Is Folk Music a Flashback to the Past or a Promise for the Future?
By Ganna Goncharenko
Music is an universal language that transcends borders and time. Sometimes, ethnic compositions find a “second life” far beyond their homeland, transforming into globally recognized masterpieces. Did you know that the famous aria “Summertime” by American composer George Gershwin was likely influenced by the Ukrainian lullaby “Kolyskova”, first published in 1837 in the almanac “Rysalka Dnistova”? It is these fascinating cultural intersections that this study aims to explore. Ethnic music is often associated with something ancient and somewhat outdated. Every phenomenon in the world has its own parameters: in the case of folklore and folk songs, these are semantics, verse structure, rhythm, scope of the poem, musical form and intonation basis.
In my opinion, we return to folk songs in times of change or in need of inner support, when a return to our roots becomes a basic necessity. Why can folklore serve as a source of support, and what do we today actually consider to be folklore? Why should something that seems outdated and out of step with the times be regarded as a foundation for the future? Folklore preserves collective memory, traditions, and values of a people, combining the past, the present, and the potential of the future. It reflects the spiritual state of society, shapes national identity, and serves as a living form of cultural self-expression. Today, folklore includes not only songs and tales, but also ritual practices, urban legends, anecdotes, and even internet memes. Its remarkable ability to preserve historical experience and remain a support for the community will be further examined in this article.
During my master studies in Berlin, I investigated how music can contribute to the formation of cultural identity and how cultural identity is reflected in music. I tried to show structural connections between Ukrainian music and cultural identity. It was with great interest that I analysed the music of the second half of the twentieth century, because certain musicians of this period became classics of Ukrainian music and the reflection of the ethnocultural code in it. I had to revisit the cultural conditions in which Ukraine found itself at that time and reimagine the scope of music in Ukrainian culture in order to compare it then and now. This essay examines what the cultural function of ethnic music is and why it resonates in other countries and inspires foreign composers when it goes through stages of modernisation.
Therefore, I compared the musical creations of two selected Ukrainian musicians, Volodymyr Ivasjuk (1949–1979)[1] and Kvitka Cisyk (1953–1998)[2], with other musical works. I chose these two artists for a reason. Their work served as a form of cultural resistance to Soviet ideology, as it promoted the image of Ukraine as an independent and unique nation. For this pro-Ukrainian stance, Volodymyr Ivasyuk was murdered in 1979, and Kvitka Cisyk became effectively “banned” — her music was censored, suppressed, or outright prohibited in the USSR. Kvitka’s artistic legacy posed a challenge to the Soviet regime, as her work enriched the treasury of Ukrainian folk culture and introduced a fresh impetus to the nation’s musical tradition. By highlighting the uniqueness of Ukrainian cultural expression, she helped to assert Ukraine’s identity as a distinct nation with its own culture, worldview, and national consciousness. Ivasjuk’s musical works reject the clichés that portray Ukrainian culture as secondary or provincial. Kvitka Cisyk, on the other hand, has managed to modernize Ukrainian folklore while preserving all the authentic elements of Ukrainian culture and history.
What was so frightening about Ukrainian music – after all, it is just a song, beginning and ending in a few minutes, isn’t it? But that’s precisely where its power lies. In folklore, in its intonations, rhythms, even in the very modal structure of Ukrainian songs, one finds encoded ethnic memory and national identity. This is a non-verbal form of a people’s self-expression – one that does not need political slogans to speak of freedom, land, pain, love, and resistance. Music awakens the collective unconscious, creating an emotional bond that can connect people across cultures, even if they are not familiar with the specific origins of the piece. It unites listeners, preserves generational memory, and conveys emotions that are difficult to express in words. For example, “Carol of the Bells” (the American version arranged by Peter Wilhousky in 1936) is a Christmas hit worldwide, yet its roots lie in Ukrainian folklore, demonstrating how folk music can transcend cultural boundaries while still reflecting its cultural origins.

The Soviet authorities understood this all too well. Wherever they could not ‘re-educate’ through ideology, they tried to erase or neutralize through censorship and bans – because a living song can unite more powerfully than any slogan. Ukrainian music was feared for this reason: it preserved freedom even when words were already silenced. I realized that identity is not something given to us by nature, nor is it simply something that happens to us. It is a process of conscious formation, a continuous choice and reevaluation of the values we identify with. Identity is born in dialogue with culture, language, collective memory, and personal experience. Especially in challenging historical moments, when the surrounding reality questions who we are, identity manifests most sharply. Through art, music, and language, we do not merely preserve our identity – we actively create it. I initially believed that folklore was a fixed cultural code. But over time, I came to understand that its true strength lies in its fluidity and its ability to reflect both historical trauma and collective hope. This realization was an unexpected yet transformative discovery for me. The connection between music and cultural identity mostlyhas a political aspect. At the same time, music is not a clear and unambiguous criterion for classifying a particular group as belonging to a particular culture or sociological group.
I drew on the works of the cultural scientist Aleida Assmann and the achievements of the Sofia Grytsa – one of the leading musicologists and ethnologists studying Ukrainian folklore. Grytsa introduced the concept of “paradigms”[3] and the “way of thinking of the environment”[4] into the study of folklore.[5] She interprets a “paradigm” as a model that works for a certain time, fulfills its social function and can later be replaced by another. According to Grytsa, a single folk song may exist in multiple variants shaped by different historical periods. These transformations are not coincidental; rather, they reflect the socio-cultural context of the time. Thus, while preserving its structural and thematic core, the folk song evolves, serving as a dynamic marker of the historical moment in which it is performed or transmitted. Grytsas work is based on the introduction of the concept of the “ethnocultural code” into Ukrainian folk music. She further points out that the melody of the song in a closed environment resembles an ethnic code. Signs of such coding can be observed when studying ethnic minorities. When they move to different living conditions, their basic ethno-cultural code is reflected in various manifestations of their lives and creative activities.
In more modern times, within the context of civilizational progress, the original strain of song creativity has unfolded and become more complex through the heterogeneity of poetic and melodic forms.[6] Grytsa’s theory of the “way of thinking of the environment” is based on the conviction that the general tendencies of folk music within a given community are stronger than the traits a song acquires according to its specific function — for example, ritual, festive, or everyday. Here, “environment” refers to the socio-cultural context, that is, the living conditions and traditions of the community in which the song originates and is performed. Nowadays, the deep historical significance of logical figures (these are ways of thinking that help to understand how folk music functions, what patterns and traditions it contains, and how it reflects the life and culture of the people who create and perform it.) in folk songs is studied by only a few ethnomusicologists.[7]
According to Grytsa, the logical figures of Ukrainian musical folklore are perceived as primitive, having a sensual and psychological component and are deeply encoded in the form of logical and rhythmic figures.[8] The paradox in the development of modern culture lies in the fact that it seeks to reassert purely cultural or traditional elements that have often been marginalized in the process of globalization. It can be concluded that music is a distinctive indicator in the formation of a nation’s historical and cultural image, while also serving as one of the most powerful means of national education. A significant contribution to the study of ethnic music was made by Anatolij Ivanyc’kyj, who, in his works, thoroughly explored the historical development of Ukrainian musical folklore, its genre system, its functioning across various ethnographic regions, and its role in both everyday and ritual life. His comprehensive study “Ukrainian Musical Folklore” (2004) is especially noteworthy, offering an analytical overview of traditional song genres, performance practices, and the connection between folklore and broader historical and cultural processes.[9]
The reflection of the processes of cultural and historical changes of a particular ethnic group and the dynamics of its development in various spheres of life can also be traced through ethnic music. In the history of Ukrainian culture we can find a number of phenomenal cases when a folk song modified by another ethnic group (or even another country) became more valuable and understandable for Ukrainians, and even became a “world brand” (such as “Carol of the Bells” by Peter J. Wilhousky in 1936). From these considerations, it follows that the processes of change and development of folk music in ethnic groups, as well as its adaptation to political and social factors, are in constant motion, making it possible to trace the dynamics of its significance and influence.
When we talk about large crowds and the crisis function that folk music can have for people united by a certain characteristic, several functions come to the fore, one of which is the unifying function. This function can be viewed from different angles, for example, at times when a person’s usual “life patterns” break down, or when family members views diverge and the individual is at the epicenter of an increasing amplitude of crisis. Let us imagine, for example, an abstract scale of human states, at one end of which is the feeling of insecurity and loneliness, and at the other – the feeling of belonging to something greater, which is difficult to grasp but can be felt in small groups of people.
Let us look at the transformation of folk songs, for example, the albums of Ukrainian folk songs performed by Kvitka Сіsyk in 1970 (“Ivanku”), 1980 (“Kvitka – Songs of Ukraine”), and 1989 (“Kvitka – Two Colors”): The material was doubled beyond the templates of traditional folklore sound, which makes them popular among Ukrainians to this day, especially those who feel “cut off from their roots”.Kvitka, as part of the Ukrainian diaspora in America, through her music provided migrants with a sense of belonging and a connection to their cultural roots, demonstrating the high spiritual potential of folk music and the principles embedded in Ukraine’s cultural and musical traditions, which reflect its values, norms, and way of life, as well as the development of the cultural foundations of the ethnic community.
The desire of a nation to return to its folkloric background is observed especially in times of political or cultural crisis. Currently, there is a marked resurgence of ethnic sentiment and interest in traditional culture in Ukraine, which intensified significantly after 2022. This surge was largely sparked by the performance of the Kalush Orchestra at the Eurovision Song Contest, where their song celebrated Ukrainian identity, language, and resilience amid ongoing challenges. The event not only brought international attention to Ukraine’s cultural heritage but also inspired a renewed sense of pride and unity within the country, leading to a broader revival of folk traditions, music, and national symbols among diverse age groups. In my opinion, addressing the challenges of both globalization (such as dependence on international corporations and the informational influence of global media) and self-identification will help clarify Ukraine’s true strategic priorities, which are a necessary component for the development of Ukrainian society.
It can be said that traditional culture develops from the earliest stages of ethnic communities and continually generates new forms of collective memory over time. Folklorists usually understand folklore as something that exists and develops during a certain time and under certain conditions. This means that stories, songs, or traditions are repeated and passed down from generation to generation, often across different cultures. This repetition shows that folklore contains common themes and ideas that help preserve cultural heritage and connect people’s experiences. Furthermore, the question arises as to whether folklore can be used as a perspective for the cultural rediscovery of Ukraine. Research in the field of Ukrainian music, especially ethnic music, allows not only to trace the dynamics of changes and development of a particular ethnic group, but also to identify new functions and possibilities of folk music, to look at it from a new angle and to “update” its role and functions.
Notes
[1] Volodymyr Ivasjuk (1949–1979) was a Ukrainian composer, poet, and performer, and one of the founding figures of modern Ukrainian popular music. He is best known for the iconic song “Chervona Ruta”, which became a symbol of Ukrainian national identity. Ivasjuk’s music challenged Soviet cultural narratives by promoting Ukrainian language and culture. His untimely and suspicious death in 1979 – officially ruled a suicide – has been widely regarded as politically motivated.
[2] Kvitka Cisyk (1953–1998) was an American singer of Ukrainian descent who combined classical vocal training with a deep connection to Ukrainian folk music. She recorded two influential albums of Ukrainian songs: Kvitka – Songs of Ukraine (1980) and Kvitka – Two Colors (1989). Her work remains a cultural touchstone for the Ukrainian diaspora, celebrated for its emotional depth and refined vocal artistry, which helped modernize and preserve Ukrainian musical heritage.
[3] Grytsa, Sofija. Paradigmatyčna pryroda folkloru. Narodna tvorčist’ ta etnologija, 2017, 12.
[4] Grytsa, Sofija. Paradigmatyčna pryroda folkloru. Narodna tvorčist’ ta etnologija, 2017, 14.
[5] Grytsa, Sofija. “The Paradoxes of Modern Culture (Interaction Dynamics of Collective‑Individual and Individual‑Collective One).” Bulletin of Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. Series in Musical Art 5, no. 1 (2022): 88.
[6] Melos is a term used to define melody as a means of expression, with particular attention to its emotional, intonational, and artistic content. It is characteristic of a specific culture or historical period and reflects its distinctive style of melodic thinking.
[7] For example Anatolij Ivanyc’kyj, Ludmila Efremovа, Іgor Klymenko.
[8] Grytsa, Sofija. “The Paradoxes of Modern Culture (Interaction Dynamics of Collective‑Individual and Individual‑Collective One).” Bulletin of Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. Series in Musical Art 5, no. 1 (2022): 85.
[9] Ivanyc’kyj, Anatolij. “Obrjadovyj muzyčnyj fol’klor Seredn’oї Naddniprjančšyny.” Narodna tvorčist’ ta etnologija (2015): 9.
About the Author
Ganna Goncharenko is a graduate of the Journalism Faculty of the Ternopil National Pedagogical University, Ukraine. She received her Master’s degree from Humboldt University in Berlin at the Department of Culture and Literature of Central and Eastern Europe. She is currently doing her PhD at the Viadrina University Frankfurt (Oder), Department of Cultural Studies. Goncharenko’s research focuses on Ukrainian folk music, its history, development and ethno-sociological functions.
Citation: Ganna Goncharenko, Is Folk Music a Flashback to the Past or a Promise for the Future?, in: TRAFO – Blog for Transregional Research, 06.11.2025, https://trafo.hypotheses.org/62281
OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Forum Transregionale Studien (November 6, 2025). Is Folk Music a Flashback to the Past or a Promise for the Future? TRAFO – Blog for Transregional Research. Retrieved December 6, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/153n5


