1877–1921
Mykola Leontovych
Composer of “Shchedryk”
Composer and choir conductor who arranged “Shchedryk”. The world knows the melody as “Carol of the Bells”, and millions of people hear it every year.
Key accomplishments
- Choral arrangement of “Shchedryk”, first performed in Kyiv in 1916
- About 150 choral arrangements of folk songs
- Teacher and organizer of the choral movement in Ukraine
Who he was
Mykola Leontovych was born in Podillia into the family of a village priest. He was educated at a theological seminary, worked as a singing teacher, and led choirs in schools and villages. Over many years he refined his arrangement of a folk shchedrivka (a New Year’s carol) and created a masterpiece.
His story
“Shchedryk” was first performed at the end of 1916 by the student choir of Kyiv University under the direction of Oleksandr Koshyts. Later Koshyts took “Shchedryk” on the world tour of the Ukrainian Republican Kapelle, which began in 1919 on the instructions of the government of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR). In 1922 the melody was performed at Carnegie Hall in New York. In 1936 Peter Wilhousky wrote English lyrics for the melody. This is how “Carol of the Bells” came about, one of the best-known Christmas songs in the world.
On 23 January 1921 Leontovych was killed in his father’s house by an agent of the Soviet security services.
Why it matters today
“Shchedryk” is an example of cultural diplomacy: a Ukrainian melody that millions of people around the world hear every year. At the same time, Leontovych’s fate is a reminder of how many Ukrainian artists the Soviet authorities destroyed.
