The “Poet of the Absurd” as a Rationalist: Daniil Charmsʼ analysis of Chopinʼs Op. 17, No. 4

The article focuses on Kharmsʼ critical review of the concert given by the pianist Emilʼ Gilelʼs in 1939 in Leningrad. The author finds evidence that the Chopin analysis is a projection of Kharmsʼ thoughts about his own creativity and an attempt to come to better understanding of the role narrativity plays in literature. In his literary works Kharms follows a similar strategy as does Chopin in his mazurka: he surprises the reader by such a development of the plot-line that consciously refutes any literary model. In his review, Kharms demonstrates not only the unconventional organisation of the musical material and the lack of dynamism of the musical form but also his own approach towards and explanation of such phenomena in general, both in music and in literature.