Emigration of Ukrainian musicians after World War II and its role in preserving national tradition

Abstract

The circumstances of Ukrainian musicians’ emigration to the West after World War II are considered in the socio-cultural aspect. First, the unfavorable conditions of “extreme emigration” are taken into account. Objective predispositions of the process of adaptation of musicians in foreign environments are presented, as well as types of interpretation of the national element in the work of Ukrainian composers in emigration. Their successes achieved despite the circumstances are explained through the prism of the category of “life-creation”. Particular emphasis is placed on their mission to maintain national identity during the Soviet partition, compensatory activities in those zones that were destroyed by the communist authorities, including the organization of a bandurist band against the background of the persecution of kobzars in Ukraine, propaganda of the work of repressed musicians, e.g. Wasyl Barwiński, taking up topics forbidden by Soviet ideology such as “nationalist”. Ukrainian musicians in exile created a colorful, multidimensional sound image of the Homeland, not only “preserving” its past, but also inscribing national themes into a broad compendium of contemporary world culture.