Silently, without words

Kupalo songfolkComposerArranger

Mar 19

Written By andrew waller

Translated Text

Score Ukrainian

Score Transliterated

Silently, without words | Тихо без слів | Tykho bez sliv

Composer: Ivan Bohdan Vesolovskyj | Іван Богдан Весоловський
Lyricist: Ivan Patola | Іван Патола

Ivan Bohdan Vesolovskyj is regarded as the unsurpassed Ukrainian composer and songwriter of light classical genres, including tangos, foxtrots, waltzes and rumbas. This tango describes the fleeting nature of romantic love. Though it was often performed by a male soloist, including Vesolovskyj himself, this arrangement is for women’s voices. This tango is representative of the songs Vesolovskyj composed in the 1930s, when he was part of the Yablonski Jazz Capella in Lviv, Ukraine. The prolific songwriter began composing at the young age of 16. In 1949, Vesolovskyj immigrated to Canada, where he settled in Montreal. In 1952, he became the first announcer and producer of the newly formed Ukrainian section of Radio Canada International, part of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), a position he held until his death in 1971.

Vesnivka has performed this song numerous times in Canada and elsewhere. It is also featured on Vesnivka’s 2012 recording, Vesolowskyj - Popular Songs.