"Shchedryk" (from Ukrainian «Щедрий вечiр», "Bountiful Evening") is a Ukrainian Christmas carol, which was arranged by composer and teacher Mykola Leontovych in 1916. It tells a story of a swallow flying into a household to sing of wealth that will come with the following spring.
In 1936, Peter J. Wilhousky adapted "Shchedryk". He copyrighted and published his new lyrics (not based on the Ukrainian lyrics), and the Ukrainian "Shchedryk" turned into a Western Christmas carol, well-known in the English-speaking world as "Carol of the Bells". You have probably heard this carol many times, but never thought the music was originally Ukrainian.
Колядка "Щедрик" Schedryk - "Ukrainian Bell Carol"
Колядка"В місті Вифлиємі"
To listen to some other Ukrainian carols, go to our YouTube List of the Ukrainian Christmas Carols
You can also listen to some Russian carols performed by a folk group Оттава Ё.
