NEW YORK – The sound of the trembita reverberated throughout The Ukrainian Museum on Saturday, December 6, 2014, signaling that the Koliadnyky from Kryvorivnia had arrived. Presented by Virlana Tkacz and Yara Arts Group, “Koliada and Music from the Carpathians” opened with two performances at the museum.
The Koliadnyky are a group of five men from the Carpathian Mountains in western Ukraine who sing traditional winter songs from the village of Kryvorivnia. Ivan Zelenchuk was the “bereza,” the lead singer. With him were Mykola Zelenchuk on trembita and bubon, master fiddler Mykola Ilyuk, tsymbaly player Vasyl Tymchuk and Ostap Kostyuk on the drymba and various flutes. Joining them were master bandurist Julian Kytasty and Nariman Asanov, the renowned Crimean Tatar violinist. Besides their koliady, the musicians performed the brilliant “troista” instrumental music from the Carpathians.
The koliada is a winter ritual that now coincides with Christmas, but long pre-dates it in some parts of Eastern Europe. High in the Carpathians, or Karpaty, koliada is considered to be the most important event of the year. Groups of male singers visit each family and sing ancient songs that are believed to hold special powers. According to tradition, spring and the harvest will not come unless the songs are sung in every household.
Upon entering the upstairs gallery of the museum, the Koliadnyky performed “Plies – My Slavni Gazdy,” a dance outside the house that announced them. Next, they sang “Tsy Doma, Doma, Pan Hospodar?” inquiring if the master of the house was in. Mr. Kostyuk followed with a melody on the drymba; a lively kolomyika emerged from his seemingly random picking.
Having taken off their “serdaky,” the Koliadnyky performed the “Trypotinnia,” a lively dance in which they stamp their feet to shake off the snow, while singing that the master of the house will treat them finely and richly. To the master of the house, portrayed by this writer, they sang “V Nashoho Pana,” in which they sing that God is walking amongst all the riches of the household. They ended with a “Vinshuvannia” in which the Koliadnyky extend wishes to the hospodar for health, wealth and happiness in the coming year. After a heartfelt “Thank you!” from the hospodar, the Koliadnyky walked over the other side of the room while Mr. Kostyuk played an intriguing Hutsul melody on his floyara. Stopping in front of Maria Shust, they sang “V Nedilu Rano,” which praises the lady of the household, comparing her to the rising sun. One of the verses tells of the gazdynia carrying the golden keys to the house, making this a fitting koliada for Ms. Shust, who, as director of the museum, does indeed carry the keys to the museum.
With it being time for festivities, the troista musicians performed a medley of Hutsul dance tunes on the telynka, tsymbaly, violin and bubon (drum). Mr. Asanov announced his entrance with a brief Crimean Tatar melody played on the violin. With a nod from Mr. Ilyuk, the duo launched into a transcendent two-violin version of “Verkhovyno.” Mr. Asanov gently segued into “Tim-Tim,” with the troista musicians joining him on this traditional Crimean Tatar folk dance melody. The Koliadnyky, in turn, honored Mr. Asanov by singing “U Zloti,” a koliada to a young man.
Mr. Kytasty joined the group with his bandura, playing “Oy Krasenyu Yasniy,” a koliada to a young man. Mr. Asanov on violin added a wonderful depth to this koliada from the Sumy region of Ukraine. Led by tsymbaly player Mr. Tymchuk, the ensemble, with the audience joining in, sang a rousing “Dobriy Vechir Tobi, Pane Hospodariu, Raduysia!”
Mr. Asanov followed with “Kalabalyk,” a Crimean Tatar instrumental, with Mr. Zelenchuk marking the beat on his bubon. “Ishly Molodsti,” about the rewards due young men who have shown their bravery, featured Mr. Kytasty on bandura and vocals, with the ensemble providing the backing vocals and music. After that, Mr. Tymchuk started off with a slow and intricate melody on the tsymbaly, playing it faster and faster until his hands were just a blur over the strings.
As Messrs. Kytasty and Asanov left the room, the ensemble sent them off with “Provazhayem.” They followed with a blistering “Hutsulka” that included Mr. Tymchuk flipping over the tsymbaly and playing the dance rhythm percussively on the back sounding board.
The Koliadnyky completed their koliada with the “Kruhliak,” a round dance for the bees that expresses the wish that they will have strong hives and pollinate many flowers. That was followed by the “Plies,” a parting song that wishes much goodness to the household. Leaving, the Koliadnyky again took up their trembity, the sound resonating throughout the museum. They returned to a standing ovation, singing “Teche Richka.” With the audience joining them, they also sang “Nova Radist Stala,” the traditional church carol. To a person, the audience members rose to their feet, offering a standing ovation in thankful and vigorous response for the wishes and words of the koliada they had just heard.
As custom dictates, the Koliadnyky visit all the houses in the village. They kept this tradition, but in a global village sense. Besides visiting New York City, the Koliadnyky also sang the koliada in Whippany, N.J., at Bard College, in Philadelphia and in Washington.
Returning to New York City, they, along with the Ukrainian Village Voices ensemble, held a Koliada workshop. Closing out their visit before returning to the Karpaty, they appeared in “Winter Light,” a presentation of the traditional Ukrainian vertep by Virlana Tkacz and Yara Arts Group.
The Koliadnyky from Kryvorivnia have released the “Koliada” CD and their koliady are documented in the book “Still The River Flows: Winter Solstice and Christmas Rituals in a Carpathian Village,” both of which are available through the Yara Arts Group website at brama.com/yara/.