The Washington times., 1922-07-13
UKRAINE CHOIR T
WILL PAY VISIT
TO j. SIN FALL:
Company Of Bards" to Re-
veal Musical Culture OF
Its Country.

company Oi uaiuD 10 winning
10 America this autumn to reveal the
musical culture Of its country. 1t Is
the Ukrainian National Chorus which
Max Rabinoff will introduce 10 tho
western world. So extravagant have
been the laudations all over Europe
of this unique singing orchestra"
as II has been called. that II reads
like a fairy tale. The reviews from
Paris, London. Vienna and Berlin
awaken a fresh imagination and
carry one afar afield from the usual
appreciation OF choral singing:
Mr.. Rabinoff, in bringing this re-
markable chorus to America for the
season OF 1922.1923, expresses the
same conviction in artistic values
that he demonstrated when intro
ducing to this country first the IA.
nous Balalaika Orchestra and later
the Pavlowa Ballet Russo.
The Ukrainian National Chorus
will, I believe" Mr.. Rabinoff says.
"be as important to the art Of Ameri.
ca as was the Pavlowa Ballet. The
Balalaika Orchestra, Pavlowa and
the Ballet Russo are all surpassed by
the chorus"
Accounts from all Europe Of the
triumphal tour of this phenomenal
chorus suggest something radical and
new in choral singing. So one needs
to know what II represents-in art
as we'll as in historical significance.
What is il then?
A Human Orchestra"
The Ukrainian National Chorus IL
a group of forty singers. men and
women, under the direction Of a mas.
ter-conductor. Alexander Koschetz.
The members sing entirely "a ca
pella."
Imagine chorus" writes
Lucien Mainssieux in lie Crap
ouillot. Paris. Imagine a chorus Of
which the last soprano and the last
bass sing like an instrument and
who have the style Of Joachim
Unborn in them. where every singer
bhndly obeys the almost impercep-
tihle indication OF the conductor
all this lin the most impressionable
mobility. There Is a tenor which
tears itself away from the others
and hovers like an archangel over
this chorus singing with closed
mouth like some exalted alteration
in ecstasy. Then the bass voice.
terrific and triumphant, which
dominates the frightened and pros
trate crowds before the seat OF
Judgment A powerful breath.
Womens voices OF unheard-of pur.
ity, more like Children's voices
One thing only can one say, that
is. that heaven has been opened
TO us and we partook Of the delect'
abilities OF the angels. And these
are mostly folk songs executed by
singers who come from the people
Music and a People.
This music is from the very roots
Of a people. The Ukrainians are
peculiarly a singing people. In
Russia they always have some sing
ing regiments. and these singing
soldiers are chosen from the Tx.
raine. These people have an here
ditary musical taste, with voices
that are beautiful, precise. and
capable OF the most delicate nuances,
the most capricious rhythms. They
sing hymns and cant!cles, which
in part remind one OF Western
hymns. but with a special coloring
that evokss, the ikons of Western
Europe. There are Christmas carols
(Koliaky) used for serenading be-
meath windows on Christmas eve
eand also on New Years eve.
The spring songs (Vesniankyl are
combined in song suites, and they
have combination Of pagan and
Christian in them. Then there are
the hosts OF folk songs, revealing Gus
toms, heroism and humor. Their
hymns are much in the form Of our
oratorio or sacred cantata, with the
accompaniment, when needed, given
by the voices themselves.
Koschetz, Conductor.
Alexander Koschetz stands up be-
fore his organ. says the Berlin Vos-
sische Zeitung of this header of
human orchestra--"a soft flute gives
the tone and then he lays his hands
on the keys, II is just like that. 1t
is quite q Joy to see how the conduc.
tor plays upon this instrument. He
is a good actor. He does not go in
for grand art, like so many conduc-
tors, he spares his means and con.
veys the most poignant impressions.
He does not beat the measures. but
he heats the shadings-with his
arms. fingers and his whole body"
In Brussels the chorus was recall
ed again and again and three extra
chorus were given. The audience
became frenzied," the papers said.
From Paris comes word that THE
UlSrainian Chorus has completely
subjugated the Parisians," while an
other French paper writes. mo
French or foreign musicians have
ever presented to us anything like
this before"
Mr.. Rabinoff is also bringing. for
a separate part of the program.
eminent soloists from the opera in
Russia. who will give an art pro-
gram of opera arias and Russian
classics from many composers new
TO America. Tho season opens at
CnrneGie Hall, New York, on Oc-
tober S.