Praise Ye the Lord
Conductor: Walter Klymkiw
Assistant Conductor: W. Solomon
Recorded by: Neil Klassen
Approximately 1975
Playlist
- The Great Litany … from the first Liturgy, 1922
- Holy God | The Thrice Holy | Trisagion … from the third Liturgy, 1930
- It is Meet and Right … from the fourth Liturgy, 1942
- Christ Awake Conquering Death’s Dark Power … Ukrainian Canticle from an 18th century manuscript. English translation by Max. T. Krone.
- The Sea of Life … from the second Liturgy, 1930
- Prayer for Ukraine … melody by Mykola Lysenko, arranged by O. Koshetz
- Praise Ye the Lord … from the fourth Liturgy, 1942
- We Sing to Thee …
- First Antiphon … from the first Liturgy, 1922
- The Lord’s Prayer … from an unpublished manuscript
- The Cherubimic Hymn … from the fourth Liturgy, 1942
- Many Years to You … from the marriage ceremony (Mnohaya Lita)
Choir Members
Sopranos: M. Bergman, J. Chomiak, L. Fedorkiw, H. Feniuk, G. Garbolinsky, L. Harasym, D. Hardy, O. Hawryluk, I. Kaban, L. Kapty, S. Kereliuk, M. Kohut, H. Kowalyk, K. Kuzyk, J. Lewandosky, L. Prokopchuk, H. Shklanka, C. Villebrun, A. Wach, O. Zawislak, M. Zurek
Tenors: D. Bilenki, T. Boyaniwski, J. Dudych, J. Hallas, B. Klymkiw, J. Klymkiw, H. Kotyk, J. Kucher, T. Kulyk, D. Lega, G. Nosyk, J. Pauik, B. Seneskiw, N. Trusewych, G. Wach, M. Zakaluzny, B. Zaporozan
Altos: G. Armstrong, O. Babick, Z. Cham, V. Charenko, H. Goshulak, O. Goshulak, J. Klymkiw, M. Klymkiw, A. Kochan, L. Kotyk, I Krawchuk, J. Maksymetz, M. Nosyk, J. Olynyk, A. Ratuski, C. Romanyk, S. Stefanyshen, S. Sytnick, J. Wizniak, M. Zubrin
Basses: R. Babick, D. Dohan, B. Hawryliuk, V. Kapty, J. Kereliuk, P. Kohut, A Kreschuk, W. Kuryk, E. Lewicki, W. Mudry, J. Popiel, A Serray, W. Solomon, B. Stasiuk, W. Szutiak, M. Zawislak
About
The Olexander Koshetz Choir has been an active musical group for over 30 years. It began in the early 1940’s when the famed Ukrainian composer and choral conductor, Oleksander Koshetz was guest lecturer and conductor at the Ukrainian Summer Courses, sponsored by the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada. A choir made up of summer school students and lovers of choral music was formed and for four years these summer school choral concerts were musical highlights. In these early years, it became known as the Ukrainian National Youth Federation Choir. It was conducted by such notables as Tetiana Koshetz and Dr. P. Macenko. In 1951 Walter Klymkiw became conductor and has led the choir ever since.
The choir has travelled extensively, appeared regularly on radio, has won festival honors and has made two fine recordings. In the past two seasons 1975-1976, it has performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. In its last appearance the choir was conducted by Maestro Pierro Gamba.
The choir maintains a high standard of performance and considers the preservation of Ukrainian choral music as one of its basic aims.
Olexander Koshetz
He was born in Ukraine in 1875. His pre-war years were spent in Kyiv directing various choirs, composing and in teaching. In 1919 he was commissioned by the anti-Bolshevik Ukrainian Government to organize a choir for performance outside Ukraine. This he did, and his tours between 1919 and 1924 were a phenomenal critical and popular success.
Koshetz was acclaimed by the public and critics on both sides of the Atlantic as a musical genius, and the choir as a unusual musical instrument. He eventually settled in the eastern United States. There he composed, taught choral music and tried to earn a living as best he could. Over 40 of his arrangements were translated and published by Witmark and sold over one million copies.
In the early 1940’s he taught the history of Ukrainian songs at Summer Courses sponsored by the Ukrainian Cultural and Education Centre. Many young Canadians of Ukrainian extraction were influenced by this remarkable man. Many are now teaching choirs in all parts of Canada.
In September, 1944 Olexander Koshetz died and was buried in Winnipeg.
Source: LP Cover