Mendele: Yiddish literature and language
______________________________________________________
Contents of Vol. 6.216
February 3, 1997

1) Yidishe dueten-lider (Bernard Katz)
2) Yiddish in Paris (Nikki Halpern)
3) YIVO, Yizkor books, and English translations (Dan Leeson)

1)----------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 1997 01:01:43 -0500 (EST)
From: bkatz@uoguelph.ca
Subject: Yidishe dueten-lider

Ikh hob nisht gehat tsayt tsurik ven Lisa Tomlinson hot gefreygt iber
yiddishe dueten (Mendele 6.189) arayntsukiken in mayner bikher un zamlen
a reshime fun azelekhe lider.  Ober 'khob gehat a bisl tsayt haynt, un
dos iz vos ikh hob gefinen (nisht definiteev).  I didn't have time back
when Lisa Tomlinson asked about duets in Yiddish (Mendele 6.189) to look
through my books and gather together a list of such songs.  But I had a
bit of time today, and here's what I found (not definitive).

Songs clearly written for two singers (male and female) in duet style.

1. Riddle songs - like the one offered by Chane Honig (6.191, Jan.
   7/97), including the well-known "Tum balalayka" (can be done as a
   trio too) and "Lomir alle zingen, a zemerel" (R. Rubin, _A Treasury
   of Jewish folksong_), where questions and answers are sung as
   separate parts.

2. "Nem aroys a ber fun vald" (Rubin, _Treasury_), which moves beyond
   the riddle song towards the love duet.

3. "Gibn dir mayn tokhter" (Rubin, _Treasury_), for father and daughter.

4. "Oy a nakht, a sheyne!" (E.G. & J. Mlotek, _Pearls of Yiddish song_),
   definitely a love duet.

5. "Nokh a gleyzele tey" (Mordekhai Gebirtig, sung by Ruth Levin and
   Manfred Lamm at the Krakow International Yiddish Festival, April/90,
   and available on CD [Edition Kuenstlertreff EK-17-10-56]). This very
   charming song (duet between wife and husband) may not be well known,
   so I have attempted to transcribe it, not always successfully I fear.

      Zi: Berele, mayn libinke, 'khob far dir a bakoshe.
      Er: Merele, mayn libinke, vos iz dayn bakoshe?
      Zi: Ven mit mazel ikh vel hoben a yingele in preygen,
          vil ikh unzer kind zol heysen nokh mayn frume zeyden. (x2)
      Er: Farvos epes nokh dayn zeyden?  Host dokh oykh a daye.
          Host dokh yetst gehat a meydel nokh dayn bobe Laye. (x2)

      Zi: Berele, mayn manele, 'khvil dir epes dermanen.
      Er: Merele, mayn vaybele, vos velst du mikh dermonen?
      Zi: Du fargest az unzer Lenke heyst shoyn nokh dayn zeyden.
          Farvos gloybst du, git di yungen, vakst mir du di mayden? (x2)
      Er: Un du fargest az unzer Nokhum heyst dokh nokh dayn taten.
          Er iz derfar an yinger ober nisht kayn groyser khokhem! (x2)

      Zi: Berele, mayn tayere, 'khvil dir epes zogen.
      Er: Merele, mayn tayere, vos vilst du mir zogen?
      Zi: Vozhe darf men itzikh krigen, nor vil gor der leben,
          vel ikh dafke nokh mayn zeyden s'kind a nomen geyben.
Tsuzamen: Vozhe take itzikh krigen, un on zis tsu reyden,
          Efsher vet do zayn a tsviling, s'ken do zayn tsvay meyden. (x2)


Songs written for a duet, both voices men or women but can be sung solo.

1. "Vos vet zayn az moshiakh vet komen" (Mlotek, _Pearls_; and B. Carp,
   _Jewish centre songster _"), for two males (recorded by Theo Bikel).

2. "Der yunginker shnayderl" (Mlotek, _Pearls_), M.Leib and D.Beigelman,
   for two women (mother and daughter).

3. "Mamenyu mayne" (Mlotek, _Pearls_), Yehoash and M.Gelbart, ditto.

4. "Nokhemke, mayn zun" (Mlotek, _Pearls_), two males (father and son).


Songs that lend themselves to and can be readily adapted to duet singing.

1. "Zol ikh zayn a rov" (Carp, _Jewish_), requires a few textual changes.

2. "Oyfn oyven zitst a maydel" (Rubin, _Treasury_), for male and female.

3. "Zuntig bulbe" (Rubin, _Treasury_), many ways to split into parts.

4. "Dire gelt" (Rubin, _Treasury_), split verses in two, join in chorus.

5. "Lomir zikh iberbeten" (Mlotek, _Pearls_), alternate verses per voice.

6. "Az der rebe tanst" (Mlotek, Pearls_), many ways to split into parts.


Ikh hof az dus vet nutsik zayn.  Hope this proves helpful.

Bernard Katz
North York ON

2)----------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 15:31:55 -0500
From: 101762.3705@compuserve.com
Subject: Yiddish in Paris

http://www.col.fr/yiddish/ is a new website for Yiddish language and
culture in Paris.  Visitors will also find information on Bibliotheque
Medem; Yiddish courses in Paris; Yiddish sentences to read and to hear;
the alphabet; a portrait gallery of Yiddish writers; the newsletters of
the Association for the Diffusion of Yiddish Culture; the newspaper
Tam-Tam; and of course links to others Yiddish sites.

Bonne route.

Nikki Halpern

3)----------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 02 Feb 1997 12:56:43 EST
From: leeson@aspen.fhda.edu
Subject: YIVO, Yizkor books, and English translations

Susan Kray [6.213] kindly reported on her investigations into English
translations of Yiskor books and I am sorry I did not see her note the
first time round.  I've been busy.

The list "Jewishgen" or the Jewish Genealogic Newsboard has three FAQs
on the subject and a committee involved in the translation of Yizkor
books.  I warmly recommend that she subscribe to Jewishgen and go
through the FAQs.   They are reachable both by e-mail and they also have
a nice web site with the FAQs directly viewable there.

Dan Leeson

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