Svjatky. Ukrainian ethnic music.

There is some general impression of this entire story. A simple impression. Thank God, there still exist people on the earth who in contrast to most of us not only listen to songs. These are the people who sing. These are the people who make recordings.

Let’s take Poltavshchina as an example. Researchers like this region, as here the tradition of performing songs has been preserved better than in other regions of our country. It hasn’t simply been preserved – here it is alive and well developed. It breathes well. Moreover, as it seems to me, a Ukrainian folk song is mostly known in the world by the example of the traditional manner of performance of Poltava region (I may be mistaken, of course). In any case, though I do not come from those parts, still I feel this manner of performance in such a way that it seems as if I had taken it with milk or with wind. It becomes warm and cosily. This disc presents ceremonial songs performed during the period of Christmas Holidays (Christmas, New Year and Epiphany), that is songs, which are usually performed in winter, but all the same you feel warm and cosily. It becomes light of each separate song and of the whole recording. You want to listen to it more and more. It is clear. It looks as if you were coming back home and your family greeted you with love. It even becomes strange that you don’t come from those parts.

Anton Jozhik Leyba (Hedgehog)

"Ukrainian Ethnic Music" series came out of many ethnographical expeditions to different region of Ukraine. Compact discs have stylish design. In the colourful booklets you will find information about the places where recordings were made, stories about performers, lyrics of the songs etc. Information is given in Ukrainian and English.