"Franz Joseph Land" (2012) is a creative piece for a contemporary orchestra by composer Oleksandr Shchetynskyi, created as a tribute to Vienna classicist Joseph Haydn. The idea to write a piece dedicated to Haydn was proposed by conductor Mykola Dyadyura. The premiere did not take long to happen: the piece was performed by the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine under the baton of Dyadyura at the opening of the International Year of Haydn in Ukraine (on the occasion of the composer's 280th birthday).
"The name of the work arose only after its completion. Not everyone knows that Haydn's full name is Franz Joseph...

Heorhiy Maiboroda's "Spring Symphony" is truly a reliable remedy for boredom and spring avitaminosis, as it combines everything that inspires, excites, and brings one back to life. The voluminous and uplifting sound of the symphonic orchestra envelops the listener like a warm wind, and the expressive melodies enchant and paint in the mind the landscapes of Ukrainian spring. Born in the territory of the Middle Dnieper region, Maiboroda lived in Zaporizhzhya for several years, and with the beginning of his studies at the Kyiv Conservatory, he moved to Kyiv, which from that moment on became his home. Thus, the beauty of Ukrainian nature always surrounded the composer and was most brightly manifested in his symphonic music.
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Amidst the solemn fanfare of trumpets and French horns, flute trills and whistles, and violin tremolos, one of the most prominent representatives of the Odesa compositional school, Kostiantyn Dankevych (1905-1984), burst into the Ukrainian Live project.

Symphony No. 2 is a grand cycle about heroism, courage, memories, and the homeland. On a unique 1960 recording, the symphony is performed by the Ukrainian Radio Orchestra under the baton of Yevhen Dushchenko, a colleague of Dankevych at the Odesa Conservatory.

The symphony was written by Kostiantyn Dankevych after returning from Tbilisi, where he was evacuated during World War II. The work on the symphony began in 1944 and was completed in 1945.
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Folklore is an extraordinary cultural layer that is actually close and accessible not only to those who are "in the know". Once, a student of the Kyiv Conservatory, and now a well-known Ukrainian composer, Alla Zahaykevych, became convinced of this. Wise mentors, numerous folklore expeditions that made it possible to explore what was still untouched and alive, acquaintance with unique respondents, folk musicians, monochords, and Zahaykevych's participation in the ethnic music group "Drevo" - all this made the composer fall in love with authentic Ukrainian music. Today, the artist works mainly in academic genres, as well as in contemporary multidisciplinary projects, but her work always has room for authenticity: it nourishes, inspires, enriches Zahaykevych's new compositions and makes them truly unique.
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Violina Petrychenko (born 1984) is a Ukrainian pianist. She graduated from the National Academy of Music (Kyiv), the Franz Liszt University of Music (Weimar), the Hochschule für Musik Köln (Cologne), and the Folkwang University of the Arts (Essen). She is a laureate of numerous international competitions, a winner of European awards and scholarships, and she now performs internationally and teaches a private class in the German city of Cologne. Most of the pianist's performances are chamber solo and ensemble programs, including Ukrainian classics. On the release "Mrii. Ukrainian Hope," the pianist presents the latest recordings of piano pieces by Yakiv Stepovyi, Mykola Lysenko, Levko Revutskyi, and Alois Jedlichka. Seventeen compositions from the romantic era are united by considerable dreaminess, melody, and Ukrainian sincerity.
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War. Destroyed cities. Ruined lives. Kharkiv. A hero city where superhumans live. Music. Musical matter that was born under rocket fire, in underground shelters, or in between air raids, at a time when the soul was trying to find healing peace.
During the war, Lviv became a refuge for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homes. And at the same time, Kharkiv, a city of a million people, became a huge wound on the body of Ukraine. A city that was destined to take more than one blow, more than one hard battle with the enemy. However, the student capital survived and showed the world that Ukrainians cannot be broken: that even under shelling, wonderful music can sound, and that bright flowers can grow under the rubble.

A bold and vivid composer`s style that had no analogs in Ukraine and still has no analogs in the world is the feature of Stephania Turkevych, the first Ukrainian female composer. She was an avant-garde composer, an innovator, and a sincere Ukrainian despite many years of emigration. A lover of extraordinary sound and large-scale forms. According to the recollections of Stephania Turkevych's daughter Zoia Lisovska, the composer was creative not only in music but also in everyday life. Turkevych's irrepressible artistic nature always found its expression. Her diligence combined with a flexible imagination guaranteed the highest results in her artistic work.

The professional path that composers choose as their vocation in life is usually thorny and unpredictable. A lucky break, a good acquaintance, favorable circumstances, or a large audience of listeners can make a composer extremely popular and well-known at one point. Perhaps the composer's career will gain momentum gradually, and he or she will eventually gain recognition (unfortunately, this often happens after death). Or perhaps the music will remain just ink on paper. The symphony by Lviv composer Volodymyr Pawenskyi, written in 1985, has been waiting for its premiere for almost 40 years.

Ukrainian musical history is exceptionally interesting, multifaceted, and not fully known even by Ukrainians. The release of the archival recording of the Piano Sextet by Vasyl Barvinskyi is an example of a valuable find of the past. The recording was made in 1939 by famous Lviv musicians: Roman Savytskyi, Roman Kryshtalskyi, Oleksandr Pezhanskyi, Yevhen Kozulkevych, and Lev Turkevych. And today it is available for listening in the Ukrainian Live Classic mobile app, which is used by thousands of music lovers around the world.
Vasyl Barvinskyi composed Variations for two violins, viola, cello, double bass, and piano in the Ukrainian style in 1914-1915 in Prague. The work was highly praised by Barvinskyi's teacher, Vitezslav Novak, and immediately caught on with the performers and the public. It is the first Ukrainian chamber work for such a group and, indeed, one of Barvinskyi's most performed works. The manuscript of the sextet was lost in 1940, so after returning from the Mordovian camps in 1958, Barvinskyi started recreating the score from memory. The composer almost completely reconstructed the musical material, except for the last 30 bars. This work was completed after Barvinskyi's death by his longtime colleague Stanislav Lyudkevych.

Kharkiv...The city of heroes, in the russian-Ukrainian war, it was one of the first to stand and defend Ukrainian borders, culture and values. Kharkiv is a city of not only brave, but also extremely creative people. The piano music of Kharkiv resident Oleksandr Shchetynskyi, one of the most famous and titled contemporary Ukrainian composers, is a special declaration of love to his native Kharkiv: blooming and youthful, immense and melancholic.
So what was the "student capital" of Ukraine during the student days of composer Oleksandr Shchetynskyi? In the 80s, the modern look of the city began to take shape. Then there was an active development of the largest residential areas - Rohan, Northern Saltivka, Oleksiyivka. Hotels "Kyivskyi" and "Express", a new postmodern building of the Opera and Ballet Theatre, and an organ hall were built. However, the music of Kharkiv for Shchetynskyi is not about the hustle and bustle of the city. It is about walks in the green parks of Kharkiv and the city charm, it is about movement and static, which are combined in the urban landscape and find their response in the heart of the young artist.

A talented composer, conductor, and organizer of the musical life of Galicia, Vasyl Bezkorovainyi (1880-1966) was also a true lover of life, workaholic, patriot, and polyglot. His education in several leading universities in different, unrelated specialties testifies to his extraordinary talent for learning. And the proof of his pedagogical talent is many years of teaching - from a gymnasium teacher in cities and towns of Galicia to a teacher at the famous Ukrainian Music Institute of America in Buffalo. The composer himself was also very lucky with his teachers: at the Lviv Conservatory, he studied, in particular, with the prominent Lviv citizen, composer, and conductor Stanislaw Niewiadomski. Niewiadomski was a true Renaissance man, although he lived at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Music critic, teacher, composer, pianist, and theater director. The monument to Adam Mickiewicz in Lviv was opened accompanied by his music performed by a huge choir and orchestra. A bright romantic, close in aesthetics to Chopin, he was invaluable to the artistic life of the city. Subsequently, his name was deliberately erased by the Soviet ideological machine. Nevertheless, Neviadomskyi's creative approach continued to exist in the music of his students, among them Vasyl Bezkorovainyi.

Koliada is a star above the nativity scene, a family at the table, a winter extravaganza and emotions that recharge people for the whole year. Ukrainian carol is a unique phenomenon on the cultural map of the world. Having ancient pagan roots, a close connection with the calendar and ritual cycle, combined with the key meanings of the prevailing Christian tradition in Ukraine, this phenomenon has gone far beyond the limits of domestic and social use. During the Christmas holidays, Ukrainian carols are heard around the world, including the most prestigious academic stages.

The music of Myroslav Korchynskyi is a fresh discovery and a gift for connoisseurs of Ukrainian culture and it is not tied to any dates. And this is its exceptional value. After reading the biography of the composer, you find many reasons to discover his artistic heritage. A student and follower of Lyudkevych, the founder of the academic sopilka (Ukrainian chromatic recorder) school, and the organizer of the first orchestra of folk instruments in the educational process - this is not a complete list of Korchynskyi's artistic achievements.

The most magical time of the year is impossible to imagine without the appropriate musical accompaniment. For some people, New Year's holidays are associated with American jazz, for others - with traditional carols, and recordings of ABBA. But we at Ukrainian Live have simplified this task and selected the best festive music from the Ukrainian Live Classic app!

You may ask, what does Ukrainian Christmas sound like?

A traveler constantly strives to discover new countries, a gourmet likes to discover new tastes and their combinations, but a music lover regularly needs to experience unforgettable emotions from acquaintance with new musical works.
Contemporary composers fully satisfy the audience`s thirst for premieres. But it is especially interesting to discover works whose premieres were destined to take place much earlier.
So, in this release, the Ukrainian Live team managed to combine all that is unique that was originally laid down in the idea of the project: returning to Ukrainian culture the unfairly forgotten names of its artists, discovering unknown scores, performing and recording music, as well as promoting Ukrainian music in the world.

Suite No. 2 for strings by Dmytro Klebanov is a small masterpiece of Ukrainian music of the twentieth century.
Extraordinary melodic, full of sincere folklore, has elements of the avant-garde that make the musical story non-trivial and unpredictable, this music can surprise you from the first minutes. Kharkiv composer Dmytro Klebanov was an unsurpassed master of orchestration and intonation. His skills in working with the toning of instruments amazed his contemporaries, and the composer tried to pass this skill to his students.
In Suite No. 2, the strings create an incredibly rich texture due to the variety of strokes, virtuoso tempi, and colorful ensemble.

The monumental genre of passions, which tells in detail and extremely emotionally about the last days of life and suffering of Jesus Christ, traditionally belongs to the Catholic and Protestant traditions. But our contemporary Oleksandr Kozarenko in his oratorio "Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ" (1996) managed to rethink this complex genre through the prism of the local Orthodox tradition (which has ancient Greek, Byzantine, and Ukrainian components in its structure), using the means of romantic and modern musical language. Such an extraordinary combination! Thus Kozarenko creates a kind of national type of passion, influences the development of the genre, attracts attention to it, and proves the authentic uniqueness of national origins.

Symphony No. 5 (1976) by Andriy Shtoharenko introduces the listeners to the original artistic expressions of the famous composer and outstanding teacher of the 20th century, who actualized and reinterpreted in his way Ukrainian national features.

Shtoharenko's fifth symphony can hardly be heard from music stages today. However, even in the Soviet era, the works of modern Ukrainian composers could rarely be seen on the posters of key concert venues, even despite the ideological courtesy of the artists, as they encoded in the titles/dedications of their works (as in the case of Shtoharenko's symphony).

The concerto for piano and orchestra by the outstanding Ukrainian 20th-century symphonist Roman Simovych (1901-1984) is one of the brilliant, but still unexplored pages of Ukrainian music. Born in the West of Ukraine, he received a proper European education, and had a European mentality, the composer revealed his creative potential in Lviv and naturally combined the glorious traditions of Europe and Ukraine in his music. Simovych subtly weaves Slavic motifs and unique Ukrainian melodies into the vast symphonic fabric. A modest, educated, honest, and open person - this is how Roman Simovych was represented in life and his music. 

An invitation into the colorful, magical, and direct world of Honcharivka near Kharkiv, whose streets are full of sincerity, humor, folk flavor, Ukrainian songs, and the truth of life. Kyrylo Stetsenko's operetta "Matchmaking at Honcharivka" based on the play by Hryhoriy Kvitka-Osnovyanenko is a source of good mood and positivity, which is so needed when bad news breaks the peace every day. Difficulties have always befallen our people in one way or another, but every time they find the strength to smile, rejoice, dream, act and achieve their goals - just like the main characters of the folk comedy "Matchmaking at Honcharivka".

The operas "Dovbush" and "White Gypsy" by the composer Porphyriy Bazhanskyi were found, deciphered from the manuscript, orchestrated, and performed in 2021. The work on such a large-scale music and historical project was well integrated into the Ukrainian Live strategy and took place with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.

The study of the little-known work of Galician composers in the context of the revival of the national heritage is of great importance. Porfyriy Bazhanskyi

Bazhanskyi's operas are colorful and exclusive, they will surprise even "music connoisseurs". This music has a bright theatrical beginning, and the plots of both stories tend towards naturalism and realism. The variety and color of the musical fabric in combination with complex rhythms, text full of dialects and household exclamations, and the richness of harmony and orchestration brings folk opera dramas closer to European examples of opera avant-garde. Bazhanskyi's forgotten music proves to everyone that the national opera is not the only one that lives and will live on "Zaporozhets on the Danube" or "Natalka Poltavka". 

Valentyn Bibik, a composer from the sixties largely remains little discovered both by the world and the Ukrainians. He was fond of large-scale canvases, these works occupy a key place in his musical heritage. There, Bibik was not limited by time, he felt freedom, and expressed himself, demonstrating different sides of his talent as a composer.

Concert-symphony for violin, viola and chamber orchestra op. 61 (1986) is unique in its structure and content. It is a monolithic construction, born from a clear and catchy motif, around which it constantly evolves.

The fantasy world of a post-apocalyptic future belongs to clones of human predecessors who suffer from the effects of climate change and nuclear war and who know nothing about humanity's past. It is the end that becomes the beginning. But even the harsh life of the tribes of the future has not fallen as low as the distorted moral values of the era in which we live. The French poet and novelist Michel Houellebecq reflects on this in one of his best novels, "The Possibility of an Island" (French: La Possibilité d'une île) (2005). The author of the book did not limit himself to the literary version of his story and decided to continue it in the movie, creating a fantastic film of the same name in 2008.

The visions and ideas of the composer Vitaliy Kyreiko can hardly be called conservative. Still, loyalty to traditions and attachment to the classical romantic layer of music was his peculiar creative credo. He was not afraid of being himself and for that reason chose his own path, and even more — several completely new paths.
One of them was the creation of the first symphoniette in Ukraine, in 1971. Cyclical works in this genre became most widespread in the 20th century. Therefore, the "birth" of the symphoniette in the early 1970s, which absorbed many national features (such as lyricism, contrast, and the use of characteristic melodic inflections), became a manifestation of the logic and at the same time progressiveness of the Kyiv school of composers. 

The Nyzhankivskyi/Lysenko release eliminates all existing stereotypes and overpowers the rules of the project because it simultaneously highlights the music of two composers for two different instruments. The common denominator that united Nestor Nyzhankivskyi's Prelude and Fugue (organ version) and Mykola Lysenko's Elegy in Memory of Taras Shevchenko for piano is the performer - the young French pianist, organist, and composer Thomas Mellan. The delicacy, sense, expression, and creativity with which the musician approached the performance of the Ukrainian repertoire is impressive. But it is not surprising, because Thomas is a real professional and a friend of Ukraine.

The magical Ukrainian Carpathians are a treasure of our land, protection from cold winds and enemy arrows, a corner of peace and solitude, and an immense space that gives energy to every visitor. Conductor and composer Mykola Kolessa loved the mountains and everything related to them: nature, people, and their unique culture. Symphony №1 (1950) is one of Kolessa's numerous pieces of works inspired by the greatness of the Carpathians, and it occupies a prominent place in his creative heritage.

What is unique about composer Yuryi Ishchenko is that his music cannot be attributed to a specific musical direction, and his style cannot be characterized in a few words or placed in established frameworks. All his life he taught others and constantly continued to study and develop: he mastered the basics of the writing of the 20th century and tested his powers in all styles and forms without exception.
The period in which the Second String Quartet in Memory of Borys Lyatoshynskyi (1968) was written was marked by the artist's artistic searches and thirst for everything new.

Lviv is beautiful at any time, weather and season. Some people love Christmas market time, others look forward to cozy cafes opening their shady summer terraces. The ancient history of Lviv dates back to the Middle Ages and still fascinates us with discoveries. But the most important treasure of the city is its residents - talented and extraordinary people, who value and protect the traditions of their native land. "Leopolis concerto grosso" by Viktor Kaminskyi is a sincere and exquisite confession of love for his beloved city and a dedication to its outstanding native, the composer Myroslav Skoryk.

The choral tradition of Ukraine represents unique artistic traditions. Authentic singing, partes and choral concerts, works of romantics and modernists, fruits of innovation of contemporary composers.
Every period or phenomenon of it is still a "secret treasure" that is hard to find, and explore so one has to try hard to grasp its depth. One of such secret treasures is the concept of the Galician Liedertafel, which arose under the influence of Austro-German culture and, in particular, the Biedermeier style.

Our contemporary, pianist, musicologist, and composer Oleksandr Kozarenko, from the beginning of his career, pleased the public with his unique approach to creating music. In his music, he includes unbreakable traditions and bold fantasies, simple lyrics and extravagance, logic, and equanimity. Moreover, he combines all of that with extreme emotionality. In the Violin Concerto (1994), the composer once again offers exclusive musical findings.

One of the most important goals of the Ukrainian Live strategy is to return and promote forgotten Ukrainian composers, especially those who lived abroad. Symphony No. 3 “West Kentucky” is the second release of music by Roman Prydatkevych, the composer of the American diaspora. We are especially proud to present the work performed by Lviv musicians, at the end of 2020 as part of the "Symphonic Premieres" project.

The Concerto for flute and chamber orchestra "In memory of my father" (2013) by Oleh Bezborodko has different moods, shades, and images. The composer defined the features of each part by specifying their names.

On July 16 a concert by Kana chamber choir took place in the Eglwys Beuno Sant, in North Wales (Great Britain), where the music by Mykola Lysenko was performed.
The choir got the scores by Lysenko`s pieces from our Ukrainian Scores project. It is impressive that only two months passed between ordering the sheet music for the concert!
We are very grateful to the organizers for such sincere support of Ukrainian culture because all proceeds from the sale of tickets for the concert went to humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
And we remind that you can order the scores of Ukrainian music on the website.

Crystal clear, slightly mysterious, and pedagogically oriented, but creatively meaningful, rational, and emotional music of Isaak Berkovych. This is just one of the hundreds of unknown pages of Ukrainian culture, which we have yet to carefully explore and comprehend. The release of the cycle "24 Preludes for Piano" (op. 46) in the Ukrainian Live Classic app is very special and our team is proud to present it! For the first time, the recording of all Berkovych`s preludes is being published. Performed by Ukrainian pianist Andriy Makarevych in Lviv Organ Hall (sound engineer Volodymyr Punko, 2022). The pianist performs the work in the second edition (1968), in which Berkovych changed the tenth and twentieth preludes.

Due to his songs, we know exactly what true happiness is, we keep in mind three vital tips, and acknowledge the city one can’t help falling in love with! So touching and sincere, elegant and deep, emotional and infinitely beautiful music of Shamo is nothing but a confession of love for his native Ukraine.

This composer always amazes listeners with his art, because he seems to look at the world as if through a microscope, a telescope, and brand glasses with polarization at once. The dreamer and inventor, he experiments with all musical elements: from the structure to the technique of the piece, from the principles of drama to the methods of score design. 

Due to his songs, we know exactly what true happiness is, we keep in mind three vital tips, and acknowledge the city one can’t help falling in love with! So touching and sincere, elegant and deep, emotional and infinitely beautiful music of Shamo is nothing but a confession of love for his native Ukraine.

Have you ever looked through the kaleidoscope? This amazing device pleases the eye with bizarre patterns. The release of pieces for violin by the founder of Ukrainian classical music Mykola Lysenko can be called a musical kaleidoscope. Because it seems to combine everything: simplicity and aristocracy, national color and European sophistication, openness and grace, folk style, and deeply personal moments.

We present a special selection of music from Ukrainian sentimentalism and romanticism, presented by piano miniatures by Oleksandr and Ilya Lyzohub, L. Illienko, Adrian Danylevskyi Adam Bartsytskyi, Yosyp Vytvytskyi, Tymofiy Bezuhlyi, Tymofiy Shpakovskyi, Apollon Husakovskyi, Vladyslav Zaremba and Vasyl Pashchenko.

Archival article of 1875 on the history of Ukrainian music. Published in the original language.

History does not belong to the exact sciences, because it cannot objectively cover the events of the past. Needless to say, people can talk about the same person in completely different ways. The names of many talented people have remained unknown or completely forgotten simply because no one has told the true story of their lives. 

Professional guitar music in Ukraine has developed peculiarly. This is primarily because the classical guitar appeared in Ukraine in the late eighteenth century and was used mainly as an instrument for amateur musicians, as an accompaniment to singing. At that time, other string instruments prevailed in the national musical tradition.

Read an interview with composer, an author of Concertino for guitar and orchestra, Dmytro Malyi here in Ukrainian.

A life full of inspiration, kindness, and love. A priest, a husband, a father, and an artist whose life suddenly ended the disease at the age of 39 took. The release presents the last significant work of the composer - the dramatic scene Iphigenia in Tauris based on the drama of the same name by Lesya Ukrainka.

Read an interview with composer, an author of Annes Passion, Yevhen Orkin here in Ukrainian.

Even in the darkest periods of world history, there is still room for the light in the human soul: for love and mercy, for wisdom and gratitude, for courage and supernatural strength! Records of the famous "Diary of Anne Frank" by the Jewish girl Anneliese Maria Frank (1929-1945) render the thirst for life, girlish fragility, and childish maturity.

Interview with author of the "Blessing of Sorrow" Symphony.

“Blessing of Sorrow" is the title of Symphony II (2002) by the Ukrainian contemporary composer Boryslav Stronko. The Symphony skillfully combines traditional principles of romantic principles, music of Eastern and Caucasian cultures, philosophical and avant-garde ideas, and even electronic  music  elements.

Sonata for Cello and Piano by Illya Lyzohub (1797-1867) is the composer`s only surviving piece. Most of his works were destroyed by fire in 1883. This is the first Ukrainian cello sonata, written between 1825-1828 and dedicated to Lyzohub`s friend and son-in-law, amateur cellist Andriy Hudovych. 

“Barvinkyi: Selected piano pieces” presents unique historical recordings from the archives of music by Vasyl Barvinskyi's. The album includes Five Preludes for Piano (1908), "Thought"(Dumka) and "Humoresque" (Humoreska) from the series "Six Miniatures on Ukrainian Folk Themes" (1920), and Piano Concerto in F minor (1917-1937).

Artists:
Armonia Ludus chamber orchestra, conductor Mikheli Menabde
Kyiv Camerata, conductor Arild Rimmereit

How exciting is to follow the development of contemporary Ukrainian art! Independent Ukraine is the cradle of free and progressive artists of who we are so proud, we support and appreciate them. Serhiy Vilka, a composer, multi-instrumentalist and conductor, presents his first release in the UL Classic app.