L 261

4. Love Song (1)

Hungarian Folk Songs for mixed voices (1930; BB 99)

The source of the melody:

Recording:
MH_0985a
Collecting:
Felsőireg (Tolna County; now: Iregszemcse), April 1907, Béla Bartók
Informant:
man (ca 70)
Performance:
voice
Ethnicity:
Hungarian

(A) MS field book: M.IV, p. 41

(B) MS master sheet, in unknown copyist’s hand, together with the carbon copy of Bartók’s later transcription: MMS, MH 0985a

(C) HFM, no. 54b

(D) MS master sheet, copied by Gy. Kerényi (later version), with Bartók’s additions: Bartók System, A-I 389b (BR 01098)

(E) MS master sheet, in Gy. Kerényi’s hand: Kodály System, folder no. 201, KR 23090

(F) HFSCC/I, no. 389b

Source of stanza 1 of the words:

Recording:
MH_1038b
Collecting:
Gyergyóújfalu (Csík County; now: Suseni, Romania), August 1907, Béla Bartók
Informant:
woman
Performance:
voice
Ethnicity:
Hungarian

(A) MS field book: M.VI, fol. 3r

(B) MS master sheet, carbon copy of the orig. layer of (D) (together with the transcription of the previous melody on the recording): MMS, MH 1038a

(C) HFM, no. 45 (further reprint: "Hungarian Peasant Music" (1920), BÖI, 385; Essays, 89; BBI/3, 155.)

(D) MS master sheet, with Bartók’s later revisions: Bartók System, A-II 1194a (BR 03719)

(E) MS master sheet, copied by Gy. Kerényi (later version): Kodály System, folder no. 47, KR 04993

Source of stanza 3 of the words:

Recording:
MH_0997c
Collecting:
Felsőireg (Tolna County; now: Iregszemcse), April 1907, Béla Bartók
Informant:
old woman
Performance:
voice
Ethnicity:
Hungarian

(A) MS field book: M.IV, p. 49 (8th staff)

(B) MS master sheet, carbon copy of the orig. layer of (D) (together with the next melody on the phonograph recording): MMS, MH 0997c-d

(C) HFM, no. 54a

(D) MS master sheet, with Bartók’s later revisions: Bartók System, A-I 389a (BR 01097)

(E) MS master sheet, copied by Gy. Kerényi, with additions in Kodály’s hand: Kodály System, folder no. 192, KR 22162

(F) HFSCC/I, no. 389a

CD_BUS-22


Hungarian National Choir
Conductor: Zoltán Kocsis
Bartók New Series, Hungaroton Records
2016

Score

Hej, de Sarjút eszik az ökröm,
Ha jóllakik, bekötöm,
Ugy menyek a babámhoz,
Tudom, elvár magához.

Lefeküdtem csak alig,
Nem egészen a falig,
Jól megölelj engemet,
Le ne essem mellőled.

Hej, Dunyhám, párnám de hajlik,
Bejjebb, babám, a falig,
Ölelj engem hajnalig,
Amíg anyánk aluszik.

Hey, my ox is eating aftergrass,
When it has its fill, I’ll tie it up,
Then I’ll go to my sweetheart,
I know she awaits me.

I lay down hardly at all,
Not quite to the wall,
Embrace me well,
Lest from your side I fall.

Hey, my eiderdown and pillow are bent,
Move over, sweetheart, to the wall,
Embrace me until dawn,
While our mother is asleep.