Shchedrivka

Shchedrivka (Ukrainian: щедрівка; plural щедрівки, shchedrivky) is a genre of traditional Ukrainian ritual song performed on New Year's Eve (Щедрий вечір, lit. 'Bounteous Evening').^[1] It is customary that shchedrivky, similarly to koliadky (Christmas songs), glorify the host and his family during caroling.^[2]

Name

The word "shchedrivka" is of Slavic origin and originates from the ritualistic dinner called kutia, which is prepared after fasting. New Year's kutia is described as shchedra (bounteous), in contrast to Christmas kutia (pisna, lean and bidna, poor). Fasting was practiced prior to the Christianization of the region, and so was caroling. While the date of koliaduvannia shifted from winter solstice to Christmas, shchedruvannia [uk] remained a largely secular practice performed on New Year's Eve.^[3]

Difference from similar genres

Shchedrivky, which are performed on New Year's Eve, are to be distinguished from koliadky, which are performed on Christmas (24–25 December),^[4] and zasivalky, performed on New Year's Day.^[5] In certain region, shchedrivky are also sung on the eve of Epiphany.^[6]

Koliadky primarily celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, while shchedrivky wish the family well-being, a rich harvest, etc.^[2] Zasivalky are similar in content with shchedrivky but are performed on January 1 (St Basil's Day). This is reflected in the text: while shchedrivky are characterized by the constant repetition of the phrases "shchedryi vechir" (lit. 'bounteous evening') and "dobryi vechir" (lit. 'good evening'), zasivalky often repeat "siiu-viiu, zasivaiu" (lit. 'I sow, I sow') and similar words because, on the morning of New Year, boys traditionally "sow" houses of neighbours and relatives with grain while singing ritual songs. In addition, some zasivalky mention Saint Basil.^[7]

Also, traditionally, koliadky are performed by boys and men, while shchedrivky are sung by girls and women.^[6]

Content and history

Ancient shchedrivky preserve stories from the life of knyazs and druzhynas of Kievan Rus'. Before the 15th century, New Year was celebrated with the coming of spring in March, so shchedrivky were essentially the same as vesnianky (hence the common mention of birds such as swallows, cuckoos, and serins also known as shchedryks). With the arrival of Christianity, parts of the church sought to eradicate the pagan songs, while others incorporated them into Christian beliefs.^[8]

Many Ukrainian writers and composers were inspired by shchedrivky, including Mykola Lysenko, Mykola Leontovych (in particular in his song Shchedryk), Kyrylo Stetsenko, Mykhailo Verykivsky, and Kostiantyn Dankevych.^[8]

References

^ Щедрівка [Shchedrivka]. Словник української мови в 11 томах [Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language in 11 Volumes] (in Ukrainian). Kyiv: Naukova Dumka. 1970–1980.
^ ^a ^b Чим відрізняється колядка від щедрівки [How is koliadka different from shchedrivka?] (in Ukrainian). Vesela Abetka. Chytanka. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
^ Yefremov, Y. V. (2016). Зимові пісні. Колядки і щедрівки [Winter songs. Koliadky and shchedrivky]. In Skrypnyk, H. A. (ed.). Історія української музики [History of Ukrainian Music] (in Ukrainian). Vol. 1. Rylsky Institute of Art Studies, Folklore and Ethnology. p. 43.
^ "Чим відрізняється колядка від щедрівки". Весела Абетка. Читанка. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017.
^ Топ-10 українських засівалок на свято Василя (14 January) [Top 10 Ukrainian zasivalky for St Basil's Day (January 14)]. Shchastia-Zdorovlia (in Ukrainian). 13 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2026. Archived 2017-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
^ ^a ^b 6 текстів щедрівок українською мовою [6 texts of shchedrivky in Ukrainian]. 24 Kanal (in Ukrainian). 4 January 2018. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
^ Mori, Yevhenii (6 January 2022). Свята продовжуються: коли в Україні дорослі та діти щедрують, колядують, засівають [The holidays continue: when do adults and children perform shchedrivky, koliadky, and zasivalky in Ukraine?]. Suspilne Kultura (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
^ ^a ^b Odarchenko, P. (1955–1995). Щедрівки [Shchedrivky]. In Kubiiovych, Volodymyr (ed.). Encyclopedia of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Vol. 10. Shevchenko Scientific Society. p. 3911. ISBN 5770740493. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)

Sources

Potebnia, A. Объяснения малороссийских и сродных песен [Explanation of Little Russian and related songs]. — V. 1, 1883. — V. 2, 1887.
Hnatiuk, V. Колядки і щедрівки: Етнографічний збірник [Koliadky and shchedrivky: Ethnographical collection]. — V. 35—36. — 1914.
Dei O. Українські колядки і щедрівки в дослідженнях слов'янських вчених // Pages from the history of Ukrainian folcloristics. — Kyiv. 1975.
Odarchenko, P. Щедрівки [Shchedrivky] // Encyclopedia of Ukrainian Studies. ed. Kubiiovych, Volodymyr — Paris — New-York : Molode Zhyttia, 1955–1995. — ISBN 978-5-7707-4049-3
Filtz, B. Джерела музичної культури України [Sources of musical culture of Ukraine] // Dzvin. — 1990.
Rudnytsky, A. Українська музика. Історико-критичний огляд [Ukrainian music: Historical and critical review]. — Munich: Dniprova Khvylia, 1963.
Olkhovskyi, A. Нарис історії української музики [Outline of the history of Ukrainian music] / ed. Kornii, L. — Kyiv: Muz. Ukraina, 2003. Музика Західної України (Галичина та Закарпатська Україна) [Music of Western Ukraine (Galicia and Transcarpathian Ukraine].

External links

Щедрівки // Encyclopedia of Literature Studies : in 2 volumes / Kovaliv, Y. I. — Kyiv: BTs "Akademiia", 2007. — M–Ya. — p. 592
Zvarych, Ihor. Щедрівки // Lexicon of General and Comparative Literature Studies / ed. Volkov, A. — Chernivtsi: Zoloti Lytavry, 2001. — p. 627.
Щедрівки // Internet Archive
Щедрівки // Reading list on Ukrainian literature. Part 1. Folklore and Old Literature (11th–18th centuries) / prof. Sumtsov, M., Plevako, M., Bahalii, D. — Kharkiv: Soyuz, 1918. — p. 13–15. — 152 pages.
Щедрівки — слова ноти Archived 30 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine
Щедрівки українською
НАШЕ (тексти пісень) — колядки і щедрівки Archived 29 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine
Українські народні щедрівки Archived 15 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine
Щедровки // Maksymovych M. A. Малороссийские песни [Little Russian songs]. — Moscow: Tip. Avgusta Semyona, 1827. — p. 222.
Щедровки // Народные песни Галицкой и Угорской Руси: в 3 ч. [Folk songs of Galician and Hungarian Ruthenia: in 3 parts]. — Part 2: Ritual songs / Holovatsky, Y. — Moscow: Society of Russian History and Antiquities, 1878. — p. 143–176. (in pre-reform Russian and Ukrainian).
Колядки та щедрівки // Songs of Yavdukha Zuiikha / Rylsky Institute of Art Studies, Folklore and Ethnology; arr., preface and notes Yuzvenko, V. A., Yatsenko, M. T.; ed. Dei, O. I.; records Tantsiura, H. — Кyiv: Naukova Dumka, 1965. — 810 p.: notes — (Ukrainian folk arts). — p. 95–107.
Новий український колядник Archived 9 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine: Збірник колядок і щедрівок [Collection of koliadky and shchedrivky]. New York: 1973. 48 pages.

[1] Щедрівка [Shchedrivka]. Словник української мови в 11 томах [Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language in 11 Volumes] (in Ukrainian). Kyiv: Naukova Dumka. 1970–1980.

[ch2-2] Чим відрізняється колядка від щедрівки [How is koliadka different from shchedrivka?] (in Ukrainian). Vesela Abetka. Chytanka. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2026.

[3] Yefremov, Y. V. (2016). Зимові пісні. Колядки і щедрівки [Winter songs. Koliadky and shchedrivky]. In Skrypnyk, H. A. (ed.). Історія української музики [History of Ukrainian Music] (in Ukrainian). Vol. 1. Rylsky Institute of Art Studies, Folklore and Ethnology. p. 43.

[ch-4] "Чим відрізняється колядка від щедрівки". Весела Абетка. Читанка. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017.

[5] Топ-10 українських засівалок на свято Василя (14 January) [Top 10 Ukrainian zasivalky for St Basil's Day (January 14)]. Shchastia-Zdorovlia (in Ukrainian). 13 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2026. Archived 2017-02-02 at the Wayback Machine

[24tv-6] 6 текстів щедрівок українською мовою [6 texts of shchedrivky in Ukrainian]. 24 Kanal (in Ukrainian). 4 January 2018. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2026.

[7] Mori, Yevhenii (6 January 2022). Свята продовжуються: коли в Україні дорослі та діти щедрують, колядують, засівають [The holidays continue: when do adults and children perform shchedrivky, koliadky, and zasivalky in Ukraine?]. Suspilne Kultura (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2026.

[archive-8] Odarchenko, P. (1955–1995). Щедрівки [Shchedrivky]. In Kubiiovych, Volodymyr (ed.). Encyclopedia of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Vol. 10. Shevchenko Scientific Society. p. 3911. ISBN 5770740493. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)

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