Marjal aega magada (Veljo Tormis) – The Gesualdo Six

Marjal aega magada (It's time for the little berry to sleep), by Veljo Tormis
The Gesualdo Six, directed by Owain Park
Filmed at St Bartholomew the Great, London

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Veljo Tormis was a lifelong evangelist for his country’s folk-song tradition, as evidenced by his ‘Four Estonian lullabies’, all largely unembellished settings of traditional tunes. Marjal aega magada (‘It’s time for the little berry to sleep’) has the quality of a lament, with the emphasis placed on the second beat of each bar, so the music never quite settles. [Programme note: Owain Park © 2020]

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Maka, maka, marjaken, uinu, uinu, ul’liken!
Marjal aigu magada, ul’lil aigu uinuda.

Kunas sii kud’u kodo tulõ,
kunas sii tibu tüühle lät,
kunas sii mari magama jääs,
kunas sii ul’li uinus jo?

Sleep, sleep, little berry,
doze, doze, deary!
Time for the little berry to sleep,
time for my deary to doze.

When will the cock come home,
when will the chick go to work,
when will the little berry go to sleep,
when will the deary doze off?
[English by KAJA KAPPELL]

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The Gesualdo Six | Owain Park

[edwardhart]

As always perfection keep the great work up, you all have such high standards in musicality and a great future awaits you all in the world of classical music.