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Mini-Dreamland

Kyiv hosts Antonych Fest

Ukraine’s first and virtually only (in literary critics’ opinion) surrealist poet Bohdan Ihor Antonych would be happy. The poet’s centenary, which he fell short of by 72 years, was marked in his fatherland with honors matching his humble nature.

This year Antonych’s complete works have been published in Lviv. The local public has even set about building a monument to the poet. A similar idea dawned upon the organizers of the Antonych Fest, which recently took place in Kyiv’s Nyvky Park, although they chose music as a primary means of commemoration. For three days nearly 20 Ukrainian bands declared their love for the poet’s ‘pagan’ Lemky-style verse.

Making up for the poet’s long oblivion turned out as hard as a bad hangover. It looked like all of the participants, including both such novices as Za Krai, Yory Klots, and Avariine Nebo and the avowed veterans Komu Vnyz and Mertvy Piven, did not pass up an opportunity of taking an oath on Antonych’s green Gospel. Tathagata (Kyiv) admitted that they had started working on the concert program on The Day they had to perform. Nevertheless, the band was able to churn out about a dozen uniformly arranged songs, written to Antonych’s lyrics, without as much as batting an eye.

Telniuk Sisters, the Ukrainian branch of World Music, dedicated their new single to the poet. The Yanka Kozyr Orchestra personified the refined heathenism of his collection Try Persteni (Three Rings), while Vii did the same with the rustic mystery of his “Rotations”.

Katia Chilly, a true ornithological phenomenon, flocked together with the birds of Antonych’s book Pryvitannia Zhyttia (Welcoming Life). Nature didn’t let the organizers down and provided the best conceivable background, creating a genuine entourage, with Nyvky looking like the Kulparkiv neighborhood in Lviv, bonfires, and the full moon, “the cold circle on the night’s turntable.” It looked as if Antonych would have to wait for another 100 years to gather such a crowd of admirers.

P.S. To mark the poet’s centenary, the bands Telniuk Sisters, Aby MC, Mertvy Piven’, and the arranger Oleksandr Melnyk released the single “Nazavzhdy” (Forever): five versions of the song recorded by the sound engineer Kostiantyn Kostenko. Delicate female vocals blended the tart male recitative, ingratiating nocturnal symphony orchestra, and nostalgic Parisian accordion. Why Parisian? Because Antonych is now translated into the language of Baudelaire and other singers of the twilight city. The album comprises such experimental tracks as “Nazavzhdy” (versions by Aby MC, Oleksandr Melnyk, and Mertvy Piven), “Pour toujours – version d’Aby MC,” and “Pour toujours – version d’Alexandre Melnyk.” The music was written by Lesia Telniuk.

The Arts Development Foundation hosted the first Ukrainian presentation of the painting “For good” by Ihor Polishchuk (Canada). It was inspired not only by Antonych’s poetry itself, but also by its new life in Lesia Telniuk’s music.

Other articles:

• Kyiv Music Fest: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
• Kyiv to be jazzed up
• “Jazz music and more”

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