THE COSSACKS SYNOPSIS- PART 2

The Cossacks are in party mood. They revel in cajoling their loved ones. 'Come ride with me, Cossack Girl' - a rather saucy song. The young Cossack flirts with and finally captures his loved one.

In 'The Flowers blossom, as does Love', a young Cossack courts his first love; they wander together in the grove - hand in hand; their eyes meet; their hearts flutter; they kiss...

The mighty Carpathian Mountains have inspired many resplendent songs and have provided a vintage opportunity to exhibit the power, expressiveness and lustiness of the slavic voice.

'Oleksa Dovbush' is legendary in Ukrainian folklore and claims a particular place in the hearts of every Cossack. A 'Robin Hood-like' figure who roamed the Carpathian mountains defending the underprivileged against the feudal overlord. Dovbush died without trace but was immortalised in this song, and in the belief that somewhere stands a cross bearing his name.

A silky serene Carpathian evening. 'As the blue hills sleep'...my love will pour out to you - for youth and lovers there is no night...'

And so back to the merrymaking outlaws and the 'Whirlwind Dance - Kolomiyka'.

Only when we have seen that solitary field on a mountain top surrounded by dense firs, can we fully appreciate the style of this next song. The echo of each phrase should be allowed to settle - the tempo indiscernable. 'Echo - the Voice of the Mountain Shepherd!' - a flirting 'Hutsul'* is bewitched by the girl of his dreams. She is not so enchanted. He sings out to the valley below.

* a mountain Cossack

The epic novel 'Taras Bulba' by Nicolay Gogol was set to music by Mykola Lysenko, the father of Ukrainian song. It contains, probably the most famous of all arias in Ukrainian operatic literature - 'Ostap's Lament'. Andriy, the son of Taras Bulba and Ostap's brother, has fallen for the charms of Mariltsa, a Polish noblewoman. At a time when the Ukrainian Steppes were under Polish rule, such an association was intolerable. But Andriy's passion for Mariltsa would not fade. The Cossacks rose against the Pole and besieged the city of Dubno. Finding it impossible to storm the walls, they resolved to wait till the need for food would force the city gates to open. When Andriy hears that Mariltsa is also trapped inside, he steals into the city to save her. But he himself is captured. His only chance to save Mariltsa is to show the Pole the road to the oxen. He dons the uniform of a Polish guard and leads a battalion out of the city. The Cossacks are alerted and Bulba catches sight of his son... 'Judas! I gave you life. Now it falls to me to take it from you...' Bulba shoots Andriy. In despair, Ostap rushes to catch his brother as he sinks to the ground. '...Why did you betray your people?

Why did you choose to die on foreign soil and not to return home to be buried with your father and brother?..' On seeing one of their heroes lying mortally wounded, the Cossacks raise the Standard of the Archangel and march on Dubno - 'Finale Act II, Taras Bulba'.

Thus the Pole was expelled from Ukraine and the Cossacks reclaimed their beloved Steppes.

'Every Creation Rejoices' reminds us that true peace and happiness is within us all. We should search for it, find it and rejoice. It is also a reminder that Ukrainian culture is inextricably linked with the Christian Faith.

Part 1