Abstract
While creating vocal music a composer is seeking for a word which is capable of expressing his thoughts and feelings. Step by step the poems selected by the composer form a book — a cumulative poetical text, in which, at the composer’s will, some iterative motives and through subjects are present. Such books are remarkable for unity of worldview, no matter how many poets are united in it. One of the meth¬ods of studying books of romance or choir music is comparative analysis. It is particularly effective when the compos¬ers in question belong to a common tradition — such is the case of Rakhmani- nov and Metner.