Jaffa Road - 3-10-2011 at 11:47 AM
Hi
Does anyone know of a source for printed music for Piyutim and Pizmonim.
Piyutim are Old Jewish hymns in Hebrew, usually from the Arabic countries. They are performed and sung in a style that is almost indistinguishable
from classical Arabic music
Pizmonim are ancient hebrew poems and prayers that are set to melodies borrowed from Arabic popular and folk music.
At the moment I am looking for the Morrocan and Iraqi versions (bayati) of Yedidi Hashachata and Achot Ketana
I could transcribe it but I am slow at that and hoping to save the time.
If this is the first time you have heard of Piyutim and are intrigued there is a great billingual website (Hebrew and English) on the topic at
\www.piyut.org.il
If you have printed versions of Piyutim and are cool to share then please let me know
http://www.piyut.org.il
John Erlich - 3-10-2011 at 01:19 PM
Hi Jaffa Road,
You might find some in this book: http://www.ortav.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=327
Generally, the market for piyyutim and pizmonim is so small, there really not much interest in transcribing. Marina, a Forum member, posted a book
with lead sheets for a number of piyyutim and pizmonim.
I posted on this Forum a modern piyyut "Baseru Na," with my transcription, Hebrew lyrics, and transliteration. The response was rather "modest," to
say the least.
I led a band that performed piyyutim & pizmonim from 1997-2008. We learned almost all of our repertoire by ear and found that we remembered the
songs better that way.
Good luck!
Kol tuv,
John "Virginia Street" Erlich
John Erlich - 3-15-2011 at 02:08 PM
This may fall into the category of "stating the obvious," but, in the case of pizmonim, you can very often find the music sheets for the Arabic (or
Turkish) original song. Some of the better sifrei pizmonim actually list the name of the original Arabic song. This book (available here: http://www.wslibrary.net/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=3729 ) lists most of the original Arabic songs:
Marina - 3-19-2011 at 12:58 AM
I have Yedidi a shahathta, but the person that I wrothe the notes from said it is Kurd. Anyway, here is the sheet.
Maroccan version
Attachment: Yedidi ha shahahta - kurd.pdf (17kB)
This file has been downloaded 325 times
John Erlich - 3-23-2011 at 08:30 AM
Thanks for posting it, Marina! The original thread poster, Jaffa Road, seems to have gone AWOL... 
Kol tuv,
John
John Erlich - 3-25-2011 at 09:51 AM
While we're on the subject of pizmonim...
Does anyone know the source melody for "Elekha Ekra Y-h"? You can hear a recording and see/read the Hebrew lyrics here: http://www.piyut.org.il/textual/532.html Piyut.org decribes the melody as a old Tunisian folk song, but doesn't name it.
Does anyone recognize the melody?
Todah/Shukran/Mamnoon, etc.,
John
Jaffa Road - 3-28-2011 at 12:22 PM
Thanks Marina- I was away from this site for a while, distracted by making electronic music on my iphone and surfing the forums related to that.
Jaffa Road - 3-28-2011 at 12:25 PM
Hi John
Elekha Ekra Y-h
does sound familiar - I can t place it though. I am in pretty regular contact with Y. Dalal in Israel and will try to remember to ask him next time
we speak.
Marina - 3-29-2011 at 01:14 AM
Look at this:
Attachment: Selihot piyutim.zip (473kB)
This file has been downloaded 229 times
ps
dror ikra it is kurd not bayat, but I made a mistake while transcripted - I could swear that they sing it bayat - zayfanim ;-)
Jaffa Road - 3-29-2011 at 09:47 AM
many thanks
thanks is great. I think I have have heard droro yikrah both ways.
Bayati and Kurd, it could work either way I think.
John Erlich - 3-29-2011 at 01:04 PM
I think, with the maqamat of FOLK music (not classical Arabic or Turkish music, or pop music, for that matter), there is some legitimate disagreement
about what maqam to use. For example, "Mah Navu 'Alei," the Iraqi-Jewish wedding song, appears as/is played as ajam in some recordings and books, and
jiharka in others.
Kul tuv,
John