Volume 81: Pokuttia. The supplement to volumes 29-32 of CWOK

The Complete Works vol. 81: Pokuttia. The supplement to volumes 29-32 of CWOK. Collected from the manuscripts and printed sources and edited by A. Skrukwa, musicological editing A. Kustra. Poznań 2008, pp. LXII+378, 4 illustrations.

Published under the scientific auspices of the Polish Academy of Sciences financed by the  Minister of Science and Higher Education and the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

Volume 81 is a supplement of the four-volume monograph of Pokuttia, published by Kolberg in the years 1882-90. Pokuttia is one of the regions of western Ukraine, situated between the Czarnohora range and rivers Czeremosh and Dniester. The volumes published by Kolberg describe the so called Lower Pokuttia (regions of Kołomyja and Kuty), whereas the material related to the upper part of Pokuttia were not included.

The volume is divided into several parts which differ in their character. The first one comprises a rather small complement to the Kolberg’s monograph. It contains only 64 songs and melodies (most of the unpublished texts from Pokuttia was added to the volumes related to the Carpathian Ruthenia (volumes 54-55 of CWOK). Commentaries discuss the results of the analysis of Kolberg’s manuscripts and references. A very important part of commentaries are appendices. They include, among other things, questions about customs, beliefs etc. put by Kolberg to W. Przybysławski, as well as two reviews of ‘Pokuttia’, along with relevant correspondence and a reply. The appendices explain or illustrate different problems which rise in the course of the preparation of ‘Pokuttia’, as well as characterize Kolberg’s editorial method in the last decade of his work. 

The introduction illustrates the course of his field research in Pokuttia, his preparatory work for the publication of this monograph, his relationships with co-workers and the condition of manuscripts.

The references and indexes (of geographical names and first lines of songs) which close this volume encompass the four volumes of the Pokuttia monograph as well as the supplementary volume 81.