Dona, dona

[Lori M Simon <lorelecs...>]

Khaveyrim,

I just had a lovely conversation with singer Mashe Benya, and amongst
other things we spoke of the song "Dona, dona".  

Quite a while ago there was a thread on this list asking about what the
title and refrain mean.  Mashe enlightened me by telling me this story. 
Sholem Secunda (who composed the tune to the words of Zeitlin for the
Operetta "Esterke") had given her his original manuscript to write a copy
for herself.  When she asked about it, he told her that the operetta was
set in Poland, and since in Polish folk songs they use the sylables da-na
as we use tra-la, that was used as the syllabic refrain.  In between that
manuscript and the printed copy of the sheet music for general
consumption the change was made, as someone at the publisher's believed
it must have been the Sephardic pronunciation and changed it to a komets
alef, making the word dona, rather than dana.  The first time Mashe saw
the sheet music, that's what she saw. 

I think I may use the original in my performances from now on.

Lorele

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