Album Notes

Aufwind at MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/aufwind

"Aufwind" was founded in Berlin in 1984 and since then have played different programmes of Jewish songs that became hugely popular throughout Germany.

Musicians:
Claudia Koch – vocal, violin
Hardy Reich – vocal, mandolin, banjo
Andreas Rohde – bandonion, vocal
Jan Hermerschmidt – clarinets, bassclarinet, flute, vocal
Janek Skirecki – bass
Christian Marien - drums (as guest)

14 Tracks • 47:34 min
booklet with all lyrics • notes in german and english

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1 Tupendik (Fluttering)
Music: trad./Koch • Words: Heinrich Hoffmann (1809-1894) • Arrangement: Reich

He flutters and swings, he patters and jiggles on his chair back and forth. "Philipp, it really annoys me!"


2 Gendzelekh (Little Geese)
M.+ W.: trad. • Arr.: Koch

A defiant young and beautiful gooseherd refuses to get married to an age-old rich moneybag and his real-estate property.


3 Ikh der trubadur (I, the troubadour)
M.: Claudia Koch • W.: Itzik Manger (1901-1969) • Arr.: Koch

Self-portrait of a restless poet and singer; résumé, prospect and snapshot at the same time.


4 Heyser tartar / Sam shpilt (Hot Tartar / Sam plays)
M..: trad. / Sam Musiker (1916-1964) • Arr.: Koch

Musical summitry in klezmer music: the music of two of the most important klezmer music clarinettists are joining here. It is opened with Naftule Brandwein’s showpiece "Heyser Tartar" (a.k.a. "Heyser Tartar Tants" or just "Der Heyser"), recorded on July 17, 1924. Sprout of an East-European klezmer dynasty, Brandwein in America was not just a unique clarinettist but a sparkling figure famous for his wicked stage show.
The piece is concluded with a composition by virtuoso Sam Musiker who in fact is the sprout of a family of musicians – and on top of it son-in-law of yet another famous clarinettist of the past century: Dave Tarras.


5 Der goyrl fun aktyor (The fate of an actor)
M.: trad. • W.: Israil Bercovici (1921-1988) • Arr.: Reich

Have the carriage made, we set off. Let’s sing and tell stories of comfort and hope. That’s the fate of an actor. May the curtain never fall.


6 Tsholnt
M.: Ben Jaffe • W.: Patsy Abbot • Arr.: Koch

The whole week I’m looking forward to Friday because on Friday you put it in and let it in there until Sunday. You can’t get enough of it. What could it be? It’s not a disease and it’s not what you think it is. However, it is something really delicious: mother’s tsholnt dish.


7 Dos reydele (The little wheel)
M. + W.: Pinie Goldsten • Arr.: Reich

I know a rich man who believes to own everything. But what’s a life like that good for? My neighbour thinks she can tempt me with money but I just say, “The wheel is spinning endlessly and tomorrow everything can be changed and wealth will be with me.


8 Tates nign (Father’s nign)
M.: Bernardo Stalman (1910-2004) • Arr.: Koch

"Shalom" is he title of a long-play we brought from Argentine. It was recorded by Berel Stal who wrote our favourite piece on it, "Freilach de papa", and who recorded the album with his orchestra. Under the name Bernardo Stalmann he worked as a violinist, arranger and film music composer. He also composed tangos and published records with famous bandoneon player Astor Piazolla.


9 Hey tsigelekh (Hey, little goats)
M. + W.: Mordechaj Gebirtig (1877-1942) • Arr.: Koch

Hey, little goats, I’ll tell you a story. It starts with a herdsman who gets bewitched by a girl. The herdsman used to be very happy but now he doesn’t care about the flock. At the end the animals are abandoned, the herdsman lies on the ground of the river and the girl is crying ashore.


10 Modne velt (Strange world)
M. + W.: trad. • Arr.: Reich

It’s a strange world without truth and justice bankrupt. At the same time it is beautiful like a paradise and contains happiness and pleasure for everyone.


11 Hob ikh a por oksn (I’ve got a pair of oxen)
M.: trad./Koch • W.: trad. • Arr.: Koch

Several animals carry out untypical wondrous activities.


12 Koalamaike
M.: trad. • Arr.: Koch

After Henry Sapoznik’s and Pete Sokolow’s standard music collection "The Compleat Klezmer" and the extensive collections of Russian-Jewish music ethnologist Moyshe Beregovski (1892-1961), there is a verbal intensification in a 2001 collection: "The Ultimate Klezmer" (Josh Horowitz / Wolff Kostakowsky). "Koalamaike" is an arrangement with pieces from this collection. It opens, however, with an Ukrainian folksong also know as Gregory Song with an exciting past, followed by a kolomeyke and a rhythmically revised Russian piece named "Lizginka" pointing to the geographic origin of the melody.


13 Schnucki (Darling)
M.: Hermann Leopoldi (1988-1959) • W.: Rudolf Skutajan • Arr.: Koch, Reich


14 Di zun (The sun)
M.: Ben Yomen (1901-1970) • W.: Mojsche Lejb Halpern (1886-1932) • Arr.: Koch, Hermerschmidt

The sun will fade behind the mountains and the day will cease with silence and grief. Night veils all yearning and fatigue triumphs.

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releases/discography

Modne velt (2008)
Live (2004)
Ineynem (2002)
Avek di yunge yorn (1996)
Yunge yorn (1995)
Gasn zinger (1992)
Lomp nokh nit farloschn (1989)