Since the publication of the first edition of this booklet
interest in Ukrainian folk music and instruments
has continued to grow. This is evident in the large number of
new recordings and books that have appeared on the
subject during the past ten years. The independence Ukraine
finally gained has also brought on a change in the
political climate in Ukraine and the West. This has also
sparked a new found interest in Ukraine and its arts. The
continued development and perfecting of Ukrainian folk
instruments by craftspeople both in Ukraine and in the
West has meant that some additions needed to be made. In some
cases information had to be changed. All efforts
have been made to make sure information in this booklet is up
to date and accurate, without making it overly
extended Tunings of instruments have not been given because
many are not typical, similarly examples of
folk-music material have been avoided to keep the booklet
within a project-like size.
Victor Mishalow
Toronto,
1996
Interest in traditional folk instruments is growing, not only in
Ukraine but also in the West. This
movement, which started almost a hundred years ago as an offshoot of the
romantic movement, has been a valuable
tool in defining national identity and in developing a better
understanding of the cultural attributes of each nation.
A similar movement can be observed in the new-found popularity in
Renaissance and Baroque music in the West.
Not only are recordings and music readily available, but the quality of
these works has become more sophisticated.
The audience is no longer able to accept "straight" performances of
ancient music but require that authentic
instruments be used and that the music being performed in an authentic
style, even though such "perfect"
performances would have been a rarity at their time the music was
conceived.
This trend will most probably influence those who enjoy listening and
playing Ukrainian music. They will
become more interested in the finer points of the music, such as the use
of authentic folk instruments and their
differences.
This booklet is an introduction to the folk instruments of the
Ukrainian people. It will allow you to gain a
better understanding of the instruments of this region and to understand
appreciate what you are listening to. It is
written in a popular style to be accessible to all and to enable its use
for school projects and as a handy reference
book, without the use of too many technical terms that may cloud some of
the more interesting facts about an
instrument.
Much information has been written and published about Ukrainian folk
instruments, some of this has been
incorrect or outdated. The unfortunate problem is that this information is
often repeated. The author has made a
great effort to ensure that all the facts in this book are current and
correct.
Instrumental ensemble, 17th century
