The Influence of the Ukrainian Folk Songs
Throughout the vast Ukrainian territory--irrespective of various
forceful political allegiances, foreign influence and domination in
the past--the same motives, airs, wording and other peculiarities are
found in all Ukrainian folklore, although there may be some dialectal
differences, which, however, are the least noticeable in songs. This
of course only goes to affirm the one Ukrainian national soul of the
forty-five million Ukrainians who in the past unfortunately were
divided for centuries by surrounding foreign powers. A Ukrainian
may have forgotten his native language and may speak the Russian,
Polish, Slovak, Rumanian, Madyar or German--but he expresses his soul
in his native, incorrupt language of song; the songs were so deeply
impressed upon his soul by his mother at the cradle that he never
forgets them; on the contrary we notice such an anomaly that these
beautiful, affectionate songs are being sung by Russians and Poles,
who otherwise may hate everything that savors of Ukrainism; one may
hear these so-called “Little Russian”[1] songs chanted in the heart of
Warsaw, Petrograd and Moscow by the foreigners themselves. It is said
that wherever the Ukrainian song is once heard its charm enchants the
listeners and creates in them the desire to learn the air at least.
Other Slavic nationalities are well acquainted with Ukrainian songs
and melodies; it is said that in Canada, where Ukrainians are quite
numerous, a great many of the English and French speaking population
love to sing Ukrainian songs.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Little Russian is an artificial name introduced by Peter the
Great, Czar of Russia, in order to Russianize the Ukrainians the more
effectively.