Good evening

Kupalo songfolkComposerArranger

Mar 20

Written By andrew waller

Translated Text

Score Ukrainian

Score Transliterated

Good evening | Добрий вечір | Dobrij vechir

Arranger: Kyrylo Stetsenko | Кирило Стеценко

This boisterous and joyful shchedrivka is often sung by carollers to the Master of the House as they enter the home to sing and share New Year’s songs while urging him to set the table and adorn the house with kilims (colourful woven carpets) and to bring out his best Christmas bread (kolach) in honour of Christ’s birth on earth. And they remind him that these preparations will stand him in good stead for three more celebrations honouring Christ’s birth, yet to come. Ukrainian Christmas traditions reflect achievements of an ancient culture, impressive in the musical and contextual diversity of its songs and in the number of its carols and epiphany carols. There are two distinct groups of Ukrainian Christmas music. Koljadky (Ukrainian Christmas Carols) are sung in church alongside traditional liturgical texts and hymns from Christmas Eve (January 6, according to the Julian Calendar) to Epiphany (January 19). Shchedrivky (New Year’s songs), being much older and having pagan roots, are rarely sung in a liturgical setting given their secular themes of bounty and prosperity. These delightful and festive new-year folk songs of felicitation, with their charming and rhythmic melodies, reflect sectarian life and express wishes for health, happiness and bountiful harvests.

Koljadky and shchedrivky are an important part of Vesnivka's repertoire and have been sung annually since the ensemble was established in 1965.