Re: Dreydl

[Lori Cahan-Simon <l_cahan...>]

Itzik,

I suppose calling Wolfe "that woman" did sound dismissive.

I have an (unfortunately) undated Gelbart book, entitled Gezang bukh far
der elementar-shul, which includes the song.  Judging by the type style
and ornamentation of the interior, I would place this in the late 1920s
or early 1930s.  Looking at the cover, however, with it's asymmetrical
freehand design, perhaps this is a reprint with a redesigned cover, but
yet retaining the original artistically rendered title lettering.  The
paper has yellowed quite a bit.

The Forward was written by Educational Director for the Arbeter-Ring, N.
Khanin.  If anyone knows Workmen's Circle history, that could be a good
clue for dating this publication.

Lorele


itzik gottesman wrote:

> Lorele - I would not dismiss Susan Wolfe's claims out of hand. If
> memory serves me right Samuel Goldfarb was the rabbi (or cantor?) at
> one point at the Kane st. Synagogue in Brooklyn (conservative now, I
> don't know about then). He was my father-in-laws rabbi there when he
> attended about 1930-33. Goldfarb compiled the influential "Jewish
> Songster" collections and I had heard from my father-in-law that he
> composed the Sholem Aleichem melody that most Americans use now. As
> for the dreydl song, I have yet to find it in a Gelbart collection. On
> the other hand Chana Mlotek served as advisor on the Western Wind "The
> Chanukah Story" CD, where Gelbart is credited as composer and writer,
> and she is the poysek-akhron on such matters. - Itzik
>
>> I would like to think that the Yiddish text came first, as "I am
>> made from lead"
>> makes so much more sense than "I made it out of clay".  I read an
>> article in a
>> publication called "Being Jewish" (Center for Relevant Judaism) by
>> the
>> granddaughter of Samuel Goldfarb, whom she names as composer, and S.
>> S. Grossman
>> as lyricist.
>>
>> This woman, Susan Wolfe, also claims that Sam and his brother Israel
>> wrote the
>> melodies for Shalom Aleichem, the Friday night Kiddush, Adon Olam
>> and the
>> ¢traditional" Birkhat Hamazon.
>>
>> On the other hand, I think I remember seeing Gelbart books that have
>> him down as
>> composer for tunes I have seen attributed to others.  He was so
>> prolific and
>> wrote so many lovely and memorable melodies.  Anyone have inside
>> info?
>>
>> While I'm at it, I think I'll beef about Velvl Pasternak's Songs of
>> Israel (I
>> think that's the name.  A friend of mine has it)  I was incredibly
>> annoyed to
>> see Yiddish songs in this book in Hebrew.  No Yiddish lyrics were
>> present.
>> Another thing that bugs me is the lack of attributions as to
>> lyricist/composer
>> in many of his publications, including this one.
>>
>> Lor(see how easily bugged I am?)ele
>>
>>
>> lenka lichtenberg wrote:
>>
>> æÝæFrom what I understand, Ben Aaron wrote the Yiddish text, and
>> Michl Gelbart
>> æÝthe tune, (as in the Workmen's Circle "Yontefdike Teg"
>> collection), even
>> æÝthough Gelbart also lists the song as quite his own (no Ben Aaron)
>> in a
>> æÝdifferent collection (in Yiddish). Who wrote the English text? I
>> know there
>> æÝis some controversy if in fact Gelbart wrote the music or not, but
>> he
>> æÝcertainly presented himself as such in these two publications,
>> that were put
>> æÝout by people that knew him, and where he himself worked full-time
>> - he
>> æÝcould have hardly only "pretended" that he wrote it, to them?
>> dunno.
>> æ
>> æÝhappy spinning,     lenka
>> æ
>> æÝ?????ÝOriginal Message -----
>> æÝFrom: Lori Cahan-Simon <l_cahan (at) staff(dot)chuh(dot)org>
>> æÝTo: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>> æÝSent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 2:20 PM
>> æÝSubject: Dreydl
>> æ
>> æÝæÝThis has been bugging me for years.  Why do the English and
>> Yiddish
>> æÝversions
>> æÝæÝof "I am a Little Dreydl" and "Ikh bin a kleyner dreydl" have
>> the same
>> æÝtune,
>> æÝæÝdifferent words (obviously), but have different people listed as
>> being the
>> æÝæÝcomposer for each version?  Which came first?  Who is the
>> plagarist?  Who
>> æÝæÝshould be sued and who should be paid?
>> æÝæ
>> æÝæÝThis can't be a coincidence.
>> æÝæ
>> æÝæÝLor(the easily bugged)ele
>> æÝæ
>> æÝæ
>> æÝæ
>> æ
>>
>> ??????????????????????Ýjewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
>> ---------------------+
>>