of the studies in Beis-Midrash and pentatonic tremolos and trills of the Torah reading. Also present were foreign elements (borrowed) from the surrounding environment. But he “judaized” them, weaving them into the general fabric of his lyric song.
The songs of Mordechai Gebirtig fit into the general system of the European music, which is built on the major and minor scales. Major, or “dur” (hard, strong), is often considered cheerful and moderate. Minor, or “mild” (soft), is considered sad, submissive. Almost all Gebirtig’s songs were composed in the minor scale. Out of fifty songs that are now in my possession, forty seven were written in minor scale and just three in major: “Baym taykhele” (by the stream) - in re-major, Äzelkhe tsvey goldene tsep” ( these golden braids) – in sol-major and the sarcastic ghetto song “S’íz gut" (good!) written in May, 1942, just a few days before his death, - in mi-major”.
Interesting, that in two of the major songs there are light modulations, and the only song in which the dur tone is present from the beginning to the very end, is the song “S’íz gut." That very song, which was written in 3/8 time, is marked with the rhythm ”allegro," meaning: cheerful and fast. Possibly, the poet-composer made an allusion to the inevitable death dance, to which he would soon be led…
Gebirtig wrote many of his songs in the harmonic minor scale. This mode in Jewish liturgical music became labeled ”ahava-raba" (great love).
The prolonged secunda which is included in this scale gives the melody a specific character: singing the tones from bottom up expresses dissatisfaction and desire, and by playing down – pleading and lament. But he also created melodies in a natural minor (Aeolian minor), which includes elements from the oldest times and expresses exaltation and earnestness.
What characterized almost all Gebirtig’s songs – is their melodic originality and their Jewish content.
The song “Hey, Tsigelekh” (hi goats!) serves as an example and a model of a Yiddish style. Written in the natural minor, with interesting interval steps, the song brings out curiosity and aesthetic pleasure.
“Hulyet, hulyet, kinderlekh” (Children Enjoy Yourselves!) sounds like a flowing stream. Here we have a melody in the natural minor which, together with the rhythm, calls the old as well as the young to dance.
The very first notes of “Motele” bring the memory of the heder and the rabbi. Your ears hear the sound of Gemorah melodies and the recitative.
Mordechai Gebirtig wrote his pearl – “Reyzele” in harmonic minor. The melody and rhythm overlap each other and are the best example of musical austerity. The chords, built on minor thirds, underline the Jewish typical character of the Yiddish song.
The ghetto song “minuten fon bitahon” (Minutes Of Confidence) is a vivid expression of Hasidic exaltation. Here we hear enthusiastic style and spontaneous fire. It looks as if, while writing this song, the poet still had confidence and hope for survival.
And thus in any of his songs, we can find a Jewish spark, the source from which he drew his deeply rooted and original Jewish music.
What were the forms and the rhythms of M. Gebirtig’s musical creations? What was the metric garb of his seminally Jewish songs?
The same foundations of form and rhythm were established in the general European music. They were primarily characterized by architectonic construction of the sounds. The notes were tightly bound with the words, the phrases - symmetric and of even length, and every song had a complete construction. The metric partition and rhythmic movements made his works lively and dynamic, as if he intuitively understood that sound without rhythm is dead.
A sentence in literature is a phrase in music. Several measures create a phrase, and two phrases – a period. Phrases often repeat themselves, but with the difference that, the first time they end with the dominant (the fifth tone, that is naturally challenging and demanding more and more), and the next time – with the tonic note (basic note, which points the end). This form happens often in Gebi