Hurtopravci

Ukraine

At the end of 1970s the movement of authentic singing – copying authentic singing traditions preserved among peasant singers and musicians – appeared in the intellectual underground of Ukraine.

“We are lucky to present alive impressions of student expeditions along the ways and rivers of Poltavshchina, Posillya, Polisya, with the peculiar smell of peasant dwellings, callous hands and bright faces of the singers who are the last to bring the ages old ancient wisdom of uncountable generations forth, incarnated in high poetry of folk songs…

Our understanding of traditional culture was broadened with our field trips to Ukrainian villages where we not only registered the formal moments but wanted to absorb and concentrated on the emotional, mixed up with tears and blood, joy and love, sincere pride for the original wild nature. Incredible cordiality, unaffectedness of the peasants who passed through the ordeal but retained their touching childlike wisdom, has become for us

a criterion of real. Folk art contains works of different ages and values, here you can find invaluable ancient melodies – “alive shivers” of pagan religions and refined polyphony traditions of baroque where so exquisite music forms were found that their founders have to be called the music elite of the people they belong to. It is also inspired by the harmony of kobzar epics born in the 16th century and sorrowful singing of itinerant musicians. But there are jolly satiric songs and Philistine romances of modern times, too. They bring an ironic smile on your face but create in us a sincere, melodramatic perception of the world.”

Revived from searching for the “unknown world” the “authentic singing” of academic musicians has become a thin string of hope for continuation of secular traditions.

With nostalgic sorrow for the past ages of Ukrainian folklore and with pride for belonging to this magnificent culture and happiness to be the heirs-performers of these melodies musical Kiev youth presents this project at the boundaries of ages…

• Iryna Klymenko - leading vocal
• Oleg Boot - violin, vocal
• Olena Honcharenko - tambourine, dance, vocal
• Taras Kompanichenko - kobza, bandura, “lyre” (hurdy-gurdy), dance
• Maryana Markhel - violin, dance, vocal
• Severyn Danylejko - flute, violin, drum, “basolya” (cello), dance

• Iryna Klymenko: +380 444 671 601; +380 504 406 753 klymenko_iryna@ukr.net
• Maryana Markhel: +380 504 406 854