Ukrainian Classical Music - can you help?

[Christopher]

I hope the moderators won't mind if I give a shout-out to this very worthy website - https://ukrainianlive.org

U-Live is a project aimed at recording for the first time the music of Ukrainian composers across the ages, as well as unearthing older recordings which have remained locked-up and out of reach.

Contrary to what many outside the country would have people believe, Ukraine has always had its own composers writing music across the full range of the classical spectrum, not just folksy operas of limited appeal. Their late romantic music, for example, easily holds its own against Russian/German/Polish etc composers of the same period and would be a revelation to the musical world. And yet they remain unknown.  It's telling that a large number of them were repressed (ie murdered or imprisoned, and their scores burned) by the NKVD in the 1930s.

I understand that U-Live is driven by Collegium Musicum Lviv under the conductor Ivan Ostapovych and the poet Taras Demko (http://collegiummusicum.com.ua/), with whom I am in touch.

If you go to https://ukrainianlive.org/composers you will see the composers they have worked on (many many of which are from "our" preferred era, and the many recordings they have which you can listen to if you download the app.

But - they need financial support, and have a fundraising page where you can make one-off or regular donations. If 1,000 people gave $5 a month...etc (I'm one of them..).  Please do consider it!  https://www.patreon.com/UkrainianLiveClassic

Works by the composers Kosenko, Barvinsky, Stepovy and Bortkiewicz are among the newly-discovered unsung works that members of this Forum have taken the trouble to say have given them much pleasure.

The current political situation and a possible invasion of the country by Russia gives an added poignancy to this request: if Ukraine should be turned into scorched earth, its cultural legacy risks being lost forever without projects such as these.

[Alan Howe]

Their late romantic music, for example, easily holds its own against Russian/German/Polish etc composers of the same period

I have yet to be convinced of this, but I'm willing to be persuaded. Perhaps you could name the best five works by Ukrainian composers in this period, so that we can judge - in your opinion, of course.

It might be helpful to name major works, such as symphonies, concertos, sonatas, operas, etc. Thanks!

[Alan Howe]

This is one work suggested at U-Live: Vladimir Sokalsky/Volodymyr Sokalskyi (1863-1919) - Symphony in G minor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USDGp5I2sAc

Thoughts, anyone?

[Christopher]

Will do Alan. Am heading out for the evening out so will think on it. Kosenko, Bortkiewicz and Barvinsky are likely to feature. May I ask, what do you mean by "convinced of this"? Convinced of a crowdfunding programme, of the concept of Ukrainian classical music, of U-Live, or..? Also, the caveat that I am useless at describing at WHY I love a piece of music, especially compared with the eloquence of many on here.

[Christopher]

This is one work suggested at U-Live: Vladimir Sokalsky/Volodymyr Sokalskyi (1863-1919) - Symphony in G minor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USDGp5I2sAc

Thoughts, anyone

I THINK we have a thread on Sokalsky on here...

[Alan Howe]

What I meant was that, apart from Bortkiewicz, I have not been convinced that any composition by a Ukrainian composer mentioned so far is even close in quality to those by Russian/German/Polish composers of the same period. Which is not to say that they're not enjoyable...

[Alan Howe]

I THINK we have a thread on Sokalsky on here...

Indeed - my apologies:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,6750.msg81530.html#msg81530

...which seemed to indicate that his music wasn't really up to much.

[mikehopf]

Lysenko; Gliere & Bortkevich.

[Alan Howe]

Glière is a known quantity, of course, as is Bortkiewicz. Both are unsung composers thoroughly worthy of exploration. But are there any others of that stature?

For example, Mykola Lysenko (1842-1912) was mentioned by Mike...

Also: I have just posted about Kosenko's VC in the dedicated Kosenko thread:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,7562.msg89114.html#new

[eschiss1]

What do you think of Akimenko or Iuferov for example?

[Alan Howe]

I take it you mean Fjodor Stepanovich Akimenko (1876-1945) and Sergei Vladimirovich Iuferov/Yuferov (b.1865 - d.?).

I'd never heard of either, so no idea!!

I think we're groping in the dark here - no recordings (to speak of), so opinions are hard to offer.

[eschiss1]

Akimenko has been mentioned a few times in this forum, I think, and likewise Yuferov I -thought-, but I'll check? I know Matesic has recorded a couple of works of the former, anyhow...

(Search reveals a few brief mentions of Akimenko but only one actual thread, a decade ago - http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,4020.msg46338.html#msg46338.)

There is one 6-year-old very substantial recording of Akimenko's music, on Toccata Classics- his 2 violin sonatas. You're right that there's practically nothing more, but the sonata I've heard is worth hearing.

[eschiss1]

... has anyone mentioned Felix Blumenfeld in this thread, btw? His symphony and allegro de concert have certainly come up before, among other works, and deservedly in the case of the former - I don't know the latter yet.

[Alan Howe]

I had obviously missed the Akimenko Violin Sonatas CD - perhaps I should investigate it. Thanks, Eric.

I hadn't realised Blumenfeld was born in Ukraine. He's a known quantity, of course.

[Wheesht]

Iuferov/Yuferov has been mentioned here, but with the spelling Youferov:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,8295.msg86668.html#msg86668

The latest Fanfare has a detailed review of that CD. Dyck was also Ukrainian-born by the way.