Bryan Quinn tells us more about 'Carol of the Bells', the famous Ukrainian Christmas carol.

Kyiv

The song 'Carol of the Bells,' internationally recognized during the Christmas season, originated as the Ukrainian folk melody 'Shchedrik.' Composed by Mykola Leontovich in the early 20th century, it became a symbol of Ukrainian identity, especially during the country's struggle for independence following the 1917 Bolshevik revolution.

Today, 'Shchedrik' is celebrated in Ukraine as an anthem of Christmas and cultural pride, with a dedicated exhibit at the Kyiv History Museum. The composer’s connection to Pokrovsk, a city now on the front lines of conflict, underscores the song’s enduring significance as a symbol of Ukrainian resilience.

'Carol of the Bells,' also known as the Ukrainian Christmas anthem

An instantly recognizable staple of the Christmas season, and a cultural treasure of Ukraine. In Kyiv this weekend, a rapt audience took in every note of the piece known there as Shchedrik. It's a Ukrainian classic, a piece of our history. Everyone knows Shchedrik. It's our Ukrainian Christmas melody. You could even call it the anthem of Ukrainian Christmas. Carol of the Bells, as it's known in English, soundtracks holiday concerts, parties and advertisements worldwide. But it got its start as a Ukrainian folk melody, discovered and immortalized in the early 20th century by composer Mykola Leontovich. It quickly conquered the world, becoming a national symbol amid a push for independence from Russia following the 1917 Bolshevik revolution. It's now gotten its own exhibit in the Kyiv History Museum. In Shchedrik we can hear the whole beauty of Ukrainian language, of Ukrainian culture. The context is to bring happiness, to bring good news. Its cultural significance as a symbol of independence lives on. Leontovich is known to have lived and worked in the city of Pokrovsk, which lies in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Pokrovsk is now on the front lines of Ukraine's fight against Russia's full-scale invasion. And if your head is

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