Shir Eres (Lullaby), Song

A historic recording of the song Shir Eres for alto, choir and orchestral accompaniment:
Tsiporah Kuperman, Alto
Marc Lavry, Conductor
Kol Zion Lagola Choir
Kol Israel Symphony Orchestra (The Broadcasting Service Orchestra)

Lyrics: Shaul Tchernichovsky

Additional details: email music@marclavry.org

Synopsis:
In his article titled “Tchernichovsky in Music” musicologist Menashe Ravinah wrote about Shir Eres:
“In this song one can sense the characteristics that were considered to be distinctly Israeli and that influenced the development of Israeli art song form. There is syncopation in the bass voice; often the melody incorporates forth intervals; it starts with a second below the basic tonality and it is in Aeolian mode.
All the above are a suitable combination of an Israeli lullaby that was composed during the period of “guarding the borders” (a quote from the song that indicates the period it was written).”
[Moznayion,IV, volume 17 (1963) pg. 452]

In his opus notebook Lavry wrote that Shir Eres was used as the theme song of a 1938 movie produced in Tel-Aviv by Agafilm.

Lyrics: Shir Eres (Lullaby) / Shaul Tchernichovsky
(transliterated from Hebrew)

Yeled, yeled li nitan!
Chibaltiv lekol hatan,
Yelditiv lekol ptzatza,
Ben chalutz vachalutza;

Numa, numa, num!
Numa, numa, num!

Num! hayom ani imcha!
Ki tishan, tishan imcha!
Ayefa gam retzutza.
Num, chalutz ben chalutza.

Numa…

Seh choleh, paratz halul,
Umishmeret al hagvul,
Vedala od hakvutza,-
Gdal maher, ben chalutza.

Numa…

Num ugdal usfog ha’on!
Yom gadol ki od nachon,
Yad ozeret nechutza,
Ne’emana vecharutza.

Numa…