A Ukrainian Prayer

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John writes:

‘How can a composer respond to a global tragedy? By writing music is the most obvious thing. Like everybody, I’ve been shocked and dismayed by the events of recent days, and the first thing I wanted to do was write some music that would respond in my own way.

I went to a late night service in my old college chapel, where they sang a setting of a lovely Ukrainian prayer. So, having encountered the text in another musical setting on Wednesday night, on Thursday, I wrote my own music. I hope the meaning of the text will resonate in people’s hearts. 

I had the opportunity to put it together at very short notice with a wonderful group of 300 people (at a workshop I was leading in Wandsworth, London) which still speaks with my own voice, but in terms that reach out to the Ukrainian people in their hour of need.’

Listen to A Ukrainian Prayer on YouTube:

Боже, Україну храни
Дай нам силу, вірі, й надії
Отче наш, Отче наш
Амінь

A literal translation of the text is:

Good Lord, protect Ukraine.
Give her strength, courage, faith, hope. Amen.

The score is available for free by submitting this form. You are welcome to duplicate the score for the sole use of your own choir. You may like to make a donation to a Ukrainian relief charity, perhaps equivalent to the approximate cost of the copies had you purchased them. If you wish, you are free to make an audio or video recording of the piece without a special licence to do so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

90 Responses to “A Ukrainian Prayer”

  1. Christine Dowdell

    Please send me a digital copy of the score please.
    Donation made in Canada to the Ukrainian Humanitarian Aid program

    Thank you for this timely work, John.

  2. Ina te Kloeze

    Dear mr Rutter,

    Thank you for this song,
    Would you please send me a copy from this song?
    So we can sing this number .
    Our choir will thank you for send a copy and this song
    Thanks
    Ina te Kloeze

  4. Rev Wilson Fong

    Greetings from the Kowloon City Baptist Church in Hong Kong. I would like the digital copy for my church choir. The city is in the lockdown at the moment, but we will manage to sing this prayer.

  5. Vialan Jeannine

    I can just say “thank you ” and as a French singer in a choir I wish we could perform it
    How could we get a copy, please

  6. Brian Mason

    Dear John Rutter
    We have sung much of your music for many years, my U3A choir love it.
    The invasion of Ukraine and the systematic destruction of their country has shocked the world. I was so pleased this evening to hear you had written your beautiful Prayer for Ukraine.
    I would love to receive a copy please and to get my choir to sing it.
    Many thanks for all your music and God bless you.

  7. Youjin lee

    Dear Sir,

    Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful music.
    I hope this tragedy ends soon and hope that music helps people to recover from this horrible war..

    I would love introduce this beautiful music to my church children choir. Would it be possible to receive the copy of music? Would be lovely if they could sing this music!

    Thank you

    Sincerely

  8. Maura Lucey

    You have composed a beautiful piece of music. Thank you.
    I would appreciate a digital copy.

  10. Kevin Johnson

    I would like a copy of A Ukrainian Prayer for my choir. Thank you.

  11. Susan Long

    My church is your music. Your Rutter Requiem is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. I now stand with Ukraine and love your Prayer for Ukraine. I would love to download the music to my mp3 player so I can continue to listen and stand with those strong people of Ukraine.

  12. Johannes Höing

    I would love to do this with one of my choirs! Could I get the score somehow?

  13. Kevin Dewey

    I love this piece, and I think it’s super appropriate. I look forward to learning it with Vanguard Voices in Dearborn, Michigan, USA. I appreciate the transliteration and translation, but I haven’t been able to find the actual text, in cyrillic Ukrainian. Can you please provide that?

  14. Rose Capp

    Dear John and JR team
    What a beautiful piece of music; my Australian community choir would love to sing this as part of a fundraising event we are planning to support a Ukranian aid organisation. We would be very grateful if you could forward a digital copy.
    Thanks for all the joy that your music has brought to choirs and the broader community over the decades…it is needed now more than ever before.
    Warm regards
    Rose

  15. Judy

    Thank you so much for praying for Ukraine with your beautiful and touching music. Thank you for sharing and that did let choir members all over the world could sing and pray. Please send us a digital copy of the score. Thank you!

  16. Ralph Hughes

    I would like a score to use with the Sacramento Master Singers. Thank you for writing the piece.

  17. Isaac Lee

    Dear Mr Rutter,
    With your permission, I wish to use this hymn as the introduction hymn for my Church’s Zoom Rosary Prayer session on Mar 25. We will credit the works to you and the singers. Thank you.

  18. Marie Severing

    Breathtaking music! Thank you for creating this touching piece. How can we get a digital copy to perform at our church, Cargill United Methodist Church, Janesville, Wisconsin, USA?

  19. Graham O'REILLY

    Hello. Is it possible to see somewhere the text in Cyrillic ?

  20. Linda King

    Many blessings and thanks for the music that comes from your soul. How do I obtain the SATB music for “A Ukrainian Prayer”? This would be meaningful for me to add this to my repertoire for performing. Prayers and tears for the Ukrainian people. I have sung under your direction 3 times in Carnagie Hall. Stay well…..Stay Safe.