Ukrainian priest and composer.
Biography.
Ivan Dutsko was born in 1867 near Drohobych, in the family of Father Andrii and Rosaliya Dutsko. He grew up in a priestly family, and inherited from his parents his faith in the Lord, love for his native land, the Ukrainian people, and its traditions.
He graduated from the Drohobych Gymnasium and studied at the Przemysl Theological Seminary. In 1893, he married Mykhailyna Dolzhytska and was ordained a priest shortly afterward.
He first served as a pastor in Kukezov and Krekhov, and in 1898 in the town of Belzec. Since 1908, he served the faithful of the Church of St. Paraskevia Friday in the village of Malnivska Volia. He had a colorful voice, conducted well, played the piano, and provided accompaniment. He came up with the idea of creating a church choir in the village, and soon the parishioners, under the direction of the local school principal Dmytro Bonko, accompanied all the services, performed church and folk songs.
Creativity
The song "God, look at our land" by Ivan Dutsko and Ostap Nyzhankivskyi from the Vienna edition of 1916.
Father Ivan Dutsko wrote poetry, composed music for some of it, and performed it with a choir. Among his works are "Heavenly, Beautiful," "I Believe, O Lord," "I Will Receive the Body of Christ," "Open the Royal Gates," "With One Heart and Mouth," "A Lily Bloomed in Nazareth," "O Our Heavenly Jesus," "My People, My People," "This Day," "God, Look at Our Land," and others. Many of Ivan Dutsko's works are considered folk songs.
In 1906, Fr. Ivan's first collection "The Singer. A Collection of New Church Folk Songs" with 24 pieces was published, in which the authorship of the funeral song "I Leave You, Thresholds" and the works "Suffering Mother," "God is with Us," and the carol "News in Bethlehem" was attested.
Fr. Ivan Dutsko's collections of spiritual songs were published in Zhovkva as separate editions in 1924 and 1926.
He was fond of chess and had a wide circle of acquaintances, including Ivan Franko. He initiated the construction of a new church in Malnivska Volia, drew up the project himself and personally supervised the construction; the church of St. Paraskeva Pyatnitsa was dedicated in 1928.
In the fall of 1932, he fell seriously ill; on Christmas Day, 1933, he was still brought to church. He died on January 19, 1933, and was buried in the churchyard in front of the entrance to the church of St. Paraskeva Pyatnitsa.
