Oh, little carol
Vesnivka Catalog Number 0082
Oh, little carol | Ой коляда колядниця | Oj koljada koljadnytsja
Arranger: Pylyp Kozytskyj | Пилип Козицький
With its roots in village folkloric music, this cheerful and fast-paced “round” celebrates the Koliada! – In essence, an ode to the much-loved genre of Christmas carols. Traditionally, carollers would come around to the houses in the villages to sing carols and were often rewarded with the hospitality of the Master and Mistress of the House, which in this song is articulated as bread with honey. In the jolly spirit of this song, it goes on to say that if no honey is available, then a five-kopeck coin will do! 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.