We sing songs of good wishes

Kupalo songfolkComposerArranger

Mar 22

Written By andrew waller

Translated Text

Score Ukrainian

Score Transliterated

We sing songs of good wishes | Щедрик-бедрик, дайте вареник | Shchedryk-bedryk dajte varenyk

Composer: Alexander Jacobchuk | Наша Mаланка господиня

This is a playful New Year’s song in which the singers, while wishing householders a happy and bountiful New Year, also extol them for various holiday treats, otherwise mischief may ensue! This shchedrivka is from the historical region of Polissia (or Polesia) which stretches from eastern Poland through Ukraine to the Belarus border and is the largest forested area on the continent. 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.