Ver hot aza yingele: SATB Choral Octavo

Name: Ver hot aza yingele: SATB Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-EP11652
Price: 4.00 USD
Availability: InStock

WhoHhas Such a Son

Traditional Yiddish Folk Song / arr. Polina Shepherd /tTranslated by Janina Wurbs

Item: 98-EP11652

$4.00

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Yiddish Choral Series

Series Editors: Samuel Seifert and Ludwig Böhme

Yiddish folk songs explore the complete range of human emotions, powerfully expressing all that the Jewish people have loved, embraced and endured. Since their origins in the 14th century, the songs have traditionally been passed on to each generation as words and melodies alone. The Yiddish Choral Series now makes this music available for the first time in stunning new arrangements for choirs.

Series Editors Samuel Seifert (a member of Ensemble Rozhinkes) and Ludwig Böhme (director of the Leipzig Synagogal Choir) have commissioned a range of renowned international arrangers to illustrate the huge variety of creative responses to Yiddish songs: from simple choral settings to expansive, through-composed concert arrangements, and from typical Yiddish harmonies to aleatoric composition.

The Yiddish Choral Series, which allows choirs everywhere to discover the fascinating world of Yiddish song, features:

A range of choral styles and levels of difficulty, to suit all programming requirements
Informative introductions to each piece
Transliterated Yiddish lyrics, with poetic translations into English and German alongside the original Hebrew text

Ver Hot Aza Yingele? (Who has such a son?) is a 3-minute, lively, joyful folk song of Eastern Jewish origin. Full of pride, the mother sings a hymn of gratitude for her own child, who is, of course, the best child of all! Polina Shepherd's arrangement for solo voice, SATB and piano adds authentic Yiddish ornamentation to the characteristic simple song melody. This creates a kind of onomatopoeia in the solo and choral parts; a sort of notated improvisation that should be felt with metrical freedom. Even for choral singers unfamiliar with Klezmer, this arrangement gives the opportunity to become wonderfully engaged with the style and---like the mother with her 'Yingele'---will be richly rewarded.

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Series: Edition Peters: Yiddish Choral Series

Publisher: Edition Peters

Page Count: 16

ISBN10: 0-01-413757-7

ISBN13: 979-0-01-413757-1

SKU: 98-EP11652

More about this title

About the Arranger: Polina Shepherd

Polina Shepherd is a composer and arranger working across multiple genres, with particular focus on Eastern European and Jewish musical traditions. Her arrangements emphasize accessibility without sacrificing musical depth, making complex source material singable for choirs at varying levels.

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Why we love this

Shepherd's arrangement captures the infectious warmth of this Eastern European folk tradition while keeping the texture clean and accessible for SATB choirs. The three-minute runtime and joyful character make it an immediate audience favorite, yet the arrangement respects the song's emotional depth and cultural specificity.

What to expect

A mother's tender boast transforms into celebration. The melody dances with affection and lightness, buoyed by harmonies that feel both traditional and distinctly Eastern European. Three minutes of pure joy and cultural pride.

Who it's for

SATB choirs seeking accessible yet meaningful additions to their repertoire, particularly those programming Jewish heritage music or exploring cultural diversity in concert contexts. This octavo suits intermediate-level ensembles with basic four-part balance who want to expand into folk traditions.

How to get the most out of it

Emphasize the mother's pride and affection by shaping phrases with a gentle lift rather than a rush; the lyricism should feel conversational and intimate, not operatic.
Balance the SA passages so the upper voices maintain clarity without drowning out the harmonic foundation from tenor and bass.
Use the transliterated Yiddish text as your entry point to understand the song's character; familiarize singers with the pronunciation so the words land with authenticity and warmth.

How to use it

This works beautifully in programming that explores immigrant musical traditions or celebrates Jewish cultural contributions to song. Pair it with other selections from the Yiddish Choral Series for a thematic concert block, or use it as a standalone moment of warmth and accessibility in a mixed-repertoire program.