Ukrainian Folk Music.
A natural way for people to express their feelings and emotions.

The traditions of the Ukrainian folk music have a long history. They originated from the peasant rituals which celebrated natural agricultural circles, dumas and ballads of the legendary kobzars of the 16th-17th who traveled with their kobzas (a string instrument similar to lute)and song the ballads about heroic exploits. Music for Ukrainians has always been a natural expression of feelings and emotions.

No wonder Ukrainian music has rich melodies and rhythmical structures. They were transferred from generation to generation. Some of them are so old that nobody even remembers who created them. Ukrainian folk songs were not created by someone's order, but they existed as the internal human being desire to express their feelings and share experience with others.

The traditional Ukrainian folk music becomes more and more popular in present day Ukraine. The history of the Ukrainian music knew not the best times for its prosperity. For a long period of time it didn't even consider as a kind of art. But one is not able just to cross out the centuries of the national history. Every nation has to remember about historical roots to maintain its national identity and awareness.

It used to be very typical for common Ukrainian people to come together whenever they could and sing the songs. Someone started, others would join and a breath taking song took ones heart away. Today people don't have too much time for singing. They run somewhere all the time. But if you are lucky, you still have a chance to listen to them. They still do it at someone's home.

If you are going to visit Kiev, you will meet musicians in the streets or in the subway stations who sing Ukrainian folk songs playing their banduras. Like this handsome man (watch a video below) whom I met at the St.Sophia Cathedral. More about him and the Ukrainian music you can read at the Ukrainian Music Page. It also has a good collection of links which you can listen to.

Sofia Rotaru is on of the most popular Ukrainian folk song singers.

There are a lot of young performers in Ukraine who continue traditions of the Ukrainian folk music. A 2006 year's Ukrainian "EuroVision" winner, Ruslana, was born in Carpathians Mountains where tradition of folk music are especially strong. Video will let you not a bad idea about Carpathians beautiful nature and national Ukrainian musical instruments.

The last and shortest video is not quite traditional Ukrainian folk music. It is just a joke of two classically educated Ukrainian musicians. You just have to see it!!!

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