Israeli folksongs
Hora
Origin of the term
Cute Boy, Charming Girl: Children's Songs of the Modern Hebrew Nation (1882-1948)
Researcher
Editor
Cute Boy, Charming Girl: Children’s Songs of the Modern Hebrew Nation(1882-1948) presents Hebrew songs written for and sung by Jewish children in pre-state Israel. The selection represents highlights in the development of this genre in the first half of the twentieth century. It includes poems by canonical poets that were set to music by professional composers, songs by amateur poets and composers, translated songs, and borrowed melodies.
Material Type:
Recordings
Year:
2013
Yechidi Laderech Li Etse'a
"Alone I set out on the road," wrote Lermontov, the great Russian poet, in 1841. This line has been sung many times, as it came from the very popular Russian romance, "Vyhozhu odin ja na dorogu" (Alone I set out on the road). The song travelled all the way from Russia to Israel during the second Aliya, which consisted of many Russian immigrants. These immigrants, who left their homes in Europe and arrived in a desolate country in the Middle East, could feel themselves as the lonely traveler of this romantic song.
Shirim Leyeladim (songs for children)
Composer
Hebrew title: שירים לילדים Children's songs composed by Joel Walbe, and written by Hebrew poets: N. Alterman, H.N. Bialik, S. Tchernichovsky, L. Kipnis, S. Bas, L. Goldberg, D. Shim'onovitch, M. Dafna, A. Shlonski and Y. Orland. Songs for holidays, dance songs and nature songs.
Material Type:
Scores
Year:
1947
Kumu ve-Nashir
Composer
For one voice, with chordal accompaniment. Songs of various poets, Hebrew lyrics under the notes and separately.
Material Type:
Scores
Year:
1971
El Ha-Ma'ayan (to the fountain): Children's Songs
Composer
This collection consists of musical settings by Amiran of poems by various poets.
Material Type:
Songsters
Year:
1979
Yehiel 'Adaki
Jewish Yemenite singer who worked for the conservation of Yemenite singing in Palestine and Israel
Yehiel 'Adaki was born in Manakhah in 1903 to Aharon and Margalit 'Adaki. The family originated from Sana'a, but Yehiel's paternal grandfather left due to starvation in Sana'a, and worked in the Herez region as a goldsmith...
1903-1980
Emanuel Zamir
Emanuel Zamir was a unique figure in the field of Hebrew Folksong (Zemer Ivri). He was born in Petakh Tikva, to parents who were among the founders of the colony. At an early age, he was influenced by the songs of composer Matitiyahu Shelem of Kibbutz Ramat-Yochanan.
Yizhak Edel
Israeli composer and educator
1896-1973
- A Polka Mazurka
- Niggun of the Meggid of Mezerich From the album, "The Hasidic Niggun as Sung by the Hasidim." This dance niggun is the seventh and last in a series of niggunim sung by Bratslav Hasidim as they dance after the Shabbat evening service on Friday night. Some have attributed the niggun to R. Dov Ber, the meggid of Mezerich.
- Kol B'ru'ei (Padua, Italy) From the album, "Italian Jewish Musical Traditions from the Leo Levi Collection (1954-1961)." The poem depicts "all creatures" singing and praising the unity of God, and was recited in the Italian rite during the daily morning prayer. This melody was sung only on Rosh Hashanah (New Year) in the Italian tradition of Padua.
- Yigdal From the album, "Judeo-Carribean Currents, Music of the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue in Curaçao," performed by Gideon Zelermyer. The Yigdal is part of the ceremonial section of the liturgical order of Shabbat and the Holy Days in the Curaçao synagogue. It is one of the ending hymns of the service.
- Eres Chiquita y Bonita From the album, "Judeo-Spanish Moroccan Songs for the Life Cycle," sung by Alicia Bendayan from Tetuan. This is a song about courtship, related to the Jewish rituals that mark the events of the life cycle.
- Sweet Shalt Be My Chant From the album, "Kulmus Hanefesh," performed by Yair Harel on voice and tar, and Matti Kovler on voice and piano. A sacred hymn attributed to Rabbi Yehuda ha-Chasid, this is a Chabad tune with a near-Eastern arrangement.
- Lyr II From the album, "The Music of the Mountain Jews." Lyr is a genre found among all Turkish peoples, consisting of long, complex compositions usually comprised of three parts.
- Gilu ha-Galilim (Rejoice Galileans) From the album, "Nights in Canaan, Early Songs of the Land of Israel (1882-1946)." This is a Second Aliyah (1904-1914) song which became an integral part of the historical repertoire of Hebrew song. Both native-born and newly arrived pioneers sang this song in all circumstances.
- Saperi Tama From the album, "With Songs They Respond: The Diwan of the Jews from Central Yemen." This is a girdle poem by Se'adia ben Amram. Saperi Tama is sung to many melodies and is one of Yemenite Jewry's most common poems.