Execution sample
UDC 78.01
ARTISTIC FIGURES OF THE UKRAINIAN DIASPORA: STEPAN SPEKH
(ATTEMPT AT SOCIO-CULTURAL DEFINITION)
Kyianovska Liubov Oleksandrivna
Doctor of Art History, Professor,
Head of the Department of Music History
M. V. Lysenko Lviv National Music Academy
The article considers the phenomenon of successful musical and creative activity of Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homeland and establish themselves abroad. The main factors are indicated, thanks to which Ukrainian musicians managed to establish them selves in a foreign environment with enormous success and achieve a strong social position, the peaks of their professional careers. This phenomenon is analyzed on the example of the life of Stepan Spekh – undeservedly forgotten composer, singer, choral conductor of the diaspora, who contributed to the intensification of Ukrainian cultural life in Munich. (the length of the abstract is not less than 1800 printed characters).
Key words: the phenomenon of Ukrainian artistic emigration, Stepan Spekh, spiritual music of the diaspora, solo songs, choirs based on poems by Ukrainian poets.
Кияновська Любов. Мистецькі постаті української діаспори: Степан Спєх (спроба соціокультурної дефініції)
В статті розглядається феномен успішної музично-творчої діяльності українців, які вимушені були покинути Батьківщину і утверджуватись на чужині. Вказуються основні чинники, завдяки яким українським музикантам вдавалось утверджуватись у чужинному середовищі з колосальним успіхом і досягати міцного соціального становища, вершин професійної кар’єри. Цей феномен аналізується на прикладі життєтворчості Степана Спєха – незаслужено забутого композитора, співака, хорового диригента діаспори, що причинився до активізації українського культурного життя у Мюнхені. (the length of the abstract is not less than 1800 printed characters).
Ключові слова: феномен української мистецької еміграції, Степан Спєх, духовна музика діаспори, солоспіви, хори на вірші українських поетів.
Reflecting on the phenomenon, how did those who were forced to leave Ukraine under unfavorable circumstances manage to not lose their deep connection with the Motherland, moreover, establish themselves in a foreign environment with colossal success and achieve a strong social position, the heights of their professional career, we come to the conclusion that several factors are necessary for this. The most important of them, of course, is the psycho-emotional type of personality, which for the successful implementation of a "life project" should include such traits as purposefulness, hard work, the ability to adapt to new conditions, optimism and endurance. Existential and intellectual flexibility is also important, which allows for adaptation in the perception of the value system of the non-national cultural environment. But in order to remain oneself and maintain a connection with one's national traditions, awareness of one's own roots, historical memory, which forms the foundations of one's worldview, is absolutely necessary. We can cite hundreds of examples when Ukrainians in a foreign land managed (and still manage) to realize themselves as much as possible, to become successful in a non-national environment, and at the same time not to lose their connection with the spiritual Motherland. It is they who form Ukrainian centers that nurture national culture and become its representatives in the world space. Moreover, their efforts are aimed not only at preserving and maintaining their own patriotic feelings, but most of all at ensuring that their descendants do not lose the sense of "who they are and whose children they are", so that they preserve the mental signs of Ukrainianness in a foreign space. Considering the musical talent and singing nature of Ukrainians, it is natural that the song itself often turned out to be a very important prerequisite for preserving one's identity.
This somewhat longer general introduction to the topic is necessary in order to more clearly present the "main character" of the submitted article, Stepan Spekh (1922–2009). He belongs precisely to such creative and strong personalities, to that glorious galaxy of Ukrainian musicians who fully experienced the severe trials of wartime hardships, were forced to prove their talent abroad, but never renounced their people and devoted themselves to the noble cause of spreading national culture in Europe. and the American environment. In the biographical note on Wikipedia, Stepan Spekh is certified as a "Ukrainian vocalist, opera singer, composer, notationist, public figure, popularizer of Ukrainian music outside of Ukraine."
References:
- Actor and theater. Yosyp Hirniak Berezil Art Association. Ed. K. Melnyk. Cleveland: Vydannya Tovarystva “Ridna Shkola” v Klivlendi [Native School Publishing in Cleveland], 1983.
- Gordynska-Karanovych Daria. NY. From the front of our musical education. “Svoboda” [Newspaper “Freedom”], March 4, 1955.
