Genre and stylistic features of the incorporation of folk elements in the piano music of Uzbek composers

This article examines the genre and stylistic features of the incorporation of folk elements in the piano music of Uzbek composers. It explores various forms of using folk musical material in piano works—ranging from direct quotation of folk melodies to the indirect embodiment of national modal-intonational, rhythmic and textural features. Based on an analysis of sonatas, sonatinas, preludes, fugues, toccatas, rhapsodies and cycles of miniatures, the main trends in the development of Uzbek piano music are identified, reflecting the interplay between European compositional principles and the national monodic tradition. Particular attention is paid to the works of G. Mushchel, N. Zakirov, R. Abdullaev, A. Mansurov, H. Rakhimov and other composers who have made a significant contribution to the formation of the national piano repertoire. The conclusion is drawn that folklore is the most important source of artistic renewal and the preservation of the national identity of Uzbek piano music, whilst the ways in which it is incorporated demonstrate the evolution of compositional thinking from the arrangement of folk themes to their creative reinterpretation within the context of contemporary musical techniques.