“Rochel’s keiver” ("Rachel's Tomb")

Zavel Zilberts. Photograph, ca. 1900, Warsaw. From Hyman J. Fliegel, Zavel Zilberts: His Life and Works (New York: Bnei Zion Foundation, 1971).

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Description

“Rochel’s keiver” (Rachel’s Tomb) is an art song for mezzo soprano with piano and cello accompaniment by Zavel Zilberts (1881–1949). In a nod to the German Romantic tradition, the poet K. A. Spiro describes the biblical Rachel as a semi-mythical figure whose tears mingle with the waters of the Jordan river. Zilberts' lyrical music attentively follows the expressive needs of the text. Zilberts was an important figure in the amateur choral movement took root by the end of the 19th century, with organizations such as “Lira,” “Hazomir” and “Szir” sprouting in small towns and big cities. In Łódź, “Hazomir” and the affiliated symphonic orchestra performed an ambitious repertory of oratorios by Handel, Haydn, and Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, and other monumental works, including Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Mozart’s Requiem. Among “Hazomir’s” conductors were Józef Rumszyński (yes, the legendary Rumshinsky, who in 1904 settled in New York and became a celebrated composer for Yiddish theater) and Zavel Zilberts, who after emigrating, established several prominent choral groups in New York.

Composer

Zavel Zilberts (1881-1949)

Date Composed

ca. 1920

Poet

K. A. Spiro

Translator

K. A. Spiro

Performers

Erin Schwab, Soprano
Enriqueta Somarriba, Piano
Jordan Enzinger, Cello

Printed Score

https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200196945/

Translation

Yiddish Text	English Translation
Of di felder fun Beis Lechem vus der weg kain Efras geht, Schon fun johren un fun doras Of gebot a keiver schteth, un wen alz arum is ruhig, un es kumt on halbe nacht, kumt arois a frauen zimmer funder keiver grub fertracht, Zu dem taich fun Yarden geht sie, Kukt sich in di welen ain un fun ihre schöne oigen dorten falt a trer arain. Schtil fliest ein trer noch der zweiter ohn a krechz ohn jomerschtim falt a rob in yarden waser un zu mischt sich schtil mil ihm.	On the fields of Bethlehem where the road to Ephrath wends, Stands a grave from ages hoary Over which a tombstone bends And when all around is quiet, midnight falls on hill and dale, From the grave a woman’s figure Rises sadly musing, frail, Floats in silence to the Jordan, Looks into the flowing gleam From her eyes so fair and mournful Falls a tear a tear in to the stream. One by one the tears are falling yet no sigh, no plaint you hear And the tears so fully streaming Mingle with the waters clear.

Yiddish Text

English Translation

Of di felder fun Beis Lechem
vus der weg kain Efras geht,
Schon fun johren un fun doras
Of gebot a keiver schteth,

un wen alz arum is ruhig,
un es kumt on halbe nacht,
kumt arois a frauen zimmer
funder keiver grub fertracht,

Zu dem taich fun Yarden geht sie,
Kukt sich in di welen ain
un fun ihre schöne oigen
dorten falt a trer arain.

Schtil fliest ein trer noch der zweiter
ohn a krechz ohn jomerschtim
falt a rob in yarden waser
un zu mischt sich schtil mil ihm.

On the fields of Bethlehem
where the road to Ephrath wends,
Stands a grave from ages hoary
Over which a tombstone bends

And when all around is quiet,
midnight falls on hill and dale,
From the grave a woman’s figure
Rises sadly musing, frail,

Floats in silence to the Jordan,
Looks into the flowing gleam
From her eyes so fair and mournful
Falls a tear a tear in to the stream.

One by one the tears are falling
yet no sigh, no plaint you hear
And the tears so fully streaming
Mingle with the waters clear.

Citation

Halina Goldberg and Nancy Sinkoff, ““Rochel’s keiver” ("Rachel's Tomb"),” Soundscapes of Modernity: Jews and Music in Polish Cities, accessed November 21, 2024, https://polishjewishmusic.iu.edu/items/show/19.