Poltava Bandurist Capella
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The Poltava Bandurist Capella was vocal instrumental ensemble comprising of choral singers who accompanied themselves on the multi-stringed Ukrainian Bandura. It was initially established in late February, 1925, based on a 11 man male church choir who sang in the main Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Cathedral in Poltava under the direction of Fedir (Khvedir) Popadych.
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[edit] History
The Capella's first rehearsals took place and were sponsored by the HubSelBud (Regional Village Housing organization). The formation of the Poltava Bandurist Capella was inspired by a visit to Poltava by the kobzar Ivan Kuchuhura Kucherenko who was also their first instructor. Initially they played on borrowed instruments of various quality. One of the major problems of these instruments was trying to keep them in tune as they had wooden tuning pegs. They performed part of their concerts without bandura accompaniment, sometimes accompanied by the piano. The only member of the Capella who had prior experience with the bandura was Danylo Pika who had apparently taken some bandura lessons from Opanas Slastion.
In 1926 the 11 members of the Capella ordered new banduras and in the following year they received new semi-chromatic Kyiv type banduras made by Poltava bandura maker M. Domnenko. From December 21, 1926 , till October 1, 1928, it was known as the Bandura Studio of the Poltava Regional Political Education. Its first performance took place at the opening of the Taras Shevchenko monument in Poltava in 1926. In 1928, despite the amateur status of the Capella and the fact that they could only perform in their free time from work, the Capella had some 85 works in their repertoire which they accompanied by bandura and piano. The ensemble gave 249 concerts before 122,825 listeners performing in Poltava and regions, the Donbas, Odesa, Kharkiv, Kremenchuk, Romny, Kherson and Mykolayiv.
On October 1, 1928, the Capella was chosen to work with Hnat Khotkevych to form a special studio for the development of bandura technique and repertoire by the People's Komisariat of Education. The members switched over to diatonic Kharkiv instruments made by Poltava bandura maker - Hryhory Paliyevetz. In that year, on October 1, the Capella had its name changed and became known as the EXEMPLARY BANDURA STUDIO OF UKRFIL. The first piece they learned arranged by Khotkevych was "A v poli korchomka". This was followed by "Poema about Bayda" for 6 bandura parts.
At the completion of the studio period with Hnat Khotkevych the group had a concert examination in Kharkiv at the Korolenko Library Auditorium on January 22, 1930. It was attended by all the musical dignitaries, and most prominent of them was Pylyp Kozytsky. After an extremely successful concert the members began to work professionally from their bandura performances.
The 11 members of the Studio were joined by a 12th - Ivan Boretz in 1928, who came to study at the studio from the Kharkiv Bandurist Capella.
The studio functioned for 18 months. Each week Volodymyr Kabachok would travel to Kharkiv from Poltava to pick up the weeks assignments from Khotkevych. Khotkevych would visit approximately once a month to review the progress of the students. The technique of the members of the Capella grew considerably and the new repertoire composed and arranged by Hnat Khotkevych opened up new aspects of the bandura previously never explored. Over 20 new pieces were prepared. These included such works as the "Poem about Bayda", and the "Duma: Storm on the Black Sea".
In February 1930 the Capella gave a special performance of the music and arrangements made by Khotkevych. This was the first performance of Khotkevych's Bayda. After the performance the Capella was renamed "The State Exemplary Bandura Capella of the Ukrainian SSR"
In 1930 concerts were planned with the Capella being accompanied by a symphonic orchestra. Khotkevych made preparations in writing a number of works for the Capella with symphonic accompaniment. The group was exploited mercilessly by UkrFil giving some 28 concerts a month. It was extremely popular and demonstrated the direction for further development of the bandura.
In 1931 in order to prepare for a tour of the United States the received new instruments with tuning mechanism and dampening mechanisms made by Hryhorij Paliyevetz.
[edit] Persecution
In 1933-34 Hnat Khotkevych fell under a cloud of persecution. His compositions and arrangements were banned from performance in Ukraine. The Capella also came under considerable pressure. Ultimately the ensemble was disbanded in 1934 after not being paid for over a year for their performances. In January 1934 the artistic director, Volodymyr Kabachok was arrested after a concert by the Capella in Kyiv. With his arrest disappeared most of the scores used by the Capella which included many handwritten manuscripts composed and arranged by Hnat Khotkevych specifically for the group.
After Kabachok's arrest the directorship of the Capella fell to Danylo Pika, who was not a strong administrator. After many months of not being paid (from January-October) the Capella was forced to disband in October 1934. In 1935 some of the members moved to Kyiv and worked under the protection of the Dumka Chorus and its conductor - Nestor Horodyvenko. In March 1935 some of the members of the Poltava Capella formed a new larger Kyiv Bandurist Capella under the direction of Mykola Mykhailov.
[edit] Recordings
Under the direction of Volodymyr Kabachok the Poltava Bandurist Capella recorded a number of records. In 1933 the following songs were released in editions of 2500 copies:
- Pip ta Popadia - arr. by H. Khotkevych #2578
- Na horodi Verba riasna - arr. Demutsky #2582
- Horlytsia - #2379
- Oi ty ziron'ko vechirniaia - arr. Lysenko #2580
- Ohirochky - arr: Studnytsky #2581
- V misiatsi ilui vypala porosha arr. H. Khotkevych - #2583
These same recordings were re-issued in 1934 in 2000 copies.
[edit] Legacy
Despite it's short history, the legacy of the Poltava Bandurist Capella is significant. It pioneered the Kharkiv style of playing the bandura which allowed unique technical devices not possible on other instruments. The repertoire was symphonic in its arrangement and implementation. Refinements in instrument construction developed by member's of the Capella can be seen in instruments being manufactured today.
[edit] References
- Борець, І. Показова кобзарська капела Укрфілу // Музика масам, 1930, №11-12, - С.41-42
- Довженко, В. Заходи "Укрфілу" в справі переорганізації кобзарського мистецтва // Музика Масам, 1928, №10, - С.7-8
- Кононенко, А. (К-ко, А) Полтавське окружна Капела Бандуристів // Музика, 1928, №10-11. - С.43
- Панасенко, Й. До історії розвитку Капели бандуристів ім. Т. Шевченка (1923-1963) // Вісті, №7, Грудень, 1963 - С.14-20
- Перспективи дальшого існування Полтавської Капели - ІМФЕ, Ф.46-2 зб. 40
- Репертуар Полтавської капели бандуристів - Фонди ІМФЕ АН України Ф. 46-2 од. зб. 93
