Ukrains'ka Usna Slovesnist' [Ukrainian Oral Literature].

Fine example of this groundbreaking study of Ukrainian songs and folklore. Filaret Kolessa (1871-was at the forefront of the famous Kolessa family in Galicia, renowned for contributions to ethnography, music and composition. Filaret himself is credited with being the founder of Ukrainian ethnographic musicology by systematically collecting, transcribing, and analysing folk songs, dumas (epic ballads), and melodies from regions including Galicia, Volyn, Lemkivshchyna, and Transcarpathia.

His seminal works documented numerous folk performers' repertoires and established folklore as a key to understanding Ukrainian cultural evolution, dividing it into ancient, medieval, and modern periods. Filaret's compositional output focused on choral genres, including original pieces and arrangements such as 'March of the Ukrainian Riflemen' (1915), which became part of the Ukrainian choral heritage and are still performed today.

First edition, 16mo (17 x 12 cm); 643pp., black & white illustrations throughout, contemporary ownership inscription to upper pastedown, crayon drawing to lower flyleaf, some minor soiling; blue cloth backed printed boards, some wear but overall a very good copy.