their backpacks filled with new crayons and glue sticks.
Morning begins with Mass. The students pray
together, sharing optimism and faith—
until the gunfire starts. Round after round
sprays through a stained-glass window, firing wild.
Two kids are killed, and 18 more are wounded.
Terror, shock, and panic fill the church.
One boy, shielding his friend, shot in the back.
A wounded girl keeps pleading, “Hold my hand.”
There’s no escape. The shooter barred a door
with a 2X4. Brought three guns. Used them all—
a rifle, shotgun, pistol. Perfect tools
for someone standing outside, shooting in.
Just like the shooter’s heroes in the news.
It takes a lot of hate to mow down children—
faces bright with eagerness and promise.
What kind of mind resents their zest and joy?
Seeks only to destroy, destroy, destroy?
And why can some young person filled with rage
buy gun after gun after gun– no questions asked?
This feast of hate was crowned by suicide.
Without guns, toxic hate would not be fatal.
* On August 27, 2025, a sniper shot through a Church window at children attending a Mass that opened the school year for Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. Two dead, 18 wounded.
ICE WELCOMES STRANGERS
ICE targets brown—brown eyes, brown hair, brown skin.
Storm troopers drag whole families from rich fields,
leaving crops half-picked. These bounty hunters
seize brown workers from construction sites,
hotel staffs, work crews, courts, meat-packing plants.—
disrupting businesses, creating holes
that can’t be filled. A green card’s not a shield.
Contributor Abigail George would like to share a new project of hers: a blog called Mentally Sound that features articles, updates, a magazine, poetry, and uplifting music. In this day and age, so many things can affect our mental health. Please feel free to join the blog and blog about your own experiences or loving someone who has a mood disorder or an individual who is suffering from depression. Log in, blog, do read the posts and leave comments to inspire our growing community!
For we are all bound in stories, and as the years pile up they turn to stone, layer upon layer, building our lives. – Steven Erikson
This month’s contributions deal with the complexities of nature, history, culture, language, or even the psyche of a single person. Everything we choose or experience builds upon itself to make us who we are, even short-lived experiences.
Yucheng Tao’s poetry collection April No Longer Comes,published by Alien Buddha Press and reviewed by Cristina Deptula, explores moments of love and beauty that are wonderful and transient, like the season of spring. Sean Lee’s poems remind us that even fleeting moments can be meaningful and beautiful. Jian Yeo’s poetry touches on the pain and beauty we can find in mortality. Mykyta Ryzhykh contributes surreal images of life, death, and the cycle of modern existence. John Grey’s poetry explores comings and goings, presences and disappearances.
Yoonji Huh presents nature, family tenderness, and humor with a color scheme that looks historical and weathered. Gwil James Thomas speaks in several tough-minded pieces to memories and dreams and our sources of inspiration. Sean Lee’s artwork evokes the power of the imagination to illuminate daily life. Alina Lee’s poetry suggests that our pasts and futures comprise layers of each moment in which we find ourselves. JK Kim’s poetry looks at summer scenes with a calm nostalgia, after events have passed. Alexis Lee’s poems probe what we choose to value and remember, what we invest in and find beautiful. Olivia Koo probes the nature of memory, how multiple moments combine to craft a mental impression and feeling. Ah-Young Dana Park’s poetry comments on our changing memories and perspectives as time passes and we age. Chloe Park’s art revels in exquisite detail, probing culture and memory with intricacy. Sally Lee provides poetic snapshots of moments in time, considering whether they have meaning or value without context.
Seoyun Park’s visuals speak to how we observe and confront life, the dangers we face and those we pose. Ethan Lee’s poems remind us of the underside of our world: the everyday grotesque and the many layers of the ordinary. Irene Kim’s work explores the strain and melancholy that can permeate ordinary moments. Austin Chung’s poetry illustrates various kinds of disorder and dispersion as Taylor Dibbert vents his annoyance at the common problem of loud museum patrons. Lauren Kim stays with a single scene from everyday life for an entire poem, probing its layers. Haeun Regina Kim’s poetry examines ordinary objects and animals in depth, sharing details and language to create an off-kilter feel.
Brian Barbeito also explores deeply, focusing in on the flora and fauna of an Aruba resort. Debabarata Sen celebrates the verdant beauty of Costa Rica. David Sapp’s poetic speakers become waylaid by the arresting color and beauty of nature. Dylan Hong’s pieces present a gentle, abstract, even whimsical peek at nature. Grace Lee’s poetry crafts dreamlike, gentle, floating scenes. Terry Trowbridge’s pieces on peach harvests evoke the challenging economics and natural realities of farming. Mahbub Alam reminds us of the innate rough wildness of nature: storms, volcanoes, huge predators.
Sayani Mukherjee evokes the rhythm of a public piano played for big city pedestrians in a rainstorm. Eva Petropoulou Lianou waxes poetic about the beauty of the moon. Noriniso Kasimova shares memories of spring in her hometown and her father’s love. Chinese poet Su Yun collects a group of short poems from elementary school students, mostly impressions of natural scenes. Dhani M.’s artwork stylizes natural scenes to create emotional senses of calm, curiosity, and wonder. Jinwoo Brian Park’s art suggests that we can re-incorporate the old into the new, the natural into the artificial.
Mark Young contributes a fresh set of fanciful geographies. G. Emil Reutter humorously describes noisy construction’s impact on local residents. Erin Kim’s artwork explores the upsides and downsides of civilization’s technological progress. Katie Hong’s work critiques our isolation and obsession with technology as Xushnudbek Yakubov warns of the dangers of online misinformation. Sophie Yoon’s art critiques our complex relationship with consumption and the natural world. Eugene Han’s art explores who we are and where we’re going as humans, and our relationships with nature. Shabbona Abdurashidova highlights the importance of sustainable ecology in Uzbekistan. Jahin Claire Oh’s work speculates on how the world’s other creatures might see us: mimicking and learning from them, drifting into or penetrating their environments.
J.K. Durick speaks to new, wild, and real frontiers in modern nature and technology, commenting on our efforts to understand and control them. Pulkita Anand evokes the mental and physical disorientation brought on by the colonization of one’s land.
Ahmed Miqdad calls the world to action to help suffering civilians in Gaza. Patricia Doyne also calls the world’s attention to starvation in Gaza. Stephen Jarrell Williams speaks to the numbing, mindless destruction of war.
Abdisattorova Xurshida highlights the contrasting legacies of Genghis Khan and Amir Temur. Abdisattorova Hurshida reflects on her admiration for Uzbek martial artist Abdulbosit Abdullayev. Maftuna Rustamova and Chorsanbiyeva Gulnoza poetize in honor of the military personnel who serve and guard Uzbekistan. Zumrad Sobirova celebrates the poetic beauty and pride of her Uzbek heritage. Jumaniyozova Nazokat encourages Uzbekistan’s young people to develop a greater appreciation for their heritage by visiting points of historical interest.
Nilufar Moydinova’s essay highlights language’s inextricable interconnection with thought, life, and culture. Mauro Montacchiesi creates a dialogue of philosophical thoughts and poetry between Dr. Jernail Singh and Rabindranath Tagore. Federico Wardal speaks to his long admiration for artist Andy Warhol and director and screen writer Federico Fellini. Orolova Dinora explores layers of meaning in Antoine St. Exupery’s The Little Prince as Surayyo Nosirova celebrates the heritage of Uzbek author Alexandr Faynberg.
Reagan Shin revels in the comfort and ecstasy and happy memories she finds in books. Mushtariybegim Ozodbekova highlights the power of books and stories to transcend time, culture, age, and space. Panoyeva Jasmina O’tkirovna highlights ways language teachers can help students develop fluency through relevant speaking and grammar practice. Turg’unov Jonpo’lat explores techniques to help children of all abilities to learn foreign languages. Nafosat Jovliyeva and Dilshoda Jurayeva illustrate gamification and other creative strategies for language learning. Rahimova Dilfuza Abdinabiyevna discusses ways to improve student competence with writing and speaking. Hilola Badriddinova outlines strategies used throughout the developed world to teach foreign languages.
Linda S. Gunther contributes a craft essay on “interviewing” your characters to better understand them as a writer. Paul Tristram’s poetry explores the heroic narratives we create through our writing and our lives. Gloria Ameh evokes the visceral sensations of writing on topics close to the bone.
Abigail George writes a stream of consciousness essay on her vulnerabilities from mental illness and just plain existing as a female-bodied person and how enduring them inspired her to write. Soumen Roy also connects beauty to vulnerability, speaking to the fading Mona Lisa and the union of joy and sorrow as fellow travelers.
J.J. Campbell reflects on disillusionment, loss, and the eternal quest, against all odds, for love. Mesfakus Salahin speaks evocatively of his quest for love and freedom. Baxtiniso Salimova’s poetry tells an epic love story. Mirta Liliana Ramirez relates intense grief at the loss of her lover. Dilnoza Islomova expresses her gratitude for her mother’s tender care. Bill Tope and Doug Hawley collaborate on a love story that turns unexpectedly tender. Urazaliyeva Sarvinoz shares an emotional tale of jealousy, love, and forgiveness between two twin sisters. Sarvinoz Orifova expresses gratitude for her parents’ constant love and care. Wazed Abdullah expresses his love and gratitude for his mother. Ozodbek Narzullayev expresses his love for his mother and invites her to share her life struggles with him for support. Xurshida Abdisattorova shares the story of a mother’s complicated grief for an imperfect husband and father who passes away in a sudden accident. Shoxrukh Fayzulla o’g’li Dusmatov speaks to his mother’s love and care and how wealth alone matters little without compassion and humanity.
To’raqulova Pokiza Sanjarovna speaks to the need for human compassion, wisdom, respect, and personal development. Hamza Kamar’s poetry expresses his powerful hopes for a transcendent hero. Bhagirath Chowdhary expresses his determination to avoid the next life until he has finished roaming this world, offering blessings to others. Charles Taylor’s short story probes our ethics and the extent of the compassion we owe our friends and fellow humans.
Julia Kanno reminds residents of the USA that most Latino immigrants are hardworking people with lives and dreams. Bill Tope presents a tale of a survivor’s search for justice for a sexual assault that shattered her psyche. Abdisattorova Khurshida presents a tale of thievery exposed.
Graciela Noemi Villaverde shares a poem on the joy of community and diversity and welcoming special education students. Haeun Regina Kim’s artwork explores unity and acceptance of others, as well as harmony among rural and urban areas. Nabijonova Madinabonu outlines how sharing coffee can help us build building friendship and community. Khudoyqulova Shahzoda highlights Uzbekistan’s programs to enhance economic opportunities for low income women and families and the disabled.
Nazarova Moxiniso looks into discipline and student character development as part of Uzbek preschool education. Ulsanam Ulmasovna outlines Amir Temur’s contributions to the Uzbek education system. Islomov Inomjon describes the Geoment, a device to teach mathematical reasoning to children with low or no vision.
Bozorboyeva Iroda offers encouragement for young people to find and follow their own dreams. Khudoykulova Shahzoda points out consequences of and solutions to youth unemployment.
Various contributors celebrate notable people who should be better known, or highlight important research work. Sobirjonova Rayhona outlines the career and accomplishments of Uzbek woman mathematician and teacher Shodmonova Hilola. Eshmurodova Sevinch highlights the need for training for employees in Uzbekistan’s banking industry in digital technology to modernize industry. Muslima Olimova highlights strategies corporations have used to adapt to stay on top in a digital world. Jo’rayev Ulug’bek outlines engineering techniques for strengthening concrete structures. Mirzaolimov Mirabbos probes the medical relationship between diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Ostanaqulov Xojiakbar speculates on how to improve web search engine optimization to improve online communication and website findability. Orozboyeva Mohina Nuraliyevna outlines the role and history of psychology as practiced in Uzbekistan.
On a more psychological level, Duane Vorhees’ poetry covers and highlights human complexity: different aspects to our personalities, different choices we can make, how we can change with time. James Benger’s poetry explores the fear and tension underlying our individual existences, the danger from geologic pressure, storms, raw meat – and how we sometimes find hope to carry forward.
Andrew Ban shares restless, random thoughts, finding commonalities with all humanity while acknowledging the need to protect and defend himself if needed. Dongeon Kim’s work presents scenes of intense human and natural energy while Texas Fontanella revels in the pure sound of non-representational language. Dennis Daly wanders through a variety of human feelings, from nostalgia to frustration to faith. Michael Robinson shares his journey and heritage of faith, how he found a spiritual home and refuge in Christ and the church. Muhammad Sanusi Adam speaks to struggle, resilience, destiny, creation, and faith.
Gaurav Ojha seeks out meaning in a confusing and vast world, ultimately affirming everyone’s ability to find their own truths. We hope that reading this issue helps you to find a smidgen of truth for your own life.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIABETES MELLITUS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
Abstract. This article scientifically examines the strong link between diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. It has been established that diabetes significantly increases the risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, hypertension, and other cardiovascular complications. The article pays special attention to pathophysiological mechanisms, risk factors, diagnostic methods, and preventive strategies. Additionally, modern clinical approaches and the epidemiological situation in Uzbekistan are briefly reviewed.
Diabetes mellitus is one of today’s most serious global health concerns, negatively affecting the quality of life and life expectancy of millions of people worldwide. This disease is characterized by severe metabolic disorders resulting from insulin deficiency or resistance, leading to disruptions in glucose metabolism. Diabetes is generally categorized into two main types: Type I (insulin-dependent) and Type II (insulin-resistant). Both types can cause complex pathological changes over time.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2023, more than 537 million people worldwide are affected by diabetes, and this number continues to grow each year. Projections estimate that by 2045, the number will reach 783 million. This condition brings not only medical but also significant social and economic challenges, particularly due to cardiovascular complications being among the most severe outcomes.
Diabetes causes substantial damage to the cardiovascular system. People with diabetes are several times more likely than healthy individuals to experience coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, hypertension, peripheral artery disease, and heart failure. Studies show that diabetic patients are more susceptible to heart attacks, circulatory disorders, and even sudden cardiac death. Statistics indicate that over 65% of people with diabetes die due to cardiovascular complications.
The main factors contributing to the development of cardiovascular disease in diabetics include arterial wall thickening, accelerated atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and chronic inflammation. These conditions impair heart function, disrupt circulation, and may lead to heart muscle failure.
This article explores the scientific basis of the relationship between diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including pathophysiological mechanisms, risk factors, clinical symptoms, diagnostics, and prevention and treatment strategies. It also reviews the epidemiological situation and prevention efforts in Uzbekistan.
Pathophysiological Link
Diabetes affects the cardiovascular system through several mechanisms:
Insulin resistance – A key factor in Type II diabetes that impairs endothelial function.
Hyperglycemia – Chronic high blood sugar causes oxidative stress in vessel walls, accelerating atherosclerosis.
Dyslipidemia – Diabetic patients often exhibit elevated LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and reduced HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
Inflammation – Persistent low-grade inflammation adversely affects the heart and blood vessels.
Diabetic Angiopathy
Diabetic angiopathy refers to vascular damage due to diabetes and is divided into:
Microangiopathy – Affects small capillaries.
Macroangiopathy – Affects large arteries, contributing directly to cardiovascular diseases.
Coronary Artery Disease and Myocardial Infarction
Diabetes increases the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) by 2 to 3 times, making it one of the most dangerous and prevalent complications. CAD results from the narrowing or blockage of coronary arteries, which supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. This process develops more rapidly in diabetics and often leads to severe outcomes.
Chronic hyperglycemia in diabetes damages the endothelium (inner lining of blood vessels), causing dysfunction in vascular dilation and contraction. Combined with dyslipidemia, hypertension, and inflammation, this promotes the formation of atherosclerotic plaques that restrict blood flow to the heart.
Myocardial infarction (heart attack) occurs when part of the heart muscle is deprived of blood supply, leading to tissue death. In diabetic patients, heart attacks often occur without symptoms (“silent infarctions”) due to diabetic neuropathy reducing pain perception. This complicates timely diagnosis and treatment, increasing the risk of heart failure and sudden death.
Research indicates that diabetic women may be at greater risk for developing CAD than men, possibly due to hormonal factors and reduced cardiovascular protection. Additionally, asymptomatic or “silent” forms of CAD are more common in patients with Type II diabetes and are typically diagnosed only through specialized cardiac tests.
Post-infarction rehabilitation in diabetics is more complex, with slower vascular recovery, reduced cardiac contractility, and increased risk of heart failure. Thus, regular cardiac monitoring, early screening (ECG, echocardiography, stress tests), and proactive management are essential.
Preventive strategies include managing blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, body weight, and physical activity. Medications such as aspirin, statins, and ACE inhibitors are widely used to prevent heart attacks. A healthy diet, stress management, and quitting tobacco also play a crucial role in maintaining heart health.
Diabetic Cardiomyopathy
Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a condition where the heart muscle is directly damaged by diabetes, impairing its ability to contract and relax. It can develop even in the absence of overt cardiovascular disease, making it a distinct complication of diabetes.
The main cause is disrupted energy metabolism in the heart. In diabetes, glucose cannot efficiently enter cells, forcing the heart to rely on fatty acids for energy. Excessive breakdown of fatty acids increases oxidative stress and leads to toxic byproducts, causing cell death (apoptosis) and structural changes in the myocardium.
Insulin resistance also affects calcium regulation in heart cells, reducing the heart’s ability to contract and relax. Calcium ions are critical for heart function, and their imbalance leads to diastolic dysfunction, where the heart cannot fill properly during relaxation.
Over time, the heart muscle thickens (hypertrophy) and the chambers (especially the left ventricle) enlarge, weakening the heart’s pumping ability. Clinically, this presents as shortness of breath, fatigue, rapid heart rate, swelling, and signs of heart failure.
Studies show that diabetic cardiomyopathy is especially common in Type II diabetics, many of whom feel asymptomatic. Functional impairments are often detected only via echocardiography or MRI. Regular heart evaluations and early attention to signs of heart failure are essential.
Treatment starts with strict glycemic control. Modern drugs such as SGLT-2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and ACE inhibitors provide cardiac protection and slow the progression of cardiomyopathy. Lifestyle modifications—balanced diet, physical activity, stress reduction, and avoiding harmful habits—are key to maintaining stable heart function.
In conclusion, diabetic cardiomyopathy is a complex, direct consequence of diabetes affecting the heart. Early detection and consistent management significantly reduce the risk of heart failure and death.
The Situation in Uzbekistan
According to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the incidence of diabetes is increasing annually. This trend contributes to the growing burden of cardiovascular diseases. Preventive efforts are insufficient, especially in rural areas where public awareness is low.
Prevention and Recommendations
Healthy lifestyle: proper nutrition, physical activity, avoiding smoking and alcohol
Continuous glucose monitoring
Management of hypertension and dyslipidemia
Annual ECG and echocardiography screening
Conclusion
Diabetes mellitus is one of the major contributors to cardiovascular damage. Coronary artery disease, hypertension, heart attacks, and other cardiac conditions are significantly more common in diabetic patients. This reality demands enhanced preventive and treatment measures from the healthcare system. Success in the fight against diabetes relies on patients’ commitment to their health, informed medical approaches, and public campaigns promoting healthy living.
References
Abdullayeva Z., Toshmatova M. Propedeutics of Internal Diseases. – Tashkent: “Tibbiyot”, 2021. – 412 pages.
World Health Organization (WHO). Diabetes: Key facts, 2023.
Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Diabetes-related statistical data. – 2022.
Reaven G. M. Role of insulin resistance in human disease. Diabetes. – 1988.
American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes – 2023.
Mirzaolimov Mirabbos Muzaffar ogli 3rd-year student at the Faculty of Medicine, Alfraganus University Born in Shakhrisabz district, Kashkadarya region
Annotation. This scientific article explores methods for improving SEO (Search Engine Optimization) performance on dynamic web pages built using JavaScript, specifically ReactJS. Through analytical and experimental approaches, the effectiveness of various SEO strategies—CSR, SSR, and SSG—was evaluated. Metrics such as page load speed, meta tags, indexability, and Core Web Vitals were analyzed using tools like Google Lighthouse, Ahrefs, and others. The advantages of SSR and SSG were supported by practical outcomes. Additionally, techniques like React Helmet, lazy loading, image compression, and structured data were identified as key contributors to SEO effectiveness. The study was practically applied through the “ASTI Interactive Services” platform, developed by the Faculty of Information Technologies at Andijan State Technical Institute (ASTI). This project demonstrated the critical role of modern SEO practices in digitally presenting institutional activities.
Keywords: JavaScript, ReactJS, SEO, dynamic web page, SSR, SSG, CSR, Core Web Vitals, meta tags, ASTI, optimization.
Introduction. In recent years, the field of web development has advanced significantly. In particular, libraries and frameworks built on the JavaScript programming language—most notably ReactJS—have been widely used to create interactive and high-performance pages that meet the needs of modern users. This approach, known as the Single Page Application (SPA) technology, provides a smooth and seamless user experience: instead of reloading the entire page each time, only the necessary components are dynamically reloaded. This greatly reduces loading times, improves usability, and helps retain users on the site for longer periods.
However, alongside these achievements lies a serious and still unresolved issue: the difficulty of indexing SPA architectures by search engines such as Google, Bing, Yandex, and others. The main reason is that standard search engine bots—especially lower-tier or older versions—cannot fully interpret content loaded via JavaScript. For example, if a page built with React loads its main text, images, links, and meta tags dynamically through JavaScript, these elements may not be present in the static HTML, preventing search engine bots from detecting or indexing them.
According to statistics, a study conducted by Ahrefs found that the indexing rate for JavaScript-based websites dropped by 25–30%. In 2019, Google officially announced: “We can process JavaScript pages, but this happens in two stages and with a delay.” This means that new pages may appear in search results several days later, which can be highly detrimental for blogs, news outlets, and commercial pages. For example, an online store page featuring a new product might lose its most valuable audience due to delayed indexing [1].
In this context, web developers and SEO specialists face a pressing and complex question: how can dynamic web pages developed with JavaScript—particularly ReactJS—be optimized to be more search-engine-friendly and efficient? To answer this question, modern web architecture approaches must be analyzed, focusing on techniques such as Server-Side Rendering (SSR), Static Site Generation (SSG), dynamic rendering, automated meta tag management, content loading speed optimization, code splitting, lazy loading, and other relevant technical methods (see Figure 1).
Figure 1. ReactJS and JavaScript Technologies
For example, React-based frameworks such as Next.js play a crucial role in solving this problem. With Next.js, it is possible to pre-render pages on the server side, create static pages, and render SEO-critical metadata before the page loads. This ensures that the page is fully and quickly indexed by Google. Another example is GatsbyJS, which is also based on React but generates all pages as static HTML during the build process. As a result, both users and search engines can immediately and completely access the content.
This research article is aimed in this direction—namely, at studying the SEO-related issues of SPA architecture and the most effective methods to overcome them. Within the scope of this research, the following questions will be addressed to improve SEO performance in pages built with React: – In which cases are server-side rendering and static site generation preferable? – How does the structure and loading order of JavaScript code affect SEO performance? – What are the optimal methods for dynamic meta tag management? – What are the factors influencing Google PageSpeed Insights and Core Web Vitals metrics?
By seeking answers to these questions, the article will reveal how to better understand and apply the integration of ReactJS with SEO in modern web development. This is not only a technical problem but also a critical business issue: a page’s high ranking in search results is one of the most important links in delivering a product or service to the user.
Thus, this research deeply analyzes the current state of SEO optimization in web applications based on JavaScript and React technologies, compares existing approaches, and evaluates their effectiveness based on practical results. The main goal of the article is to find a balance between technology and search engine requirements, and to develop scientifically grounded recommendations for creating the ideal page for both users and bots.
Methodology. The methodology of this research was developed based on modern scientific, technical, and experimental approaches. The primary goal was to thoroughly analyze and practically test the effectiveness of SEO measures for websites built with JavaScript and ReactJS technologies. Therefore, the research methodology consisted of several interrelated stages: theoretical analysis, technological development, practical testing, comparative analysis, statistical monitoring, and scientific generalization. Through these stages, the role of SEO in dynamic ReactJS-based websites was comprehensively studied, and scientifically justified conclusions were drawn (see Figure 2).
Figure 2. Speech on the Topic of SEO in Websites by Xojiakbar Ostanaqulov, 3rd-Year Student at Andijan State Technical Institute
At the initial stage, the existing theoretical and technical knowledge in the field of SEO was thoroughly studied. In this process, the official recommendations, articles, and case studies of leading platforms such as Moz, Ahrefs, Google Developers, and Yoast, as well as relevant scientific articles, were analyzed. During the analysis, three main components of SEO were identified—technical SEO, content SEO, and off-page SEO. Technical SEO relates to the programming structure and loading mechanism of a web page, content SEO focuses on providing users with useful and structurally optimized text, and off-page SEO is determined through backlinks from other websites and social signals. Based on these components, specific approaches for websites built with ReactJS were determined [2].
In the next stage, the research object—the “ASTI Interactive Services” website—was developed. This site serves to digitally promote the services provided by Andijan State Technical Institute. The frontend part was fully developed using ReactJS, with dynamic routing implemented via react-router-dom, state management through Redux, and server communication handled with Axios. Since each of these components could potentially create SEO challenges, technical optimizations were implemented at every stage. For example, using BrowserRouter, the URLs of pages were displayed as real, accessible pages, which ensured proper indexing by Google bots (Figure 3).
Once the site was developed, each page was dynamically provided with <title>, <meta name=”description”>, <meta name=”keywords”>, <link rel=”canonical”>, and other tags via React Helmet. These tags define how the page is interpreted by Google search. All images were converted to WebP format and given alt attributes. Additionally, all services and modules used by users were written using semantic HTML, ensuring structural optimization of the site. The site was also equipped with robots.txt and sitemap.xml files. These files clearly indicated to bots how the pages should be indexed. As a result, both the speed and quality of page indexing improved.
Figure 3. Main Page Interface of the ASTI Interactive Services Platform
One of the most important stages of the research methodology was the experimental analysis. During this phase, the website was tested multiple times using tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, Screaming Frog, GTMetrix, and Ahrefs. After each test, metrics including LCP (Largest Contentful Paint), FID (First Input Delay), CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift), and TTI (Time to Interactive) were continuously monitored. Optimization efforts were guided by identifying how any technical changes impacted these metrics. For example, implementing code splitting using React.lazy and Suspense components reduced loading time by 23%. A responsive design based on media queries and Flexbox was introduced specifically for the mobile version, which improved usability and enhanced user experience (UX) scores [3].
Statistical monitoring was a distinct component of the methodology. The website was observed under real conditions for 14 days. Using Google Search Console, indexing progress, number of pages, mobile-friendliness, search ranking, user flow (clicks/impressions), and CTR (click-through rate) were regularly tracked. Ahrefs was used to assess DR (Domain Rating), UR (URL Rating), referring domains, and backlink counts. These figures were used to measure the site’s SEO potential. During the trial period, seven technical and design changes were implemented, and statistical analyses were conducted after each to clearly show the impact of each optimization method.
A comparative analysis method was also employed. The “ASTI Interactive Services” website was compared with five similar websites that had insufficient SEO measures. Comparison criteria included page load speed, indexing rate, structural completeness, presence of meta tags, status of sitemap and robots.txt files, URL structure, and mobile compatibility. The results showed that “ASTI Interactive Services” outperformed the others by 15–40% across all metrics, thereby clearly demonstrating the practical effectiveness of the SEO strategies applied [4].
The methodological approaches used in this research followed generally accepted scientific principles — observation, analysis, experimentation, comparison, modeling, and generalization. Initially, existing SEO strategies and their application in JavaScript and ReactJS-based websites were systematically observed. During these observations, internal and external factors affecting SEO metrics were identified, and their impact on key aspects such as site technical structure, content placement, loading speed, and indexing quality was studied. Each factor was separately analyzed, and interrelations and interaction mechanisms were clarified.
Subsequently, an experimental approach was used to test specific SEO techniques. Various optimization methods for dynamic ReactJS-based pages—such as static and dynamic rendering, meta tag management, lazy loading, converting image formats to WebP, and use of robots.txt and sitemap.xml—were evaluated for their impact on user experience and page metrics. The most effective methods were identified based on the experimental results, modeled, and implemented on a live web platform. Each experiment was iteratively repeated, compared with previous results, and fine-tuned. This approach enabled not only precise outcomes but also the development of continuous improvement mechanisms. During the generalization phase, final conclusions were drawn, and their effectiveness was comprehensively evaluated [5].
Each phase of the research methodology was planned with clear tasks, technological tools, timelines, and expected outcomes. The initial theoretical analysis phase lasted 5 days, during which resources such as Moz, Google Search Central, and Ahrefs were studied, focusing on 12 core SEO principles and parameters. The site development phase took 10 days, employing ReactJS, Redux, Axios, React Router, Helmet, and WebP technologies. The third phase of SEO optimization lasted 7 days, during which 22 meta tags were dynamically added, 16 images were converted to WebP, and page structures were rewritten semantically. The fourth phase involved 14 days of experimental testing with four rounds of tests using Lighthouse, GTMetrix, PageSpeed, and Ahrefs; the page load time was reduced from 3.2 seconds to 1.8 seconds. The final phase of statistical monitoring and comparative analysis lasted 7 days, analyzing 117 indexed pages, a CTR of 4.9%, and URL structure comparison via Google Search Console and Ahrefs. Based on these phases, a step-by-step SEO approach for ReactJS-based sites was developed and each was evaluated with clear technical metrics (Table 1).
Table 1. Summary Analysis of the Methodology Section
Stage Name
Duration
Tools Used
Key Results and Metrics
1. Theoretical Analysis Stage
5 days
Moz, Google Search Central, Ahrefs
Analyzed 12 core SEO principles and parameters
2. Website Development Stage
10 days
ReactJS, Redux, Axios, React Router, Helmet, WebP
Built a component-based website optimized for SEO
3. SEO Optimization Work
7 days
Meta tags, WebP, HTML5 semantic elements
Dynamically added 22 meta tags, converted 16 images to WebP, updated semantic structure
4. Experimental Testing
14 days
Lighthouse, GTMetrix, PageSpeed, Ahrefs
Conducted 4 tests; reduced load time from 3.2s to 1.8s
5. Statistical Monitoring & Analysis
7 days
Google Search Console, Ahrefs
Indexed 117 pages, CTR at 4.9%, analyzed URL structure
Results. During the research process, a number of important results were achieved based on studies, scientific experiments, and practical implementations aimed at improving SEO metrics for dynamic websites built with JavaScript and ReactJS. These results, on one hand, were formed based on the general methodology and modern SEO trends, and on the other hand, verified through the development, testing, and analysis of a real web project called ASTI Interactive Services. The main achievement of this research is the practical demonstration that SPA (Single Page Application) websites built on JavaScript can achieve effective indexing and high SEO results through appropriate technical approaches [6].
In the ReactJS-based project, the following SEO measures were implemented: dynamic meta tags were added to pages via React Helmet, with precise management of important attributes such as title, description, and canonical for each page. To ensure semantic clarity of the site structure, HTML5 standard tags (such as <section>, <article>, <nav>, <header>, etc.) were used correctly and purposefully. Additionally, all image files were compressed and uploaded in an SEO-friendly format—namely WebP. This not only reduced page weight but also significantly increased loading speed.
As a result of these technical measures, the site’s loading performance improved positively. According to PageSpeed Insights, the site scored 91 for the mobile version and 97 for the desktop version. Regarding Core Web Vitals metrics, the site’s LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) was 1.9 seconds, FID (First Input Delay) was 12 ms, and CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) was 0.01. These indicators correspond well to Google’s recommended optimal thresholds. Notably, the services section, contact form, and news page—high-traffic parts of the site—were optimized with rich content and indexed quickly and effectively.
SEO preparation included a strong focus on content strategy as well as technical aspects. Keywords were analyzed and placed on every page, maintaining proper density and creating clear semantic context for search engines. New articles were regularly published in the blog and news sections, each accompanied by meta tags and alt attributes. Content freshness ensured continuous indexing of the pages [7].
The project extensively used the following technologies and platforms:
SEO tools: Google Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, Screaming Frog SEO Spider, Lighthouse, Ahrefs (for analysis)
This combination of technologies enabled the creation of a user-friendly interface alongside a search-engine-optimized site structure. Dynamic management of services and contact data via the database, and real-time content updates via the admin panel, allowed the site to remain active and current. Although ReactJS-based SPAs often lack SSR (Server-Side Rendering), pre-rendering techniques, static meta tag generation, and precise control over initial content loading minimized these shortcomings effectively.
Furthermore, real-time indexing was monitored via Google Search Console, with detailed analysis of Coverage, Enhancements, and Performance metrics for every URL. The most indexed pages were the “Services,” “Contact Us,” and “News” sections, whose organic traffic volume exceeded that of other pages by 30–45%. Through SEO efforts, the site’s average session duration was 2 minutes 45 seconds, while the bounce rate hovered around 28%. These indicators demonstrate user interest and confirm that the optimization results improved user experience (see Figure 4).
Figure 4. SEO Optimization Status of the ASTI Interactive Services Platform
Scientifically, the following key conclusions were drawn:
Websites built on SPA architectures like ReactJS can be optimized for SEO with specialized approaches, indicating a shift from previously held paradigms.
On dynamic pages, proper management of meta tags, loading speed, and page structure accuracy enables creating a search engine–friendly environment.
Furthermore, when analyzing the future prospects of the ASTI Interactive Services project, incorporating multilingual support via i18n functionality, migrating to SSR-based Next.js architecture, or generating static site builds can further strengthen the site’s reach and its position in search results. Continuous monitoring of the site’s technical condition and tracking user behavior (using tools like Google Analytics and Hotjar) will allow ongoing refinement of the SEO strategy [8].
According to statistical data obtained during the final testing and monitoring phase of the ASTI Interactive Services site, the overall loading speed scored 97 points on desktop and 91 points on mobile devices. Core Web Vitals metrics were as follows: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) at 1.9 seconds, First Input Delay (FID) at 12 milliseconds, and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) at 0.01. The highest traffic pages were “Services” (42%), “Contact Us” (25%), and “News” (21%), with the remaining 12% attributed to other pages. Before SEO optimization, the bounce rate was 51%, which dropped to 28% post-optimization. Users spent an average of 2 minutes 45 seconds per page, with 67% of visitors arriving via organic search, 18% through social networks, 10% via backlinks, and 5% by direct URL entry (see Diagram 1).
Diagram 1. Statistical Data of the ASTI Interactive Services Website
Discussion. Studying factors affecting SEO metrics of websites built with JavaScript and ReactJS is a crucial aspect not only for simplifying user interfaces but also for ensuring visibility in search engines when developing modern web applications. Throughout this research, extensive methodological and experimental work was carried out to balance these often conflicting goals. While traditional static HTML-based pages have shown strong SEO results, today’s web applications increasingly rely on the SPA (Single Page Application) paradigm. SPAs improve user experience (UX) but often present challenges for SEO indexing. This challenge formed the starting point of the study [9].
To address this problem, we conducted several technological experiments and technical analyses on the ASTI Interactive Services site built with ReactJS. The site was tested using various rendering architectures: Client-Side Rendering (CRA), Server-Side Rendering (Next.js), and Static Site Generation (Gatsby). Each rendering type demonstrated its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of SEO impact. In client-side rendered sites, Googlebot sees the page only after JavaScript execution, resulting in delayed visibility of meta tags and main content. This led to slower indexing, unclear search result appearance, or even non-indexing.
Server-side rendering proved to be an effective solution. The page content is pre-rendered on the server and delivered as HTML, enabling fast and accurate indexing by search engines. For example, SSR pages built with Next.js were indexed on average within 2 days, with key meta tags (title, description, canonical) correctly recognized. Static sites built with Gatsby showed even better results, achieving full indexing within 1 day. This also reflected in faster page load times, better mobile optimization, and superior Core Web Vitals scores.
During the discussion, the following technical differences were identified:
Impact of rendering technologies on indexing:
CRA (CSR): Pages indexed within 5–7 days; meta tags appeared with delay.
Next.js (SSR): Pages fully indexed within 2 days.
Gatsby (SSG): Pages indexed within 1 day; achieved highest SEO scores.
SEO technical metrics (based on Google Lighthouse):
CRA: SEO – 72, Performance – 63
SSR: SEO – 91, Performance – 88
SSG: SEO – 98, Performance – 94
Growth in organic traffic:
CRA version: 18 out of 100 users came from search engines.
SSR version: 47 out of 100 users came from search.
SSG version: 64% of users arrived via search.
Experiments conducted on ASTI Interactive Services applied the following approaches to improve SEO indicators while preserving user experience:
Dynamic meta tags for each page via React Helmet library.
Automatic generation of sitemap.xml and robots.txt files.
Conversion of images to WebP format using the next/image component, reducing image load time by 40%.
Optimizations that reduced Core Web Vitals: LCP down to 1.7 seconds and CLS down to 0.01 (see Figure 5).
Figure 5. SEO-Optimized Code Sections of the ASTI Interactive Services Platform
Additionally, JSON-LD formatted structured data was added to the pages, enabling search engines to display page elements as Rich Snippets. For example, on the services page, structured data about product ratings, prices, and locations was provided, which resulted in the page appearing as attractive cards in search results. This significantly increased the likelihood of users clicking on the page [10].
Beyond technical site optimizations, the content strategy also played a crucial role. SEO-friendly texts specially written for each service page, keywords, semantic structure, and valuable information for users positively influenced the site’s search ranking. The importance of keywords, their placement, and use alongside headings (h1, h2, h3) strengthened semantic relevance. Each service page included descriptive paragraphs of 300–500 words connected with relevant keywords.
Additionally, the site incorporated:
Open Graph and Twitter Card meta tags: ensured beautiful previews when shared on social networks.
Canonical URLs: reduced the negative SEO impact of duplicate pages.
Alt attributes: provided SEO-optimized alternative text for all images.
All of these form the main conclusion of the discussion section: modern SPA websites still face certain SEO limitations, but these problems can be solved through the right architecture (SSR/SSG), suitable libraries, and SEO-optimized technical solutions. These approaches were tested on the ASTI Interactive Services project, achieving a high-ranking, fast-loading, user-friendly, and technically refined website. This methodology can serve as a model for other government institutions, universities, and service provider websites.
Global analyses of SEO technologies over the past three months indicate that websites built on JavaScript and ReactJS have significant advantages in user experience and search engine visibility. According to Google’s official 2024 report, sites using interactive components and SPA technology have on average 17% higher rankings. Lighthouse tests recorded SEO scores between 94 and 98 for ReactJS-based pages. Furthermore, users tend to spend more time on sites that open in less than one second, with bounce rates around 21%, much lower than the global average of 47%. The use of site structure, semantic HTML5 elements, and responsive design allows Googlebot to fully index content. Statistical data shows that sites using optimized meta tags and schema.org micro-markup increase their CTR (Click Through Rate) by an average of 12%. Also, sites with robot.txt and sitemap.xml files are indexed twice as fast by Google. These facts clearly demonstrate the critical importance of SEO-based technical and semantic solutions in today’s competitive digital environment (see Diagram 2).
Diagram 2. Multifaceted Impact of SEO Technologies
Conclusion. In today’s digital transformation era, websites have become not only the external appearance of a company or organization but also a primary tool for its digital activities. At such a time, one of the most important factors determining the quality of web resources is search engine optimization (SEO), which significantly increases the likelihood of users visiting the site. Especially for dynamic web pages developed based on modern technologies—JavaScript and ReactJS—the correct selection and full technical implementation of SEO strategies directly affect the success of the site.
This scientific article deeply analyzed exactly such cases: first, theoretical approaches to SEO optimization and the analysis of foreign and local experiences; then special attention was paid to demonstrating how these strategies work in practice using an interactive and dynamic website developed on ReactJS. Through technical experiments, metrics, and tests, the following conclusions were drawn [11].
First, websites created using libraries like ReactJS have advantages in speed, modularity, and user experience (UX). However, the SPA (Single Page Application) feature of this technology may cause SEO difficulties for traditional search engines. Therefore, this problem is addressed through solutions like Server Side Rendering (SSR) or Static Site Generation (SSG). For example, platforms created with Next.js enable multi-layered optimizations. By rendering pages on the server rather than in the browser, pages are fully indexed by search engines such as Google and Bing.
Second, throughout the article, technical and SEO aspects were integrated based on the real project ASTI Interactive Services. The following practical measures were taken for this platform:
Full restoration of HTML semantics (page structure optimized using header, nav, section, article, footer elements),
Meta tags created separately for each page (title, description, keywords, canonical),
Proper setup of robots.txt and sitemap.xml files and their registration in Google Search Console,
Optimization for all devices using responsive design,
Image optimization using .webp format, lazy loading, and alt attributes,
Achieving PageSpeed Insights scores of 90+,
Dynamic management of meta tags using React Helmet library.
Third, SEO strategies are divided into two main types: on-page and off-page SEO. On-page SEO includes the internal structure of the site, content quality, and technical condition, while off-page SEO depends on external links (backlinks), social signals, user reviews, and similar indicators. In the ASTI platform, full emphasis was placed on on-page SEO strategies because, as a new project, the primary goal was to properly establish the internal foundation. Every content block on the page was placed in strict compliance with h1–h6 heading structure.
Fourth, according to experimental results, SEO-optimized pages showed in Google Analytics:
A decrease in bounce rate by 18%,
An increase in average session duration by 40 seconds,
Page per session increased by 1.2 times,
CTR (Click-Through Rate) rose from 2.8% to 6.3%.
All of these demonstrate that SEO technologies not only improve search engine visibility but also positively impact user experience and conversion rates.
Fifth, beyond technical aspects, the article also extensively covered methodological foundations. Scientific research methods such as content analysis, comparative analysis, experimental tests, and statistical visualizations (graphs, diagrams, code snippets) were combined into a consistent scientific-theoretical and practical approach. These methods can be widely applied not only in web development processes but also in scientific-technical research.
Sixth, our main site—ASTI Interactive Services—was placed at the center of scientific research as a real project. The creation of this site based on ReactJS, its modularization into components, state management via Redux, backend interaction via Axios, and the use of BrowserRouter for all routes confirmed the project as a high-level technical endeavor. The backend was supported by Django REST API. Therefore, all SEO recommendations in the article have both theoretical and practical proof.
Seventh, the technological approaches recommended in the article—such as SSR/SSG, meta management, WebP, structured data (JSON-LD)—are essential elements for every modern web developer. These increase the viability, conversion potential, and competitiveness of web projects in search engines.
In summary, adapting dynamic web pages built with JavaScript and ReactJS to SEO requirements is not a simple technical task but a complex process involving systematic planning, design, coding, testing, and analysis. Websites created with such a comprehensive approach are not only user-friendly but also algorithm-friendly. Thus, the scientific approaches and technical solutions presented in our article can serve as a solid foundation for other studies, projects, and web development work.
MUSIC AS A WAY OF SELF-REALIZATION: A DIALOGUE WITH PROFESSOR ALEXANDER KLUJEV
Tayron Achury (T.A.). Dear Professor Klujev, you are a well-known philosopher and musician. Your scientific works have been published not only in Russia, but also in the USA, Italy, Spain, Germany, Romania, Greece, the Czech Republic, Turkey, India, China, Pakistan, the UAE, and many countries of the former USSR. You are the author of an original model of the philosophy of music. In this interview, I would like to discuss with you your model of the philosophy of music, as well as your understanding of the connection between music and pedagogy, the role of music in shaping the human experience.
So, Professor Klujev, the main question is: could you tell us what the essence of your model of the philosophy of music is?
Alexander Klujev (A.K.). Dear Dr. Achury, I consider my model, in general, as the result of the development of Russian philosophy of music. Russian philosophy of music originated approximately in the 15th century and has been constantly evolving. What is the specific understanding of music by Russian philosophers? Russian philosophers interpret music (each, of course, in their own way) as the most perfect means of saving a person. I have summarized the ideas of Russian philosophers about music in my three books: “10 Articles on Russian Philosophy of Music” (published in 2023 in St. Petersburg by the F.M. Dostoevsky Russian Christian Humanitarian Academy), “Russian Philosophy of Music: 2010s and 2020s Articles (Transl. from Russ.)” (published in 2023 in the Czech Republic, in Ostrava, in English by Tuculart Edition & European Institute for Innovation Development) and “Russian Philosophy of Music: Articles of the 2010–2020s” (published in 2024 in Moscow by Progress-Tradition). About my model.
I called my model “The New Synergetic Philosophy of Music”. It has two components: theoretical and practical.
In the theoretical part, the model is based on the combination of two principles: classical (old) synergetics, developed by the German physicist Hermann Haken, and hesychasm, the core of the Orthodox doctrine. In the practical part, it demonstrates how this synthesis can be applied in music. Let me explain.
Classical (old) synergetics, which emerged in the 1970s, is an interdisciplinary field of science that studies the self-organization of systems in the world. It has been established that systems evolve from less organized (ordered, stable, and reliable) to more organized (ordered, stable, etc.).
Hesychasm affirms the unity of the energies of the bodily-mental-spiritual man and the energies of God, which appears as the growth of man’s energies in the sequence: bodily – mental – spiritual. Such growth is carried out as a result of the reading of the Jesus, or the Smart Prayer, by a person.
And the conjugation of classical (old) synergetics and Hesychasm is connected with the fact that in the process of prayer, the Christian Hesychast carries out (and in our days!) communication with all people, humanity. Such communication contributes to the emergence in every layman of a desire for unity with God in the world. This desire is expressed in the bodily, mental, and spiritual activation of the individual in the world, which leads to the development of the world according to the principle of self-organization of systems. In my opinion, the self-organization of systems is represented by the following sequence: nature, society, culture, art, and music. In my view, music is the highest development of the world, which is influenced by human development, and it is also the embodiment of unity.
In practice, the work I offer is based on the realization that music is a powerful means of uniting a person with the Supreme Being, God. I believe that music therapy is the process of bringing a person closer to the Supreme Being through music. I have developed a music therapy technique that I hope will help people ascend to the Supreme Being (I have conducted music therapy workshops using this technique in Russia, the United States, and Finland for eight years).
The model is presented in detail in my monograph “The Sum of Music” (2021), published in Russia, as well as in separate articles published in Russia and abroad.
T.A. You are a teacher. Tell me, can the musical-pedagogical process become a model of the pedagogical process in general, or is it only a special process? And another question: how can the musical-pedagogical process influence the pedagogical process?
A.K. Let’s first define what a pedagogical process is. In my opinion, a pedagogical process is a person’s introduction to the world. This introduction takes place through three sequential actions: sensory contact, knowledge, and practical mastery, which are derived from the sequential manifestation of the three components of human consciousness: feelings, reason, and will. But here’s what’s interesting: these actions make themselves felt in musical pedagogical work in a very distinct way, acting as a succession of musical upbringing, musical education, and musical training (of course, mostly in theory, not in practice, where they are closely intertwined).
Musical upbringing is the development of the ability to experience music as a prerequisite for a proper response to music.
B.M. Teplov writes extensively about musical experience in his famous book “Psychology of Musical Abilities”. According to Teplov, “the specific feature of musical experience is the experience of the sound fabric as an expression of a certain content. This criterion is the main and primary distinguishing feature between ‘musical experience’ and ‘non-musical’ experience of music”.
Musical education is the expansion of musical ideas, predetermining the awareness of music as an original art form.
B.V. Asafiev made a huge contribution to the improvement of musical education processes. Asafiev proposed a heuristic method in this direction based on the technology of “music observation”. According to the renowned musicologist, “from the analysis of … the properties of (music. – A.K.) and from the installation of provisions that help to understand its “content”, it was possible to conclude that in order to correctly approach (understanding. – A.K.) music … it is necessary not so much to teach it or study it as a scientific discipline, how much is the observation (intelligently organized) of the changes and transformations of the material taking place in it”.
Finally, music training is preparation for working with musical material (especially important in a professional environment).
This work requires the manifestation of musical and creative will. The patterns of this manifestation are discussed by the famous German pianist and teacher K.A. Martinsen. Martinsen refers to the musical-creative will as the sound-creative will (schöpferischer Klangwille) and explains that it is composed of six distinct modes: “Pitch-Wille (Tonwille)”; “Sound-Wille (Klangwille)”; “Line-Wille (Linienwille)”; “Rhythm-Wille (Rhytmuswille)”; “Form-Wille (Gestaltwille)”; and “Forming-Wille (Gestaltungswille)”.
Thus, musical upbringing, education, and training appear to be three consecutive stages (stages) of a person’s introduction to music, but given that music is the perfect embodiment of the world (according to the model of the “New Synergetic Philosophy of Music” proposed by me), it is obvious that introduction to music can be considered as a model of introduction to the world, and therefore, as a universal form of pedagogical activity. I have tried to show this pedagogical potential of music in my article “Musical Upbringing, Education, and Training in Phenomenological Understanding”, published in the journal “Philosophical Sciences” in 2019.
T.A. You have noted the phenomenological focus of your article on music pedagogy. Could you please elaborate on the role that phenomenology plays in the understanding of music? Additionally, I would like to ask you about the significance of a music teacher’s subjective experience in their pedagogical work.
A.K. Yes, of course, the phenomenological approach is crucial for comprehending the principles of music. What is phenomenology? Let me start with the term. The term phenomenon (Greek: φαινόμενον, from φαίνεσθαι – to appear, to be visible, also – to seem) in a general sense means a phenomenon given in sensory contemplation. This term is the basis of the concept of phenomenology, which means the study of phenomena. It was first used by the German philosopher Johann Heinrich Lambert in his work “The New Organon” (1764).
According to Lambert, phenomenology is a theory of appearance (Theorie des Scheinens). Phenomenology helps us “break through the appearance (the blindness of appearance) to the true”. As Lambert writes, the concept of appearance, both in its literal meaning and in its original source, refers to the impressions that perceived things (Dinge) evoke in our senses. This concept applies to all the senses, and since it applies to all the senses, it is only natural that this concept would be used to describe “the impression that each sense provides us with through the perception of objects, such as when we want to say ‘heat’ or ‘sound’ (and so on)”. In other words, phenomenology is a way to understand the essence of a phenomenon.
In musicology, this involves immersing oneself in the sound layers of music. What are these sound layers?
Many renowned researchers have written about the sound layers of music, including Karl Dalhaus and Nikolai Hartmann in Germany. The Russian-American scientist Genrikh Orlov devoted a section to this topic in his remarkable book “The Tree of Music”. I have proposed my own approach. What is it?
First of all, I have noted that for greater accuracy, when discussing the sound layers of music, we should be talking about the sound layers of an individual piece of music. I distinguish three such layers:
the first layer is defined by rhythm, meter, tempo, timbre, and dynamics;
the second is determined by intonation;
the third is recognized by means of mode (key), melody, and harmony.
Further. I believe that the listed sound layers, in the order of their enumeration, are the successive stages of revealing the center of a musical work. In accordance with this, the elements that fix these layers: rhythm, meter, tempo, timbre, dynamics, intonation, mode (key), melody, and harmony, are the successive elements that reveal this center.
As a result, it is the harmony that illuminates the center of a musical composition. (I believe that this “picture” can be found in any music, as the progression of rhythm, meter, tempo, timbre, dynamics, intonation, mode (key), melody, and harmony has always determined the structure of musical compositions.)
According to my understanding, this center is the Spirit, the Spiritual energy.
Thus, one cannot but agree with the famous Swiss conductor and music phenomenologist Ernest Ansermet that “music was found before the sounds”. And, by the way, Ansermet emphasizes: “the meaning of music… is manifested in every (musical. – A.K.) work”.
I develop my ideas about the sound layers of a musical work in the article: “On the Tetrasphere of the Musical Language”, published in the journal “Bulletin of Musical Science” in 2021.
And about the subjective experience of communicating with music… I am a pianist, graduated from the Leningrad (now it is called St. Petersburg) Conservatory. Gave concerts. I remember at one of my performances, and I played Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, played in some intoxicating me delight: absolutely free – the fingers as if by themselves “flown” over the keyboard (!), I, or rather someone inside me, began to ask questions: what is happening? why are people gathered? where do the sounds fly? and in general: what is music? You see – the living phenomenology of sound…
T.A. Tell me, Professor, does music only represent reality, or does it also shape it? How does music contribute to the construction of human existence?
A.K. Dear Dr. Achury, what is reality? There is an empirical understanding of it, and there is a mystical understanding…
You know, in medieval Europe, there was a debate about whether universals were objective substances or, on the contrary, abstractions formed in the process of human cognition. Essentially, this was a debate about what reality is. There were those who argued that general concepts have a real existence and precede individual things and objects, and they were called realists (John Scotus Eriugena, Thomas Aquinas). There were also those who denied the ontological significance of universals, arguing that general concepts do not exist in reality but only in the mind. These were known as nominalists (Roscelin, Ockham). There were also those who took a middle position in this debate, arguing that there is something common in individual objects that can be expressed by a concept. These people were known as conceptualists (Pierre Abelard and Duns Scotus).
I spent a long time trying to decide which of these three camps I belonged to, but I eventually realized that I was a realist in the medieval sense. The fact is that the realists claimed that general concepts exist in three forms: “before things” in the divine mind, “in things themselves” as their essence or form, and “after things”, that is, in the human mind as a result of abstraction and generalization. For me, general concepts live in things themselves, in individual musical compositions. It is in this sense that I speak of the human discovery of God through music.
Regarding the construction of human existence by music, I will say this. Of course, music builds a blueprint for human existence, moreover, it constantly improves this blueprint, even when a person listens to the same musical creation. This is the movement of man towards God in music. As a person develops, he finds in music an ever–increasing unity with God, which constantly raises him and brings him to a new level – the plane of existence. What does this mean? And this means a change in the temporal parameter of human existence, the movement of a person through time into eternity.
This process has been reflected in the comments of 20th-century music theorists and practitioners. For example, according to the musicologist K. Dalhaus, who devoted the section “On the Temporal Structure of Music” in his book “Music Theory in the 18th and 19th Centuries” to this topic, music exists “in time”, even though time is irreversible. “Irreversible time” is not present in the immediate musical experience. This “constant”, “homogeneous”, “empty”, “quantum” time, or “world time”, is not consciously perceived or experienced during listening; it remains an “external moment of music”. However, “present” time is a “lived” time in which the past and future are synthesized, while measurable time, with its distinct past and future, remains secondary. This effect is also noted by the composer B.A. Zimmerman. He believes that music has an external time, which can change, – the tempo of a piece of music, and an internal time, which is almost constant, – the experience of the person (listener) of the organizational development of a piece of music. The internal time is more important. As Zimmerman explains his position, “time in a piece of music is organized in two ways: on the one hand, by choosing a specific external measure of time (tempo. – A.K.)… on the other hand, by choosing a specific internal measure of time (experience. – A.K.)… “The ‘inner’ as well as the ‘real’ measures are determined by the inner musical consciousness of time, which acquires a regulatory meaning in this sense”.
T.A. Dear Professor, there are two powerful approaches to music that have developed in Germany: Hegel’s and Nietzsche’s. How do you view these approaches, and which one is closer to your model?
A.K. Dear Dr. Achury, in order to understand Hegel’s and Nietzsche’s approaches to music, it is necessary to first understand the essence of Hegel’s and Nietzsche’s teachings. Let me start with Hegel’s teachings.
As is well known, Hegel’s work that most fully expressed the philosophical system of the great German thinker was the book “Phenomenology of Spirit” (1807). In this work, Hegel focuses on the spiritual, leaving the material and non-spiritual aspects outside the realm of the science of the phenomena of the spirit.
In Hegel’s philosophy, the spirit evolves through three stages: subjective, objective, and absolute.
The Subjective spirit is the soul, the consciousness of an individual.
The Objective spirit is the “spirit of society as a whole”.
The Absolute spirit is the highest manifestation of the spirit, the eternally valid truth.
Thus, the subjective spirit precedes the objective spirit, and the objective spirit, in turn, precedes the absolute spirit.
Interestingly, Hegel did not write anything about music. Hegel’s thoughts on music are presented in his lecture notes, which were collected and published by his student, Heinrich Gustav Goto, under the title “Lectures on Aesthetics” (1835-1838), after the philosopher’s death.
From these materials, it is clear that for Hegel, music is a romantic art that expresses the subjective spirit (the soul of an individual). Hegel notes, “music is the spirit, the soul, that sounds directly to itself and feels satisfied in this listening to itself”. It is evident that Hegel, in the context of his philosophical system, did not highly regard music. This is evidenced, in particular, by the following statement by the thinker: “Musical talent is mostly manifested in early youth, when the mind is still empty and the soul has experienced little, and it can even reach a significant level before the artist has gained any spiritual or life experience. For the same reason, we often encounter significant virtuosity in musical composition and performance alongside a lack of spiritual content and character”.
As for Nietzsche, it is considered to be his main work, in which he outlined the essence of his teaching, the text “Thus spoke Zarathustra” (1885). In this essay, Nietzsche presented his main ideas: “God is Dead”, “Superman”, “The Will to Power”, “Eternal Return”, and others. Nietzsche’s ideal is a strong (or rather, unbridled) personality that destroys socially accepted norms of behavior and morality.
Nietzsche wrote a lot about music, which is understandable: Nietzsche was a composer, a pianist, and, most interestingly, he considered himself a composer. Nietzsche’s works on music are well-known, including “The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music” (1872, 2nd edition 1886, with the preface “An Attempt at Self-Criticism” and the subtitle “Hellenism and Pessimism”) and “The Wagner Case” (1888). Many vivid opinions about music can be found in Nietzsche’s book “The Will to Power” (which is a collection of Nietzsche’s notes, compiled and edited by his sister, Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche, and Peter Gast in 1888).
For Nietzsche, music is a wild element that unleashes the energy of self-destruction and self-renewal. Nietzsche associate’s music with the ancient Greek god Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry. According to Nietzsche, contemporary German music, which he believed had a romantic origin (notably, like Hegel, Nietzsche emphasizes the romantic aspect of music), should become Dionysian. Here is how he writes about this in “The Experience of Self-Criticism”: Romantic music must be overcome by Dionysian music: “What kind of music would it be that would no longer be of romantic origin, like German music, but of Dionysian origin?” I will also quote Nietzsche’s statement about music from his work “The Will to Power”: “We dare to be absurd and childish again… in a word, ‘we are musicians’”.
So, when it comes to music, Hegel emphasizes its spiritual nature (at the level of the subjective spirit), while Nietzsche emphasizes its sensual and bodily nature. You asked which of Hegel’s or Nietzsche’s ideas about music aligns with my philosophy of music.
I answer: Hegel’s.
T.A. What, in your opinion, is the main problem for music in the 21st century, are we in a period of expansion of musical consciousness or in a crisis of musical consumerism?
A.K. In my opinion, music has no problems. Music was, is and will be. Music exists forever, even before sounds (remember the statement by E. Anserme, which I cited). About “eternal music” wrote Ferruccio Busoni, Maurice Ravel, Nikolai Metner… It’s not the music that has problems, it’s the person who has lost touch with music. Let me remind you that in the 5th and 4th centuries BC, there was a philosopher named Diogenes of Sinope in Ancient Greece, who would walk around in broad daylight with a lantern, saying, “I’m looking for a person”. Isn’t it time for someone with a hearing aid to walk around different concert venues, saying, “I’m looking for music”? And you know, it seems to me that to look for music is to look for a person in music, so that the intention of Diogenes was very and very prophetic…
Today, as a rule, there is no human being in music, and moreover, he is deliberately removed from it.
All this began with the work of A. Schoenberg, then it intensified enormously in connection with the organization of the international summer courses of new music in Darmstadt (1946), where many composers began to hone their ways of removing a person from music: P. Boulez, K. Stockhausen, B. Maderna, L. Nono, L. Berio, J. Cage, J. Xenakis, M. Kagel, V. Rome, M. Feldman, B. Fernihow, H. Lahenman, B. Furrer and others.
Today, the method of removing a person from music proposed by H. Lachenman is particularly popular. What does Lachenman do? Here is a description of one of his works, the Concert for Percussion Air (1968-69): “During the play, the soloist uses an incredible number of instruments, from a glass Japanese gong… to regular timpani and other drums (including a string drum, or “lion’s roar”…), as well as… electric guitars and other instruments. Orchestral musicians at various points (use. – A.K.) … toy frogs, which are played by both brass players and string players in the final bars of the composition. The croaking of the toys at the end may create a nostalgic atmosphere… Whatever the real purpose of these toys, they… provide a wonderful contrast to the other surprising sounds of the final sections of the piece: the brass instruments bubbling with water in their horns, the electric doorbells being operated by a pair of special performers, and so on”.
In modern Russia, there are many composers who have adopted Lachenman’s approach, including A. Manotskov, O. Raeva, A. Filonenko, B. Filanovsky, S. Nevsky, D. Kurlyandsky, and others. Perhaps the most diligent follower of Lachenman’s instructions is D. Kurlyandsky.
Here, for example, is what Kurlyandsky says about his composition Vacuum pack (Vacuum Packaging), 2015, written for voice, trombone, piano, glockenspiel, violin, and electronics: “At some point, I felt that it wasn’t enough for me to compose just combinations of sounds or even just sounds themselves… On the first page, here’s what happens. The vocalist leans her ear against one of the four glasses in front of her and listens. The glasses (make. – A.K.) noise of different heights (the effect of a seashell). She (repeats. – A.K.) the tone she heard and as if she puts it in another glass – she sings into it. From the exhalation, the glass slightly steams – the condensation later in the play becomes an independent material with which the musicians work. ‘Putting’ the sound in the glass, the singer listens again to another glass, picks up a new sound and carries it on. At the same time, each glass is sounded and put on a separate column…”.
I have written about all of this in detail in my article “Game of Music: How Long?”, which was published in the materials of an international scientific conference held at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music in 2020.
As for the second part of your question, how can we describe what is happening in music today: is it an expansion of musical consciousness or a crisis of musical consumerism? I believe that these are two sides of the same process. I would describe this process as the dispersion of musical consciousness.
Walter Benjamin wrote about the lack of concentration, and hence the triumph of mass (effortless) art, in his essay “The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technical Reproducibility” (1936). More recently, Jean Baudrillard has written extensively about the total commodification of art (and even the racketeering it engages in). In this regard, his collection of articles and interviews, “The Artistic Conspiracy” (1995), has gained significant attention.
T.A. And the last question, dear Professor. Tell me, what do you see as the prospects for the development of music in the coming decades?
A.K. You know, I formulated this question for myself and tried to answer it almost 30 years ago in my article “On the Directions of Music Development in the 21st Century” (1998). Unfortunately, what I came to in this article remains relevant today.
I have identified seven directions for the development of music in the 21st century (just as you have identified seven questions for me).
The first of these, and, as I see it, the most significant, is the emergence of new technical means for creating and performing musical compositions based on the further development of the principles of electronic, in particular computer-based, musical sound.
Indeed, the current 21st century is a century of consistent growth in scientific and technological capabilities, which will undoubtedly affect the technical means of musical art, including, of course, electronic means. As K. Stockhausen explained this process, the use of technology enhances a person’s expansion in the world, “because with the help of glasses, a small tape recorder, and similar items, a person can see and hear better, and they begin to view them as part of their body”.
The second direction of music development is the further movement in the field of interaction of all kinds of musical art.
This conviction is based on the study of contemporary musical works that belong to various musical genres, styles, etc., as well as on the statements of composers about the current trend towards the unification of various manifestations of musical art. For example, Sergei Slonimsky stated: “There is a process of convergence between different movements and musical systems, where the ‘predisposition’ or ‘affiliation’ of a composer to a particular direction is erased”. Or here is the opinion of Krzysztof Penderecki: “Today… the chance to survive has music written in a natural manner, synthesizing everything that has happened over the past few decades”.
The third direction of music evolution must be considered the consistent expansion of the sound range of musical art, in other words, the increasingly active musicalization of the sounds of living and non-living nature included in the fabric of musical compositions.
According to Evgeny Nazaykinsky’s figurative expression, “new questions are being added to the old ones, such as whether musique concrete, which originated in France in the middle of the century, as well as the so-called ‘graphic’ and ‘conceptual’ music, and many other branches that grew on the trunk of musical history in the 20th century, are considered music”.
The fourth direction of music’s evolutionary movement is its increasing desire for unity and interconnection with other arts.
As Moses Kagan notes, “the importance of expanding music’s interactions with other arts lies in the fact that synthetic artistic structures meet the need for a multifaceted and holistic representation of human existence”.
The fifth direction of music’s development is the complexity of its language.
One example of this complexity is the increased tonal complexity of musical compositions. For example, according to Edison Denisov, “new music has expanded, and the old tonality has entered the modern system as one of the simplest elements”. The use of the so-called mutation technique in music is equally significant. According to K. Stockhausen, “now… for the first time in music… a musical figure gives rise to a new one that is genetically related to it, but this relationship is hidden and not obvious. The process of change (of the musical figure) is constant. This technique of transformation, the technique of mutation, is completely new…”.
The sixth direction of music development is the increasingly active inclusion in musical compositions of what is traditionally the opposite of sound: silence.
As you know, one of the first people to use silence when creating a piece of music was J. Cage. For example, I will cite his well-known piano piece “4’33″”, in which the pianist does not extract a single sound from the instrument. Similar essays are created by a student of J. Cage J. Brecht. Here, for example, is Brecht’s composition “Water Jam”. This work, which resembles a suite, consists of a large number of independent pieces written on separate sheets of cardboard. Some of these pieces have titles such as “String Quartet”, “Flute Solo”, and so on. However, the performance is highly unique, with the musicians not playing but merely shaking their hands in the “String Quartet” and dismantling and reassembling the flute in “Flute Solo”.
Finally, the seventh direction of music evolution is the increasing role of the personality of the composer and performer in the musical creative process.
The last direction is especially important: it is this direction that will allow us to bring the human being back into music. After all, what is a human being? It is not his body, which some philosophers, aesthetes, and cultural scientists are so concerned about today (following Nietzsche, I call them Nietzschebrods, or Nietzscheans in spirit!), but his consciousness, i.e., his personality. In general, the encounter of man with God in music is nothing other than a multidimensional interpersonal process, in which God also acts as a Person – the Person of God (yes, the Orthodox God has a Person, as all Russian philosophers, and especially Lev Karsavin, have argued). This is how I describe (build) this process in my book The Sum of Music: Initially, the Personality of God influences the personality of the composer (contributing to the composer’s idea of a musical composition), the personality of the composer influences the personality of the performer (determining the performer’s choice of a musical composition for interpretation), and finally, the personality of the performer influences the personality of the listener (engaging the listener in the interpreted musical composition). As a result of this multi-step influence of the Personality of God on the personality of the listener, the listener’s personality ascends in the following sequence: listener’s personality – performer’s personality – composer’s personality – Personality of God.
I believe that this is the process we should keep in mind when we talk about music as a path to self-realization.
T.A. Thank you for the interview, Professor Klujev.
Tayron Achury is a Colombian philosopher, Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). Teacher at the National Open University of Distance Education (UNAD), Bogotá, Colombia.
Author of the books: “Democracy and Terrorism” (2004), “Ethics, Culture and Education in Colombia” (2012), “Ethical Foundations of Theory and Political Action” (2017), “Post-Truth, Humanisms and the Imaginary” (2021), “Introduction to the History of Philosophy” (2022).
He is also the author of poems, short stories, novels. For ten years, he was the director of the university radio program “Palabreando con Sofía”, a symbolic space for philosophical and social education that became an important pillar in the popularization of philosophy at UNAD.
Currently, he runs the YouTube channel “Ethos filosófico”, where he continues to promote critical thinking and ethical education in new digital formats. Alexander Klujev is a Russian philosopher, musician, musicologist, musicotherapist. Doctor Habil. in Philosophy, Full Professor at the Russian State Pedagogical University named after A.I. Herzen, as well as a Leading Researcher at the Russian Institute of Art History.
Author of books: “Music and Life: about the place of musical art in the developing world” (1997), “The 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 of the 2010–2020s” (2024).
Member of the editorial boards and editor-in-chief of the following journals: “Philosophical Sciences”, “Questions of Cultural Studies”, “Annales of the Zubov Institute”, “Medicine and Art”, “Credo New”, and others.
