Analyzing the co-reporting of the concepts music - identity, music seems to be one of the key elements of identity, because it off ers a perception of the self, but also of the collectivity. Musical compositional creation that tended to embody tradition has served as a powerful cultural resource for nationalism since the XIX century. Th us, in the context of the national movements from the end of the XIX century, new national schools appeared. Th e compositional vector was directed, on the one hand, to get out of the crisis of the romantic music trend, and on the other hand, to strengthen the new national schools in Eastern Europe states, where the academic musical culture was at a relatively young stage. In these conditions, the affi rmation of identity in national musical cultures, in East and Central European professional composition, consolidated the formation of compositional schools that were based on the principles of exploring the traditions of popular art, the uniqueness and specifi c local-regional individuality, in order to affi rm national music and to create cult music.