The Ukrainian Weekly 1939, No.2

www.ukrweekly.com No. 2 JERSEY CITY, N. J., SATURDAY, JANUARY: 14, 1939 V0L.V5T FERST UKRAINIAN SYMPHONY. FRANKO'SMOSES PUBLISHED. CONCERT. A MUSICAL IN TRANSLATED FORM I - Our Symphonic Music TRIUMPH Ivan Franko's famous poem An audience of approximately- "Moses," generally regarded as An eyent of unusual significance in the development being worthy to stand besides the ^ of Ukrainian music, especially here in America, was the two thousand persons enthusias tically received the First Ukrain great creations of world literature, ' First Ukrainian Symphony Concert of the compositions of ian Symphony Concert, given last and; translated into English by Prof. Paul Pecheniha 0uglj$eky, held last' Sunday under Sunday evening in Carnegie Hal], Waldimir Semenyna, has.now been New York City, with Prof. Paul published in its translated form by his direction m Carnegie Hall, New York City. Pecheniha Ouglitzky conducting; the "Obyednanye," through the- fi Taking into consideration the high quality of its an orchestra of eighty-four musi nancial assistance of the UJMLA.. orchestral* and choral compositions, its inspired direc cians and a chorus of forty singr. The" booklet, ninety-three .peges- ers, in a -presentation of works of in length, also contains a brief tion, and the artistry of its musicians (most of whom his composition. Rosemarie Bran biography.-of Ivan Franko, written were drawn from the New York Philharmonic Orchestra ca to, coloratura-soprano, and Lu-. by Stephen" Shumeyko. Ірії and some from Toscanini's), the concert can be regarded cien Schmitt, violincelist, appeared- Through the medium- of the as soloists. The concert was given biblical Moses, Franko poignantly as the first truly successful effort of Ukrainian music to in honor of the 125th anniversary portrays in this poem, bus own .attain symphonic form. of the birth of Taras Shevchenko, bitter struggle to lead his people Hitherto, the .development of Ukrainian music had the national poet of Ukraine. It' into their promised land of pro been chiefly along vocal lines. Even the best of our com was a striking musical triumph. gress and freedom. One of the outstanding features . The price of the booklet is fifty posers devoted their main efforts towards producing of the concert' was the premiere" cents.-.It can be obtained at the music of a choral nature, with the result that as early presentation of, "Ukrarna," a sym Svoboda Bookstore. as the sixteenth century choral music in Ukraine-was phonic poem based on a portion of! "Hmdamaki," Shevchenko's epic AID SENT :*TO CARPATHO-. composed for as'many as twenty-four voices, while in poem telling of the revolt of U- UKBAINE modern times Ukrainian choruses have won great fame, kraudans against their Polish over ЙЯІР _ especially the world-famous post-war Ukrainian National- lords in 1768. -The unusual-expres Early this week the Executive- siveness of. the composition was en Committee of the Ukrainian Red Chorus under the direction ofcProf. Alexander Koshetz. hanced by the playing of. the or Cross of ODWU, shipped one пшь This emphasis upon a capella singing and neglect of chestra under the inspired direc dred and twenty sue cases of cloth symphonic music, however, was not altogether voluntary. tion of Prof. Ouglitzky. ing, food, and other supplies to. Another outstanding feature of j Carpatho-Ukraine, which had been. A good .deal-of It was dictated by necessity. For during the concert was the orchestra] and collected from all over the country the centuries (18th_and 19th) when the symphony-began choral presentation-:of a stirring during -the 'past few months. to flourish in other lands, in enslaved Ukraine every form-- cantata on "Biut P6rohi,"^5ph" the The committee also made public soprano solo sung in it by Maria its appreciation Id Mr. Rosner of of cultural endeavor, including music, found ate way Hrebenetska. The "Arkan," by the American Czecho-Slovak Cham blocked by the repressive policies of Russia, which sought orchestra, and the' "Prayer" and ber of Commerce and Mr. Proksch • to denationalize the Ukrainians. Under such conditions it "Zozulia," by both the orchestra of the Victory Shipping Company, was very difficult even for choral music to flower,-and im and chorus, were also unusually for making it possible to send the striking, and received very warm- shipment'from New-York to Ham* possible for any worthwhile opera, symphonic and chamber applause. Stephen Slepoushkm sang burg entirely free- of cost Under. music to be produced. Gifted musicians and c6mposers of -the baritone solo in the "Prayer," the. special relief shipping rates, Ukraine, therefore, had to devote their art for the en* •while Michael Dido sang the tenor the cost TTOuld have amounted to solo in "Zozulia." $1,68(Ш).: ЩШШ richment of Russian culture, among them:being Berezow- • In his-review of the concert last From Hamburg the supplies will, sky, Bortnyansky, Vedel, Turchaninow and'Tsehaikowsky Monday, the music critic of The be sent to the Ukrainian Govern (the latter though born in Russia proper, was of Ukrain New York Sun declared that "Mr. ment-- of Carpatho-Ukpaine at Ouglitzky disclosed genuine gifts ian extraction). as a composer and a conductor." Chust' Although they worked in Russian, these composers The ovation that Mr. Ouglitzky re- Another shipment will be -sent in- . ceived at the close of the concert about' %шо--тівщЩщ. actually carried on the Ukrainian national traditions in made it evident that the audience their works, for the latter bear within them many melodies realized this fact itself. based on Ukrainian folk songs, the songs whose richness • Miss - Brancato's offering con UKRAINA sisted of four Ukrainian regional By Volodimir Saimytenko of motifs, high perfection of form, depth of meaning, and songs, sung in English, including high moral tone were little affected by the oppressive poli „Solitude" COy odna ya odna); Our glorious Ukraina, > cies of Russian and Polish chauvinists, but which have while Mr. Schmitt" appeared as Our destiny, Paradise! soloist In "Ukraine." Both offer Is there a land-more beloved made.the Ukrainians the best endowed in this respect ings were -very" well reCerve8p^*i In the world to greet our eya? among all Slavs. For that matter, totally foreign com the appreciative audience. , posers, too, found inspiration in these songs, among them One particularly prominent lea-* During happy and dark 'momenta ture of the concert was a large For her we do ever sigh} being Haydn, Hummel, Enorr, Mozart, Beethoven ("pas-~ number of young people present. On' that soit for Ukraina toral" Symphony and Quartet in F Major), Weber, Judging by their comments, they We shall always live and die-... Brahms, Liszt, Dvorak, Moussorgsky, Dargomyzhysky, were, unanimous in their-praise for and Chopin. All of them used melodies from Ukraine. the concert and its conductor, and Never has the foeaucceeded also in their' hope that more such To enslave us in his chains: Since the renaissance of modern- Ukrainian music, Ukrainian symphony concerts be We safeguard our humble dwellings, started by Mikola Lysenko (1842-1912), some progress held in the near future.. Our orchards where 'Peace - reigns. has been made by Ukrainian composers in translating Our glory is ne'er waning, • Nor doth pass our high esteem, Ukrainian melodies into symphonic forms. Among them STATISTICS OF CARPATHIAN For with vigor permeated, can be mentioned Revutsky, Barvinsky, and Hayvoronsky. UKRAINE Willing hands our cause redeem. How much progress has been made in this direction, how Hey, ye, who for all hope freedom, ever, has been very difficult to judge thus far, at least here "Nova Svoboda," Chust, Decem ber 11th, gives official statistics re-. Unite in brotherly ••' love І Ш;1 in America, where .no Ukrainian symphony has yet been garding . the population of Car With the sun of truth and concord; properly presented. §111 pathian Ukraine, after the Vienna God, our t>eth light from above! Today it has all been .changed. Today there is a de decision: May all the woes be forgotten. finite standard by which this progress can be judged, and І The country now comprises 11,- And ignoble years gone by, ЩМ 094 sq. kilometres. The population Equal fortune, equal freedom it is in form of the First Ukrainian Symphony Concert of comprises: 413,481 Ukrainians Radiating to the aky, last Sunday at Carnegie Hall. The standard set by this (75.9%), 65,828 Jews (12.8%), Tr. John Yatohev, concert is a high one, in both musical composition and 25,894 Magyars (4.75%) 17,495 its execution, and for this Prof. Ouglitzky deserves the Czechs and Slovaks (3.21%), 8,715 highest praise, not only for his signal achievement .but Germans (1.6%) and 13,268 Rou (Today's Ukrainian Weekly is also for his courage in presenting the concert entirely at manians and others (2.44%). concluded In the Svoboda) his own cost, well realizing from the very outset that he would stand a heavy financial loss—which happens with wise engaged in developing Ukrainian-, symphonic works, practically every symphonic concert that is not liberally to continue their labors, so that when Ukraine attaine her • subsidized by rich patrons or the state. freedom, she will have good reason to speedily create a Praise alone, however, is Insufficient: Encouragement Ukrainian national symphony orchestra? on par with the- should be given to him, as well as to others who are like- world's best. ІШШ 1 UKRAINIAN WEEKLY, SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 1Ш No. 2 Digest of American Press Comments on Ukraine, Щ5-1939 TMFORAfli)li ~ (1) ^NE of the earliest American v bling on the chance that the read ПГНЕ creation of an autonomous The nature of this movement is press comments on Ukraine fol ers will be inexpert in philological •*• Carpatho-Ukrainian state has .such that it dare not be restricted lowing the breaking out of the method..

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