This fall, “Klasika” pays special attention to Ukrainian musicians and music from Ukraine, which is heard both in the “Ukrainas pasakalja” program cycle and in the records of the Latvian Radio Foundation.
They have created an unusual duet Darja Leko and Kārlis Auzāns: Daria plays the bandura and sings, while Kārlis Auzāns made the arrangements of all the pieces and recorded the cello part. In the broadcast, we will hear three Ukrainian folk songs, one Christmas song and two wedding tunes, the well-known “Ave Maria” by Johann Sebastian Bach / Charles Gounod and original music by Kārlis Auzāns.
In the interview, we talk about how Darja Leleko came to Latvia in March 2022, as well as the intense concert life here. Also, Darja tells in more detail about her bandura instrument, which she has been with since the age of ten, as well as about the traditions of the Ukrainian people.
Karl’s experience in the field of film music is very broad, so let’s learn more about the creation and context of the compositions “Sunbeams” and “Birth of the Cheetah”.
Sound director of the recording – Normunds Slava.
Raidījumā skanēs ukraiņu tautasdziesmas “Oi gulayite dyky” (wedding song), “Divko – Galochko…” (carol), “Oi Hanusya sharpens the gun” (wedding song), Kārļa Auzāna “Saules staros” un “Geparda dzimšana”, kā arī Johana Sebastian Baha / Šarla Guno “Ave Maria”.
Darja Leleko: Sometimes I think that the bandura is crying
Anna Veismane: How long have you been in Latvia and what was your creative path in Ukraine, where you spent a whole life… I read that you were a musical theater actress?
Darja Leleko: Yes, I am from Mykolaiv, where I worked in the musical drama theater: I sang, acted, danced – I did everything that was needed. I am a banduro player by profession, I also play banduro in the theater. But that was on the back burner. We also had a bandurist trio.
Due to the war, we fled to Latvia in March 2022 – I came with my three daughters. The instrument stayed at home… Well, what an instrument there is: within three hours we hurriedly left with one bag… When I came to Latvia, a miracle happened: concerts started for me right away!
One of them was organized by the fashion house “Amoralle”, and after that quite quickly my concert life was formed here. Then Karl also wrote. Our first joint project was “Together we can”, in which I met five or six other Ukrainian musicians. We didn’t know each other before that, because Ukraine is big. But now we became friends. Clarinetist from Lviv, violinist from Chernihiv, guitarist from Kyiv, very talented – Sasha. It was a big project. In the beginning there were five concerts, but later we have toured almost all of Latvia.
Did you already know Kārli before going to Latvia?
No, Karl wrote to me on Facebook. Everything is happening on social media now. Probably some information was already found, because there are many Ukrainian musicians in Latvia.
Then I started to cooperate with the Culture Management Center “Lauska”, Juri and Daina Zalānis – they saw me in the cafe with all the bandura! (laughs) Through the association, they helped to draw up a creative grant for three months: they told me about it and helped me arrange and draw up. Otherwise, how would we, having just arrived, in such a state of shock, know what and how to do?
Thus, the circle of musicians gradually expanded. I often meet musicians I already know. We also had several projects with Karl. Thanks to him! At first, we were groping, searching. First we recorded Karl’s music to understand how we fit together, how the instruments fit together – it was very inspiring. I don’t know how Karl felt…
How would you describe your instruments to the listeners, of course you can see the photos on the website, but how would you describe the sound and also the construction.
A bandura is like an upside-down piano. If the piano has seven and a half octaves, then the bandura has five and a half. The same chromatic tuning, 64 strings, the instrument weighs from eight to twenty kilograms, unlike the mechanism.
The low strings are supposedly quieter: when you recorded, you thought about how to place the microphones.
Bandura has its own characteristics – the left hand plays the bass as if with accents, accentuating each sound, while the right hand strums. This must be done simultaneously, plus there is another peculiarity that there is no pedal – we cannot prolong the sound. We need to connect the chords so that they blend together.
But there are many advantages. The instrument is very melodic. Sometimes I feel like the bandura is crying. It may be related to history.
A hundred years ago, there were folk singers in Ukraine, kobzari with their banduras or kobzas, who were like informers – storytellers who told what was happening in different regions of Ukraine. Of course, the ruling power did not like it. Kobzari sang dumkas – melodious, heartfelt, spiritual songs, so it seems to me that my instrument is more like crying.
You have been with your instrument since you were ten years old.
Yes, since the age of ten I belong to the “bandurist – vocalist” category. There are also only instrumentalists, but I prefer to combine both. I feel myself better through a song.
In general, I’m happy that I don’t need anyone anymore: I take my bandura and go play. I sit and play what I want. We have a very diverse repertoire. There are also many transpositions from piano music.
Bandura is currently very popular, many people study bandura in conservatories, there is a very strong bandura playing school. I follow what is happening in Ukraine very intensively. When I was studying in the 2000s, I never dreamed that the bandura game would revive and be as popular as it is now.
Please tell us more about the three songs that the listeners of “Klasikas” will hear!
These songs belong to the folklore genre. Two are wedding songs, one is a Christmas song. Koļadka or – as the Latgale side would say – kolyada. Wedding songs used to be sung during wedding preparations – before the girl was given away to her husband and prepared the dowry. At present, they are probably no longer sung. Ukraine, as you know, is big. These songs were sung and recorded in the Poltava region. There are many peoples in Ukraine – Lemki, Guculi, Poiki. Each place has different characteristics in music as well. But these songs are from the Poltava side. It is very pleasant that Latvian Radio will play Ukrainian folk songs – it will feel like it is a Ukrainian radio station! These songs were authentically sung a cappella, but Karl and I of course added our own interpretation. You could say more modern.
And what are these songs about?
It can’t really be translated literally. “Ой гулайте дивки” could be translated as “Rejoice, girls! Rejoice while you are not married, rejoice while you can enjoy freedom!”
But kolyadka “Дивко – Галочко…” – it’s a girl’s name, Halochka. We have three Winter Solstice holidays – Christmas, Vasilja and Vodohrešča. All these three holidays are mentioned in many koliads: one came, the next ones follow. These are very important honors at the beginning of January – from the 6th to about the 19th of January. They include various holiday traditions, including singing and gift-giving. If on the evening of January 6 we go with gifts and songs, the very next morning we go to sing songs that could be compared to Latvian kekats. Each of these days has different traditions. In Western Ukraine and Central Ukraine, these traditions are stronger. I live in the south, where they pay less attention to such things.
However, we had such a tradition in our family: if I didn’t have a show, for example, on January 6, we walked on stilts, dressed up, prepared a small program with the children and went to the neighbors. Our neighbors already knew that we would come and sing on January 6 or 7.
This is how we feel about the holidays. In Central Ukraine and Western Ukraine, more holiday traditions have been preserved.
But the third song “Ой Гануся рушничок торочить” is about a girl Hanusya who sews towels. Each girl made a dowry before the wedding: there were shirts, towels, various handicrafts. The girl sews and sings at the same time – maybe about how she will go to her husband and be happy? But then the free life will also end.
Will you play music with Karli again?
Oh, I don’t know, I’ll probably go home… But I really want to. And also – if I go to Ukraine, it doesn’t mean that I can’t come to Riga again. We don’t live in the North Pole anymore! If only Kárlis would agree to play together again in the future!
When I said after our ten concerts in Latvia that we will have a tour in Europe as well, Kārlis laughed, but – it’s all possible if we want it ourselves!
Our ensemble is so unusual and unique – cello and bandura, it doesn’t exist anywhere else. Our repertoire is also unlimited. We can play music of any genre.
Latvijas Radio invites you to express your opinion about what you heard in the program and supports discussions among listeners, however, reserves the right to delete comments that violate the boundaries of respectful attitude and ethical behavior.
2023-11-28 17:18:34
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