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SHTILER, SHTILER, (Quiet, Quiet) transcription of a melody by Alex Tamir (Wolkoviski), 1996, for basset horn and mixed choir

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Commissioned by Plaene Records, 1995
Publisher: Israel Music Institute, 1996, IMI 7081 | Duration: 7 min.

Shtiler, Shtiler (Quiet, Quiet) – 1995

For basset horn and mixed choir


Music: A. Tamir (Wolkoviski)
Text: Kadserguiski
Transcription: Betty Olivero


Dedicated to Dandi




Shtiler, Shtiler

 

Shtiler, shtiler, lomir shvaygn,
Kvorim vaksn do.
S’hobn zey farflantst di sonim:
Grinen zey tsum blo.
S’firn vegn tsu ponar tsu,
S’firt keyn veg tsurik,
Iz der tate vu farshvundn
Un mit im dos glik.
Shtiler, kind mayns,
Veyn nit, oyster,
S’helft nit keyn geveyn,
Undzer umglik veln sonim
Say vi nit farshteyn.
S’hobn breges oykh di yamen,
S’hobn tfises oykhet stamen,
Nor tsu undzer payn
Keyn bisl shayn,
Keyn bisl shayn.

Prize-winning music was composed by Alex Wolkoviski for a contest in the Vilna ghetto when he was 11 years old. The words were added to this song by Shmerke Kaczerginski, who wrote them in the style of a lullaby, asking the children to be quite and endure the dangerous and frustrating life in a ghetto.

He promises them that they will be freed when the time is right and that they will be aloud to celebrate as they wish once they are free. Alex Volkoviski now goes by the name of Tamir and still works as a musician in Israel.



Quiet, Quiet


Quiet, quiet, let’s be silent,
Dead are growing here.
They were planted by the tyranny,
See their bloom appear.
All the roads lead to Ponar now,
There are no roads back.
And our father too has vanished,
And with him our luck.
Still, my child,
Don’t cry, my jewel,
Tears no help commands,
Our pain callous people
Never understand
Seas and oceans have their order,
Prison also has its border,
But to our plight
There is no light,
There is no light.

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