The bright moon

Kupalo songfolkComposerArranger

Mar 20

Written By andrew waller

Translated Text

Score Ukrainian

Score Transliterated

The bright moon | Місяць яснесенький | Misjats' jasnesen'kij

Composer: Nedilsky | І. Недільський
Arranger: Zoya Markovych | Зоя Маркович
Lyricist: Lesia Ukrainka | Леся Українка

One of Ukraine's best-known poets and writers, and the foremost woman writer in Ukrainian literature, Larysa Petrivna Kosach-Kvitka (1871-1913) assumed the pseudonym Lesia Ukrainka at age 13 because publications in the Ukrainian language were forbidden at the time. Diagnosed with tuberculosis of the bone at an early age and often house-bound, her writing became the main focus of her life. Due to her illness, she spent extended periods of time in Germany, Austria, Italy, Bulgaria, Crimea, the Caucasus, and Egypt. Knowing that her life would be short often led her to share her joy in nature, as well as her regrets and anguish, through her poetry. This song is a mother's lullaby to her son, urging him to sleep while there is still time. Soon enough, the turmoils of the world will bring him grief. Ukrainka wrote this poem as part of a cycle of works entitled "Seven Strings" circa 1890. I. Nedilsky composed this piece for North American choirs while in the United States.

A substantial portion of Vesnivka's music archives include classical works with text drawn from poetry from many of Ukraine's great literary figures, including Lesia Ukrainka, the foremost woman writer of Ukrainian literature. Vesnivka performed this song in November 2013 at a tribute for Lesia Ukrainka in commemoration of the 100th aniversary of her death.