lena from Palestina

[itzik gottesman <gottesman...>]

Just to let you know about the final program I put together on "lena
from Palestina"

After a talk with the world expert on this melody, Prof. Martin
Schwartz at Berkeley, and Lorin Sklamberg the YIVO sound archivist
turning me onto several versions, the show included:

1)Leon Kalisch singing "Der shames" from Lateiner's play "di seder
nakht" recorded in Lemberg 1907. I found this 78 in the catskills
this summer and it is the oldest recording of the melody I know of.

2©Ýa recording of my grandmother, Lifshe Schaechter-Widman singing a
variant of the above song, recorded in 1952. Her version also appears
in the book "The Badkhn" by Mekhele Badkhn, Warsaw 1920s or 30s.

3©
¢colo'n Gradinita" a Romanian version sung by S. Bernardo, Bucharest pre WW1.
Martin Schwartz considers this the original, since the melody is so Romanian.
The song he says, was even recorded in Greece in Romanian ,which is very rare.

However - to my delight, this song is clearly sung by a jew with Yiddish words
thrown in. The "day, day,day" refrain is right out of Yiddish
theater. Thank you Lorin for this recording.

4©ÝAn early Lebedev recording, pre-ww1 from Warsaw, "Tate Ziser"
different words but risque, as are all the versions of "Lena",.
What's amazing about this version is
how similar it is to the Romanian one in arrangment and singing
style.Lebedev must have heard the Romanian version. Thank you
again Lorin.

5©Ý¢Poor Chaiml" an old Russian-Jewish underworld song in Russian
sung by Abe Brumberg on his LP,"Lovers, Theives.."  with a number of
Yiddish words thrown in. Thank you Jack Falk for telling me about
this. The recording engineer,
Nokhem Kaufman from Besserabia knew a slightly different version

6©ÝOn to America: Simon Pascal sings "Eppes Noch", 1913. Also from
Yivo sound archives, thanks Lorin.

7©ÝEddie Cantor in english "Leena is the queen from Palestina" 1920.
Also from Lorin and the YIVO Sound archives.

8©ÝBruce Adler's version of "Khasene in Bronzvil" by Leo Fuchs.
Zalmen Mlotek is the musical director. This one has mixed English and
Yiddish words.From his Volume 2 recording a few years ago.

9©Ýfinal music "Palesteena " Original Dixie Jazz Band 1920.

Thanks to the list for helping me out. - Itzik





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