Libelid. Listen to Ola Bilińska's Yiddish love songs

Written by: Jewish Historical Institute
"Libelid" is a set of eight pre-war compositions about different shades and faces of love. In these poetic works come out the Jewish customs, which strongly influenced the emotional and family life of members of the community. The love songs restored to memory from the old Jewish collections resound again in an unusual interpretation by Ola Bilińska.
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"The «Berjozkele» album tells a story about childhood or a memory of childhood, but also about the night, nature, suffering, longing – about death, about the dark side of the human soul. But I dreamed of a record that would be the other side of this coin: it would tell about love – about life. This is how «Libelid» was created: eight pre-war compositions about various shades and faces of love. Their texts clearly show traces of Jewish customs, which strongly influenced the emotional and family life of members of the community: arranged marriages, strong family ties, images from everyday life – as it was before the Holocaust”, writes Ola Bilińska in the booklet of the album.

"In terms of tone, the music is once again balancing between acoustic, traditional and modern electronic instruments" – adds the author. – "Our goal was to create a mood, a setting for the resonance of the richness of emotions contained in the texts – tenderness, passion, rejection, reflection on a bygone or lost affection".

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"Libelid" concert, 2016, photo by Grzegorz Kwolek

 

The album includes the following songs:

  • Oj, Abram (Oh, Abram)
  • Mamenju, lubenju (Mummy, sweetheart)
  • Ich kusz dich mit ojgn farmachte (Kissing you, I close my eyes)
  • In der Fincter (Because in darkness)
  • Jome, Jome (Jome, Jome)
  • Libe-lid (Love song)
  • Kalenju, wejn że, wejn! (Bride, cry, cry!)
  • Umru majne (My anxiety).

 

The CD can be purchased at the Tłomackie Bookstore.

Ola Bilińska – singer, songwriter and music writer, translator of Polish poetry into English; performs genres ranging from opera, jazz and pop to American folk. Creator of the Babadag formation.

Libelid is a musical project by Ola Bilińska, created in cooperation with the Jewish Historical Institute. Recordings were made in the studio of Polish Radio in 2016.

Go to the entire playlist on the JHI Youtube channel

Jewish Historical Institute  
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