Senchuk, P :: Three Pysanky

Peter Senchuk presents Three Pysanky for woodwind quintet. Pysanka is a Ukrainian Easter egg, decorated using beeswax and different colored dyes (Pysanky is the plural form of the word).

The first movement Spring Thaw Trypillian Dance is meant to symbolize the origins of the pysanka. The art of decorating eggs in Ukraine dates back to ancient times. The practice originated in the prehistoric Trypillian culture. Folk tales reveal that the people who lived in the region now known as Ukraine worshipped the sun and 'mother earth'. The sun warmed the earth and thus, was a source of all life. Eggs decorated with nature symbols were chosen for sun worship ceremonies and became an integral part of spring rituals, Many of the early pagan symbols used on pysanky by the Trypillians, were later adopted by Christianity when it came to the Ukraine. The movement opens with a slow section which represents the spring thaw that brought the ancient Ukrainian landscape to life. This is followed by a raucous dance section that is meant to portray the Trypillins dancing at their spring festivals.

The second movement, Easter Morning, evokes the almost meditative feeling of an early Easter morning Ukranian church service. Worshippers would bring their Easter baskets to be blessed by the priest before the church service. They would place in the baskets food that was to be eaten for Easter dinner and also their pysanky. This movement uses a call and response form between the French Horn and the remainder of the quintet. The French horn performs the role of priest, while the other four instruments are the congregation. The music uses fragments of Kievan chant, that still to this day makes up the basis of Ukrainian church music.

The final movement, Easter Egg Hunt, is a lively movement that represents children running around Easter morning in search of easter eggs. It is meant to symbolize the many Ukranian Easter traditions which have evolved into the modern day celebration of this holiday by Ukranians all over the world. It is an extremely joyous day and the music reflects this feeling with it s fast lilting melodies which are passed between the instruments. This movement makes use of the soplika by the flutist (if desired), a ten holed, end blown, Ukrainian folk instrument. The sopilka quotes a traditional Ukrainian folk song 'Hopak,' throughout the movement.