A capella, Instrumentation
Library Selection
On the day of Christ's birth | На рождество Христове | Na rozhdestvo Khrystove
Arranger: Mykhailo Haivoronskyj | Михайло Гайворонський
Christ’s birth is heralded by a Star and the pealing of bells throughout the lands in this Ukrainian carol.
Sleep, Jesus, sleep | Спи, Ісусе, спи | Spy, Isuse, spy
Arranger: Myroslav Volynskyj | Мирослав Волинський
In this Ukrainian carol, the Virgin Mary cradles Her newborn Son, lulling Him to sleep with a lullaby.
Tropar: the day of Your birth | Різдво Tвоє | Rizdvo Tvoje
Arranger: Andrij Hnatyshyn | Андрій Гнатишин
Sung as part of the Ukrainian Christmas Mass, this Tropar hails Christ as the light of understanding and justice sent from Heaven.
Oh, lovely guilder-rose bush in the meadow | Ой, рясна, красна в лузі калина | Oj, rjasna, krasna v luzi kalyna
Composer: Volodymyr Stetsenko | Володимир
In this Ukrainian folk carol, a young girl, more beautiful than the guilder-rose, is courted by suitors during the holiday season.
Christ is born | Христос родився | Khrystos rodyvsja
Composer: Vasyl Barvinskyj | Василь Барвінський
While Mary swaddles the Christ Child, all rejoice with song at His birth in this Ukrainian carol.
Lord, let the holidays come quickly | Ой дай, Боже, святок діждати | Oj daj, Bozhe, svjatok dizhdaty
Composer: Alexander Jacobchuk | Олександр Яковчук
In this Ukrainian carol from the Podillia region, the holidays are eagerly anticipated by the children.
A new joy is heralded | Нова радість стала | Nova radist' stala
Composer: Yakiv Yatsynevych | Яків Яциневич
In this well-known Ukrainian carol, shepherds and angel choirs rejoice at the birth of Christ and the foretelling of peace on earth.
The Lord travelled along the road | Ішов Господь дорогою | Ishov Hospod' dorohoju
Composer: Alexander Jacobchuk | Олександр Яковчук
In this Ukrainian carol, while travelling along a road, Jesus asks a young girl for water.
He lays in the manger | В яслах лежить | V jaslakh lezhyt'
Arranger: Zenoby Lawryshyn | Зеновій Лавришин
This Ukrainian carol describes Jesus lying in the manger while the three kings who followed the Star bring Him gifts, and angel choirs sing.
Wondrous news | Дивная новина | Dyvnaja novyna
Arranger: Hanna Havrylets | Ганна Гаврилець
This Ukrainian carol depicts the Nativity scene, in which Mary sings to her newly born Son, hailing Him as the Saviour and the giver of eternal life.
Return of the swallow | Прилетіла ластівонька | Pryletila lastivon'ka
Arranger: Alexander Jacobchuk | Олександр Яковчук
This is one of many Ukrainian New Year’s songs in which carollers ask their hosts to be generous in payment for their good wishes.
On St. Peter's day | Ой в Петрівочку | Oj v Petrivochku
Arranger: Zenoby Lawryshyn | Зеновій Лавришин
In this Ukrainian New Year’s song from the Bukovina region, singers beg their hosts to let them enter their homes to warm up and provide them with treats.
We sing songs of good wishes | Щедрик-бедрик, дайте вареник | Shchedryk-bedryk dajte varenyk
Composer: Alexander Jacobchuk | Наша Mаланка господиня
This playful Ukrainian song from Podillia wishes all hosts a happy, bountiful New Year, urging them to provide holiday treats or mischief may ensue.
Malanka, our hostess | Наша Mаланка господиня | Nasha Malanka hospodynja
Composer: Alexander Jacobchuk | Наша Mаланка господиня
This Ukrainian New Year’s song depicts the joyous preparations being made for the upcoming festivities.
Return of the swallow | Прилетіла ластівочка | Pryletila lastivochka
Arranger: Zenoby Lawryshyn | Зеновій Лавришин
In this Ukrainian New Year's song from the Bukovina region, a swallow, the harbinger of spring, brings good wishes to all.
Early in the morning | Ой рано-рано | Oj rano-rano
Arranger: Alexander Jacobchuk | Олександр Яковчук
A young man is asked to travel to Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, to bring Christmas back to his village in this folk carol.
Song of good wishes | Щедрівка | Shchedrivka
Arranger: Alexander Jacobchuk | Олександр Яковчук
One of many Ukrainian New Year’s songs that depict the arrival of a swallow, the harbinger of spring, with wishes for a bountiful year.
Christmas carol | Колядниця | Koljadnytsja
Arranger: Ivan Zakharzhevskyj | Іван Захаржевський
This Ukrainian carol speaks of honey cakes and other holiday treats.
We came to sing songs of good wishes | Пришли сме ту щедраци | Pryshly sme tu shchedratsy
Arranger: Yaroslav Polianskyj | Ярослав Полянський
This Ukrainian New Year's song from the Lemko region conveys greetings of the season, asking for holiday treats.
A new joy | Нова радость | Nova radost'
Composer: Hanna Havrylets | Ганна Гаврилець
Koljadky and shchedrivky are an important part of Vesnivka's repertoire and have been sung annually since the ensemble was established in 1965.
A soldier's carol | Повстанська коляда | Povstans'ka koljada
Composer: Zenoby Lawryshyn | Зеновій Лавришин
The celebration of Ukrainian Christmas during wartime is bittersweet in this soldier's carol.
In Bethlehem | У Вифлеємі | U Vyflejemi
Composer: Kyrylo Stetsenko | Кирило Стеценко
In this Ukrainian carol, the newly born Christ Child is greeted by angel choirs while shepherds bring Him gifts.
In Kutsivtsi a church is built | А в Куцівці церкву будують | A v Kutsivtsi tserkvu budujut'
Composer: Kyrylo Stetsenko | Кирило Стеценко
This Ukrainian folk carol depicts the building of a church in Kutsivtsi with three stories, windows and doors, all echoing the Holy Trinity.
Song of good wishes | Щедрівонька | Shchedrivon'ka
Composer: Myron Datsko | Мирон Дацко
This is a contemporary setting of a Ukrainian New Year’s song with its common theme of the arrival of a swallow, the harbinger of spring.
Shchedryk | Щедрик | Shchedryk
Arranger: Mykola Leontovych | Микола Леонтович
With its well-known melody, the original text of this Ukrainian song depicts the arrival of a swallow, the harbinger of spring.
Angels in heaven | Янголи в небі | Janholy v nebi
Arranger: Oleksander Koshyts | Олександер Кошиць
In this Ukrainian carol, angels in heaven herald good tidings to shepherds that the Virgin Mary has borne the Christ Child, and all of earth rejoices.
The carpenters are hewing | Тешуть теслі | Teshut' tesli
Arranger: Vasyl Zhdankiv | Василь Жданків
This Ukrainian folk carol describes the Christ Child’s journey on a silver sleigh hewn by carpenters.
Malanka | Маланка | Malanka
Arranger: Kyrylo Stetsenko | Кирило Стеценко
Sung to the master of the house, this Ukrainian New Year’s song exhorts him to permit the festivities to begin.