"Oy Vershe Miy, Vershe" () — a Lemko folk song. It is one of the most popular Lemko songs, holding a special place among the most performed Ukrainian songs.
The song belongs to the category of family and wedding songs. It narrates the tale of a young woman who falls in love and marries a man. However, she feels a sense of longing, anticipating that life in a new home and marriage will not be as comforting as it was with her mother.
Following the expulsion of the Lemko people from their historical homeland as a result of the so-called "freewill" deportation from Poland to the USSR (1944–1946) and the ethnic cleansing of "Operation Vistula" (1947), the song "Vershe Miy, Vershe" became a symbol of the people's yearning for their lost homeland. For many Lemkos, the victory of Crimean Tatar singer Jamala with this song at the "New Wave" competition held a particular significance.
Recording and performance history
Early history
The first known printed mention of the song appears in the collection "Hungarian-Russian folk songs: with an essay on the life of Hungarian Russians and an ethnographic map of Hungary", published by in 1885. The collection included the following text of the song: OriginalГей верше мой, верше, Мой зеленый верше, Ужъ мѣ такъ не буде, Якъ мѣ было перше.
Отпало яблушко От сладкой яблони; Ужъ мѣ такъ не буде, Якъ мѣ было влони.LatinisationHey vershe moy, vershe, Moy zelenyy vershe, Uzh mi tak ne bude, Yak mi bylo pershe.
Otpalo yablushko Ot sladkoy yablony; Uzh mi tak ne bude, Yak mi bylo vlony.TranslationHey, mountain, my mountain, My green mountain, It won't be like this anymore, As it was before.
An apple has fallen From a sweet apple tree; It won't be like this anymore, As it was last year. In Ivan Verkhratskyi's monograph "On the Dialect of Galician Lemkos" () (1902), several variants of this song are presented.
The first audio recording of the song was made by on a wax phonograph cylinder in 1912.
The recording was made in Lemkivshchyna in the village of Ropica Gоrna (formerly Ropica Ruska), now Gorlice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland. Phono cylinder No. 445, lasting 2 minutes 35 seconds, contained four songs: "Eey Bozhe Bozhe Nych Ne Mame" («Ей Боже Боже нич не маме» "Oh God, God, We Have Nothing"), "Eey Yak ot Tale Pidu" («Ей як от тале піду» "Hey, How I'll Go"), "A Vershe Miy Vershe" (Ah, Mountain My Mountain), and "Nasha Khata Bilena" («Наша хата білена» "Our House is Whitewashed"). On this recording, the song "A Vershe Miy Vershe" had two verses and was in a rather lively tempo.
In 1928, a 78 rpm record was released in New York City on the Columbia label, containing two Lemko songs. On the first side – "Za Horamy, za Lisamy" (Beyond the Mountains, beyond the Woods), and on the second – "Oi Versze, Myi Vershe" performed by a duet of New York Cathedral Choir members Anna Dran and Joanna Karlyak with orchestral accompaniment. In fact, almost all subsequent solo performances of the song used the same words. However, there is a significant diversity in both the text and the melody and rhythm in folklore and musical notations.
The first sheet music of the song was published by Klyment Kvitka in 1922. The recording was made by him in 1918 in a shelter for refugees in Kyiv from a 35-year-old woman from Lemkivshchyna from the village of Pielgrzymka Jasło County, who refused to give her name.
A choral arrangement for mixed voices was created by Michael Hayvoronsky in the collection "Ukrainian Folk Songs of Lemkivshchyna and Zakarpattya" («Українські народні пісні Лемківщини і Закарпаття»), published in the 1930s The song was recorded from P. Kovalchuk from near Gorlice. Hayvoronsky used a dialogue-style arrangement between the women's and men's choral groups, in accordance with the content of the lyrics. This arrangement was included in the collection of choral arrangements of Lemko songs "Spivanochky Moyi" («Співаночки мої» "My Songs") compiled by in 1968 A collection called "Homin Verkhovyny" («Гомін Верховини» "Echo of the Highlands") was also published in Ukraine by in 1962. It included 12 arrangements of Lemko songs for a 4-part unaccompanied choir, including "Oy Chorna Hora, Chorna" («Ой чорна гора, чорна» "Oh, Black Mountain, Black"), "Oy Vershe Miy, Vershe" («Ой верше мій, верше» "Oh Mountain, My Mountain"), and "Hayem Zelenеnkym" («Гаєм зелененьким» "Through the Green Grove"). A version of the song in the Pannonian Rusyn language, is also known, recorded in Kucura (Vojvodina) in 1930. The lyrics were recorded by Onufry Tymko, under the pseudonym Ton, and J. Shandor composed an original melody for it. In addition to expressing sadness for the loss of her home, the girl also laments that her beloved is avoiding her: OriginalЕй, шугай, ей, шугай, до нас чом нє придзеш? Чи ше оца боїш, чи о мнє нє стоїш?
Оца ше нє боїм, а о тебе стоїм, Лєм ше злих язикох, ей, найвецей боїм.LatinisationEy, shuhay, ey, shuhay, do nas chom nye prydzesh? Chy she otsa boyish, chy o mnye nye stoyish?
Otsa she nye boyim, a o tebe stoyim, Lyem she zlykh yazykokh, ey, nayvetsey boyim.TranslationHey, lad, hey, lad, why won't you come to us? Are you still afraid of father, or do you not care for me?
I'm not still afraid of father, but I care for you, Only the evil tongues, hey, I fear the most. It is interesting that a similar plot is also found in several versions of this song recorded in Lemkivshchyna, particularly by Michael Hayvoronsky and Orest Hyzha: OriginalЯничку, златовлас, Чом не ходиш до нас? Ци ся мами боїш, Ци о мя не стоїш?
Мами ся не бою І о тебе стою. Лем ся преокрутні Злих язиків бою.LatinisationYanychku, zlatovlas, Chom ne khodysh do nas? Tsy sya mamy boyish, Tsy o mya ne stoyish?
Mamy sya ne boyu I o tebe stoyu. Lem sya preokrutni Zlykh yazykiv boyu.TranslationGolden-haired Yanychko, Why don't you come to us? Are you afraid of mother, Or do you not care for me?
I'm not afraid of mother, And I care for you. Only I fear The evil tongues.
Modern times
The song, with its most widely known authentic text today, is included in the collection "Lemko Songs" («Лемківські співанки») (, 1967) compiled and edited by Mykhailo Sobolevsky.Текст, акорди «Ой Верше Мій Верше (8–9)» — Українські пісні Mykhailo Sobolevsky was born in 1886 in the village of Kostarowce, Sanok County, now Poland. Before World War I, he worked as a conductor of a church choir. From then on, he began collecting and recording Lemko folk songs. After the expulsion of the Lemkos from their ethnic lands, Sobolevsky lived in Ukraine. Upon his retirement in 1959, he decided to process and publish the songs he had collected.Діячі науки і культури Лемківщини. Довідник // Іван Красовський, Торонто — Львів, 2000 It is believed that the song "Oy Vershe Miy, Vershe" was recorded by him in his native village of Kostarowce.© 2008—2016 Українські народні пісні proridne.com Following the publication of the collection, the song became the signature piece of the "Cheremosh" song and dance ensemble of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. The most common version of the textLemko UkrainianОй, верше мій, верше, Мій зелений верше, Юж мі так не буде, Як мі било перше.
Бо перше мі било, Барз мі добре било, Од своєй мамички, Не ходити било.
Не ходити било, Куди я ходила, Не любити било, Кого я любила.
Не ходити било Горами, стежками, Не любити хлопця З чорними бровами.LatinisationOy, vershe miy, vershe, Miy zelenyy vershe, Yuzh mi tak ne bude, Yak mi bylo pershe.
Bo pershe mi bylo, Barz mi dobre bylo, Od svoyey mamychky, Ne khodyty bylo.
Ne khodyty bylo, Kudy ya khodyla, Ne lyubyty bylo, Koho ya lyubyla.
Ne khodyty bylo Horamy, stezhkamy, Ne lyubyty khloptsya Z chornymy brovamy.TranslationOh mountain, my mountain My green mountain. It will never be to me As it was before.
For as it seemed to me before, It was so good to me From my mother's time It was not to be any longer.
No longer walking Where I used to go, No longer loving Whom I used to love.
No longer walking Through mountains, paths, No longer loving The boy with black eyebrows. The song gained its widest popularity after being performed by Kvitka Cisyk in a modern arrangement. After that, it was included in the repertoire of many Ukrainian performers and is often performed at various song festivals and competitions. In particular, Jamala won first place in the "New Wave" competition, and won the first prize of the with this song. Eight-year-old Ukrainian girl Maria Volovod Christodoulidou won with it at the international children's talent competition "Eurokids".
The song "Oy Vershe Miy, Vershe" is one of the most popular on singing TV shows, including "X-Factor" and "Holos Krainy". Numerous artists have performed the song, including , Tonya Matvienko, the band, Dmytro Babak, Yulia Plaksina, Tetiana Shirko, Anna Kuksa, and many others. In the superfinal of "Holos Krainy 7", Anna Kuksa, accompanied by the "Kiev Tango Project" ensemble, performed "Oy Vershe" in a tango arrangement. The folk song "Oy Vershe Miy, Vershe" by , was selected for a commercial promoting "Lvivske Zhyve" beer. A video featuring this version of the song was released in late 2010. Director incorporated the song "Oy Vershe Miy, Vershe" performed by The Telnyuk Sisters as a lyrical theme for the play "Stolen Happiness" at the Maria Zankovetska National Academic Theater of Lviv. The song is also featured in the plays "Mystery of Being" («Таїна буття») based on a play by and "Elegy Styx" («Елегія Стікс») directed by Oleksandr Korol at the and the , respectively. The song is included in the musical "Kvitka" («Квітка») by the Konstantin Pinchuk "Classikal Grand Ballet" theater.
Other known performers The song is widely known in choral arrangements by: Michael Hayvoronsky, , , , Yaroslav Yaroslavenko, . Has been part of the repertoire of Zakarpattian Folk Choir, "Beskyd" Lemko Choral Chapel (Ivano-Frankivsk), "Lemkovyna" People's Choral Chapel of the village of Rudno, "Dudaryk" Choral Chapel, "Yevshan" Halych Chamber Choir, , , , .
Recordings
YearPerformersTitleLocationDetails / Notes1912Various Artists"Ей Боже Боже нич не маме", "Ей як от тале піду", "А верше мій верше", "Наша хата білена" (A medley including "Oy Vershe Miy, Vershe")Ropica Górna, Poland Phono cylinder record No. 445 (XXIII) from phonographic collection of Reissued on CD in 20111928Anna Dran (soprano), Joanna Karliak (alto)За горами, за лісами / Ой верше, мій верше (Za horamy, za lisamy / Oi Versze, Myi Vershe)New York City, US Victor Hladyk (manager) Track:"Ой верше, мій верше" ("Oi Versze, Myi Vershe") Label: Columbia / 20282-F1956Ukrainian SongsUSA Orchestra directed by Jacques Belasco Track B3: "Oy, Vershe Miy, Vershe" Label: Urania Records – US 51371956Червоні маки / Ой верше, мій верше (Red Poppies / Oy Vershe Miy, Vershe)UkrSSR Track B: "Ой, Верше Мiй, Верше" Label: Factory of Household Appliances of Zhytomyr 78 rpm record, 27602-031960(tenor)Melodies Of UkraineCanada Piano accompaniment by Jeannine Lacour Track B2: "O, My Mountain Top" Label: London MLP 100371960(trio)Українські пісні (Ukrainian Songs)Lviv, UkrSSR Track 3: "Oi vershe mi, vershe" Label: Melodiya – D 6499–65001965(mezzo-soprano)Ой верше мій, верше (Oy Vershe Miy, Vershe)New York, USA Piano accompaniment by Kalyna Chichka-Andriyenko. Recorded at a concert for Ukrainian composers in exile.1965O. Nikolishyna, R. Korobkina, N. Fomenko, M. Bayko (quartet)Ой верше мій, верше (Oy Vershe Miy, Vershe)UkrSSR Arranged by Central State Film, Photo and Phonoarchives of Ukraine1970Kvitka CisykIvanku and Other Favorite Songs of Young UkrainiansNew York, USA Track A5: "My High Mountain" Label: Midney – P-01021986"Lemkovyna" EnsembleСпіває «Лемковина» ("Lemkovyna" Ensemble Singing)UkrSSR Track B1: "Ой Верше Мій, Верше" Arranged by Yaroslav Yaroslavenko Label: Melodiya C30 23677 0051989Kvitka CisykTwo ColorsUSA & Canada Track 10: "Верше, мій верше" ("I Sing to the Hills")