About two types of ironic statements in music

- · 29.09.2026

Review article
DOI: 10.56620/2227-9997-2026-3-39-52

Vera B. Valkova

Gnesin Russian Academy of Music, Moscow, Russia,
veraval@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5858-0613
Abstract: Irony in music is always hidden, deliberately subtextual, and revealed only through a specific perception. Among all possible manifestations of irony, it is proposed to distinguish two contrasting options: irony as a game of elusive meanings and irony as a revelation of apparent obviousness. The first type can be represented by the pieces of A. N. Scriabin («The Riddle», op. 52 No. 2; «Ironies», op. 56, No. 2; «Strangeness», op. 63, No. 2) and A. K. Lyadov («The Grimace», op. 64, No. 1; «The temptation», op. 64, No. 3), the second — by the late opuses of S. V. Rachmaninov (The Fourth Concerto, op. 40; «Three Russian Songs», op. 41; Variations on a theme by Corelli, op. 42; «Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini», op. 43; Third Symphony, op. 44). In Scriabin’s and Lyadov’s pieces, there is a kind of total irony that eludes any certainty, «playfully» changing the object and meaning of its game. In Rachmaninoff’s later works, the technique of ironic commentary takes on a prominent role. Its purpose is to expose the hidden meaning that is opposite to the direct statement. This technique, as well as the ironic games in Scriabin’s music, forms a special semantic sphere that can be described as the «poetics of elusive meanings».

Keywords: irony, Scriabin, Lyadov, the game of elusive meanings, Rachmaninoff, ironic commentary

For citation: Valkova V. B. About two types of ironic statements in music. Scholarly papers of Gnesin Russian Academy of Music. 2026;(3):39-52. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.56620/2227-9997-2026-3-39-52
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