Honcharenko brothers
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The Honcharenko Brothers
Alexander Fedorovych (1913-2005)
Petro Fedorovych (11/XII/1910-19/9/2000)
The Honcharenko Brothers - Alexander and Peter became the dominant bandura makers in Germany at the end of WWII. They were not just bandura makers, but innovative constructors who developed new types of instruments. In the workshop of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus and the Leontovych Bandura Capella they designed and developed a new type of instrument which combined the best aspects of both the Kyiv and Kharkiv style banduras.
Diagram: Honcharenko design bandura (1961 version)
Photo: Honcharenko Bandura #1 Made before they joined the Shevchenko Bandurist Chorus. (1944) Now in the collection of Alex Krynytsky (Seattle). Restored by Bill Vetzal.
Initially they spent their time repairing instruments, and then began making new instruments for chorus members whose instruments were no longer salvagable. After making a few Kyiv style instruments and a copy of a Hryhory Paliyivetz instrument for Josyp Panasenko a conflicting question arose - "What type of instrument was the best to make?" The Kyiv style players insisted on Kyiv style instruments which had a longer and louder sound because of their longer strings and larger body and had chromatic strings. The players who had been members of the Poltava Capella insisted on Kharkiv-style banduras - diatonic instruments with a mechanism hich allowed the players to play in different keys easily. The Kharkiv instruments had a shorter sound and both hands could play over the full range of the instrument. The retuning mechanisms however buzzed and were not reliable.
Photo: The insides of Honcharenko bandura #19 made in Ingolstadt.
With this information the Honcharenko brothers designed an instrument which suited both playing styles. It allowed the players to play Kharkiv-style and have access to chromatic strings. They also designed a number of different mechanisms which were more reliable and did not buzz. These new instruments became very popular and were more sophisticated than the previous instruments. In time the whole Chorus received a full compliment of new instruments.
The brothers established a workshop in Ingolstadt which served the Shevchenko Bandurist Chorus. They made a large number of instruments and this meant that much experimentation in internal strutt design was possible. At that time the brothers would get a carton of cigarettes for a bandura.
This Kyiv-Kharkiv style bandura is often referred to a the "Poltavka" in recognition of the input from the members of the Poltava Bandurist Capella.
Photo: Latest version of soundboard bracing
In time the brothers both left the Shevchenko Bandurist Chorus (they were upset because they had not been paid for instruments which they had made for the Chorus) and together with Hryhoriy Nazarenko established a second Bandurist Capella named in memory of the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in the British occupational zone. They established another workshop in Goslar once again making banduras and in addition, trained craftmen in the art of making high quality concert banduras. In Goslar, the Honcharenko brothers also developed bass and contrabass orchestral banduras.
After the war they rejoined the Shevchenko Bandurist Chorus and moved to Detroit where they continued to train bandura craftsmen such as Vasyl Hirych, Pavlo Stepovy and William Vetzal.
Photo: The workshop in Goslar, Germany (1946) (P. Honcharenko standing in the centre)
The instruments and mechanism designed by the Honcharenko brothers were used by bandurists in the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus and became a standard design made by most bandura makers in the West.
In 1980, Olexander retired from his tool and die business and returned to bandura construction. He designed an updated version of their instrument with a more elaborate mechanism and soundbracing system. This design was the design used by Bill Vetzal.
Photo: Honcharenko designed Bass bandura. (Goslar 1946)
[edit] Bandura types
- Early Kyiv bandura
- Diatonic Kharkiv bandura
- Semi-chromatic Kharkiv bandura
- Peter Honcharenkos bandura
- Alex's concert bandura
- Orchestral Bass banduras
- Honcharenko mechanism
