THE SIDES OF VASYL BEZKOROVAINYI’S TALENT

Abstract

The article deals with the creative personality of the representative of Ukrainian diaspora – Vasyl Bezkorovainyi (1880–1966) – composer, pedagogue, conductor, pianist, musician and public figure, educator. During the long Soviet period his creative activity was forbidden and the composer was labelled “bourgeois nationalist”. Only after many years, owing to the researches of musical critics, support of philanthropists, participation of interested admirers of Ukrainian music, V. Bezkorovainyi’s musical heritage is returning from oblivion. Materials taken from periodicals, reminiscences of his family members, friends, colleagues and students, are used in the article. In the focus of its attention is V. Bezkorovainyi’s participation in the musical-educational activity of Ukrainians abroad, in his work as a composer and peda-gogue of the UMIA (Ukrainian Music Institute of America) branch in the city of Buffalo (USA). The article concerns the publishing of the complete collection of the composer’s piano works, created with an educational purpose. For 25 years those works have been searched for by Vasyl Bezkorovainyi’s Scientific-Creative Society (the city of Simferopol’) which is run by the Honoured Worker of Culture of Ukraine Bohdan Bezkorovainyi. Two volumes will comprise 120 pieces of music – arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs and dances and the author’s original works including those devoted to the family members (wife, son, daughter, grandchildren) – and a cycle of Christmas carols (kolyadky) “At the Fir-Tree”. The compositions are placed in the order, which coincides with the author’s idea – the piano is to be studied six years, from least complicated to most.