Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych (Ukrainian: Ìèêîëà Äìèòðîâè÷ Ëåîíòîâè÷) (December 1, 1877 - January 22 or January 23, 1921) was a Ukrainian composer, choral conductor, and teacher of international renown. Leontovych is most famous for composing Shchedryk in 1916, the song that Carol of the Bells was later adapted from.
Mykola Leontovych graduated in 1899 from the theological seminary in Kamianets-Podilskyi. After teaching at schools throughout present-day Ukraine, including the guberniyas of Kiev, Yekaterinoslav, and Podillia, he moved on to study music. He received private instruction in both St Petersburg and Kiev (at the latter with Boleslav Yavorsky), and soon came to be known as an adept choirmaster. In 1918, at a time of great Ukrainian nationalist revival, Leontovych began teaching at the Kiev Conservatory as well as the Mykola Lysenko Institute of Music and Drama.
Leontovych's is remembered today mostly because of the body of musical works he left behind, including over 150 choral compositions which range from artistic arrangements of folk songs, religious works (including his liturgy), cantatas, and choral compositions to the texts of various Ukrainian poems. Although he attempted to write a Ukrainian opera (Na rusalchyn velykden? - On the Water Nymph's Easter) based on the writing of Borys Hrinchenko, he never had the chance to finish it. In 1921, he was shot down by a robber at the home of his parents. (Rétracter)...(Lire la suite)
"Carol of the Bells" is a choral miniature work composed by the Ukrainian Mykola Leontovych. Leontovych's composition, is characterised by the use of ...
"Carol of the Bells" is a choral miniature work composed by the Ukrainian Mykola Leontovych. Leontovych's composition, is characterised by the use of a four note motif as an ostinato figure throughout the work. This ostinato figure is an ancient pagan Ukrainian New Year's (originally celebrated in April) magical chant known in Ukrainian as "Shchedryk" [the Generous One]. I created this arrangement at the request of my friend Genevieve Kopping for Chorus (SATB), Handchimes & English Handbells using the non-secular lyrics by Andy Williams. This arrangement of the "Carol of the Bells" uses modern 5-Octave English Handbells, Handchimes and full choir (SATB).