Tuva is one of the world regions where the traditions of shamanism are well preserved. Shamanic practice did not stop during the Soviet period of Tuvinian history, having passed into hidden forms. The article deals with the influence of the sound culture of shamanism on the work of the Tuvan composer Khuresh-ool Damba (1943–1993). I. Tsybikova-Danzyn was the first to propose the analysis of the piano piece “Shaman’s Dance” by Kh. Damba through its reflection of the structure of shamanic ritual. This idea was continued by A. Mongush and A. Chymba in regard to Kh. Damba’s Concerto for timpani, harpsichord and chamber orchestra. Consideration of the composer’s symphonic poem “My Tuva” (1972) from this perspective, determines the scientific novelty of the present research. Analysis of the symphonic poem showed that an important fragment of its form, in which the conductors made cuts, is built in the logic of shamanic ritual, which is also emphasized by the timbre plan. The triad of the said opuses, created by Damba in 1967–1972, during his studies at the Novosibirsk Conservatory, demonstrates the author’s gradual refusal from direct associations with the images of shamanism. The high level of artistic persuasiveness of these works can be explained by the fact that the composer did not so much create a musical picture of the shamanic dance as convey the inner world — the state of the shaman during the ritual. In the context of shamanic studies and opinions of tradition bearers, the facts of the composer’s biography, the memories of his relatives and contemporaries are considered, which allows us to express a hypothesis about the connection of the composer’s illness with his tendency to reflect the sound culture of shamanism in musical works. The result of the interaction of the most ancient ritual form and the professional composer’s tradition of the New European type, belonging to completely different cultural paradigms, are original author’s concepts and solutions in the work of Kh. Damba.
The research was carried out within the framework of the project “Musical Heritage 'Symphony Ene-Saya'” of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives (PFKI-23-1-011801).