Lirnyks

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Image - Kobzars' and lirnyks' gathering after a concert in Kyiv (( november 1926).

Image - A Lirnyk and his family near Romen in Sumy region (1920s).

Image - Two unknown lirnyks (Kyiv, 1939).

Lirnyks. Wandering folk minstrels, often blind, who accompanied themselves on a lira. They appeared in Ukraine in the 15th century and had formed a guild by the end of the 17th century. There were special schools for them. Their repertoire consisted mainly of religious songs, although humorous and satirical songs were also popular. Some lirnyks specialized in historical songs and dumas. The lifestyle of lirnyks (as well as kobzars) is described by N. Kononenko in Ukrainian Minstrels: And the Blind Shall Sing (1998).

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 3 (1993).]

Image - A lirnyk with his guide (1910s).

Image - An unknown lirnyk (1910, near Poltava).

List of related links from Encyclopedia of Ukraine pointing to Lirnyks entry:

1 Bards 2 Chumak songs 3 Duma 4 Khotkevych, Hnat 5 Kobzars 6 Kvitka, Klyment 7 Lavrov, Fedir 8 Lira 9 Lirnyk 10 Malynka, Oleksander 11 Minstrels 12 Poles in Ukraine 13 Studynsky, Kyrylo 14 Varlaam i Ioasaf

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