RE: ofynveg

[Leonard Koenick <lkoenick...>]

As I recall, there is a lot more pschological overlay to the song within 
the personal history of Manger and his mother but that is all I know right 
now.  Perhaps someone else can expand/expound.

Leonard Koenick

-----Original Message-----
From:   Trudi Goodman [SMTP:goobietheg (at) hotmail(dot)com]
Sent:   Wednesday, December 01, 1999 6:17 PM
To:     World music from a Jewish slant
Subject:        ofynveg


Always important to be correct.
Trudi the G

>From: Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky <reyzl (at) flash(dot)net>
>Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
>To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Subject: RE: Shir al etz (fwd)/ofynveg
>Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 17:18:03 -0500
>
>Correction Trudi,
>
>My husband, Josh Waletzky, did _not_ make the wonderful, 8 minute
>claymation film "The Bent Tree".  His old girlfriend Sally Heckle did. 
  He
>always used to love to sing the song, including around NYU Film school
>where they both studied, and she decided to make a film about it years
>later.  We can definitely say that he inspired it, certainly consulted on
>how to make it, sang for it (though I have heard him do better renditions
>than the one sings on there), but Sally directed the film and is the one
>who personally took 26,000 still photos to make it (or was it 27,000
>photos??).  She deserves all the credit and it is a film "by" Sally 
Heckle.
>  "The Bent Tree" was, for many, many years, a regular filler on Cable TV
>when they needed 8 minutes between programs.   You can order it from Ergo
>Films (call 1-877-JEWISHVIDEO or http://www.jewishvideo.com/) and, I think
>that it is also part of the Jewish Heritage Video Collection at any large
>local JCC (= can be rented out).   Everyone loves the video and there is 
an
>internal translation of the Yiddish.   I have found that people play it at
>family gatherings and even at brises (= Jewish circumcision ceremonies.)
>
>Another BTW, I have been meaning to write about this, but haven't gotten 
to
>it yet.  (still struggling to get back to E-mail.)   There is a TV ad
>playing right now that is a non-musical depiction of the song "Afn Veg
>Shteyt a Boym".   You see a mother wrapping a child up in many layers of
>sweaters, jackets, mittens, hats and scarves for the kid's outdoor 
playing.
>   The scene then switches to the outdoors and you see another kid sitting
>on a tree branch calling the bundled one to join him in his play on the
>tree.  When the bundled one tries to walk over to the tree, he falls flat
>on his back.  All those sweaters and coats were too heavy for him.   I
>think that this is some kind of (health) insurance ad, but I don't really
>remember whose ad it is.  I watch very little TV, but usually try to catch
>some of Martha Stewart's program in the mornings.   So that's when I must
>have seen it.  The interesting twist to this ad is that the kid is black
>and the story is definitely Jewish.  This is obviously a Jewish ad 
director
>who knows and loves the Manger's song.  But since/because s/he won't get
>into the overprotective Jewish mother routine (thank God), s/he went for
>the joke in the story and made the kid black.   If you know the song, 
there
>is no doubt this is a de-Judaized "universal" TV version of it.
>
>
>Manger's is a beautiful, beautiful song.
>
>
>Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>----------
>From:  Trudi Goodman [SMTP:goobietheg (at) hotmail(dot)com]
>Sent:  Monday, November 29, 1999 6:02 PM
>To:  World music from a Jewish slant
>Subject:  Re: Shir al etz (fwd)/ofynveg
>
>
>There is also a very good short animated film of Ofyn Veg by Josh
>Waletzsky(spelling may be wrong)
>Trudi The G
> >From: iganz <IGanz (at) compuserve(dot)com>
> >Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> >To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
> >Subject: Re: Shir al etz (fwd)
> >Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 20:36:13 -0500
> >
> >The song "Oyfn veg shteyt a boym" is a philosophical poem by the famous
> >Itsik Manger (1911-1969).  The melody
> >is a folk tune that earlier was set to another text.  The translation of
> >Manger's poem, as found
> >in "Mir Trogn a Gezang" compiled by Eleanor Mlotek and published by
> >Workmen's Circle is:
> >
> >By the wayside stands a tree, bent against the storm.  All the birds 
have
> >deserted it, leaving
> >it alone and unprotected.  "I will become a bird and sit in the tree to
> >comfort it with my song
> >during the winter."  "No, my child," mother weeps, "you will freeze to
> >death, sitting in the tree.
> >But if you must, put on your scarf and galoshes; wear your fur hat and
>your
> >warm underwear."  I
> >life up my wings but I cannot fly.  The clothes mother puts on her weak
> >nestling are too heavy.
> >Sadly I gaze into my mother's eyes, knowing that it was her love that
>kept
> >me from soaring like
> >a bird.
> >
> >Isabelle Ganz
> >
> >-------------Forwarded Message-----------------
> >
> >From:        INTERNET:jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org,
>INTERNET:jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> >To:  World music from a Jewish slant, INTERNET:jewish-music (at) 
> >shamash(dot)org
> >
> >CC:  [unknown], INTERNET:GCC(dot)Lauer (at) walcheren(dot)ziekenhuis(dot)nl
> >
> >Date:        11/26/99  2:36 PM
> >
> >RE:  Re: Shir al etz (fwd)
> >
> >
> >Can anyone provide the lyrics and other information on the inquiry
> >below for this song which is in Yiddish and Hebrew, as I explained 
below?
> >
> >---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 14:31:21 -0500 (EST)
> >From: "H. Kaufman" <hkaufman (at) duke(dot)poly(dot)edu>
> >To: GCC(dot)Lauer (at) walcheren(dot)ziekenhuis(dot)nl
> >Cc: eefc (at) eefc(dot)org
> >Subject: Re: Shir al etz
> >
> >Dear Derda,
> >
> >Shir Al Etz is a lovely song originally in Yiddish from Eastern Europe
> >whose name is Af in Veg Shtayt a Boym (loosely translated -- On the Road
> >Stands a Tree).  THere is actually an Israeli circle dance to the song
> >which I am sure the Israeli folk dance leaders in Holland would be able
>to
> >show you.  One leader I know in Amsterdam is Nico Mol (phone number
> >020-644-7883), There are also others in Almere, The Hague and Rotterdam,
> >if you need someone closer to you.  But Nico should be able to help.  I
> >will also send this message to the Jewish Music list for further
> >information about the original song, including the lyrics. You did not
>say
> >whether you also wanted the lyrics in Hebrew, which is a loose
>translation
> >from the Yiddish.  If you need further help, you can also contact me off
> >line.
> >
> >Hope this helps.
> >
> >Haim Kaufman
> >Rikuday Dor Rishon
> >New York City
> >
> >On Fri, 26 Nov 1999 GCC(dot)Lauer (at) walcheren(dot)ziekenhuis(dot)nl wrote:
> >
> > > dear members,
> > > Our folkdance-group like to do the dance "Shir al Etz". It is a
> >beautiful
> > > Israelean waltz.
> > > The song that comes with the dance sounds yiddish. And as we are all
> >Dutch,
> > > we can make up somethinges like a tree with a bird, a mother who
>worries
> > > about her child, that is going to fly.....
> > > Does anybody know the song-text and is he/she willing to share this
>with
> >us?
> > > Thank you so much
> > > with love,
> > > Gerda Lauer
> > > Statenhove II 16
> > > 4336 CB Middelburg
> > > Netherlands
> > > tel: 0118-425612
> > > email: gcc(dot)lauer (at) walcheren(dot)ziekenhuis(dot)nl
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>

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