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Shchedryk

folk chant of ancient origin; arranged by Leontovych between 1901 and 1919; first performed 29 December 1916 · 20th century · Also known as Щедрик

"Shchedryk" is a Ukrainian shchedrivka, a song sung to wish a household well at the New Year; its name comes from the Ukrainian word for "bountiful", and in English it is known as "The Little Swallow". The four-note chant at its heart, moving within a minor third, is thought to be of prehistoric origin, older than Christianity in Ukraine, and belonged to a New Year then celebrated in March.

Songs in history

Shchedryk1916

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Shchedryk. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/shchedryk
MLA
“Shchedryk.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/shchedryk. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Shchedryk.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/shchedryk.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Shchedryk’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/shchedryk (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻