19/05/2022
Sing with Ukraine
"Shchedryk shchedryk, shchedrivochka"
Ukrainian song that became a symbol of Christmas
all over the world and now folksong everyone knows.
Today we know more than 1,000 versions of Shchedryk. But its origins go all the way back to the ancient Ukrainian culture. For a long time the song lived in Ukrainian folklore until a talented Ukrainian conductor and composer, Mykola Leontovych, heard it. Taking a simple monophonic melody he went on to create a choral masterpiece. We trace the journey of this popular carol– from its origins to ‘Home Alone’ soundtrack favourite. The rushing Christmas words Peter Wilhousky penned and set in 1936 make the bell-like opening chords onomatopoeic. The choir intones ‘Ding, d**g, ding, d**g’ in accompaniment, as ‘silver bells’ indicate ‘Christmas is here’.
Stand with Ukraine to Stand for Humanity