Mykola LeontovychМикола Леонтович

Biography

Mykola Leontovych was a Ukrainian composer, conductor, and teacher whose choral arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs earned him an enduring place in world music history. His masterwork, 'Shchedryk' — a choral miniature based on a Ukrainian New Year folk chant — was arranged in 1916 and first performed abroad by the Ukrainian National Chorus in 1921. The piece was later adapted by American composer Peter Wilhousky as 'Carol of the Bells,' becoming one of the most performed and recorded Christmas songs worldwide. Leontovych was tragically murdered in 1921, cutting short a career that had produced over 150 choral works.

Notable Works