Ukrainian Rhapsody

Ukrainian rhapodsy posterI can’t quite remember how I came across this fascinating documentary but I’m very glad that I did.

Ukrainian Rhapsody is a  ‘journey into Ukrainian classical music’ initiated by pianist Natalya Pasichnyk and her soprano sister Olga Pasichnyk.

The documentary looks at Ukrainian composers under the Soviet regime, many of whom had their music suppressed, some where dispatched to the Gulag, while others were murdered by the secret police, Mykola Leontovych, for example.

Composers featured in the documentary include:

It’s well worth 45 minutes of your time.

For more on Ukrainian classical music see: a crash course in the history of Ukrainian classical music.

Below is A choir piece by Mykola Leontovych, written days before his murder.

 

17 thoughts on “Ukrainian Rhapsody

  1. This was a beautiful video of the story of Ukrainian music. It really deserves
    to be heard in this world so that others may enjoy it. We need more videos
    like this to inform other musicians of the beauty of Ukrainian music and the
    tragic circumstances of our musicians and composers. Bravo! I thoroughly
    enjoyed this video.

    1. Superb. I have been at the final recitals at the Lysenko Conservatory in Lviv and the music I heard was heart wrenching as this piece is. Song brought us through every war and every historical downfall. Ukrainian music is the “Music of Survival”

  2. I smiled, I cried. Truly moving. I will show this to the kids here in our small Ukrainian community in Phoenix. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. My soul is soaring with Ukrainian pride.

  3. Very informative and enjoyable video. Tears came to my eyes remembering my Dad singing with his friends in our home and I trying to join them. Thank you

  4. What a fantastic mini overview of Ukrainan classical music. Are you familiar with the Ukrainian Art Song Project headed by Pavlo Hunka. His goal is the same to spread and infomercial the music world about the richness of Ukrainian classical music and to get it out on the world stage”

  5. For me, this beautiful and moving video answers the question “Why are there so few world renowned Ukrainian composers of classical music?”! My heart and soul cries out in sorrow for the tragic actions perpetrated by the soviets against the Ukrainian culture and its people, particularly its talented composers, musicians and writers. You have done a marvelous job opening our eyes and ears to the beauty and deeply emotional aspect of Ukrainian classical music.
    Thank you.

  6. Thank you. Such a wonderful, but oh so sad, story of Ukrainian composers, I recalled the time when I was taking piano lessons and got to play compositions by many of the composers mentioned. Of course, when you are 10 or 12 years old it does not have the same impact as it does today. Again, thank you.

  7. Going back to Pavlo Hunka, It is superbly done. I have four albums and they are a treasure.
    Galicians I
    Mykola Lysenko
    Yakiv Stepovyi
    Kyrylo Stetsenko.

  8. Deeply moving, informative and extraordinarily well done mini survey of Ukrainian classical music. I especially enjoyed seeing and hearing performers from other countries give such beautiful renditions of Ukrainian classical music. It attests to the fact that Ukrainian music has universal appeal and deserves to be heard the world over.

  9. Knowing the history of our Ukrainian peoples oppression and suffering plus the attempt to destroy our Ukrainian culture and identity it was extremely touching to my soul to see this very informative and fabulous documentary.
    Slava Ukrayini

  10. I have been deeply moved by this lovely musical journey into the Ukrainian soul, and very appreciative for those who put this together.
    I live in Brazil (very distant from the Ukraine immigrant communities), but have been to Ukraine various times since its Independence, I will share with many friends – music lovers from around the world.
    Bravo Consolation!!!

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