"Yakiv Yatsynevych – the talented Ukrainian composer, choral conductor, folklorist. Unfortunately, notwithstanding the very short period of time that detaches us from Yatsynevych's life and activity, the composer's legacy has still not yet been fully unearthed – and yet his biography is full of abundant secrets... The life of Yatsynevych before 1917 was fully connected with the church: after studying at St. Sofia ecclesiastic school and Kyiv spiritual academy he was appointed conductor of St.Michael Cathedral choir, the best at that time. In the post revolutionary years Yatsynevych actively participated in formation of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, in honor of which he created his most eminent work, the beautiful "Liturgy". But the wheel of the Bolshevist regime had just started it repressive turning:
Mykola Leontovych was murdered in his own home, Kyrylo Stetsenko died of typhus – and this was the only way to avoid massacre... The talent, knowledge and experience of Yatsynevych were not needed. Towards the end of his life he was exiled to the Caucasus, to the Adygeysky Autonomous Republic. His last place of work was as a guard at a collective orchard in the far away Krasnodar region, where he died.
Yakiv Yatsynevych – famous son of his country. He passed to us and onto the next generation the epistle of his endured suffering, which organically enlists him in Ukraine's musical iconostasis and thousand-year history." Mykola Hobdych
(information from the CD polygraphy)
The release contains a 28-page booklet with articles by Mykola Hobdych and professor, doctor of arts Lidiya Korniy, as well as information about the choir. Texts in the booklet are in Ukrainian, English, German, French.