This holiday season, I learned that the melody of the Christmas carol “Carol of the Bells” is from a Ukrainian New Year’s song called “Shchedryk” (Щедрик), first arranged in the early 1900s, which in turn is based on a traditional Ukrainian folk melody. Here is “Shchedryk” sung in its original Ukrainian:
- Original Ukrainian version of Carol of the Bells: Mykola Leontovych — Shchedryk, performed by the Academic Choir of the National Radio of Ukraine
Happy New Year everyone 🇺🇦