Markiyan Melnychenko, the Ukrainian-Australian violinist on this album, was selected to perform in a quartet at the US Capitol for Barack Obama's Presidential Inauguration in 2013.
Instruments
Cellist Josephine Vains performs on two historic cellos: a Thomas Kennedy Cello from 1850 and a Thomas Dodd Cello from 1800, both made in London.
Composer Biography
Vasyl Barvinsky, a Ukrainian composer, was arrested by the NKVD (forerunner of the KGB) in 1948, leading to the burning of his manuscripts and the loss of several works.
Critical Reception
After his release from the Gulag, Vasyl Barvinsky spent his remaining five years reconstructing his lost works, but died with the task incomplete; his music went unplayed in Ukraine for almost 25 years after his posthumous 'rehabilitation'.
Album & Artwork
This album, "Postcards from Ukraine Volume Two," focuses on chamber music, following Volume One which explored miniatures for violin and piano.
Historical Context
During the 1920s, the Soviet government's policy of 'nativisation' allowed ethnic minorities, including Ukrainians, to develop their cultures free from repression, leading to a flowering of creativity.
Historical Context
Despite centuries of cultural repression and appropriation, Ukrainian composers developed a unique compositional voice in classical music.
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