HISTORICAL NOTES for SOLOS FOR TREBLE INSTRUMENT
ESPECIALLY SOPRANO RECORDER
COLLECTION 8: EASTERN EUROPEAN AND JEWISH MELODIES
Arranged/composed by Clark Kimberling
Arrangement titles begin with the letters A-Y.
Composition titles begin with the letter Z.
Most of the 102 solos in Collection 8 can be accessed by clicking SOLOS 8 - but first, read this: the solos occupy 61 pages and may take a minute to download, and your computer must have Acrobat or some other PDF reader. After viewing the solos, you may wish to print them and put them in a notebook. However, before clicking SOLOS 8, you really should browse these Historical Notes.
If you play recorder, flute, violin, or clarinet, you’ll want to take a look at the music itself. Forty-six of the solos in Collection 8 are not included in SOLOS 8; they have been published separately. For details, visit Flute or Recorder.
Contents |
There are 102 solos covered by Historical Notes 8, and 56 of them are in SOLOS 8. That leaves 46 solos that will be published separately, not in SOLOS 8. In the lists below, the 46 solos are indicated by an asterisk (*).
Several solos in Collection 8 are based on Russian melodies found in the following magnificent book, with texts in both Russian and English:
A Collection of Russian Folk Songs
Arranged and compiled by N. A. L'vov (1751-1803) and Ivan Prach (?-1818)
First published in 1806
Republished in 1987 by UMI Research Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Editor: Malcolm Hamrick Brown
Introduction and appendixes: Margarita Mazo
Following are the titles of solos based on melodies in L'vov and Prach:
Against the Red Sun(*)
Ah, We Sowed the Millet(*)
Ah, Why Did It Happen?(*)
Ah, Why Sit So Sadly?(*)
Along the Stone-paved Road(*)
Around the Bush
Aye, on the Mountain an Oak
Aye, under the Cherry Tree
Captain's Daughter, Don't Go Strolling at Midnight(*)
The Cossack Rode Beyond the Danube(*)
Fair-faced Girl(*)
I, a Young Woman, Shall Walk along the Danube(*)
I Bought My Misfortune(*)
I Was Walking in the Meadows(*)
In the Meadows, in the Meadows, Still in the Meadows(*)
Jump Little Rabbit(*)
My Dear, Darling Mother
Near the River, near the Bridge
Oh, Thou Vaniushka(*)
Over the Valleys, over the Mountains(*)
Poppies
Should I Go to the River?(*)
Through the Mountains
Twas in Our Wide Lawn(*)
Twas in the City of Kazan(*)
Two Little Doves in an Oak
Under the Oak, under the Elm
Under the Stone
In addition to those 28 Russian melodies, Collection 8 includes the following:
A GENEYVE(*), a Yiddish title meaning The theft. The whimsical text tells of a thief that broke into "my poor rabbi's house" but managed to steal only some old clothes and seven candelabra.
ADON OLOM, identified as traditional in Friday Evening Melodies, by Rabbi Israel Goldfarb and Samuel Eliezer Goldfarb, Bureau of Jewish Education, New York, 1918.
AT THE GATES(*), Russian folk song, used by Tchaikowsky in his 1812 Overture.
BULGARIAN DANCE, No. 15 in Twenty-five Hebrew Songs and Dances, compiled by J. Fleischmann, arranged for piano by Maurice Gould, Carl Fischer, New York, 1912.
CHATSKELE(*), a wedding-dance song in which the lyrics direct a fiddler named Chatskele to play boldly on behalf of a poor aunt who was belatedly invited to the wedding.
DARK EYES, a well-known Russian song, Otchi Tchorniya, often said to be of gypsy origin. However, it appears that the music was composed by a German...visit Wikipedia.
DU MEYDELE DU SHEYNS, a Yiddish title meaning You pretty little girl. Visit Zemerl.
FOLK SONG, one of hundreds of Hungarian folk songs collected by Bela Bartok. Bela Bartok.
GENZELECH(*), A Yiddish title meaning geese. The lyrics, as found in Ruth Rubin's A Treasury of Jewish Folksong, celebrate a pretty girl tending her geese along the banks of a river.
HAVA NAGILAH(*), one of the most widely known of all Jewish melodies. Visit Wikipedia.
HAYO, HAYA, a Chanukkah song about the wicked king Antiochus, in Ruth Rubin's A Treasury of Jewish Folksong.
HECHALUTZ(*), also known as Zum Gali Gali, a popular Jewish song. Visit Widipedia.
HEVENU SHALOM ALECHEM(*), a Hannukkah song with repeated lyrics meaning "We bring peace to everyone." Visit Zemerl. for lyrics.
HOB ICH A POR OKSN, a children's song in Ruth Rubin's A Treasury of Jewish Folksong. The title, according to some translators, means "I have a pair of oxen," and to others, "I have a pair of poodles." Rubin's clever lyrics, translated into English, begin with "I've a pair of poodles, poodles, And they're chopping noodles, noodles."
HUSHABY MY LITTLE BIRD(*), a lullaby in Anthology of Yiddish Folksongs, vol. 1, by A. Vinkovetsky. A. Kovner, and S. Leichter, The Magnes Press, Jerusalem, 1983.
IN THE FIELD STOOD A BIRCH(*), a Russian folk song made popular worldwide by its inclusion in Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4, f minor, opus 36.
JANKA, a Bulgarian folk melody, no. 53 in Südslawische Volkslieder, compiled and edited by Heinrich Möller, Schott Music Corp., New York. A footnote indicates that the melody was published in B. Trischkoff, Bulgar. Volklieder, Trojan, 1910.
KAZ DZIEDAJA(*), a Latvian folk melody which has, in recent years, found its way into many hymnals.
KOLOMEYKA(*), in Elizabeth Burchenal's Folk-Dances and Singing Games, G. Schirmer, New York, 1922.
MARCHE SLAV(*), a Yugoslavic folk song, widely known from its use in Tchaikovsky's orchestral piece Marche Slave, completed in 1876. Earliest known publication of the folk song, with first words translated as "The sun does not shine," may have been in 1879. See Fuld for details.
MARI OF VOLGA(*), a Hungarian folk melody in Imogen Holst's Tune, Faber & Faber, London, 1962.
MAYN YINGELE(*), a Yiddish title meaning My little one. Visit Zemerl for Yiddish lyrics.
MAZEL TOF, No. 24 in Twenty-five Hebrew Songs and Dances, compiled by J. Fleischmann, arranged for piano by Maurice Gould, Carl Fischer, New York, 1912.
OT AZOY NEYT A SHNAYDER, a Yiddish title meaning This is how a tailor stitches."
OVER THE FOREST, THE LOVELY FOREST, a Lithuanian love-song sung by Mrs. Elena Žulienė in Toronto, Nov. 11, 1967, published by Kenneth Peacock in A Garland of Rue, National Museums of Canada, 1971.
POLKA MAZURKA(*), based on a dance melody in The Ultimate Klezmer.
POLKA ONE(*), based on a dance melody entitled Polish Polka in The Ultimate Klezmer. The polka is a lively couple-dance, probably of Czech origin - the Czech word polka means Polish woman. The polka was danced in Prague as early as 1837, and soon spread to Paris, London, and the United States. (Many polkas are included in Collections 1, 4, and 5.)
POLKA TWO(*), based on a dance melody entitled Polish Polka in The Ultimate Klezmer.
POLKA THREE(*), based on a dance melody entitled Polish Polka in The Ultimate Klezmer.
RUNO-LAULU, a Finnish song form, or runo-song, often for a dance. Visit Rune-singing.
SHA, SHTIL, MACHT NISHT KAYN GERUDER!(*) in Ruth Rubin's A Treasury of Jewish Folksong. Translation of the Yiddish title: Quite, be still!, in preparation for the rabbi's turn to dance. The final verse:
And when the rabbi chants
His holy melody,
He sends the Devil
To his misery!
TRINK BRUDER, TRINK OYS!(*) folksong popularized by Mordechai Gebirtig (1877-1942). The Yiddish title means Drink, brother, drink up."
VARNITCHKES,(*) a song in Anthology of Yiddish Folksongs, vol. 3, by A. Vinkovetsky. A. Kovner, and S. Leichter, The Magnes Press, Jerusalem, 1985. Varnitchkes are a type of Jewish pasta made from noodles, kashe, and spices. (For various recipes, google "Varnitchkes".) Visit Zemerl for Yiddish lyrics.
VOLGA BOATMEN'S SONG, a famous Russian song. Visit
Wikipedia.
THE WINTER(*), composed by Mark Varshavsky (1848-1907), published in Anthology of Yiddish Folksongs, vol. 3, by A. Vinkovetsky. A. Kovner, and S. Leichter, The Magnes Press, Jerusalem, 1985. Visit Mark Warshavsky.
YISRAEL V'ORAITA(*), a well-known Jewish melody in Hasidic style but of mysterious origin; published as early as 1942 in Harry Coopersmith's Songs of Zion. Found in several Christian hymnals with name Torah Song.
YOU CAN'T SAY I GREW UP GLOOMY, a Lithuanian love-song sung by Miss Elsa Jankute in Toronto, June 19, 1967, published by Kenneth Peacock in A Garland of Rue, National Museum of Man (Canada), 1971. The words tell of a man's sweetheart, his going to war, and his return. Translation of first stanza:
You can't say I grew up gloomy,
Because I loved them all,
Though I wanted only one.
ZACCATO-ZUSAHNA, solos composed for this collection by Clark Kimberling, 2004-2007. Many of these are touched by Eastern European or Jewish influence. A list follows:
Zaccato, Zactissimo, Zahm Chicka, Zalapeenya, Zapacho, Zapanska, Zapunzel, Zarah, Zasani, Zatashka, Zella Braight, Zerika, Ze Trillo, Zettle, Zhash Khash, Zhimilla, Zhrushka, Zipolla, Zisk Kohvi, Zitanza, Zlavik, Zoda Didi Du Didi Du Da Da, Zonetti, Z'Polska 1, Z'Polska 2, Z'Polska 3, Z'Polska 4, Z'Polska 5, Z'Polska 6, Z'Polska 7, Z'Polska 8, Z'Polska 9, Z'Polska 10, Zusa, Zusahna, Zypsy
James J. Fuld, The Book of World-Famous Music: Classical, Popular and Folk, 3rd ed., Dover, New York, 1985.
Joshua Horowitz, arranger/editor, The Ultimate Klezmer," Tara Publications, Owing Mills, Maryland, 2001. Originally entitled International Hebrew Wedding Music, published by Nat Kostakowsky, Brooklyn, New York, 1916.
N. A. L'vov and Ivan Prach, collectors, A Collection of Russian Folk Songs, 1806; republished UMI Research Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1987
Velvel Pasternak, Edward Kalendar, editor and arranger, The Ultimate Jewish Piano Book, Tara Publications, Owing Mills, Maryland, 1998.
Ruth Rubin, A Treasury of Jewish Folksong, Schocken Books, New York, 1950; third printing, 1976.
A. Vinkovetsky, A. Kovner, S. Leichter, Anthology of Yiddish Folksongs, seven vols., Mount Scopus Publications, Jerusalem, 1983-1987.
Folk Music
Russian Folk Music
Ethnic Russian Music
Jewish Music Research Centre
Instrumental Resources
European Recorder Teachers Association UK
American Recorder Society
National Flute Association
The Recorder Home Page
Clicking will take you to Historical Notes, and from there you can download solos as PDFs (except for Collection 2, for which all the solos are published commercially).
Historical Notes for Collection 1: African-American and Jamaican Melodies
Historical Notes for Collection 2: Christmas Carols; click here for access to the carols.
Historical Notes for Collection 3: Irish Melodies
Historical Notes for Collection 4: Americana to 1865
Historical Notes for Collection 5: Americana after 1865
Historical Notes for Collection 6: British Melodies
Historical Notes for Collection 7: Melodies by Women
Historical Notes for Collection 8: Eastern European and Jewish Melodies
Historical Notes for Collection 9: American Indian Melodies
Historical Notes for Collection 10: Latin American Melodies
Historical Notes for Collection 11: African Melodies
Historical Notes for Collection 12: Western European Melodies
From Collection 8
A Geneyve (Jewish), alto recorder
At the Gates (Russia), tenor recorder
Against the Red Sun (Russia), soprano recorder
Bulgarian Dance (Bulgaria), tenor recorder
In the Field Stood a Birch (Russia), tenor recorder
Jump Little Rabbit (Russia), sopranino recorder
Kas Dziedaja (Lithuania), tenor recorder
Oh, Thou Vaniushka (Russia), alto recorder
Sha, Shtil, Macht Nisht Kayn Geruder! (Jewish), alto recorder
Trink Bruder, Trink Oys! (Jewish), soprano recorder
Zapunzel, alto recorder
