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OUR LIFE Monthly, published by Ukrainian National Women’s League of America VOL. XLVI JUNE 1989 Editor: Marta Baczynsky IHOR SONEVYTSKY THE HISTORY OF THE MELODY FOR “ZAPOVIT1” The steps which led to the composition of the mel ody for Taras Shevchenko’s “Zapovit”’ (Testament) are part of Ukrainian folk history. In 1870 in Poltava, composer P.A. Szczurovsky taught a series of courses on music theory. One of the students was Hordij Hladkyj, an enthusiast of song. Prior to the beginning of this particular course, he had composed music to Shevchenko’s “ Kobzar.” For the course, Hladkyj presented his musical composition of “Zapovit” as a study in the subject of harmony. Szczu rovsky looked at the work, made corrections and im provements, but did not take it seriously. Except for Hladkyj’s friends who loved to sing it, the composition was considered a school exercise. However, as time went on, this musical rendition of “Zapovit” became more and more popular and was introduced in Kiev as well as other cities in Ukraine by Hladkyj’s friends. Two years later the work was printed in Poltava which further enhanced its popularity. At the end of the 19th century, “Zapovit”, the song, became most loved by the Ukrainian people. Many times it was sung as the national anthem. As an example, at the ceremonies proclaiming Ukraine’ s independence, the people sang “Zapovit” right after the national anthem. Hordij Hladkyj also composed melodies to several other songs from “ Kobzar” which were written for choral groups. It is indeed a strange fate of the author of the world wide famous and beloved melody of Shevchenko’s “Zapovit.” More than 100 years have passed since he produced this composition, yet his name appeared only once in a lithograph depicting Markevych’s bookstore (and shortened at that), and then disappeared. Neither former nor contemporary composers ever mentioned Hladkyj’s name when reworking “Zapovit” with his melody. It was missing from concert bills, from all occasions where the work was performed. No one knew anything about the individual whose melody became part of the eternal “Zapovit” of Taras Shev chenko. Only recently Ukrainian musical scholars began to research data about Hladkyj, to bring his name to light and honor the man who contributed such a treasure to our cultural heritage. Hladkyj’s “Zapovit” is г national song, a song of the people. It was used as the basis for numerous versions of choral, orchestral, symphonic or operatic compo sitions. In the first two decades of the 20th century, Ukrainian composers produced a variety of composition arrangement of the song, mainly for choral groups. Most popular among performers as well as audiences were the composition arrangements of the song by Kyrylo Stecenko and Levko Revucky. These are out standing because of the superb craftsmanship in the choral composition, skillful distribution of voice parts and uncomplicated arrangement. E. Jucevych wrote an arrangement of this melody for the symphonic band and V. Shevchenko for folk instruments. Hladkyj’s melody to “Zapovit” was used in the fol lowing original works dedicated to the Bard, Taras Shevchenko — K. Dankevych, in the symphonic poem “Taras Shevchenko,” B. Latoshynsky, in the music for the film “Taras Shevchenko.” The Russian composer D. Kabalevsky used the melody in the film “Shors”. S. Pro- kofjev, of Ukrainian ancestry, used the basic spirit of the melody in his opera “Semen Kotko”, but created an original choral composition around it. Particularly noteworthy is the composition of “Za povit” by B. Latoshynsky for chorus and symphony orchestra. Here Hladkyj’s melody forms the basis for the development of a dramatically vocal symphonic work. A symphonic interpretation of Hladkyj’s melody is in the symphonic poem “Zapovit” by R. Glier. From 1861 to 1961 it must be noted that close to 20 composers utilized Hladkyj’s melody to “Zapovit” in their works. Loose translation from Ukrainian text written by Ihor Sonevytsky 22 ’’НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЧЕРВЕНЬ 1989 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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