Mykola Leontovych
Read the text and complete the task below
Mykola Leontovych (13 December 1877 – 23 January 1921) was a Ukrainian composer, choral conductor, and teacher. Leontovych specialised in a cappella choral music, ranging from original compositions, to church music and elaborate arrangements of folk music.
During his lifetime, Leontovych's compositions and arrangements became popular with professional and amateur groups alike. Performances of his works in western Europe and North America earned him the nickname "the Ukrainian Bach" in France. Apart from his very popular Shchedryk, Leontovych's music is performed primarily in Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora.
Early life and education
Leontovych was born and brought up in Podillia. His father, grandfather, and great grandfather were village priests. His father, was good at singing and playing cello, double bass, harmonium, violin, and guitar, in addition to directing a school choir. Leontovych received his first musical lessons from him. His mother was also a singer.
In the summer of 1879, Mykola Leontovych moved to the village of Shershni in Bar district, where he would spend his childhood. Then, in 1887, Leontovych entered Nemyriv gymnasium.
Theological seminary
In 1892, Leontovych began his studies at the theological seminary in In, which both his father and grandfather had attended.
During his studies there, Leontovych continued to master playing the violin and learnt to play a variety of other instruments. He also participated in the seminary's choir and orchestra. Leontovych graduated from the Kamianets-Podilskyi Theological Seminary in 1899 and broke the family tradition by becoming a music teacher instead of a priest.
Early musical career and family
At that time, a career in music in Ukraine meant having an unstable income. This caused Leontovych to seek employment wherever he could find it. His first position after graduating was in a secondary school in the village of Chukiv (present-day Vinnytsia Oblast) as a vocal and maths teacher. During this time, Leontovych continued to transcribe and arrange folk songs.
After several conflicts with the school's administration, Leontovych got a new job as a teacher of church music and calligraphy at the Theological College in Tyvriv.
During this period, Leontovych got married and had two daughters.
Because of financial hardships, Leontovych accepted an offer to instruct at the Church-Educators' College in Vinnytsia. Again, he organised a choir and, later, a concert band.
In 1903 and 1904 Leontovych travelled to St. Petersburg, where he studied, worked and had numerous meetings with prominent people.
After changing a number of jobs in various areas of Ukraine Leontovych moved back to his native Podillia to the city of Tulchyn, where he taught vocal and instrumental music at the Tulchyn Eparchy Women's College to the daughters of village priests. He recorded many folk songs and harmonized them for the choir.
This period in his career was among the most productive, as he created numerous choral arrangements. These included his famous Shchedryk, as well as others. On 26 December 1916, the performance of his arrangement of Shchedryk brought Leontovych great success from the public in Kyiv and raised the interest of the intelligence.
Career in Kyiv
In the beginning of 1919, his family moved to Kyiv. During this period, Leontovych also began teaching choir conducting at the Kyiv Conservatory and Mykola Lysenko Institute of Music and Drama. Leontovych was one of the organisers of the first Ukrainian State Orchestra.
Mykola Leontovych died in tragic circumstances several years later, being shot by a Cheka agent at his parents' home.
Leontovych was visiting his parents for the Orthodox Feast of the Nativity. The undercover Chekist had also asked to spend the night in the house and shared a room with Mykola. At dawn he shot the composer and robbed his family.
Several facts point to a political motive of this assassination. This happened in 1921.
Task 1. Read the summary of the text and fill in the missing words
Mykola Leontovych, an outstanding Ukrainian (1)________________, (2)____________and (3)_____________ born in (4)___________ in the family of (5)________________. His first music teacher was his (6)____________, who (7)______________ singing and playing (8)______________. Leonotvych got his education at (9)_______________ and then at the (10)______________ in Kamianets-Podilskyi, However he became a (11)___________ instead of becoming a (12)________________. Leontovych changed jobs and lived in various places of Vinnytsia district. He wrote down plenty of (13)______________ and harmonized them for the (14)__________. His most famous arrangement is (15)____________, which is still popular all over the world. In 1919 Mykola Leontovych taught (16)_________________in Kyiv. He tragically died in (17)_______ in his (18)______________, being shot by (19)_________________.
Task 2. Read about Leontovych's most popular song. Then listen to it and fill in the gaps with the correct words
Shchedryk/Carol of the Bells
Mykola Leontovych's Shchedryk is his most well-known piece. It was written in 1904 and performed for the first time in 1906. In its English version as a Christmas carol, it is known as the holiday favourite Carol of the Bells. It is famous for its four-note motif and has been arranged over 150 times. The most popular English adaptation was composed in 1936.
The song has been used many times in the soundtracks for films and TV programmes. It has also been arranged and performed by many groups, regardless of singing style or genre, ranging from classical to pop singers and groups (Jessica Simpson and Destiny's Child).
Hark how the _______,
Sweet silver _______,
All seem to say,
Throw ______ away
__________ is here,
Bringing good cheer,
To ________ and old,
Meek and the bold.
Ding dong ding dong
That is their _______
With joyful ring
All caroling.
One seems to hear
Words of good ________
From everywhere
Filling the air.
Oh how they pound,
Raising the ________,
O'er hill and dale,
Telling their tale.
Gaily they _______
While people sing
Songs of good cheer,
_________ is here.
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas,
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas.
On on they send,
On without _____,
Their joyful tone
To every _______.