Plyve Kacha: a famous Ukrainian Folk Song

“Plyve Kacha” or “Plyve Kacha Po Tysyni” translates literally to “the duckling swims”, but the lyrics are a dialogue between a mother and a son going off to war, according to the BBC’s Irena Taranyuk. She translates two of the most moving lines of the song this way: “My dear mother, what will happen to me if I die in a foreign land?” “Well, my dearest, you will be buried by other people.” Dozens of people were killed by snipers in Maidan on February 18th and 20th, 2014 and were buried and mourned in a mass funeral on February 21st, with this song being used to memorialize their lives.

On February 27 2022 I made an arrangement from a Youtube setting for voice and piano. I arranged it for piano solo intermediate. I also put a translation of a French translation into Dutch. You can freely use it. For yourself, for your students. The more people who will play it, the better. When you don’t play the piano yourself, please pass it on to people who might appreciate it. You can download de pdf below.

Heleen also composed 9 Variations on the Theme. They can be ordered at Donemus, but there will be asked for a donation to Ukraine:

Here you can donate for Ukraine

Webshop Donemus Plyve Kacha

Youtube: pianist Janneke Koetsier is playing the Theme of Plyve Kacha

4 gedachten over “Plyve Kacha: a famous Ukrainian Folk Song”

  1. Dank voor de vertaling. De melodie spreekt voor zichzelf en toch… De woorden verdiepen de betekenis.

    Zo verschrikkelijk dat we
    dit lied nu weer zingen, voor
    al die personen van wie
    hoop, vrees,
    liefde, verlangen, bitterheid,
    verleden, heden, toekomst door
    menselijk geweld
    vernietigd
    worden!

    1. Dankjewel, Barbara! De bladmuziek is te bestellen via Donemus Publishing. Het wordt gratis ter beschikking gesteld, er wordt wel gevraagd een donatie hiervoor te doen.

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