Musicology Annotation << Back The Verbal Polyphony in the Electro-Acoustic Composition «Thema. Omaggio a Joyce» by L. Berio Nikulina Anastasia The article is devoted to analysis of the principles of elaboration of word in the electro-acoustic composition «Thema. Omaggio a Joyce». The subject of research is the concept of a verbal «theme» and principles of working with it, by analogy with the principles of polyphonic development of a musical theme. A combination of several approaches underlies the analysis of the work. The work is considered 1) from the point of view of Klangfarbenmelodie, based on a comparison of sound layers or characteristic combinations of sounds; 2) from the point of view of the architectonics of the form, based on a comparison of thematic elements (words and sequences of words); 3) the factor of musical intonation is noted as a secondary factor. In particular, the article discusses the prerequisites for the formation of a musically intonated sound from purely speech elements of the composition It is concluded that the verbal theme in «Omaggio a Joyce» reveals not only a pronounced phonic function in the likeness of Klangfarbenmelodie, but also a constructive architectonic role. The thematic elements in «Omaggio a Joyce» also bear a certain semantic load, connected with their use in the text of the literary source. Keywords: Luciano Berio, Omaggio a Joyce, Cathy Berberian, roman «Ulysses», polyphony, Klangfarbenmelodie. DOI: 10.25791/musicology.1.2025.1411 Pp. 16-26.