The Five Hebrew Love Songs
February 22, 2008These songs are just so near to my heart…
I’m often asked about the pronunciation of the Hebrew, and while I can pretty convincingly fake my way through these gorgeous poems, it ain’t pretty. So I thought I’d go directly to the source and have the poet, Hila Plitmann (aka my awesome wife), recite them:
Here is the actual Hebrew, handwritten by Hila. (I also get a lot of requests for this).
The Five Hebrew Love Songs (Hebrew, in the poet’s own hand).
And I’m happy to announce (finally) the release of the sheet music for the solo voice version, to be released later this year. It will be available with either the violin/piano arrangement or the string quartet arrangement.
And finally, a beautiful performance of the SATB violin/piano version by the Kaohsiung Chamber Choir, a terrific choir from Taiwan. Their Hebrew is astonishingly accurate, and I just adore their musical interpretation:
Yay! I absolutely love this piece. The way everything fit, and the ending chords in I. and III. seemed so appropriate, even though there was dissonance.
Eric, I just wanted to say that I first encountered your music about 4 years ago, singing ‘Lux Aurumque’ with my high school choir in Cincinnati, OH. I fell in love with it because of it’s beauty, light tones, and true emotional writing. I then came to DePaul University, where I have sung ‘A Boy and a Girl,’ and now also ‘Leonardo…,’ and I just want to say that each piece of yours that I sing immediately becomes a favorite. There is so much fantastic writing; the tension/release that happens in your music is absolutely spellbinding. Thank you so much for your contributions to the music world. I hope I get the opportunity to sing more of your work.
Eric,
I love your music and I love the performance of the SATB violin/piano version by the Kaohsiung Chamber Choir! I absolutely love your pieces!
I am an aspiring composer. I am currently in my senior year in high school (Francis Howell High School, St. Charles, MO). Please don’t go by my website so much, my father hasn’t updated it in 4 years — I was in middle school when he created it (I started writing pieces when I was 12). I have written many pieces since then. I have lately been especially interested in writing Choral pieces.
I recently saw you in Lawrence, KS and it was absolutely wonderful. I can’t wait to see you again! You truly inspire me!
I have a question I was hoping you could answer. I am looking into Music Composition programs at different Universities. I have applied to and been accepted into programs at University of Kansas (Lawrence KS) Dept of Music and Dance, University of Missouri Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, and Missouri State University Dept of Music. But I’m having a hard time trying to find out which are the music composition programs that would be good to get into. I am particularly interested in compositions for music theatre (I am currently writing pieces for a musical I have thought up) or choral music. Which schools would you recommend?
I greatly appreciate your advice! And I hope you have a most wonderful day!
Sincerely,
Brittany Slaughter
PS I was very happy for you and your wife having a child recently
Hey Eric!
Once my computer starts working, I HAVE to see these videos. Too bad I can’t now, dang it.
As for the solo music, I can’t WAIT to see it soon! But I bet it’ll totally be worth the wait.
Anywho, I got to go. Thanks for the update!
YOU RULE!!! Ha-ha
:O)
Hey, Eric,
I might’ve forgotten to mention that I actually have my own blog, which is http://www.athuran.wordpress.com so please feel free to drop by sometime. Thanks!
Masa Ohtake
Free State High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Hey Eric,
Its funny that I just ran across you commenting on a YouTube video of the Kaohsiung Chamber Choir (particularly this video) as I was adding a few of their videos (including this one) to my “favorites” on YouTube.
I hope everything is going well with “The Stolen Child” commission and I look forward to seeing you conduct at the Capital University Invitational in just over a week!
Eric,
I just had the chance to work with you at Washington State University and I will never forget the experience. One thing I wished I had told you while you were here was that The Five Hebrew Love Songs was the first music I ever had the chance to sing in my high school choir last year. Due to those beautiful pieces I fell in love with choir, I kind of thank you for that.
Thank you for creating music,
Creston
Hello Eric;
Having recently joined a choral group (Corpus Christi Chorale), i first discovered 5 Hebrew Love Songs in January when we began rehearsing it (along with Cloudburst and Animal Crackers) — your description of its origin on the inside of the score moved me to tears…so i really enjoyed this charming video; too bad i discovered it after our concert on the 26th (this past Tuesday), as I had the speaking part of “Eyze Sheleg,” I hope i didn’t mangle it too badly!…your obvious devotion to your talented & beautiful wife is so inspiring! That said, i wanted to sample for you an email from one of our members who because of laryngitis was on the receiving end of our performance; thought you’d get a kick out of her description of “Cloudburst,” – Many Blessings to you and your beautiful family…
Brenda Miles
“Dear Musicians
I think it’s appropriate for me to address KUDOS to the membership
(since I’ve thus addressed earlier complaints)
Since I was one of the missing 16 (good heavens!), I had the treat of
experiencing the program from the audience. I had never been to a CCC
concert before I joined the group, so I came to the experience fresh.
What a JOY! The sound was rich and varied. The selections showed
well, and the soloists’ voices were just right. Hebrew Love Songs was
so lovely and plaintive. I had not heard the selections with
accompaniment other than piano, so the experience seemed new and rich.
But I didn’t expect to be surprised.
In practice, ‘La Lluvia’ had made me a little nervous in spite of
(maybe because of) the unexpectedness of the harmonies (or
dissonances) and tempo. I was particularly uncomfortable with the
idea of everyone putting down scores miscellaneously, raising hands
and clapping (!!). And mumbling. When we were practicing, I began to
anticipate some version of chaos.
By the time you finished the performance, I had tears running down my
cheeks from shear joy. It was absolutely ELECTRIC. We were on the
edges of our seats. Pure joy of divine chaos. I knew I liked the
piece, but I don’t think you can imagine how incredibly well IT
WORKED. The recording can’t possibly do it justice, since the visual
aspect of the performance…putting down the scores (not together),
clapping, clicking, chanting, bells, percussion, whispering…was an
integral part of the whole. I didn’t want the sound to stop. What a
terriffic surprise…
The director for the choir in Taiwan is so adorable and just makes me love the pieces even more. (I mean, obviously the person who COMPOSED the pieces is my favorite…. but i gotta give her some credit.) ; )
Dear Mr. Whitacre,
I sang the Five Hebrew Love Songs, in my undergrad chorus at the University of Arizona. I am now working on my Masters. I love this songs and would like to present them on my Masters recital next Spring. How soon will the solo arrangement be available and from where. I would like to get them as soon as possible!
Thank you for your time and concern,
Leah Allen
I attended your choral festival at Capital University last night (wonderful, by the way, if a little long!). Listening to the Chapel Choir’s performance of “Five Hebrew Love Songs” reminded me of how beautiful a piece it is and how much I enjoyed performing it the first time you came to Capital. I was wondering if the original soprano, violin, piano version is available anywhere. I looked on numerous sheet music websites and only came across the choral versions. Thanks so much!
PS — Make sure next time you come to Capital you tell Lynda you want the Choral Union to sing, too!
Ha! Guess I should have watched the video before writing. You already answered my question. Thanks!
E-
What a great idea to post the pronunciation from the poet herself! Kantorei started rehearsing these pieces recently, and you’ll be happy to know that our Hebrew expert studied this video prior to our training! You’ll also be happy to know that the video also successfully convinced Dick Larson that “tum” should be prounced “tuhm.” Haha. See you May!
-Kevin
I love these songs. I sang them my Junior year in high school, the first time I really heard your music. I’ve loved your music ever since. Heck, I’m listening to them right now.
Eric,
The music is so wonderful and I absolutely love the words (I’m a native Hebrew speaker). I sing in a choir in Newton, MA called Newton Choral Society (http://www.newtonchoral.org/season_details.html).
Our March 2009 concert with the Zamir Chorale will include “The Five Hebrew Love Songs”.
Thanks,
Meir
I have made a PDF of “The Five Hebrew Love Songs” in Hebrew (Davka David), transliteration, and English. If you are interested, it’s yours to use, post, or whatever. Just email me and I will be happy to send it to you.
Eric,
Would it be possible to be notified when the sheet music for soprano solo will be released and where it will be available? I was hoping to be able to perform this set of songs for my final recital in April 2009.
Thanks,
Julia
julia.miller@mail.mcgill.ca
hey! I know this a late response to this blog, but…can I ask where I could find the Solo version of the Hebrew Love songs? I’ve been looking everywhere. I can’t tell you how much I am utterly in love with this cycle. and I’ve been asked to sing this at a dear friends wedding, and I would love nothing more than to begin learning it, if it is available.This work means alot to her, and hearing me sing it at her wedding would be a huge thing for her. I know your busy, but if you have the opportunity, would you mind letting me know?
thanks so much.
Hello, I know this has been asked a lot, and it’s been awhile since this page has been put up, but I was wondering where I’d be able to find the 5 Hebrew Love Songs for Solo Soprano, Violin, and Piano. I’ve been searching the internet and all I’ve been able to find is SATB or SA. My friends and I would love to preform it one day, and it’d be awesome if you could let me know! I understand you have a lot to do, so whenever you can get back to me, if you can, Id greatly appreciate thank. Thank you!
Thank you both so much for this song. I cannot tell you how many times i have listened to my All State Choir’s performance of this song. I quote the 5th poem to my girlfriend all the time and its become our declaration of love for each other. I have even considered getting a tattoo of the text in Hebrew and if that happens I will be sure to send you a picture.
Thank you again, so very much
Alex VanderLek
(PS, is there any chance either one of you 2 or Carl Kinbar could send me the pdf of the lyrics? avanderlek@gmail.com)
I absolutely love every single one of these! We’re singing them this year in Womans Choir at my school (Spring-Ford High School). My favorite is probably Larov. What exactly does it mean though?
Hi Eric,
Not so long story … received an email last week asking for:
“pronunciation guide for eric whitacre’s five hebrew love songs” can you advise — thx.
I have a website that sells a talking Hebrew educational software program that I wrote – the software also can create transliterations from Hebrew. As you can imagine, I get a a fair amount of weird requests, but this non-weird one intrigued me. Did a web search and found this page and listened to your very lovely music. Took a look at Hila’s PDF, and thought you or she might appreciate an electronic version with Hebrew and transliteration (in unformatted text below). No other way to send the original formatted doc (showing accentuated syllables) to you, so I’ve posted it at this link – let me know (srport@pacbell.net) when you’ve read this, and I’ll remove the link ASAP.
http://www.hebrewworks.com/EW_FHLS/Five%20Hebrew%20Love%20Songs.doc
1.
T’-mu-na b’-li-bi kha-ru-ta
No-de-det beyn or u-veyn o-fel
Min d’-ma-ma she-ka-zo et gu-fekh kakh o-ta
U-s’-a-rekh al pa-na-yikh kakh no-fel
2.
Ka-la ka-la
Ku-la she-li
U-v’-ka-lut ti-shak hi li
3.
La-rov a-mar gag la-sha-ma-yim
Ha-mer-khak she-bey-ney-nu hu ad
Akh lif-ney zman a-lu l’-khan shna-yim
U-vey-ney-nu nish-ar sen-ti-me-ter e-khad
4.
Ey-ze she-leg
Kmo kha-lo-mot k’-ta-nim nof-lim me-ha-sha-ma-yim
5.
Hu ha-ya ma-ley ra-kut
Hi hai-ta ka-sha
V’-khol ka-ma she-nis-ta l’-hi-sha-er kakh
Pa-shut uv-li si-ba to-va
La-kakh o-ta el tokh ats-mo
V’-he-ni-akh b’-ma-kom ha-khi ha-khi rakh
1.
תְּמוּנָה בְּלִבִּי חֲרוּטָה
נוֹדֶדֶת בֵּין אוֹר וּבֵין אֹפֶל
מִן דְּמָמָה שֶּׁכָּזוֹ אֶת גּוּפֵךְ כָּךְ עוֹטָה
וּשְׂעָרֵךְ עַל פָּנַיִךְ כָּךְ נוֹפֵל
2.
כַּלָּה קַלָה
כֻּלָּהּ שֶׁלִּי
וּבְקַלּוּת תִּשַּׁק הִיא לִי
3.
לָרֹב אָמַר גַּג לַשָּׁמַיִם
הַמֶרְחָק שֶׁבֵּינֵינוּ הוּא עַד
אַךְ לִפְנֵי זְמַן עָלוּ לְכָאן שְׁנַיִם
וּבֵינֵינוּ נִשְׁאָר סֶנְטִימֶטֶר אֶחָד
4.
אֵיזֶה שֶׁלֶג
כְּמוֹ חֲלוֹמוֹת קְטַנִּים נוֹפְלִים מֵהַשָּׁמַיִם
5.
הוּא הָיָה מָלֵא רַכּוּת
הִיא הָיְתָה קָשָׁה
וְכָל כַּמָּה שֶׁנִסְּתָה לְהִשָּׁאֵר כָּךְ
פָּשׁוּט וּבְלִי סִבָּה טוֹבָה
לָקַח אוֹתָהּ אֶל תּוֹךְ עַצְמוֹ
וְהֵנִיחַ בְּמָקוֹם הֲכִי הֲכִי רַךְ