I'm really liking these compositions - they are dramatic & full of life, but a little on the melancholy side, like an urgent compulsion to tell a story.

"Melodia on Ukrainian Theme", by Borys Lyatoshynsky (1895-1968) - performed by Katja Dirven-Didychenko on CELLO. 

Here's a haunting piece by Lyatoshynsky (so of course I love it), "String Quartet No. 4 in D minor, Op. 43" (1943), performed by Orchestra Perpetuum Mobile (Bartje Bartmans). 

1. Lento (0:00)

2. Allegretto semplice (6:09)

3. Allegro ben ritmico (8:27)

4. Andante sostenuto (13:12)

5. Allegro scherzando (17:35)

I really LOVE this piece by Myroslav Skoryk, "Carpathian Rhapsody" - performed by Dmytro Udovychenko!  (Artem Lonhinov)

Excerpt from "Ukrainian Folklore Influences in the Music of
Myroslav Skoryk: Historical Background and
Performance Guide to Selected Violin Works" by Iuliia Alyeksyeyeva:

Carpathian Rhapsody for violin and piano differs from Dibrova Zelena in that it is an
original composition, not an arrangement of an existing tune.  However, the piece stands out as a clear representation of folk-inspired music.  Compositional techniques similar to the Dibrova Zelena arrangement are used here: creation of augmented seconds (in this particular piece, the 3rdof the scale is lowered and the 4th of the scale is raised), modal mixtures, and elements of pentatonicism.  In addition, the composer explores an improvisatory aspect of violin playing by referencing to the music of Hungary, with the note “in the style of Franz Liszt”.  He also uses imitative elements of traditional musical instruments such as the zhaleika, a woodwind instrument that is usually tuned in the Mixolydian mode.  An example of this can be found in the running passagework of the piano part, accompanied by a short melodic answers in the solo violin.  Elements of traditional dance music with emphasis on the weak beats are also used to create specific musical effects pertinent to the traditional music of the country.

...more of my lofty aspirations. 🙄