Songs lauding national heroes

A newly released CD collection entitled “Ukrainian Heroic Songs” features historical songs sung by the defenders of our native land, which long ago became popular folk songs: Cossack, partisan, and songs of the Ukrainian Sich Sharpshooters and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. The CD also includes modern compositions. Oleh Skrypka, the lead singer of Vopli Vidopliasova (VV), says that these original compositions do not upset the thematic balance “but confirm the fact that we have succeeded in preserving continuity between the generations, despite all our troubles.”

The idea of recording a CD with modern versions of old Ukrainian heroic songs was conceived a long time ago by the Lviv-based human rights expert and Ukrainian history buff Sydir Kizin, along with Skrypka, who produced the CD. “There are lots of songs in our national song treasury that glorify our valorous knightly spirit and selfless dedication. We wanted to present our listeners with modern arrangements of well-known songs. When we were working on this collection, we found out that many Ukrainian heroic songs had been translated into Russian and adapted for the Soviet army. Ukrainian heroic songs will continue to live, and we believe that they must become more popular among young Ukrainians. We recorded these songs using modern recording technology, and I think this contemporary form makes them sound even better.”

There was nothing accidental about the CD being launched at a military college. After all, cadets — future army officers — should march while singing Ukrainian heroic songs. The cadets of Ivan Bohun Military College were the first to listen to this new collection of songs. One of the performers who sang at the concert for the cadets was Maria Burmaka, who recalled that she performed patriotic songs set to lyrics by Oleksandr Oles during the Chervona Ruta Festival. Among the other performers was Mandry, led by Foma. The kobzar Taras Kompanichenko and the group Feeria kozatstva demonstrated that Ukraine’s singing tradition is very much alive. The cadets were mesmerized by Skrypka, who performed his “Cossack Blues.”

The organizers presented the cadets with a special copy of the CD containing five songs. The final version of “Ukrainian Heroic Songs” will consist of 15 songs performed by the pop groups VV, Tartak, Mandry, Drymbadadzyga, and others. The CD release date is scheduled for Dec. 6, the Day of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.