Many people recognize this composition
For example it's known as a #Christmas carol, "Carol of the Bells" in the USA
But the original title is "#Shchedryk"
Composed in #Ukraine by Mykola Leontovych about 110 years ago
The original lyrics tell a story of a swallow flying into a household at #NewYears. To sing of the wealth that will come in Springtime
Here it is symbolically performed in the machine hall of a thermal power plant destroyed by Russian strikes
Such a beloved holiday song, but its story is quite sad
#Shchedryk was composed by #MykolaLeontovych based on Ukrainian #folkMusic during #WWI, when #AustriaHungary and #Russia waged terrible fighting in #Ukraine
And he composed it in #Pokrovsk
Pokrovsk at this very moment is seeing terrible fighting:
Mykola was assassinated at age 43 by a chekist (#Soviet security agent: any Ukrainian seen as nationalistic even remotely was seen as a threat)
this is the flag of #Pokrovsk
based on a sketch by #MykolaLeontovych's father
it's the swallow in "#Shchedryk," come to sing of the Spring to come after the hard Winter, a story from Ukrainian #folklore
once a city of 60,000, 1,500 remained by July 2025
people are dying in heavy fighting there right now
the next time you hear "Carol of the Bells" aka "Shchedryk" this holiday season, think and pray for Pokrovsk and #Ukraine
ᴮᵉⁿ ᴿᵒʸᶜᵉVOTE IN THE PRIMARIES
Siegfried.