Shchedryk (Carol of the Bells) (1922) (Traditional)

O: Ukrainian National Chorus  Direction of Alexander Koshetz.  Rec. between 26-09-1922 and 06-10-1922  on Brunswick.

Read the Originals about this song



Arr. by Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych 1916 English words by Peter Wilhousky 1936

First performance December 1916 by a choral group made up of students at Kiev University
First US Performance Ukrainian Republic Capella directed by Oleksander Koshetz October 5, 1921 at Carnegie Hall, but before they travelled through Europe so it premiered in somewhere in Europe.

I found a recording from Shchedryk (Carol of the Bells) by UKRAINIAN NATIONAL CHORUS  Under Personal Direction of Alexander Koshetz.
It was recorded between 26-09-1922 and 06-10-1922 in New York on Brunswick. So it is possible that this is the first recording outside the Ukraine.

Here is the picture of the record.

Here some information from Wikipedia

Shchedryk

Shchedryk (from the Ukrainian word shchedryi; "bountiful") is a Ukrainian shchedrivka, or New Year's carol. It was arranged by composer and school teacher Mykola Leontovych in 1916, and tells a story of a swallow flying into a household to sing of wealth that will come with the following spring. Shchedryk was originally sung on the night of January 13 (Old Style), which is Shchedry Vechir (Ukrainian: Щедрий вечiр, "Bountiful Evening") to Ukrainians, New Year's Eve by the Julian Calendar.
Shchedryk was later adapted as an English Christmas carol, Carol of the Bells, by Peter J. Wilhousky following a performance of the original song by Alexander Koshetz's Ukrainian National Chorus at Carnegie Hall on October 5, 1921. Wilhousky copyrighted and published his new lyrics (which were not based on the Ukrainian lyrics) in 1936, and the song became popular in the United States, where it became strongly associated with Christmas.
Although Carol of the Bells and Shchedryk share the same melody, the meanings of both their lyrics are unrelated.


Mykola Leontovych


Carol of the Bells

"Carol of the Bells" (also known as the "Ukrainian Bell Carol") is a choral miniature work originally composed by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. Throughout the composition, Leontovych used a four note motif as an ostinato which was taken from an ancient pagan Ukrainian New Year's chant known in Ukrainian as "Shchedryk" [the Generous One]. The composer created the piece as an assignment for a harmony course he was taking by correspondence in the use of an ostinato. The original work was intended to be sung a cappella by mixed choir. Two other variants of the composition; one for woman's choir and another for children's choir with piano accompaniment were also created by the composer.
The "Carol of the Bells" was premiered in December 1916 by a choral group made up of students at Kiev University. It was introduced to Western audiences by the Ukrainian National Chorus during its concert tour of Europe and the Americas, where it premiered in the United States on October 5, 1921 at Carnegie Hall. It was later adapted into an English language version by Peter Wilhousky in the 1930s, and to this day is performed and sung worldwide during the Christmas season. An alternate English version ("Ring, Christmas Bells") featuring more Nativity-based lyrics, written by Minna Louise Hohman in 1947, is also widely performed.

Origins and translation

The song is based on a traditional folk chant. The original traditional Ukrainian text used a device, known as hemiola, in the rhythm (alternating the accents within each measure from 3/4 to 6/8 and back again). This device however is lost in the English translations and rarely is used in non-Ukrainian performances. The ostinato motif, a repeated four-note pattern within the range of a minor third is thought to be of prehistoric origins. It was associated with the coming New Year which, in pre-Christian Ukraine, was originally celebrated in April.
With the introduction of Christianity to Ukraine, the celebration of the New Year was moved from April to January, and the holiday the chant originally was associated with became the Feast of Epiphany (also known in Ukrainian as Shchedry vechir). The songs sung for this celebration are known as Schedrivky.
The original Ukrainian text tells the tale of a swallow flying into a household to proclaim the plentiful and bountiful year that the family will have. The title is derived from the Ukrainian word for "bountiful." The period for the birth of animals and the return of swallows to Ukraine however does not correspond to the current calendar season of winter.
In Ukraine, the carol is currently sung on the eve of the Julian New Year.
The four-note theme over a minor 3rd of the chant was used by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych as an ostinato throughout the piece. Three different arrangements done by the composer exist of the piece, one with piano accompaniment, a version for children's choir. The most used version is the variant for mixed chorus. The arrangement for mixed voice choir a cappella was popularized by the Ukrainian Republic Capella, directed by Oleksander Koshetz, when it toured the West after 1920.








Hark! How the bells
Sweet silver bells
All seem to say
Throw cares away

Christmas is here
Bringing good cheer
To young and old
Meek and the bold

Ding dong ding dong
That is their song
With joyful ring
All caroling

One seems to hear
Words of good cheer
From everywhere
Filling the air

Oh, how they pound
Raising the sound
O'er hill and dale
Telling the tale

Gaily they ring
While people sing
Songs of good cheer
Christmas is here

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas

On on they send
On without end
Their joyful tone
To every home

Ding, dong, ding, ding...... dong!

Recordings:
Carol of the Bells/Deck the Halls 1945 Robert Shaw Chorale Carol of the Bells 1953 Hugo Winterhalter and His Orchestra and Chorus Carol of the Bells 1963 Wayne King and His Orchestra Carol of the Bells 1966 Four Seasons Carol of the Bells 1972 Johnny Mathis Carol of the Bells 1981 Kenny Rogers Carol of the Bells 1978 The Carpenters Carol of the Bells 1988 Mannheim Steamroller Carol of the Bells 1989 Wynton Marsalis Carol of the Bells 1995 Domingo - Kyrkjebo - Aznavour Carol of the Bells 1996 Dan Gibson's Solitudes Carol of the Bells 1999 Natalie Cole Shchedryk (Generosity) 1999 Kiev Chamber Choir Carol of the Bells 1999 Al Dimeola Carol of the Bells/What Child is This? 2000 Yolanda Adams Opera of the Bells 2001 Destinys Child Carol of the Bells 2001 Nancy Wilson Carol of the Bells 2001 Nancy Wilson Carol of the Bells 2002 William Wilde Zeitler Carol of the Bells (instrumental) 2002 Patty Loveless Schedryk 2004 Mitya Kuznetsov Carol of the Bells 2003 Von Trapp Children Carol of the Bells 2004 Dianne Reeves Carol of the Bells 2004 Deana Carter Carol of the Bells 2005 David Benoit Carol of the Bells 2005 Moya Brennan Carol of the Bells 2008 Los Lonely Boys Carol of the Bells 2010 Jessica Simpson Carol of the Bells 2010 Dan Hicks & the Hot Licks Shchedryk (Ukrainian Bell Carol) 2010 Pink Martini Also recorded by: Andy Williams; Kurt Bestor; Lawrence Welk; The Accidentals; Jim Bajor; David Benoit; Roger Wagner Chorale; Vienna Boys' Choir; Robert Strickland; TheBoys Choir Of Harlem; Marian Anderson; Metallica and Trans Siberian Orchestra; The Nylons; Shedaisy; Mormon Tabernacle Choir; Swingle Singers; The Klezmonauts, Kenny G; Rick Springfield; Harry Simeone Chorale - 1959 Rockapella (feat. in the film "Home Alone") - 1990 The O'Jays - 1991 Sandi Patty - 1995 Al Jarreau 2008 Spyro Gyra 2008 Celtic Woman 2006 Mary Mary 2006 Steve Lukather 2003
..... and many, many others.

Here is the original recording

And here The Carpenters