1. art and entertainment
2. dance

PROJECT HUTSULKA: CONTINUING A TRADITION
OF COMPOSING MUSIC FOR UKRAINIAN STAGED DANCE
MIKE ROMANIAK
RECIPIENT OF THE ROBERT NEWBY FUND TO SUPPORT STUDENT
DIVERSITY EFFORTS AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
MUS 798C THESIS
DR. DAVID GILLINGHAM, PROFESSOR
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
MOUNT PLEASANT, MI
APRIL 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROJECT GOAL…………………………………………………………..……………..1
WHAT IS UKRAINIAN STAGED DANCE? ……………….………….….……………2
Motivations for Ukrainian Staged Dancing……………………..……………..….2
Ukrainian Identity…………………………………………….………………..….3
Inconsistency in Terminology……………………………………………….....….4
Historical Overview………………………………………………………..…..….6
Before the Late 1800s……………………………………………….....….6
Europe: After the Late 1800s…………………………………………..….7
North America: After the Late 1800s……………………………...…..….9
Authenticity…………………………………………….…………..…………….11
DEVELOPMENT OF THE MUSIC…………………………………………………….13
The Influence of Other Art Forms………………………………………....…….13
Composers Writing for Ukrainian Staged Dance………………………….…….14
PROJECT HUTSULKA: ANALYSIS AND COMPOSITIONAL PROCESS….……….15
Form and Tempo………………………………………….…………………..….15
Melodic Materials…………………………………….………………………….17
Harmonic Materials……………………………………………………..……….19
Rhythmic Materials………………………………………………………...…….22
Texture…………………………………………………………………..……….23
Orchestration…………………………………………………………….……….23
RECORDING AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE MUSIC………………...……….…….26
APPENDIX: UKRAINIAN STAGED DANCE GROUP CONTACT LIST….……..….28
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………….…….32
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PROJECT HUTSULKA: CONTINUING A TRADITION
OF COMPOSING MUSIC FOR UKRAINIAN STAGED DANCE
“[...] Through the language of dance we strive to relate the life and work of the
Ukrainian people, their Past and Present. The national characteristics and the
traditions of Ukrainian folk dance are sacred to us; it is the intent of our Company
to foster them. But we also try to convey what Art, in its general universal
meaning, signifies to humanity. The main principle of our work is not simply to
copy the ethnographic patterns of our national dance but to enrich them by means
of creative interpretation. [...] The close ties we have with our national folk art
and with the achievements in classical dance, which is part of our heritage, have
determined the style of our Company. Both elements are combined in our
approach so that we may always maintain the highest level of technique together
with a harmonious beauty of presentation.”
—Pavlo Virsky in Kiev, 1966 (Libman 1988, 3).
Project Goal
Ukrainian staged dance is a dance genre performed for an audience in which the
content is fundamentally inspired by Ukrainian culture. The presentation of this content is
enhanced by principles of classical music and ballet. The goal of this project is to
continue a tradition of composing and recording music for Ukrainian staged dance.
A multistep procedure achieves this goal. The first step is research, gathering of
materials, and the writing of a literature review. The second step is the composition of a
new musical work based on the process employed by previous composers of this genre.
The third step is the recording, the mixing, and the mastering of said new work. The final
step is the assembly of a contact list of Ukrainian staged dance groups from all over the
world, and the complimentary online distribution of the literature review, the musical
score, and the recording.
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What is Ukrainian Staged Dance?
Motivations for Ukrainian Staged Dancing
Having over ten thousand participants within an estimated 350 different groups,
Ukrainian staged dance rehearsals are well attended in North America (Nahachewsky
2012, 120). According to Andriy Nahachewsky, professor of Ukrainian Folklore at the
University of Alberta, there are three primary motivations for this type of dance:
recreational/educational, spectacular, and national (Nahachewsky 2012, 88).
Recreational or educational motivation influences dancers that want physical
exercise, a social outlet, and the opportunity to learn about a culture. By learning the folk
dances of a specific country, dancers are simultaneously studying the geography, history,
and culture of that country (Duggan, Schley, and Schlottmann 1948, 27; Nahachewsky
2012, 18). In early twentieth century New York, folk dances of various cultures were
consciously used as a social tool to help immigrants ease into American culture
(Nahachewsky 2012, 129).
Spectacular motivation interests dancers that are inspired by the technical aspects
of the performance. Mark Morris, a non-Ukrainian choreographer that worked with the
Voloshky Ukrainian Dance Ensemble in Philadelphia, expresses in an interview that there
is a certain level of virtuosity in Ukrainian staged dance that makes it interesting and fun
(MiNDTV35 2011). Ukrainian staged dance has a vast spectrum of difficulty, spanning
from simple coordinated steps in large groups, to individual components with high levels
of technical artistry.
National motivation influences dancers that want to express and share a national
identity. The primary motivation for the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers from Edmonton,
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Alberta, for example, is the connection they feel to their Ukrainian identity (Major 1991,
12). In North America the feeling of nationalism within Ukrainian staged dance was
strong in its early stages, but as it developed the intensity of this motivation decreased
and others became more prominent (Nahachewsky 2012, 123).
Nahachewsky also mentions that the three motivations can naturally overlap for
dancers (Nahachewsky 2012, 14). The same dancer could be motivated principally for
recreational reasons and partially for national reasons. It is imperative that the music
written for Ukrainian staged dance accommodates all three motivations. The music must
be an authentic representation of Ukrainian culture, must be simple and accessible on the
surface but allow for a more technical and virtuosic choreography, and must allow
dancers to express their Ukrainian identity.
Ukrainian Identity
Cultural characteristics like customs, values, beliefs, language, religion, and the
arts of a nation play an important role in the strength of national identity (Shulman 1999).
Part of the reason why people give so much of themselves for their nation is they
genuinely believe in its continuity, validity, consistency, and value (Nahachewsky 2012,
99-100). They aspire to win recognition and respect, as well as gain or defend certain
rights or privileges that they feel are legitimate (Nahacheswsky 2012, 113). Chester Kuc,
founder of Ukrainian Shumka Dancers in Edmonton, believes that dance was one of the
most accessible ways of portraying Ukrainian heritage (Major 1991, 14). The strength of
a nation’s identity depends on perceived cultural similarities among the inhabitants of a
country (Shulman 1999). Ukrainian identity is strong through staged dance because the
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dances clearly showcase the unity of the various regions of Ukraine. Nahachewsky writes
that national dances feature elements that are unique to their own nation and avoid
explicit commonalities or borrowings from other cultures (Nahachewsky 2012, 107). It is
essential that the music written for Ukrainian staged dance features musical elements and
motifs that are unique to Ukraine.
Inconsistency in Terminology
When discussing Ukrainian staged dance, it is important to note that this type of
dance has existed for centuries and as it has evolved, so have the terms used to describe
it. In The Teaching of Folk Dance by Anne Schley Duggan, Jeanette Schlottmann, and
Abbie Rutledge, terminology related to folk dancing is described as being used loosely,
interchangeably, and often incorrectly (Duggan, Schley, and Schlottmann 1948, 17).
When searching through the websites of various Ukrainian staged dance groups, it is
clear that there is no consistent way of describing this type of dance. For example, the
Desna School from Toronto uses the term Ukrainian dance, the Kazka Ensemble from
Pennsylvania uses the term Ukrainian folk dance, while the Pavlo Virsky Ensemble from
Kiev uses the term Ukrainian national folk dance.
Nahachewky divides Ukrainian dance into two different categories. He uses the
term vival dance for dance that is vernacular, happening in the moment, where people are
dancing for themselves and for their own enjoyment (Nahachewsky 2012, 24). For
example, the dancing that occurs at a wedding in a village could be described this way. In
contrast, Nahachewsky uses the term spectacular dance to describe dance that is
performed for an audience, for participants who are not dancing themselves, but are still
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involved in the event (Nahachewsky 2012, 144). Ukrainian staged dance has its roots in
vival dancing, but has evolved into a full-form spectacular dance with a stage, an
audience, lights, and costumes.
The term ethnic dance is used for dance created by and for a people to represent
their particular culture (Hughes 1977, 2). When ethnic dance develops by being passed
down from generation to generation and changing through the years, it is often renamed
folk dance (Joukowsky 1965, 1). This evolution happens naturally and spontaneously in
conjunction with the everyday activities and experiences of the people who developed the
dances (Duggan, Schley, and Schlottmann 1948, 22). Ukrainian staged dance may be
described as folk dance because it is a dance art form created by and for Ukrainian
people, which has been passed down for generations and has developed over many years.
The definition of national dance is dance performed as a positive symbol of a
people, which can be related to a country, or can be related to people who have no state
of their own (Nahachewsky 2012, 113). National dances differ from folk dances in that
they are national in scope, which means they are folk dances that are most widely
performed in all parts of a specific region (Duggan, Schley, and Schlottmann 1948, 22).
A concert of Ukrainian staged dance often features dances that originated from the
diverse regions of Ukraine; this means that the most widely performed dances would be
used for these concerts, making Ukrainian staged dance a national dance form.
Even though it is strongly influenced by ballet, Ukrainian staged dance is rarely
described as a ballet because the ballet community is generally uncomfortable with any
association to the word ethnic (Nahachewsky 2012, 35). Ballet cannot be ethnic dance
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because it is made up of the social customs and artistic reflections of differing national
cultures (Hughes 1977, 2).
For the sake of consistency, the term Ukrainian staged dance will be used
throughout this paper unless otherwise specified. When referring to dance that is
performed solely for the dancers, happening in the moment, the term Ukrainian
vernacular dance will be used.
Historical Overview
Before the Late 1800s
The history of Ukrainian vernacular dance dates back to the 7th century, where
evidence shows that ancient Slavic states used music to accompany their various
ceremonial circle dances (Sheremetyevskaya 1960, 20). In the centuries that follow,
dance became an important part of peasant life, because the aristocracy was generally
more interested in dances that were rare and exotic to the land that they ruled
(Nahachewsky 2012, 12). Thus these dances reflected agricultural life, rituals to
communicate with the supernatural world, and profound realities in the communities of
these people (Nahachewsky 2008, 7).
Because of a close tie to their farmland, peasants rarely travelled, and as a result,
their traditions and their dances often became specific to their geographical region
(Nahachewsky 2008, 7). Occasionally, travelling families, soldiers, and minorities such
as Roma gypsies, brought region specific dances with them, which influenced
surrounding areas (Nahachewsky 2012, 61-62).
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Eventually, Ukrainian vernacular dance made its way to the stage, which was
already dominated by ballet. Ballet was born in the Renaissance courts of Western
Europe, particularly in France and in Italy (Nahachewsky 2012, 157). In Eastern Europe,
aristocracy neglected vernacular dance and focused their attention on ballet; the first
Russian ballet school was founded in Saint Petersburg in 1738. At the time, ballet masters
preserved vernacular Russian dances in rehearsal, but only performed ballet on stage.
After Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812, ballet masters used vernacular Russian dances to
create patriotic productions for the sake of national pride (Sheremetyevskaya 1960, 20).
At the end of the 19th century, staged dance activities all over Europe were mostly
connected with the process of building nationalism. Such activities were continued and
expanded by immigrants to North America.
Europe: After the Late 1800s
In the spirit of building nationalism, the Moiseyev Dance Company from Moscow
became the chief Soviet folk ensemble that toured abroad (Kisselgoff 1988). Igor
Moiseyev, the artistic director, was praised for merging Russian vernacular dance with
ballet (Kisselgoff 1988). Moiseyev made frequent and long trips all over the Soviet
Union to study the lives of people, their traditions, and discover how best to express their
spirit through dance (Sheremetyevskaya 1960, 48). Sometimes on horseback and
sometimes on foot, he reached the remotest villages and settlements in Ukraine,
Belorussia, Tadjikistan, the Volga area, Urals, Siberia, Caucasus, and Crimea to acquaint
himself with the vernacular dances of those regions (Sheremetyevskaya 1960, 30). In
1937, he officially founded his dance company (Nahachewsky 2012, 203). This company
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initially included 35 dancers with varying degrees of experience, who performed
Moiseyev’s distinct choreography (Sheremetyevskaya 1960, 64). The dance company
created an entirely new genre of dance, staged folk dance, which they believed was
constantly evolving, much like the vernacular dances from the remote villages
(Sheremetyevskaya 1960, 50). Their first concert was incredibly well received and
inspired the creation of professional staged folk dance ensembles in Kiev, Minsk, Tbilisi,
Alma-Ata, Yerevan, and Baku (Sheremetyevskaya 1960, 92).
Two months after the formation of the Moiseyev Dance Company in Moscow, a
state Ukrainian staged dance ensemble emerged in Kiev (Nahachewsky 2012, 204). The
agility and athletic prowess of the men, the graceful movements of the women, and the
energy that filled their performance won immediate national acclaim for the ensemble
and their artistic director, Pavlo Virsky (Libman 1988, 7). Like Moiseyev, Virsky also
fused vernacular dance with ballet (Kisselgoff 1988). In his youth he travelled all over
Ukraine, explored the forestlands of the north, climbed the Carpathian Mountains, and
took weeklong hikes across the midland steppes and along the Black Sea coast. He
became an expert in the folklore of each region as he studied the songs, dances, regional
dress, customs, traditions, and ceremonies (Libman 1988, 6-7). The Pavlo Virsky
Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble became a model for Ukrainian staged dance
groups all over the world, even after Virsky’s death in 1975 (Kisselgoff 1988).
Three key conditions led to the success of both Moiseyev and Virsky’s dance
groups: a strong foundation in related art forms, a good environment for the subversion of
the noble style in ballet, and most importantly, strong institutional support (Nahachewsky
2012, 205). In the 20th century, Soviet state support of staged folk dance was unmatched
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by any other country, and the Moiseyev and Virsky dance groups approached a hundred
and fifty full time employees (Nahachewsky 2012, 207-208). By the middle to late 1900s,
almost all twenty-five provinces of Ukraine had their own professional, state funded
staged dance groups (Nahachewsky 2012, 112). Staged folk dance was also practiced by
hundreds of thousands of amateurs in schools and performing groups in the Soviet Union
(Nahachewsky 2012, 208).
After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine was left with a large number
of public cultural institutions, but without proper establishment of cultural policy
funding, the responsibility of these institutions fell to the local level (Grytsenko 2003).
Since then, thousands of cultural institutions, including cinemas and libraries, have been
closed (Holmes 2007). Moiseyev and Virsky’s dance groups continue to exist, but the
administrative structures related to their daily operations had to change substantially
(Nahachewsky 2012, 208).
North America: After the Late 1800s
The first Ukrainian immigrants reached Canada in 1891 in response to the
Canadian government’s offer of 160 acres of land for the sum of ten dollars (Major 1991,
2-3). Since then, several waves of immigrants arrived in North America, including 68,000
Ukrainians after World War I (Major 1991, 2-3). Among this wave of immigrants was
Vasile Avramenko, one of the most influential figures in Ukrainian staged dance in North
America.
Avramenko is considered to be the father of Ukrainian staged dance in North
America (Major 1991, 12). He studied theatre at the Mykola Lysenko Drama School in
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Kiev, and when he immigrated to Canada in 1925, he established his own dance academy
in Toronto (Major 1991, 11). Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, he travelled from city to
city, first in Canada and then in the United States, to set up dance academies and to teach
his choreography (Major 1991, 11). These dances became standard repertoire outside of
Ukraine’s borders, and were performed until the 1970s (Nahachewsky 2012, 111).
Avramenko’s work is of particular note because there are few notable attempts at original
choreography before the 1950s (Staniec 2008).
The urge to use dance as an expression of Ukrainian culture was strong in
Edmonton, where the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers emerged in 1959 (Major 1991, 3).
Early Shumka concerts were built around the standard dance repertoire taught by
Avramenko (Major 1991, 18), but by the 1960s, the group began to develop their own
choreography that drew on personal experience and exposure to Ukrainian Canadian
culture and Canadian ballet (Staniec 2008). Choreographers working with Shumka often
created new steps by splicing and recombining cells and kinetic elements from
Avramenko’s repertoire (Nahachewsky 2012, 189). Orest Semchuk, artistic director of
Shumka throughout the 1970s and early 1980s described his approach to choreography as
modernizing the display without changing the tradition (Major 1991, 47). Mykola
Baldeckyj, founder of the Vesnianka Ukrainian Dance Group in Toronto, Ontario,
expressed in an interview that Ukrainian staged dance of that time was evolving and that
its evolution in North America differed from that of Ukraine (Nowickyj 2013).
The complex process of interaction between North America and Ukraine led to
the creation of a hybrid dance genre of Ukrainian staged dance in North America
(Holmes 2007). In 1959, folk dance in Canada was a combination of imported culture and
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new ideas (Major 1991, 2). Much of the influence from Ukraine came from touring
professional dance companies from overseas. Tours by Moscow’s Moiseyev Dance
Company in 1958 and 1961, and the Pavlo Virsky Ukrainian National Folk Dance
Ensemble in 1962 and 1966, demonstrated a new standard of technical excellence within
the folk staged dance genre (Major 1991, 12). The introduction of these new performance
standards helped transform Ukrainian staged dance concerts from their folk dance roots
to a more virtuosic show (Staniec 2008). This transformation inspired students to study
abroad with choreographers in Ukraine to learn and bring back information about dance,
music, and costuming. Due to the success of these students, Ukrainian dance seminars
began in the 1970s and alternated host countries between Canada and Ukraine (Staniec
2008). The courses included information about the music, costuming, and Ukrainian
staged dance terminology (AUUC 1975). After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991,
communication and travel in both directions increased dramatically, which resulted in
more European influence on Ukrainian staged dance unfolding in Canada (Nahachewsky
2003; Nahachewsky 2006). Even so, according to an interview with Ukrainian Canadian
musician Brian Cherwick, the kind of Ukrainian music that was present in Canada did not
exist in Ukraine (UkeTube 2010).
Authenticity
When discussing the authenticity of Ukrainian dance, there are two prominent
controversies: whether Ukrainian vernacular dance is more authentic than Ukrainian
staged dance, and how much influence can a folk dance undergo before it is no longer
considered uniquely and authentically belonging to a particular culture.
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It is very difficult to comment on the authenticity of a dance if it is always
changing. Ukrainian vernacular dance has been passed down from generation to
generation, and evolved over time. Nahachewsky makes this point clear with an analogy
to a photocopy machine; even with a machine designed to produce accurate duplicates,
there will still be noticeable changes by the tenth copy (Nahachewsky 2012, 68).
Inevitably, the move from Ukrainian vernacular dance to staged dance transformed the
genre. Though dances changed orientation to face an audience the fundamental
movements and music remained the same (Major 1991, 10).
John Pichlyk, Artistic Director of Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, describes
Ukrainian staged dance as an art form that is constantly evolving and moving forward,
but has fixed elements that represent the character and soul of the people (Major 1991,
vii). Nahachewsky believes that the costumes, the music, the program notes, and the
dance motifs are inspired by Ukrainian culture and that it is these elements that
differentiate Ukrainian staged dance from any other folk dance (Nahachewsky 2012,
182). Mykola Baldeckyj, founder of Vesnianka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, proclaims
that Ukrainian staged dance must be influenced by Ukrainian themes in order to be
related to Ukrainian culture (Nowickyj 2013).
According to Nahachewsky, an authentic dance is a performance that effectively
transports the participants to an intended place in their imagination (Nahachewsky 2012,
30). Since the aim of project Hutsulka is to create new but authentic music for Ukrainian
staged dance, it is essential that the product of this project is built by motifs and themes
that are directly connected to Ukrainian culture and that it is music intended for a staged
dance performance.
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Development of the Music
The Influence of Other Art Forms
In Ukrainian staged dance, both music and movement elements evolve in a
similar way because they are closely interwoven (Major 1991, 80). Both elements borrow
skills and approaches from other art forms to provide dancers with a strong technical
base.
Choreographers of Ukrainian staged dance have been borrowing from ballet,
theatre, and figure skating since the 1900s. Ever since its move from the village to the
stage, there has been a strong emphasis on the importance of rehearsals (Nahachewsky
2012, 149). The Moiseyev Dance Company began each rehearsal with ballet exercises as
a warm up to practice flexibility and control (Sheremetyevskaya 1960, 65). Ballet
instruction provides excellent physical training and development, which enables dancers
to practice more often and for longer periods of time while minimizing the chance of
injuries (Staniec 2008). Moiseyev believed that executing the steps was not enough. His
teachings were clearly influenced by theatre as he had his dancers thinking about dancing
and acting simultaneously (Sheremetyevskaya 1960, 66). Despite its important role,
ballet was not the sole influence on Ukrainian staged dance technique. During the 1970s,
Ukrainian Shumka Dancers hired Brian Foley, who choreographed for ice-skater Toller
Cranston, to teach the group innovative ways of lifting a partner (Major 1991, 71-74).
The lifting techniques that Cranston taught inspired new ideas for choreography that
continue to be a part of the Shumka repertoire to this day.
During the early years, Ukrainian vernacular dance would be accompanied by a
live group of village musicians that played on whatever instruments were available. Thus,
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the dancers would be interacting with live musicians, rather than using pre-recorded
sound (Nahachewsky 2012, 30). Once the dance became a staged form, a live orchestra –
similar to the national ballet– accompanied the staged dance. A typical orchestra at a
Ukrainian Shumka Dancers concert in the mid-1960s consisted of about eleven
musicians: four violins, a double bass, flute, clarinet, bassoon, accordion, piano, and
percussion (Major 1991, 81). In a book about Shumka’s history and tradition, founding
director Chester Kuc stresses the importance of accompanying dance with live musicians
(Major 1991, 81).
If hiring an orchestra was not feasible, the accompanying music would be
recordings of live musicians. Taras Lewyckyj, Artistic Director of Voloshky Ukrainian
Dance Ensemble, mentions in an interview that the group regularly hired a composer who
composed and recorded music for Voloshky to use at rehearsals and concerts (MiNDTV35
2011).
Composers Writing for Ukrainian Staged Dance
Musicians have always played an important role in both Ukrainian vernacular and
staged dance (Nahachewsky 2012, 153). It is clear that composers have always worked
with choreographers or have written music with choreography in mind, because the
musical phrasing is often synchronized with the movement (Nahachewsky 2012, 142).
Gene Zwozdesky, the music director of Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, describes his
compositional work as the framework of time within which choreography occurs (Major
1991, 84). When Zwozdesky composes, the choreographer that he is working with
provides him with the story outline, form, general feelings, tempo, and roles played by
15
each character in the plot. Zwozdesky then composes new or borrowed Ukrainian
melodies and selects appropriate instruments to execute them (Major 1991, 84-85). The
compositional process of Project Hutsulka is modeled after Zwozdesky's approach. The
story, the characters, and the general feelings were mapped out before any of the musical
material, which is strongly influenced by field recordings of musicians accompanying
Ukrainian vernacular dance. The compositional decisions these considerations influenced
will be dicussed in the next section.
Project Hutsulka: Analysis and Compositional Process
Form and Tempo
Hutsulka is a programmatic work because the music depicts a plot through sound.
This plot takes place in the Carpathian Mountains where the hutsulka dance originated.
The dance is associated with the Hutsul people, who are an ethno-cultural group that live
in the mountain region of Ukraine which borders on Romania.
The plot begins with the entrance of a group of men, followed by the entrance of a
group of women who are then asked to dance by the men. When all of the people on
stage shout “Hutsulka!” the hutsulka music begins. They dance in pairs to various
melodies, switching partners as often as the music switches melodies, until the grand
finale, which they dance in unison, as it is a melody commonly known by the Hutsul
people. This plot serves as a starting point for choreography as well.
The form of the music is A-B-coda, a type of binary form, where the A section
sets the scene and introduces the characters, B section showcases the hutsulka dance, and
the coda features the commonly known Hutsul melody as a finale (see Figure 1).
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A B CODA
mm.1-­22: C major
mm.22-­40: C major
mm.40-­55: d minor
mm.56-­71: d minor
mm.72-­86: D major
mm.87-­98: F# major
mm.99-­110: A major
mm.185-­202: C major
mm.111-­122: d minor
mm.123-­134: a minor
mm.135-­150: e minor
mm.151-­162: C major
mm.163-­184: Eb major
(dom ped on G)
Figure 1: Form, tempos, and main key areas of Hutsulka.
The A section (mm.1-71) can be split into four subsections. Mm.1-21 acts as a
musical introduction that suggests the Carpathian Mountain landscape with a strong
drone that accompanies melodies written and orchestrated in a way that alludes to
traditional Hutsul sounds from the mountains. A strong theme in C major begins at m.22,
which supports the entrance of a group of men at a brisk walking tempo of =120. After a
short transition to D minor, the texture gets much lighter and mysterious as a group of
women enters at m.40. At m.56 the men’s theme comes back and is presented
contrapuntally with the women’s theme as they are asked to dance.
The B section (mm.72-184) is where the swift hutsulka dance begins. It is divided
into three subsections; the first subsection (mm.72-110) features three melodies in three
different major keys, the second subsection (mm.111-150) features three melodies in
three different minor keys, and the final subsection (mm.151-162) features two melodies,
the last of which functions as a transition to the coda section. Each melody is repeated
17
three times (with the exception of mm.135-150 and mm.163-184), which is in keeping
with the way music for the hutsulka dance is played in the villages of Ukraine (Olijnyk
2009).
The coda section (mm.185-202) is in the home key of C major and ends the piece
with a melody familiar not only to the Hutsul people, but familiar to the listener as well
because it is very closely related to the women’s theme presented at m.40.
Melodic Materials
In discussing the melodic materials in this piece, it is important to mention three
main ingredients: the opening melody that is seemingly played in free time, the material
used in the B section hutulka dance, and the melody featured in the coda.
The opening melody is inspired by material that can be played on a telenka, a
traditional hutsul wind instrument that has only one hole, which can be covered or
uncovered, giving it the ability to play between two overtone series that are a semitone
apart (Shukhevych 1902). This semitone difference is what allows B , A, and F♯ in the
melody (see Figure 2). This melody foreshadows the chromaticism, especially an
emphasis on the raised fourth, in the many melodies that appear in the B section hutsulka
dance.
Figure 2, mm.2-20: Opening melody inspired by the telenka instrument.
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All of the melodies in the B section (mm.72-184) are either modified
transcriptions from various recordings of hutsuls performing, or composed in respect to
that genre. For example, Figure 3 shows us a modified transcription of the first melody
performed in Paul Olijnyk’s YouTube video entitled “Hutsulka 2.m4v”. Initially this
section was set to a tempo marking of =200 as it is in the YoutTube recording, but to
accommodate the instrumentation of wind instruments, the tempo marking has been
reduced to =180.
Figure 3, mm.73-78: Modified transcription of first hutsulka melody.
The melody featured in the coda (mm.185-202), when translated to English, is
called “Our Happy Mountains” (Zakharii 2013). It is a song about spreading the beauty
and positivity of Hutsul culture all over the world. This melody appears in its original
major form at m.185, but the woman’s entrance theme at m.41 is based on a minor mode
version of this melody (see Figure 4). By the time the listener reaches the coda, this
melody sounds familiar because of the earlier minor version, which pays tribute to the
fact that this particular melody is well known among the Hutsul people.
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Figure 4, mm.185-192 and mm.41-48: Major and minor versions of “Our Happy
Mountains”.
Harmonic Materials
This piece primarily follows traditional functional harmony, but it is important to
mention two interesting features: occasional melodic harmonizing at a perfect tenth, and
the subtle cluster chords that foreshadow a larger cluster that colors a dominant pedal
leading to the coda.
An interesting feature of this piece is the occasional harmonization of melodies at
a strict perfect tenth. When folk musicians are learning music of their tradition, they are
expected to listen and imitate another musician performing the melody. As such, there are
often small variations and discrepancies between players. By using this perfect tenth
harmonization, the color of the melody changes and pays tribute to folk music being an
oral tradition where musicians find melodies at their own pace. The interval of a perfect
tenth was chosen because traditionally folk melodies are harmonized in thirds; the strict
perfect tenth harmonization sounds similar, but with some beautiful inconsistencies. For
example, the first instance of this is at mm.35-37 in the echoes of the woodwinds (see
Figure 5). Next, used as means of development, the melody at mm.119-122 is
harmonized at a strict perfect tenth in the first clarinet part (see Figure 6). Also, the
melody at mm.159-162 is harmonized that way in the piccolo part (see Figure 7).
20
Figure 5, mm.35-37: Woodwind echoes harmonized at a strict perfect tenth.
Figure 6, mm.119-122: Melody harmonized at a strict perfect tenth in first clarinet.
Figure 7, mm.159-162: Melody harmonized at a strict perfect tenth in piccolo.
The first appearance of a cluster chord is in the second clarinet and first alto sax
part at m.91, then again with baritone sax and first trombone joining them at m.95 (see
Figure 8). These cluster moments are subtle, but foreshadow the larger cluster pedal
transition beginning at m.171. The dominant pedal that pulls to C major is first colored
by the pitches A
, D, and E , and then moves to a unison on G (see Figure 9). After all
21
this, the dominant pedal actually resolves to a surprising F major chord because even
though the final melody is in C major, it begins on the subdominant chord.
Figure 8, mm.95-96: Subtle cluster and resolution.
Figure 9, mm.181-184: Dominant pedal colored by cluster chord.
22
Rhythmic Materials
Since this piece is written to accompany dance, apart from the introduction, it has
a consistent rhythmic pulse throughout. During the B section –or the hutsulka dance
itself– there are two main rhythms that are expected throughout: the polka rhythm and the
bulgar rhythm.
The polka rhythm is the interaction of two lines; one played on the beat and one
on the off beats. Figure 10 is an example of how the tambourine and drum set are playing
a simple polka rhythm.
Figure 10, mm.76-77: The polka rhythm in the tambourine and drum set.
The bulgar rhythm is a syncopated rhythm that groups the eighth notes in two
groups of three then one group of two. Figure 11 is an example of how the tambourine
accents the bulgar rhythm and the drum set reinforces it.
Figure 11, mm.135-136: The bulgar rhythm in the tambourine and drum set.
23
Texture
Just as choreography swiftly and seamlessly changes to maintain the interest of
the audience, so must the texture of the music. This next section will describe how
changes in texture are used to sustain forward momentum.
In the opening introduction of the A section (mm.1-21) the ensemble is providing
a supportive, but living and breathing, drone that swells in the pauses of the melody.
When the men enter at m.22, they are supported by a clear sense of time in the percussion
and high brass instruments. When the women enter at m.41, the texture changes to light
woodwinds supported by a pizzicato accompaniment line and sparse percussion.
Because of all the repetition in the B section (mm.72-184), the texture is
constantly changing. After every melody, there is a modulation, and on every repetition
of each melody, there is a change in texture. For example, at m.123, on the first repetition
the melody is played by clarinet and soprano saxophone, then on the second repetition
flute and oboe are added, and then on the third repetition tenor saxophone and euphonium
are added.
The coda at the end (mm.185-202) is the climax of the piece and its thick texture
features the highest quantity of instruments playing at once and the highest number of
various melodic fragments being juxtaposed at once. To provide compositional unity,
these fragments are all made up of previously presented material.
Orchestration
The orchestration of this piece is for the most part is quite traditional; it is treated
in blocks for the sake of the choreography, which requires clear beginnings and endings
24
of sections. There are a few interesting doublings that are intended to emulate the sounds
of the following instruments often heard in the Hutsul region: telenka, trembita, dutka,
accordion, and hammer dulcimer.
The telenka is a wooden recorder-like instrument that has a block, but has no
finger holes. The player uses one finger to open and close the opening at the end, and
they perform using the notes of two overtone series that are a semitone apart
(Shukhevych 1902). The opening melody (mm.2-20) is orchestrated for piccolo and
soprano saxophone to allude to the sound of the telenka (see Figure 12).
Figure 12, mm.2-20: Orchestration of opening melody alludes to the sound of the telenka.
The trembita is a very long alpine horn made of wood that is played by buzzing
and playing the notes of its harmonic series (Shukhevych 1902). Traditionally two
trembitas are played together, one to play a melody and one to play a drone. Another
instrument that features a drone is the dutka; a bagpipe instrument made of goat hide
(Shukhevych 1902). The ensemble drone and echoes in mm.1-21 honor this Hutsul
tradition of playing over a drone.
25
The simultaneous vibrations of many reeds produce the sound that an accordion
makes. There are many moments throughout this piece where the orchestration replicates
this sound, but one of the strongest examples is at mm.49-52 where six saxophones swell
in very tight harmony (see Figure 13).
Figure 13, mm.49-52: Six saxophones replicate the swells of an accordion’s standard
accompaniment figure.
The hammer dulcimer is a percussion/string instrument that produces sound by
hitting metal strings with small wooden hammers (Shukhevych 1902). At the beginning
of the B section, m.73 specifically, it was important to cue the beginning of the hutsulka
dance with a hammer dulcimer solo that is replicated by blending oboe, bassoon, clarinet,
muted trombone, and xylophone.
26
Recording and Distribution of the Music
Ukrainian staged dance is somewhere between folk art, belonging to everyone in
the culture and beyond, and professional art, characterized by individual creativity,
intellectual property, and copyright (Nahachewsky 2012, 135). Some artistic directors
encourage their dancers to share and pass on what they have learned, while others are
more strict because they invest much time and money into their group’s choreography
and music. Voloshky Ukrainian Dance Ensemble from Philadelphia, for example, hires a
composer in Ukraine to compose and record all of the music for their shows (MiNDTV35
2011). At the time of this writing, there is no trace of these recordings anywhere online,
either for free or for purchase; this lack of availability of musical materials hinders the
progression of Ukrainian staged dance as an art form.
In order to move this art form forward, Ukrainian staged dance composers and
choreographers need to pool resources and share research. According to Nahachewsky,
requirements for the growth of a dance tradition are: the use of technology, the existence
of documented source material, and personalities or leaders that will push forward
(Nahachewsky 2012, 96). This Hutsulka project is designed in a way that meets all three
requirements.
The music composed for this project has been recorded and released under a
Creative Commons license. This type of license helps creators, or licensors, to retain
copyright while allowing others to copy, distribute, and make use of the work (Creative
Commons 2013). A list of Ukrainian staged dance groups all over the world has been
assembled (see Appendix), contacted, and encourage to make use of this music and to
further develop the Ukrainian staged dance tradition. Ideally, this project will inspire
27
dance groups to pool their resources, collaborate, commission new works, and develop
new choreography in an effort to advance this art form.
Group
Arkan Dance Company
Aurora Ukrainian Dancers
Barvinok Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble Seattle
Barvinok Ukrainian Dance
School
Chaban Ukrainian Dance
Group
Chaika Ukrainian Song &
Dance Ensemble
Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance
Company
Cossack Brothers
Desna School of Ukrainian
Dance
Dnipro Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Grupo Folclorico Ucraniano
Poltava
Hoverla Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Hromovytsia
Iskra Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Kalena Grupo Folclorico
Ucraniano
Kazka Ukrainian Folk
Ensemble
Kolos Regina Ukrainian
Dance Ensemble
Kryla Ukrainian Dancers
http://www.barvinok.org/
http://www.chabandance.com/
http://www.chaika.ca/
http://cheremosh.ca/
http://www.cossackbrothers.com/
http://desna.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/dnipro
http://www.poltava.com.br/
http://www.hoverla.co.uk/
http://www.hromovytsia.com/
https://www.facebook.com/iskraensemble
http://www.grupokalena.com.br/
http://kazkaensemble.org/
http://www.reginaukrainiandance.ca/
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Australia
Canada
USA
Brazil
UK
USA
USA
Brazil
USA
Canada
Canada
Website
http://www.arkandancecompany.com/
http://www.auroraukrainiandancers.ca/
http://www.barvinokseattle.org/
Country
Canada
Canada
USA
Appendix: Ukrainian Staged Dance Group Contact List
kryladance@gmail.com
kolos@sasktel.net
kazka@epix.net
grupokalena@grupokalena.com.br
info@hromovytsia.com
iskra2@rocketmail.com
info@hoverla.co.uk
poltava@poltava.com.br
Contact Through Facebook
cossack_brothers@hotmail.com
contact@desna.ca
contact@cheremosh.ca
Contact Form on Website
chaban@tbaytel.net
info@barvinok.org
Contact
info@arkandancecompany.com
auroraukrainiandance@yahoo.ca
leezabeeza@gmail.com
28
Kupalo Ukrainian Dancers
Kvity Ukrayiny
Kyiv Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble & School
Marunczak Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Odesa Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble of Syracuse
Orlyk
Podilya Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Pokotillo Ukrainian Dancers
Poltava Ensemble of Song,
Music & Dance
Romanetz Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Roztiazhka Ukrainian
Cossack Dancers
Rusalka Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Rushnychok Ukrainian
Dance
Sadok Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Selkirk Zorya Ukrainian
School of Dance
Svitanok Ukrainian Dance
Society
Syzokryli Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Tavria Ukrainian Folk Dance
Ensemble
The Lviv Dancers
http://www.marunczak.com/
http://www.syrucc.org/odesa.htm
http://www.orlyk.co.uk/
http://www.podilya.org/
http://pokotilloukrainiandancers.tripod.com/
http://www.poltava.ca/
http://www.romanetz.org/
http://www.cossackdancers.org/
http://www.rusalka.mb.ca/
http://www.rushnychokukrainiandance.com/
http://sadok.net/
http://www.selkirkzorya.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/SvitanokUkrainian-Dance-Society
http://www.syzokryli.com/
http://www.tavria.org/
http://stgeorgethegreatmartyr.com/Lviv_Dancers
_5980.html
Canada
USA
UK
UK
Canada
Canada
Canada
Australia
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
USA
http://www.kupalodancers.com/
http://dance.org.ua/
http://www.kyivdance.net/
Canada
Ukraine
USA
info@tavria.org
Contact Form on Website
svitanok.ottawa@gmail.com
info@selkirkzorya.ca
sadok@shaw.ca
rushnychok@gmail.com
info@rusalka.mb.ca
roztiazhka@gmail.com
contact@romanetz.org
pokotillodancers@yahoo.ca
info@poltava.ca
info@orlyk.co.uk
info@podilya.org
slawka@twcny.rr.com
natalia@marunczak.com
shelley.borowski@shaw.ca
kvity@dance.org.ua
kyivdance@aol.com
29
The Odessa Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
The Ukrainian Academy of
Dance
Troyanda Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Tryzub Ukrainian Dance
Society
Tyrsa Ukrainian Dance
Group
Ukrainian Dunai Dancers
Ukrainian Palette of
Pavlychenko
Ukrainian School of Dance
Ukrainian Shumka Dancers
Verchovyna Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Verkhovyna Ukrainian Song
and Dance Ensemble
Veselka
School of Ukrainian Dance
Veselka Dance
Veselka Ukrainian Dance
and Music Society
Veselka Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble Sydney
Vesnianka
Vohon Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Voloshky Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Volya! Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Windsor Barvinok
http://www.troyanda.com/
http://www.tryzub.ab.ca/
http://www.tyrsadance.com/
http://www.infoukes.com/dunai/
http://www.pfedance.com/
http://www.ukrainadance.com/
http://www.shumka.com/
http://www.verchovyna.com.au/
http://www.verkhovyna.ca/
http://www.veselkadance.webs.com/
http://veselkadancers.com/
http://www.veselka.ca/
http://members.optushome.com.au/demyan/
http://www.vesnianka.com/
http://www.vohon.ca/
http://www.voloshky.com/
http://www.volya.org/
http://windsorbarvinok.com/
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Australia
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Australia
Canada
Canada
USA
Canada
Canada
Canada
http://www.stjohnoshawa.com/Odesa_Dancers.h
tml
http://www.ukrainianacademyofdance.com/
Canada
info@windsorbarvinok.com
info@volya.org
info@voloshky.com
Contact Form on Website
vohon@shaw.ca
jarosiwanec@optusnet.com.au
info@veselkadancers.com
Contact Form on Website
veselkaschoolofdance@gmail.com
ukrainadance@rogers.com
whirlwind@shumka.com
info@verchovyna.com.au
dunai@infoukes.com
info@pfedance.com
tyrsa@tyrsadance.com
info@tryzub.ca
info@troyanda.com
info@ukrainianacademyofdance.com
odessadancers@rogers.com
30
Yalenka Ukrainian Dancers
Society – School of Dance
Yavir School of Ukrainian
Dance
Yevshan Ukainian Folk
Ballet Ensemble
Yorkton Kalyna Dance
School
Zabutnyy Dance Company
Zavirukha Ukrainian Dance
School
Zirka Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
Zirka Ukrainian Dancers
Zoloto Ukainian Dance
Ensemble
Zolotyj Promin
Zorya Ukrainian Dance
Ensemble
http://www.yavir.ca/
http://www.yevshan.ca/
http://www.yorktonkalyna.com/
http://zabutnyydancecompany.com/
http://www.zavirukha.com/
https://sites.google.com/site/zirkaude/
http://www.zirkadancers.ca/
http://www.zoloto.mb.ca/
http://danceukraine.com/
http://www.uast.org/Zoria/zorya_unique.htm
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
USA
USA
http://www.yalenka.com/
contact@zolotyj.promin.mswcdn.net
zoryatexas@gmail.com
info@zirkadancers.ca
zoloto.dancers@gmail.com
zirkaUDE@gmail.com
zabutnyy@sasktel.net
director@zavirukha.com
yorktonkalyna@gmail.com
ekw118@mail.usask.ca
info@yavir.ca
algrandberg@shaw.ca
31
32
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