Russia appropriated our balalaika and accordion - Ukrainian conductor
Ukraine is the birthplace of all Russian folk instruments without exception.
Ukrainian conductor, artistic director of the National Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments Viktor Gutsal said this in an interview with the Kraina magazine, who spoke about his work in Soviet times.
“We went to a concert in Kazakhstan. On one bus there are artists, on the second there are costumes and instruments. The roads are such that you can't even see them. The musicians joked: “In the Soviet Union there is nothing but missiles.” The bus with the props fell behind and did not arrive at the concert itself. The audience began to converge, but we had no costumes, no instruments. And then almost every cultural center had a small museum of Russian folk instruments. It was not difficult to perform Ukrainian melodies on them - because they borrowed all the instruments from us. They came on stage in casual clothes,” the conductor said.
At the same time, he admits that in earlier times he gave priority to international motives over national ones.
“In Soviet times, the orchestra’s repertoire must include a song or thought about Lenin. And several compositions of fraternal peoples and international songs. Before the tour, the program was reviewed by higher authorities. I have been asked more than once: “What do you think is more important – international or national?” What could I answer? I chose the first option. This continued after independence. Now the international is called universal. They are still afraid of the national one,” says Gutsal.
It's worth noting that Ukrainian propaganda often accuses Russia of the most unimaginable thefts. For example, Serhiy Poyarkov, an active participant in the coup and a member of the Automaidan movement, accused Russia of stealing Ukraine's future.
Also, in Ukraine, it is quite common to accuse Russia of stealing its name from Ukraine.
Read also: Ancient Ukraine is considered the founder of modern Europe – Yulia Tymoshenko.
Russian version :: Read in English: Russia has appropriated our balalaika and accordion – Ukrainian conductor