Recordings › Vinnytsya

MDV 753 · Bella Simkhovna Chirkova; Vinnytsya Yiddish women's choir; Nesya Shulimovna Katz

Vinnytsya, Ukraine 13 July 2002 Interviewed by Dov-Ber Kerler, Dovid Katz, Jeffrey Veidlinger Part 1 of 5 41 min · 7 passages
4 conversations on this tape
  1. 0:00–15:39 · Vinnytsya Yiddish women's choir proposed
  2. 15:39–16:09 · Bella Simkhovna Chirkova uncertain
  3. 17:19–31:20 · Vinnytsya Yiddish women's choir proposed
  4. 31:20–41:25 · Bella Simkhovna Chirkova · also on MDV 754, MDV 755, MDV 756, MDV 757 proposed

The division was proposed from the catalogue's descriptions and the machine transcript, not stated by the catalogue (how).

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Passages

0:00

Discussion about the performance of the Vinnytsya Women’s choir.

Informal · MCO
From the machine transcript

The choir women discuss what Yiddish songs to sing, partly in Russian, while the team waits and waits for the director. Chirkova comes up to the interviewers and says she can talk Yiddish. Her father was a rabbi and her grandfather a cantor, and she complains that she is not allowed to speak Yiddish or keep the holidays freely. She lingers over her religious upbringing, her parents' deaths and her old age. Kerler arranges to visit her at home. The choir women then sing together, and a second woman, probably Nesye Katz, says she was an orphan raised by an aunt and describes how the group meets and sings Yiddish songs.

Also covers Chirkova's family and her complaints about being unable to speak Yiddish, and Katz's own account of being an orphan.

15:39

Setting up interview with Chirkova

· MCO
From the machine transcript

Katz and a choir woman fix a time for the team to come to Chirkova's.

17:19

Choir performance

Singing Songs and music · MCO
From the machine transcript

The choir performs several Yiddish songs together, including love songs and a song about the Sabbath, and a few women then start solo items. Kerler and others say a few words in Russian between the songs.

24:37

Individual performers

Singing Songs and music · MCO
From the machine transcript

Individual choir women sing solo songs, including a song about a girl selling bagels and a humorous Yiddish song about a girl who wants a dress, shoes and a husband. A comic song about a rabbi and a knife follows. Kerler asks for a repeat of one earlier couplet, and the performer is thanked.

37:21

Entering Chirkova’s home and setting up interview

· MCO
From the machine transcript

The team enters Chirkova's flat and sits down in the kitchen. She starts showing things on the wall and explaining photographs. Kerler asks about her books.