Viktor Kosenko personal archive in the Institute of Manuscript of V. I. Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine

The aim of the research is to characterise the personal fond of a prominent composer, pianist and pedagogue Viktor Stepanovych Kosenko (1896-1938), stored at the Institute of Manuscript of V. I. Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine. The methodology of the study is based on application of historical and comparative methods of research as well as source analysis and certain aspects of musicological analysis. The complex systematisation of the fond data, topical distribution of its materials and provision of genre typology of the composer's music heritage constitute scientific novelty of the research. The main stages of biography and musical career of the outstanding composer are considered from the historical angle; the paper investigates the reflection of V. S. Kosenko's executive, pedagogical and administrative work in numerous archive documents and unknown pieces of correspondence. The attribution of his letters is specified. Conclusions. The archive data (especially memoirs) provide an insight into the complicated biography of the composer and highlights his creative achievements within the framework of historical epoch. The Petrograd, Zhytomyr and Kyiv periods of V. S. Kosenko are characterised by certain specific features in style and genre of musical compositions. The musical legacy of the composer consists of 250 pieces of various genres that constitute a prominent contribution to the national cultural heritage of Ukraine. The research process entailed systematisation of documents and artefacts of the personal archive of V. S. Kosenko, verification and specification of dates, handwriting expertise for authorship affiliation of certain letters, identification of correspondents, formation of digital inventory of documents, index of names and a catalogue. The vast majority of V. Kosenko's sheet music documents is assembled in the first part of his personal archive. It predominantly includes handwritten music works, organized in order from the large-scale ones to musical miniatures, and a relatively small part of non-music artefacts. The next parts of the archive include biographic, supplementary, common household documents, personal correspondence, and materials concerning the composer's wife and daughter and other people related.