About this work:
Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko (????´? ?????´????? ?????´???) was a
Ukrainian poet, writer, artist, public and political figure. The father of modern
Ukrainian literature, Shevchenko is also known for many masterpieces as a
painter and an illustrator. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with my
mind churning about the horrors taking place daily in Ukraine, I ordered a copy of
Shevchenko’s collected poems, his Kobzar. His poem “Testament” seemed to be a
perfect expression of the Ukrainian desire for freedom from oppression and foreign
rule, and thus perfect as a poem for me to set to music as Ukraine again falls prey
to violence.