Arguably, the world's most famous Christmas song holds secrets in both its music and lyrics. Composer Mykola Leontovych based it on the melody of a Ukrainian "Shchedryk" — a traditional ritual song about a swallow bringing good news to a farmer.
The melody’s roots trace back to Ukraine’s ancient pagan ritual culture. It is built on a short four-note motif that repeats continuously, creating a sense of cyclicality, rhythmic unity, and eternal motion. This repetitive motif symbolizes the uninterrupted cycle of life, making it particularly fitting for Christmas. In the past, people feared winter, long nights, and the cold, but they believed that performing rituals ensured the successful completion of the old year and the beginning of the new one.
Art historians suggest that the characteristic motif of "Shchedryk" may be up to 12,000 years old, dating back to the Mesolithic era! Mykola Leontovych preserved the authentic character of Ukrainian folk melodies while adding complex polyphonic harmonies. This multi-voiced texture creates a rich sound unique to Ukrainian choral compositions. Thanks to Leontovych's masterful arrangement, this ancient motif gained a sense of continuous dramatic development. As a result, the melody sounds contemporary while retaining its folk essence.
Shchedruvannya is an ancient Ukrainian New Year's tradition where groups of carollers sing to praise the household, wish them health and prosperity, and receive treats or money in return. The ritual includes not only singing but also games, music, and dancing. It was believed that shchedruvannya would bring a bountiful harvest to the household. The words shchedryk, shchedrivka, shchedruvaty, shchedruvannya (the act of caroling), and shchedruvalnyk (a caroler) all share the same root as shchedryi, meaning "generous" or "abundant." In Ukraine, New Year's Eve is called Shchedry Vechir (Generous Evening) due to the tradition of shchedruvannya and the lavish, generous feast prepared and shared that night.
Written by
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Iryna Prozhohina
Philologist, Associate Professor, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Researches Ukrainian language and culture, and teaches Ukrainian to foreigners.
Translated by
Mike Svystun
Software developer, entrepreneur.