In the winter of 1997, I was preparing for my graduation recital from Juilliard and looking for a programme which was meaningful to me personally. My Grandmother was born in Russia, and I am of Jewish descent. I wanted to find pieces I could connect with. Both my Grandmother and Mother loved Yiddish songs, and I would hear them sung throughout my childhood; however I could only find the traditional folk arrangements, oftentimes with only the simple melodic lines written out. Eric Whitacre (my boyfriend at the time, now husband) suggested I make new arrangements of the pieces, and although I was reluctant at the beginning I painfully churned out my first arrangement of the five Yiddish Songs for piano, clarinet and voice. The last song in the collection is one of the more well-known Yiddish songs out there. I find an incredibly strong connection with the simplicity and beauty of these songs.
In az men vil, ken men oich zugen tra-i-dim.
And if one wants he may also say tra-i-dim.
Shpil ich didl, di, di.
Kenst doch azoy gut di game.
And brought me a new fiddle.
Play I: didl, di, di.
How very well I know the instrument.
Gevart hot mit a floken.
and nothing else bothers them.
With a stick for a beating.
Du zolst nit geyn mit kayn andere, Meydele!
Du zolst nur geyn mit mir.
Nur kumen zolst du tsu mir!
You shall go with no other, young maiden!
You must only go about with me.
You must come only to me!
Zitst di almone bastisioyn aleyn.
Sits the widow, Daughter of Zion, alone.
And now sleep, my little one, sleep.