Cila Melamed's work is barely known in the U.S. She wrote this passionate Yiddish poem when she was a political prisoner in Latvia in 1928. German Yiddishist Doro Greve (who befriended Cila in her later years and translated her work into German) shared the poem with me in the late nineteen eighties. I interpreted "Hiperfantazye" using my own translations (one literal and one impressionistic) along with the original Yiddish lyrics and additional lyrics I wrote for the bridge) as a ballad called "Blue Dress." It is set to the beloved habanera "Veinte Anos" composed by Cila's contemporary, the great Cuban singer-songwriter-guitarist Maria Teresa Vera.
This Yiddish-Cuban-American-20th-21st century cross-pollination called "Blue Dress (Veinte Anos)," with arrangement and guitar solo by Rick Arnoldi, was released April 2011 on my second album of originals "atmosphere." It's available via cdbaby and itunes-- see http://itunes.apple.com/us/alb...
Here is the original Yiddish: khÌ_å_vel a kleyd mir fun di volkns makhn un di zun vet zayn mayn hut mayne shikh di friling blumen, mayn gedank der foygl hoykh in luft sÌ_å_vet alts shklaf dos lebn dinen, un der toyt vet zayn mayn fraynd sÌ_å_veln zikh yorn gikh tserinen Ì¢âÂÛÏÌ¢âÂÛÏ der moment vet eybik zayn
my literal translation: I'll make my dress out of the clouds and the sun will be my hat my shoes will be spring flowers, my thought a bird in flight Life will be my servant; Death will be my friend The years will flow like water-- the moment never end.
It was a profound inspiration and honor to co-create this song with two extraordinary enduring spirits from two different worlds...with deep thanks to Dorothea Greve, to Cila's daughter Aviva Edilkind and Maria Teresa Vera's heir Caridad Jorlen Vera.
An illustrated broadside of "Blue Dress" can be downloaded from jerushamusic.com website.
Cila Melamed's work is barely known in the U.S. She wrote this passionate Yiddish poem when she was a political prisoner in Latvia in 1928. German Yiddishist Doro Greve (who befriended Cila in her later years and translated her work into German) shared the poem with me in the late nineteen eighties. I interpreted "Hiperfantazye" using my own translations (one literal and one impressionistic) along with the original Yiddish lyrics and additional lyrics I wrote for the bridge) as a ballad called "Blue Dress." It is set to the beloved habanera "Veinte Anos" composed by Cila's contemporary, the great Cuban singer-songwriter-guitarist Maria Teresa Vera.
This Yiddish-Cuban-American-20th-21st century cross-pollination called "Blue Dress (Veinte Anos)," with arrangement and guitar solo by Rick Arnoldi, was released April 2011 on my second album of originals "atmosphere." It's available via cdbaby and itunes-- see http://itunes.apple.com/us/alb...
Here is the original Yiddish: khÌ_å_vel a kleyd mir fun di volkns makhn un di zun vet zayn mayn hut mayne shikh di friling blumen, mayn gedank der foygl hoykh in luft sÌ_å_vet alts shklaf dos lebn dinen, un der toyt vet zayn mayn fraynd sÌ_å_veln zikh yorn gikh tserinen Ì¢âÂÛÏÌ¢âÂÛÏ der moment vet eybik zayn
my literal translation: I'll make my dress out of the clouds and the sun will be my hat my shoes will be spring flowers, my thought a bird in flight Life will be my servant; Death will be my friend The years will flow like water-- the moment never end.
It was a profound inspiration and honor to co-create this song with two extraordinary enduring spirits from two different worlds...with deep thanks to Dorothea Greve, to Cila's daughter Aviva Edilkind and Maria Teresa Vera's heir Caridad Jorlen Vera.
An illustrated broadside of "Blue Dress" can be downloaded from jerushamusic.com website.