Ethos and Eros in the Life’s Activity оf Mykola Lysenko

The psychological source of human activity is hidden in human nature. The values of life on which the affirmation and vitality of the individual are based are revealed in the aesthetic and ethical spheres. In the sphere of the aesthetic – it is an experience of beauty and magnificence, in the sphere of the ethical – it is love, faithfulness, dedication and cheerfulness, which are based at the active attitude of a person. Thus, ethos is closely connected with eros. The latter is used in the article in the sense of a strong, passionate AESTHETIC (rather than physiological or psycho-physiological) feeling. The aim of this work is to investigate the interconnection of ethos and eros in the life of a prominent figure of Ukrainian musical culture, Mykola Lysenko (1842-1912). The methodology of the research is to combine the cultural-historical method (elucidating the life and work of the composer through the prism of the aesthetic and ethical spheres), the method of analysis of scientific literature on the problem (to identify the degree of its development and prospects for further exploration), epistolary analysis and methods of personology (biographical and cultural-psychological reconstruction). The scientific novelty of the article is due to the fact that for the first time M. Lysenko’s spiritual world, in which ethos and eros interacted organically, is considered as a factor that had a profound effect on his musical creativity. This, in particular, has been embodied in the vocal works (solo songs) that make up the gold fund of Ukrainian musical art. Conclusions. The proposed research draws attention to the personal life of the composer, his value orientations and emotional states, in particular to the feeling of love for a woman. The results of the study make it possible to rethink the heritage of the national music culture in the context of the personality problem.