love. Marley Manalo-Ladicho ignites a fiery love feast in his poetry.
However, as Taylor Dibbert points out in his brief poem, romances, and other sources of happiness, aren’t guaranteed to last.
Tuliyeva Sarvinoz’ elegant poetry laments lost love as Mirta Liliana Ramirez honors the memory of a beloved, asserting that she’s not yet ready to move forward. Eva Petropoulou Lianou touches on the tenderness of human hearts and how many of us carry emotional trauma. J.J. Campbell’s poems describe a soul’s slow descent into misery and cynicism. Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal speaks to social and psychological entrapment, stuck with folks tired of his old stories. Linda S. Gunther’s short story “Bake Me a Banyan Tree” explores what we owe our loved ones and how far we would go for them.
Eric Barr’s poetry reflects the realities of navigating life after a stroke. Manik Chakraborty laments destruction caused by a fire as Mykyta Ryzhykh reimagines the Three Little Pigs into a futuristic dystopia in light of environmental destruction. Don Bormon evokes extreme desert heat and the specter of climate change.
Alex S. Johnson takes us on a mythical journey to transmute sorrow in a poem translated into Greek by Cassandra Alogoskoufi.
Sometimes what one needs to overcome suffering isn’t as complex as alchemy, but can just be time at home curled up with one’s cat. Nicholas Gunther’s poem describes a weary soul’s desire to return home after a long journey. Bill Tope’s short story explores how a senior cat helped bring an older woman out of depression after society made both feel useless.
We hope that Synchronized Chaos can inspire creativity, bear witness to the joys and pains of the world, and transform sorrow and stagnation. Please enjoy this issue!
I will walk along the paths that Manguberdi loved.
If the enemies bring me to the gallows,
Then I will say “Homeland”, “Homeland”.
Today to erase your sorrows,
Your poetess daughter will take a sword in her hand.
I will never allow it to be erased,
The trace left by my grandfather Amir Temur.
This pride is higher than the mountains of Askar,
In my hand, the homeland stands brave.
Now you, soldiers, go to the adge,
Today Durdona is preparing for battle!
Hashimjonova Durdana daughter of Sodirjan. Born of April 29, 2010 Rishtan district, Fergana region. Currently, she is an 8th grade student at school No.59.
The article examines the dynamics of Russian philosophers’ ideas about music. In this regard, the status of Russian philosophy and its distinctive face are being clarified. Russian philosophy is shown to be based on Byzantine philosophical and mystical traditions, but at the same time embodies the basic tenet of Russian culture (Russianness): the affirmation of spirituality as a moral achievement – serving creation and resisting destruction (annihilation). Russian philosophy phenomenon is defined in accordance with the stated attitude of Russian culture. It is argued that Russian philosophy is the solution to the moral problem of victory over death. Russian philosophers study the peculiarities of the development of the interpretation of music by Russian philosophers in the context of this understanding of Russian philosophy. It is stated that during the development of this interpretation, music was increasingly recognized by Russian philosophers as the most powerful means of defeating death, moreover, as evidence of the possibility of victory over death.
Keywords: Russian philosophy, music, spirituality, man, world, God.
What is Russian philosophy?
The question of Russian philosophy is not an easy one. Let us try to figure it out.
Initially, it is significant to say that Russian philosophy is inextricably linked with Orthodoxy. Russian philosophers constantly emphasized this connection. Let us at least refer to the statement of V.V. Zenkovsky: “Russian thought has always (and forever) remained connected with its religious element, with its religious soil; here was and remains the main root of the originality… of Russian philosophical thought” [30, p. 18].
Today, in Russian philosophical literature, there is a clear idea that the connection of Russian philosophy with Orthodoxy (“with its religious element”) does not indicate its originality: Russian philosophy is permanently connected with Western philosophy, and is a stage of its development (1). On what basis is this point of view put forward?
Authors who adhere to this approach believe that Russian philosophy interacts not with canonical, strict Orthodoxy but with its innermost deep core, which is Gnosticism. For example, as I.I. Evlampiev stated, “the constant attraction of Russian philosophy and all Russian culture to the Gnostic worldview does not raise any doubts. This fact has not received due recognition in the literature for a long time only due to the established tendency characteristic of church and Orthodox-oriented authors” [3, p. 9].
Such scientists believe that the Gnostic mentality was intensively strengthened in the West, starting from the late Middle Ages: Bernard of Clairvaux, Meister (Johann) Eckhart, etc., and hence, Russian philosophy is connected with Western philosophy. But what is Gnosticism?
Gnosticism is a complex and not fully defined phenomenon. According to the German-American philosopher Hans Jonas, an authority in this field, “we can speak of Gnostic schools, sects and cults, Gnostic works and teachings, Gnostic myths and speculations, and even of Gnostic religion” [7, pp. 47-48]. Jonas concludes that Gnosticism is a kind of fusion of Hellenistic philosophy and Eastern sources while noting that “in general, …the thesis about the Eastern (Oriental) origin of Gnosticism has an advantage over… that is Hellenic” [7, p. 49].
Thus, Gnosticism is respectively a mysticism that came from the East. What is mysticism?
Mysticism is a set of ideas about the direct connection of a person with sacred principles [21]. Such a connection provides a person with a breakthrough from the earthly, corruptible world into the Divine, imperishable world and thereby deliverance from the earthly world, a way out of it.
Mysticism underlies all religions (famous researchers of mysticism point out this in their works: E. Underhill, R. Otto, S. Katz, K. Schmidt and others), but especially Orthodoxy as the Eastern Church. Moreover, in Orthodoxy, mysticism essentially merges with canonical theology.
So, according to V.N. Lossky, “Eastern tradition has never made a sharp distinction between mysticism and theology, between… the experience of knowing the Divine mysteries and the dogmas approved by the Church” [20, p. 208].
In Orthodoxy, hesychasm primarily represents mysticism.
The birthplace of hesychasm is Byzantium. The most famous Byzantine Hesychasts are Sts. Macarius of Egypt, Diadochos of Photicus, Gregory of Sinaite, Isaac the Syrian, Gregory Palamas. Based on Byzantine hesychasm, hesychasm began to develop in Russia. Therefore, V.N. Lossky’s statement is absolutely correct that “Russian Christianity is of Byzantine origin” and has with it the homogeneous character of “spiritual nepotism” [20, pp. 214, 215].
The basis of hesychasm is the ascetic practice of internal (silent) prayer, called Jesus’ or Mind’ prayer.
Prayer is aimed at obtaining, storing and transmitting the experience of a Christian’s unity with God. Such unity is deification, the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, carried out by God’s Grace. It is a gift from God.
The unity of a Christian with God is the unity of the energies of the whole (“the whole”, in the terminology of the Hesychasts) – bodily-soulful-spiritual – man and the energies of God, which appears as an increase in human energies carried out by God’s Grace in the sequence: bodily – soulful – spiritual.
At the same time, according to the testimony of Gregory Palamas, the energies of God surpass all human energies, “not only because He is their cause, but also because what is received always turns out to be only an insignificant share of His gift” [5, p. 309].
The interaction of human energies and the energies of God is called synergy. Synergy ensures that a person can overcome the hardships of earthly life and even death itself. Such overcoming is salvation. (“Salvation” is a concept, i.e., extremely important in Orthodoxy. In fact, the entire life of an Orthodox person is work that, by God’s Grace, can lead a person to salvation. And this work, as it was wisely noted, consists of “transformation of the heart” [Macarius of Egypt].) Hesychasm is determined in Russian philosophy its pronounced anthropologism, metaanthropologism. S.S. Khoruzhy indicates this.
Khoruzhy emphasizes that thanks to hesychasm, in Russian philosophy, “man becomes existential…; being becomes human… (arises. – A.K.) the mutual belonging of man and being. The reality of events, taken within the horizon of this mutual belonging, (can. – A.K.) be called the reality of man…” [9, p. 281].
Having a very close connection with the Byzantine mystical-philosophical tradition, primarily through hesychasm, Russian philosophy constantly strived for self-determination in it, finding its own face in it – not by excluding Byzantineism, but by mastering it and transforming it.
And this face, its “I” of Russian philosophy was predetermined by the peculiarity of Russian culture (essentially, Russianness), which astutely wrote about. G.V. Florovsky.
According to Florovsky, Russian culture (Russianness) contains two cultures, as if located on two floors. On the lower floor, there is a culture coming from paganism. Florovsky calls it “night” culture. On the top floor is the culture coming from Christianity (Orthodoxy), designated by the scientist as “daytime” culture. According to Florovsky, “‘night’ culture is an area of dreaming and imagination”, it manifests itself “in the insufficient ‘spirituality’ of the soul, in excessive ‘soulfulness’ or ‘poetry.’ “‘Daily’ culture (is. – A.K.) a culture of spirit and mind”. When we talk about “daytime” culture, “we are talking about spiritual sublimation and transformation of the soulfulness into the spiritual” [4, pp. 15-16].
The first is finding oneself at the level of “night” culture: soulfulness, and the second – at the level of “day” culture: spirituality. At the same time, it is significant to remember that spirituality has been understood in Rus’ since ancient times as a moral feat: service to creation and resistance to destruction (annihilation) [6].
And now, considering all of the above, you can try to answer the question: “What is Russian philosophy?”
It seems that in the most generalized, summary form, the answer to this question will look like this: Russian philosophy is the solution to the moral problem of victory over death. L.V. Karasev very accurately writes about this: “There is no problem for Russia; there is a problem of overcoming death” [8, p. 104] (2).
Finding the sense of music
Music has always attracted Russian philosophers. To be convinced of this, it is necessary to first clarify from what time Russian philosophy dates back, i.e., when it first felt itself at the level of “night” culture. Here the view on Russian philosophy history, proposed by V.V. Zenkovsky, is very helpful.
Zenkovsky notes that in the history of Russian philosophy, there was a prologue (the philosopher calls it “the threshold of philosophy”). We believe that in this prologue, Russian philosophy first felt itself.
The philosopher divides the prologue into two periods: 1) until the 18th century and 2) 18th century. Let us consider these periods.
Until the 18th century
At this time, thinkers were already appearing – theologians, church leaders, saints, raising philosophical questions. Among such thinkers, we should name Clement (Clim) Smolyatich, Kirik of Novgorod, Cyril of Turov, but especially the saint, monk Nil Sorsky.
Nil Sorsky was a follower and successor of the Byzantine Hesychasts. Thus, he talks about the state of internal prayer, leading to a kind of enlightenment, in which “there is relief in the struggle and calmness of thoughts, and the mind, as if with abundant food, is saturated with prayer and has fun, and a certain inexpressible sweetness emanates from the heart, and spreads to the whole body, and in all members the disease turns into sweetness… Then a person is in joy…” [22, p. 170].
Being associated with the Byzantine Hesychasts, Nil Sorsky shows a certain independence in his approach to their heritage. So, e.g., in the description of the Jesus prayer, Neil adds two new points: consolation and tears. Nil Sorsky has wonderful thoughts about music, or more precisely, about church singing, the basis of which was the znamenny chant (znamenny raspev).
(Znamenny chant is a type of ancient Russian liturgical singing. The peculiarities of this singing were that, firstly, when singing, the main thing was the pronunciation of words, which were the words of the Jesus Prayer, and, secondly, the singing was performed in unison – monophonic: everyone sang together, as one person. According to the explanation by B.P. Kutuzov, “znamenny chant… is icon-painting music, it can say to be a sounding icon… Znamenny chant is… prayer expressed in sounds… The task of znamenny chant (is. – A.K.) cleansing the soul from passions, reflecting images of the spiritual, invisible world” [19, p. 43].)
Focusing on consolation and tears, the saint highlights the same moments in the impact of liturgical singing. Nil Sorsky points out: “The gift of tears… acquired… who from what: one – from considering the sacraments of the Lord’s love for mankind (icon painting. – A.K.), the other – from reading stories about the lives and exploits and teachings of saints (literature. – A.K.) … others are distressed by some canons and troparions (singing genres. – A.K.)” [22, p. 168].
18th century
In the 18th century, as G.V. Florovsky emphasizes, churchless asceticism is noticeably increasing, which was “the awakening of dreaminess and imagination. (Some kind of. – A.K.) mystical curiosity develops” [4, p. 161].
This, as Florovsky puts it, “‘languishing of the spirit,’ sometimes dreamy, sometimes ecstatic” [4, p. 161] was reflected in the works of the clergy of this time, first of all, St. Tikhon of Zadonsky and Paisiy Velichkovsky.
At the same time, at this time in Russia (in Malorussia, which was then part of the Russian state), an original thinker making his way to philosophy, Grigory Savvich Skovoroda, powerfully declared himself.
Due to this “touch” of philosophy, Grigory Skovoroda became the herald of Russian philosophy (at the level of “night” culture).
According to V.V. Zenkovsky, Skovoroda is “the first philosopher in Rus’ in the exact sense of the word” [30, p. 65]. (At the same time, Zenkovsky makes an important clarification, especially in the context of our reflections: “And if we bring Skovoroda closer to the mystics, then not Western ones… but to the Eastern ones” [30, p. 70].)
Skovoroda’s philosophy is a motley mixture of Greek philosophy, biblical stories, Eastern intuitions, folklore motifs, etc. However, despite all the motleyness, two significant themes clearly emerge in it.
The first is about two natures: external and internal, i.e., created and Divine.
As Skovoroda writes, “The whole world consists of two natures: one is visible, the other is invisible. The visible is called creature, and the invisible is called God. This invisible nature, or God, permeates and contains all creatures, everywhere and always was, is and will be” [24, p. 149].
The second is about three natures: the macrocosm (Universe), the microcosm (man) and the Bible.
According to Skovoroda, all these natures are concentrated in man. Thus, Skovoroda remarks: “And without measuring yourself first, what is the use of knowing the measure in other creatures?” [24, p. 135]. Or: “Who can recognize the plan in earthly and heavenly materials… if he could not first see it in… his flesh?” [24, p. 135]. And again: “My body is based on the eternal plane… (You. – A.K.) see only a bestial body in you. You do not see the spiritual body” [24, pp. 136-138].
In his teaching about man, Skovoroda emphasizes the importance of the heart. He assures: “The head of everything in a person is the human heart. It is the most accurate person in a person”. And then a stunning conclusion: “What is the heart if not the soul? What is the soul if not a bottomless abyss of thoughts?” [24, p. 341].
Skovoroda constantly pointed out the frailty of earthly life and the need to break out of it. The Thinker urged: “Leave all this physical pus and bloodworms to the stupid and snotty virgins. And eat with Ezekiel the fragrant unleavened bread and the satisfying manna of God’s sacred Passover, moving from earth to heaven, from tangible to intangible, from the lower, corruptible, into the first-born world” [25, p. 52].
Skovoroda’s statement about the unity of people, unity in the “true man” – in Christ, was especially significant. Skovoroda writes: “One work… is to know oneself and understand God, to know and understand the exact person, all the work and his deception from his shadow, on which we all dwell. But true man and God are the same” [24, p. 140]. “This is the true man, equal to his eternal father in being and strength, one in all of us and whole in everyone, but his kingdom has no end…” [24, p. 162].
Skovoroda talks a lot about music. And this is no coincidence.
In addition to possessing theological and philosophical talents, Skovoroda was extremely gifted musically: he composed spiritual concerts and songs, played numerous musical instruments, e.g., violin, flutetraver, bandura, and gusli, and sang great.
In his ideas about music, Skovoroda proceeded from the Pythagorean idea of the existence of Heavenly music – Harmony of the spheres.
The Harmony of the spheres, according to Skovoroda, is the embodiment of Cosmic Harmony, which he called Symphony. The word “symphony” comes from the Greek word “sinphonia” – consonance, and the word “sinphonia” is directly related to the concept of “synergy”.
As Skovoroda believes, Heavenly music (Harmony of the spheres) is God. Skovoroda reflects: “Is it not God who contains everything? … He is the true tree in the tree, grass in the grass, music in music” [24, p. 134]. “Every ear hears the creaking of a musical instrument, but to feel the taste of the agreement hidden in the creaking, the ear must have a secret concept, and the one deprived of it… is dumb in music” [24, p. 362].
According to Skovoroda, Heavenly music is most clearly manifested in music created by man – instrumental and singing.
The connection between Heavenly music and music created by man, in Skovoroda’s understanding, is poetically presented in the description of his learner and close friend Mikhail Kovalinsky: “Not content with conversation…, he invited his friend (M. Kovalinsky. – A.K.) to take a walk in the summer late in the evening outside the city and insensitively brought him to the city cemetery. There, walking at midnight between the graves and the coffins torn open by the wind on the sandy ground, he talked about the reckless fearfulness of people aroused in their imagination by the deceased bodies. Sometimes he sang something befitting good-naturedness there; sometimes, retiring to a nearby grove, he played the flutetraver, leaving his young friend alone between the coffins, supposedly so that it would be more pleasant for him to listen to music from afar” [25, p. 393].
Let us add that Skovoroda was deeply aware of the beneficial effects of music on humans. Thus, through the mouth of a character in one of his dialogues, he says: “Music is a great medicine in sorrow, consolation in sorrow and fun in happiness” [25, p. 113].
19th century
The 19th century, according to Zenkovsky, is the beginning of the actual history of Russian philosophy. And what’s interesting, according to Florovsky, is the time of the Russian philosophy establishment as an original phenomenon (at the level of “daytime” culture). It is no coincidence that Florovsky calls this historical moment the “awakening” of Russian philosophy.
The Russian philosophical thought “awakening” was prepared by the social situation in Russia. It was a response to it.
At this time, a large number of philosophical circles appeared in Russia. The most famous of them was the “Obshchestvo lyubomudriya”. It included D.V. Venevitinov, V.F. Odoevsky, I.V. Kireevsky, S.P. Shevyrev, A.I. Koshelev and others.
Apparently, the most significant philosopher in this association was I.V. Kireevsky. The pathos of Kireevsky’s philosophy lay in upholding the originality of Russian philosophy – in comparison with Western philosophy. He saw this originality in the Russian philosophy support of Russian philosophy on Sacred Tradition, the Holy Father’s wisdom reflection and implementation in it.
Kireevsky considered the central position of Russian philosophy to be the affirmation of moral principles. His phrase from a letter to A.I. Koshelev (1827) has already become a textbook: “We… will agree gracefully with morality, arouse love for truth, …we will elevate the purity of life above the purity of style” [10, p. 336].
Kireevsky wrote little about music. At the same time, he has a statement surprising in its insight, in which he mentions music. So, in a letter to A.S. Khomyakov (1840), Kireevsky notes: “As long as a thought is clear to the mind or accessible to the word, it is still powerless on the soul and will. When it develops to the point of inexpressibility, it has only reached maturity. This inexpressible, looking through expression, will give strength to poetry and music…” [10, p. 362].
However, V.F. Odoevsky wrote most consistently and in-depth about music at this time.
V.F. Odoevsky’s music interpretation is evidenced by his treatise “An Experience in the Theory of Fine Arts with a Special Application to Music”.
In this treatise Odoevsky proceeds from the fact that every particular phenomenon has its essence. In turn, there is a certain essence constituting the essence of all essences. According to Odoevsky, this is Bezuslov (Absolute).
Bezuslov predetermines the harmony of nature and reveals itself to the human soul. As Odoevsky points out, “the existence of the Bezuslov is not only in nature, but it’s thought is in the very soul of a person; this thought is dear to the soul, it is a property of the human soul”. And further: “This thought is innate to our soul, (and. – A.K.) it is up to the thinker to discover it and explore its laws” [23, p. 157]. At the same time, “cognition is the connection of the known with the knower, in other words: for an object to become knowledge, two spheres are necessary: the knower and the known” [23, pp. 168-169].
Odoevsky emphasizes that music is the sound embodiment of the harmony of nature – the harmony of the life-giving and deadening principles. The life-giving and deadening principles “in music appear under the forms of… consonance and anticonsonance (consonantia – dissonantia)” [23, pp. 157-158]. According to Odoevsky, representing the harmony of nature, music conveys the harmony of the human soul and, thus, is a direct expression of the merging of the soul and the Bezuslov.
Extremely important was Odoevsky’s conversion, already at the end of his life, to the study of Old Russian Orthodox singing.
Odoevsky wrote a large number of articles on Old Russian church singing. Among them: “Brief Notes on the Characteristics of Russian Orthodox Church Singing”, “Orthodox Church Singing and Its Notes, Hooks and Other Signs”, “On the Question of Old Russian Chant” and others. Summarized they are presented in his work “Ancient Russian chant. Experience of guidance in the study of the basic laws of melody and harmony for non-musicians, especially adapted to the development of manuscripts about our ancient chant”, unfortunately, still unpublished.
1st half of20thcentury
In the 1st half of 20th century there was a rapid Russian philosophy development, its true flourishing within the framework of the general “Russian spiritual renaissance” [2].
It is significant that at this time, among Russian philosophers, there was a great interest in music and an understanding of the extraordinary philosophical possibilities in it. Each of the philosophers saw these possibilities in their way.
So, A.F. Losev’s music is an exceptional means of ascent to God, a kind of prayer; P.A. Florensky’s music is the life-giving power of the Liturgical action, based on rhythm and carried out according to the typikon (church charter); N.O. Lossky writes that sound expresses the unity of the visible and the invisible; I.I. Lapshin emphasizes the fusion of music and philosophy, especially in the work of Scriabin. But, perhaps, the specifics of the interpretation of music by Russian philosophers are most generally revealed in E.N. Trubetskoy’s works at that time.
Trubetskoy’s music interpretation followed the guidelines of his main philosophical work, “The sense of life”.
In this work Trubetskoy argues that the sense of life is revealed to a person thanks to philosophy, which helps him understand that his life sense is in reunification with God [27, p. 23].
This reunification requires human creativity.
According to Trubetskoy, the clearest expression of such activity is music. Trubetskoy concludes that music has unique possibilities for reuniting a person with God and talks about how he experienced a meeting with God while listening to Beethoven’s 9th Symphony at a concert.
It is how the philosopher describes this event: “It is difficult to convey the state of delight that I experienced then at the symphony concert. Just a few months earlier, a dilemma inspired by Schopenhauer and Dostoevsky had confronted my youthful consciousness. Either there is God, and in him is the fullness of life above the world, or it is not worth living at all. And I suddenly saw this dilemma deeply, clearly expressed in brilliant musical images. There is something infinitely more here than the formulation of a dilemma – there is a life experience of the otherworldly, – a real feeling of (eternal. – A.K.) peace. Your thought… perceives the entire world drama from that height of eternity, where all confusion and horror are miraculously transformed into joy and peace. And you feel that (this. – A.K.) eternal peace that descends from above onto the universe is not the negation of life, but the fullness of life. None of the great artists and philosophers of the world felt and revealed this as Beethoven did” [28, p. 157].
Beethoven helped Trubetskoy survive his meeting with God. And there, it is necessary to note an extremely significant point: this happened when Trubetskoy was immersed in symphony – Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. And the word “symphony” had a sacred meaning for Trubetskoy (close to the meaning of this word for Grigory Skovoroda).
In Trubetskoy’s view, a symphony is something uniting the earthly and the heavenly (Divine). The philosopher reminds: “The symphony, uniting the entire world of heaven and earth, sounds already at the beginning of the Gospel, in the story of the Evangelist Luke about the Nativity of Christ. The Good news preached to all creatures is precisely the promise of this symphony” [27, p. 208].
Beethoven’s 9th Symphony was a harbinger of such a symphony for E. Trubetskoy.
2nd half of the 20th century – present day
In the 2nd half of the 20th century Russian philosophy collapsed as an original spiritual phenomenon.
The Russian philosophy collapse was also reflected in works that explored the philosophical issues of music. At the same time, it was reflected in two ways: in some works, Russian philosophy was replaced by the dominant one at that time, Marxist-Leninist, in others, philosophical issues were completely dissolved in musicology.
And yet, in the 2nd half of the 20th century, most likely already at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, there was a return to Russian philosophy, i.e., the “renaissance of the renaissance” of Russian philosophy and it is associated with the works of A.L. Kazin, A.A. Ermichev, A.A. Korolkov, S.M. Polovinkin, N.K. Gavryushin and other authors. This return also made itself felt in the field of philosophy of music.
At the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, the first works on the philosophy of music appeared, again built on a well-established basis for Russian philosophy. These works belong to M.S. Uvarov.
Uvarov views music as a means of confession. The philosopher has written many articles and books on this topic but it seems his ideas are most concentratedly expressed in the article “Music and Confession”.
In it, M.S. Uvarov writes that the aspect of the confessional word, which is well “read” in the main genres of artistic creativity, is especially clearly manifested in music. The music of any outstanding composer, Uvarov emphasizes, cannot but carry a confessional meaning. The maturity of an artist’s thinking depends on the ability to analyze an artistic task, including at the level of its experience bestowed by confession and prayer. The composer, sensitively reacting to the objective conflict of existence, realizes and transfers the measure of his awareness of tragedy into the fabric of the work of art, in turn, expressing the degree of comprehension of world harmony [26].
The further development of the philosophy of music in Russia – on the foundation of Russian philosophy – was performed (and is being carried out to this day) by the author of this article.
We have proposed a model of the philosophy of music, which, we believe, today can be considered as the result of the development of judgments about music by Russian philosophers (from the period until the 18th century to the present day).
About the model
The model is called the “New Synergetic Philosophy of Music”. It has two components: theoretical and practical. In the theoretical component, the model is based on the conjugation of two principles: classical (old) synergetics and hesychasm. Let’s explain what has been said.
Classical (old) synergetics, which emerged in the 70s of the XX century, was an interdisciplinary field in science, within the framework of which the peculiarities of the self-organization of systems in the world were studied. It was found that systems evolve in the direction from less organized (orderly, stable, reliable) to more organized (orderly, stable, etc.). According to the founder of synergetics, German physicist Hermann Haken, he used the word “synergy” to name the new scientific branch he proposed – “synergetics”.
Hesychasm has already been mentioned above.
The conjugation of classical (old) synergetics and hesychasm occurs as follows: reading prayer by a Christian hesychast leads (and today) not only to his unity with God, but also to the transfer of the experience of this unity, since in the process of prayer the Christian hesychast communicates with all people, humanity [1]. Such communication contributes to the emergence in every lay person of the desire for unity with God in the world. This aspiration is expressed in the bodily, soulful and spiritual activation of a person in the world and determines the development of the world, according to the principle of self-organization of systems. In our opinion, the very self-organization of systems is represented by the sequence: nature – society – culture – art – music. In other words, music is the embodiment of person’s unity with God in the world.
In practice, we believe that music is the most powerful means of uniting the individual with God. In our opinion, music therapy is the process of bringing individuals to God through music.
We have developed a music therapy technology designed to provide a person with an ascent to God. How is this achieved?
We believe there is a structural similarity between person and music. In our opinion, both person and music consist of three intercorrelated levels: the first level of person is correlated with the first level of music, the second level of person is done with the second level of music, the third level of person is done with the third level of music.
Human levels: bodily, soulful, spiritual.
The levels of music, its bodily, soulful, spiritual levels, are called by us, respectively, physical-acoustic (the elements of which are rhythm, meter, tempo, timbre, dynamics), communicative-intonation (the element of which is intonation), spiritual-value (the elements of which are mode (tonality), melody and harmony).
Thus, with the bodily hypostasis of a person correlate the physical-acoustic level of the sound of music (rhythm, tempo, etc.), with the soulful hypostasis – communicative-intonation level (intonation), and with the spiritual one – spiritual-value level (mode (tonality), etc.).
Principle of operation: in the first sessions, music is used in which the first level of music prevails (rhythm, meter, tempo, timbre, dynamics). Such music is designed to activate the body-plastic component of a person (at the same time, of course, the use of other types of sound is not excluded, but the main thing is still material based on rhythm, meter, etc.).
In subsequent sessions, the emphasis is first placed on the second level of music (based on intonation) and then on the third (based on mode (tonality), melody and harmony), activating, respectively, the soulful and spiritual aspects of a person. Thus, the conducted music therapy sessions stimulate the bodily-soulful-spiritual growth of a person, revealing to him the Higher dimension of existence.
Instead of a conclusion
So, consideration of the topic showed that Russian philosophers paid close attention to music, and this attention intensified from era to era. This increase was explained by the fact that Russian philosophers became more and more clearly aware of the music greatness and its unprecedented possibilities in liberating man from the misfortunes of earthly existence, everything temporary, finite.
And indeed, listening to music, we forget about time and space and find ourselves in some another “wonderful” dimension of existence, in a new world of unfading beauty, greatness, and nobility. This world is of eternal existence, eternal life. And if this is so, music consequently helps us overcome earthly sorrows, sadness, not for long while it sounds, but thereby strengthens our faith that such overcoming is possible forever. In other words, music testifies that it is possible to defeat death! (3)
Alexander S. Klujev – Doctor Habil. in Philosophy, Full Professor
A graduate of the Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory, he is a pianist and musicologist (1980), studied philosophy at Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Zhdanov State University (1980), trained in the USA as a music therapist (1994).
He is the author of more than 350 scientific papers published in Russia and abroad: USA, Italy, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Romania, Turkey, China, India, UAE, Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine.
Main scientific works: “Music and Life: on the place of musical art in the developing world” (1997); “Ontology of Music” (2003, 2010); “Philosophy of Music:” (2004, 2010); “Music: the Path to the Absolute” (2015); “The Sum of Music” (2017, 2021); “10 articles on the Russian Philosophy of Music” (2023); “Russian Philosophy of Music: 2010s and 2020s articles. (Transl. from Russ.)” (2023); “Russian Philosophy of Music: Articles from the 2010s and 2020s” (2024).
Member of the editorial boards of and leading columnist in the journals:
“Philosophical Sciences”, “Annales of the Zubov Institute”, “Questions of Cultural Studies”, “Medicine and Art”, “Credo New” and others.
Literature
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Klujev A.S. Che cos’è la filosofia russa? in [El.] Idee&Azione. 2022. 14.11.
Klujev A.S. Principles of the New synergetic philosophy of music. In: Philosophy of creativity. Yearbook / RAS. IF. Sector of philosophical problems of creativity. Issue 7. 2021: Philosophical and methodological analysis of the cognitive foundations of creativity. Moscow, 2021, pp. 174-205.
Klujev A.S. Russian Philosophy of Music: Articles from the 2010s and 2020s. Moscow, 2024. 240 p. [In abbreviated form: Klujev A. Russian Philosophy of Music: 2010s and 2020s articles. (Transl. from Russ.). Ostrava, 2023. 154 p.]
Klujev A.S. Synergetische Musiktherapie auf der Basis russischer Philosophie und orthodoxer Tradition. In: Musik-, Tanz- & Kunsttherapie. Zeitschrift für künstlerische Therapien im Bildungs-, Sozial- und Gesundheitswesen. 31. Jahrgang. 2021. Heft 2. S. 179-192.
Klujev A.S. The Sum of Music. 2nd ed., corr. and revis. Moscow, 2021. 520 p.
Klujev A.S. What is Russian philosophy? In: [El.] Ethicsacademy.co.in. 2023. 13.06.
Klujev A.S. What is Russian philosophy? In: The Twentieth Slavic Scientific Council “Ural. Orthodoxy. Culture”. Russian language and Literature in Russian culture: from the legacy of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius to the Present: Proceedings of the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference with international participation: Collection of Scientific articles. Chelyabinsk, 2022, pp. 170-174.
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Mysticism: Theory and History, Moscow, 2008. 203 p.
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Odoevsky V.F. The experience of the theory of fine arts with a special application to music. In: Russian aesthetic treatises of the first third of the 19th century: in 2 vol. Vol. 2. Moscow, 1974, pp. 156-169.
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(1) By the way, this position is not original. It was stated before, e.g., by B.V. Yakovenko [29].
(2) This section of the article exists as a separate article in Russian, English and Italian, see: [17; 16; 11].
(3) For more information on the topic of the article, see: [12; 13; 14; 15].
impassioned kiss turns to wipe the makeup from her face
4
eclipse at the bottom of globe
former priest
splashes blood
across missile cones
5
sheep frozen
small portion exposed decomposing
expectations
of proofs when truth
is suppressed
Jerome Berglund has worked as everything from dishwasher to paralegal, night watchman to assembler of heart valves. Many haiku, haiga and haibun he’s written have been exhibited or are forthcoming online and in print, most recently in bottle rockets, Frogpond, Kingfisher, and Presence. A mixed media chapbook showcasing his fine art photography is available now from Fevers of the Mind.
Mirta Liliana Ramírez has been a poet and writer since she was 12 years old. She has been a Cultural Manager for more than 35 years. Creator and Director of the Groups of Writers and Artists: Together for the Letters, Artescritores, MultiArt, JPL world youth, Together for the letters Uzbekistan 1 and 2. She firmly defends that culture is the key to unite all the countries of the world. She works only with his own, free and integrating projects at a world cultural level. She has created the Cultural Movement with Rastrillaje Cultural and Forming the New Cultural Belts at the local level and also from Argentina to the world.
