Music Categories
Esther Varsano – Vocalist
Dr. Sleeman collected thirty-five ballads, which Mrs. Aelion referred to as cantigas rather than romansas, and these were to form the central core of Sleeman’s doctoral thesis. Despite her long stay in London, Estrea had never fully mastered English and her excellent recall of the ballads she had learnt so long ago may possibly have been, not only because of the ballads’ compelling stories, but because of her lack of contact with English culture. Samuel G. Armistead and Joseph H. Silverman noted a similar case during their field work in Van Nuys, California, in 1957. Their informant, Ester Varsano Hassid, a native of Salonica, had arrived in the United States in 1916: “[…] solo sabia leer el ladino; los caracteres latinos quedaban fuera de su alcance. Durante más de cuarenta años se había quedado al margen de la cultura americana. Era costurera de profesión y solía acompañar sus tareas con el canto de romances”
Armistead & Silverman, 1979: 116
Listen to the recordings of traditional Sephardic folk songs sung by Esther Varsano in the 1950s.
Adi Varsano – Vocalist
Daniel Varsano – Pianist
Read Daniel Varsano’s Wikipedia Page
Find Additional Varsano Music Videos Here
Lyrics
Los Siete Ijus Di Hana (Ladino Lyrics)
Siete ijos tiene Hana
Hana, la buena Djudiya
Los mando a yamar el Re
A todos siete en un diya.
Ven aki, ijos de Hana
Hana, la buena Djudiya
Te dare la mi korona
Asentate en la mi siya
Yo no kero tu korona
Ni me asento en la su siya
Yo no piedro mi Ley Santa
No entro en la falsiya.
Hannah’s Seven Sons (English Lyrics)
Hannah has seven sons,
Hannah, the good Jewess,
The King calls for them,
All seven in a day.
Come here, sons of Hannah,
Hannah, the good Jewess,
I’ll give you my crown,
And you’ll sit on my throne.
I don’t want your crown,
Nor do I want to sit on your throne,
I will not forget my Holy Law,
I don’t believe in falsehood.
La Doncella Guerrera (Spanish Lyrics)
The Warrior Maiden (English Lyrics)
Lyrics translation courtesy of https://lyricstranslate.com
Ehad mi yodea
Mordecai Varsano, who spoke Ladino, would sing this song with Jonathan Varsano as a child, usually after the Passover Seder meal.
Ladino Lyrics
Quien supiense y entendiense, Alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo es el uno? Qualo es el uno?
Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los dos? Qualo son los dos?
Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los tres? Qualo son los tres?
Tres muestros padres son, Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los quatro? Qualo son los quatro?
Quatro madres de Yisrael, Tres muestros padres son, Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los cinco? Qualo son los cinco?
Cinco livros de la lei, Quatro madres de Yisrael, Tres muestros padres son, Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los sesh? Qualo son los sesh?
Sesh dias sin Shabat, Cinco livros de la lei, Quatro madres de Yisrael, Tres muestros padres son, Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los siete? Qualo son los siete?
Siete dias de la semana, Sesh dias sin Shabat, Cinco livros de la lei, Quatro madres de Yisrael, Tres muestros padres son, Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los ocho? Qualo son los ocho?
Ocho dias de brit mila, Siete dias de la semana, Sesh dias sin Shabat, Cinco livros de la lei, Quatro madres de Yisrael, Tres muestros padres son, Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los mueve? Qualo son los mueve?
Mueve mezes de la prenyada, Ocho dias de brit mila, Siete dias de la semana, Sesh dias sin Shabat, Cinco livros de la lei, Quatro madres de Yisrael, Tres muestros padres son, Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los diez? Qualo son los diez?
Diez comandamientos de la lei, Mueve mezes de la prenyada, Ocho dias de brit mila, Siete dias de la semana, Sesh dias sin Shabat, Cinco livros de la lei, Quatro madres de Yisrael, Tres muestros padres son, Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los once? Qualo son los once?
Once estrellas de sueno de Yossef, Diez comandamientos de la lei, Mueve mezes de la prenyada, Ocho dias de brit mila, Siete dias de la semana, Sesh dias sin Shabat, Cinco livros de la lei, Quatro madres de Yisrael, Tres muestros padres son, Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los doce? Qualo son los doce?
Doce trivos de Yisrael, Once estrellas de sueno de Yossef, Diez comandamientos de la lei, Mueve mezes de la prenyada, Ocho dias de brit mila, Siete dias de la semana, Sesh dias sin Shabat, Cinco livros de la lei, Quatro madres de Yisrael, Tres muestros padres son, Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
Quien supiense y entendiense, alavar al Dyo criense, Qualo son los treize? Qualo son los treize?
Trece anyos de complas minyan, Doce trivos de Yisrael, Once estrellas de sueno de Yossef, Diez comandamientos de la lei, Mueve mezes de la prenyada, Ocho dias de brit mila, Siete dias de la semana, Sesh dias sin Shabat, Cinco livros de la lei, Quatro madres de Yisrael, Tres muestros padres son, Dos Moshe y Aaron, Uno es el Creador, Uno es el Creador, baruch Hu uvaruch sh’mo
English Lyrics
Who knows one? I know one. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows two? I know two. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows three? I know three. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows four? I know four. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows five? I know five. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows six? I know six. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows seven? I know seven. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows eight? I know eight. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows nine? I know nine. Nine are the months of childbirth. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows ten? I know ten. Ten are the Words from Sinai. Nine are the months of childbirth. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows eleven? I know eleven. Eleven are the stars [in Joseph’s Dream]. Ten are the Words from Sinai. Nine are the months of childbirth. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows twelve? I know twelve. Twelve are the tribes. Eleven are the stars [in Joseph’s Dream]. Ten are the Words from Sinai. Nine are the months of childbirth. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows thirteen? I know thirteen. Thirteen are the attributes of God. Twelve are the tribes. Eleven are the stars. Ten are the Words from Sinai. Nine are the months of childbirth. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Lyrics Courtesy of Haggadot.com
Note from Jewish Music Research Centre about Variations from Sephardic and Eastern Jewish communities
The Thessaloniki version in Ladino, for example, includes a unique introductory segment “God in Heavens, He will send us to Jerusalem in a large caravan. Who knows One? One is the Creator. Blessed be His name.” Also the attributes of the numbers are different in this version in comparison to the standard Hebrew/Aramaic text, as follows: two are Moses and Aaron (rather that the tablets of the covenant), four are the matriarchs of Israel (rather than just “the matriarchs”), six are the days of the week without the Sabbath (rather that the orders of the Mishnah), seven are the days of the week including the Sabbath (rather than plainly “the days of the week”), eight are the days of the huppah (the wedding celebrations, instead of the days from the birth to the circumcision), eleven are the brothers (sons of Jacob) without Joseph (instead of the stars), twelve are the brothers with Joseph (instead of the twelve tribes), and thirteen are the brothers (sons of Jacob) with Dinah (instead of the measures of mercy). In the attached recording [Example 1], one can hear the Thessaloniki version, which is preceded by explanatory remarks by JMRC scholar and international expert on the Ladino song, Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak.
OCHO KANDELIKAS
Ladino Lyrics
1. Chanukah linda sta aki,
ocho kandelas para mi (2x)
Chorus:
O — Una kandelika, dos kandelikas,
tres kandelikas, kuatro kandelikas sintyu
kandelikas, sej kandelikas,
siete kandelikas, ocho kandelas para mi
2. Muchas fiestas vo fazer,
kon alegriyas y plazer (2x)
Chorus
3. Los pastelikos vo kumer,
kon almendrikas y la myel (2x)
Chorus
English Lyrics
EIGHT CANDLES
1. Beautiful Chanukah is now here
And eight candles for me appear.
Chorus:
Oh – one little, two little,
Three little, four little candles;
Five, six, seven little candles,
Eight little candles for me.
2. Lots of parties for my leisure
So much fun and so much pleasure.
Chorus
3. Dainty pastries for me to eat
With almonds and honey so sweet.
Chorus
Lyrics Courtesy of hebrewsongs.com