Vasiliy Barvinskiy Ukrainian composer, pianist, music critic, teacher, conductor Date of Birth: 20.02.1888 Country: Ukraine

1. Vasyl Barvinsky: A Pioneer of Ukrainian Music
2. Early Life and Education
3. Career in Ukraine
4. Professorship and Imprisonment
5. Rehabilitation and Legacy

Vasyl Barvinsky: A Pioneer of Ukrainian Music

Ukrainian composer, pianist, music critic, pedagogue, and conductor Vasyl Barvinsky was a prominent figure in 20th-century Ukrainian musical culture.

Early Life and Education

Born in 1888 in Tarnopol, Galicia, Barvinsky began his musical journey at the Lviv Conservatory under the guidance of Karol Mikuli and Vilem Kurz. Graduating in 1906, he enrolled in the law faculty of Lviv University. However, his passion for music led him to Prague the following year to pursue further studies.

At Charles University's Faculty of Philosophy, Barvinsky became a student of Professor Vitezslav Novak and attended lectures by renowned Czech musicians. During this period, he composed his first major work, "Ukrainian Rhapsody."

Career in Ukraine

Returning to Lviv in 1915, Barvinsky conducted the "Boyan" Society choir and gave concerts. From 1915 to 1939, he served as Professor and Director of the Lysenko Higher Musical Institute. After Western Ukraine's annexation by the Soviet Union in 1939, he was elected to the People's Assembly and became a Deputy.

Barvinsky's prolific output in the 1930s included a collection of Ukrainian folk songs for piano, колядки, and щедривки, as well as children's pieces and various works for stringed instruments. His "Our Song, Our Sorrow" cantata (1932-1933) reflected the struggles of the Ukrainian people.

Professorship and Imprisonment

From 1939 to 1941, Barvinsky became Professor and Director of the Lviv Conservatory. After the German occupation, he returned to this position from 1944 to 1948. In 1948, he was unjustly arrested and forced to sign a document authorizing the destruction of his manuscripts. Sentenced to ten years of exile in Mordovia, he managed to recover some of his lost works after his release.

Rehabilitation and Legacy

In 1964, the Supreme Court of the USSR overturned Barvinsky's conviction, rehabilitating him. He passed away in 1963 and was laid to rest in Lviv's Lychakiv Cemetery.

After his passing, additional manuscripts were found, including his 1910 Piano Sonata and Piano Concerto. The discovery of the latter in Argentina in 1993 marked a significant milestone in the restoration of Barvinsky's legacy. Today, his works are widely performed and recorded, showcasing his vital contribution to Ukrainian music.