New-York tribune., 1922-07-30
Ukrainian Singers
Coming After Long
European Odyssey

Something comparatively unknown in
Russian music will be introduced to
this country by Max Rabinoff when the
Ukrainian National Chorus opens it's
first American tour at Carnegie Hall
on October S. 1t is a mixed chorus of
forty voices, singing "a capella" under
Alexander Koshetz, with Nine. Nina
Koshetz and Mile. Oda Slebodskaja,
soprano of the former Imperial Opera
House, at Petrograd, as soloists.
The Ukrainians are considered the
"singing people" Of Russia, and every
school, fraternity or professional as
sociation has its choir, while from
them were drawn the choruses of the
Russian army. The present chorus
had it's origin on the day after the
armistice, when the Ukrainian govern
ment announced general vocal test to
choose singers to give the best possible
demonstration Of Ukrainian song to
the rest of Europe. Five hundred ap-
peared, and five were chosen-which
indicates the standard of the forty who
finally composed the chorus, while
Alexander Koshetz was chosen as con-
ductor.
When political conditions in the
Ukraine made art practically impos-
sible, the chorus left the country on
February A, 1919, to start what be-
came highly successful three-year
tour Of Europe. They began in
Galicia and Czecho-Slovakia, scoring
their first successes in Prague and
Vienna, and went on to meet equally
good fortune in Switzerland, France,
Holland, Belgium, Spain and England.
European reviewers were lavish with
praise, emphasizing their quality of
tone, its varied color and range, and
their responsiveness to M. Koshetz' 3
direction.
/ The music which the chorus is to
sing consists of folksongs, artistically
composed and harmonized, yet still re-
tanning the character Of the Ukraine
The Russian melody is stamped with
despair, but the national Ukrainian art
remains always robust, with sparks of
gaiety. In. modern arrangements a
vocal "orchestration" with modern re-
quirements. has been employed, but
without altering primitive naTvete.
The composers, whose names appear
as "arrangers" of this Ukrainian folk
music, are: Alexander. Koshetz, con.
ductor of the chorus; Leontovytch
Demootsky, Yasinevitch, Lyssenko
Stoopnitzky and Vashnianyn,> who ar
ranged the stirring Ukrainian national
anthem.
= There are hymns, Christmas and
New Year carols, suites of sprine
songs that are very intimately linked
to the life of this agricultural people
and folksongs galore. The Ukrainiar
National Chorus has fully 100 songs
Ia its repertory, with four complete
programs.
For instance, the hymn "our Lady OF
Potchaiv," very ancient HYMN, is
representative of the purest musical
elements in popular folklore. The
| continuous murmurs from the basses
OF the choir that accompany the
soloists are initiative of the Tyre,
which was the favorite instrument
wherewith the Ukrainian bards were
wont to accompany their songs. There
is Saint Barbara" a "Guardian
Anger and Saint George" who con
white charger and bearing a spear
cleft the dragon through the eye"
In the Christmas carols there are
two types: the first, of Christian ori-
gin' the second, Pagan. In the latter
the usrainians still celebrate the rites
OF the sun god In the month of Decem-