Musical nationalism arose as a response to the dominance of German and Italian models. Composers turned to folklore, folk modes, dance rhythms, and historical subjects to create art with a distinct national face. In Bohemia it was Smetana and Dvořák, in Norway Grieg, in Finland Sibelius, in Spain Albéniz and de Falla — each drawing on its own people's songs, dances, and history.
The father of the Ukrainian national school is Mykola Lysenko — he studied folk song scientifically, created the opera Taras Bulba, the work Natalka Poltavka, and cycles of art songs on Shevchenko's words. His mission was continued by Kyrylo Stetsenko, Mykola Leontovych, and Stanyslav Liudkevych, laying the foundation of the professional music of an independent Ukraine.
