6 Akara The Barren (1939),

   poem by Rahel

The poetess Rahel (pseudony­m for Rachel Blubstein, 1890-1931) immigrated to Palestine from Russia in 1909 and lived mostly in the agricultural settlement Kineret overlooking the Sea of the Galilee until her premature death. Her intimate and gentle poems combined sincere love to the country and its scenery with personal, lyrical expression, such as when the childless young woman expresses her yearning to have a son, comparing herself with the biblical Hana of Shilo. Ben-Haim setting is one of his most moving Hebrew songs. The first and second stanzas share material. Whereas the metrically different third stanza is a far-reaching variant representing the transition from the dream of the child to expression of bitterness and yeaning. The melody is largely declamatory, with a typical falling fifths pointing out the first word of each stanza.

7  Hakhnissini Shelter me under your wing

    poem by Bialik (1940)

Haim Nachman Bialik (1873-1934) acquired a unique status as a national poet expressing the feelings and hopes of the Jewish people. He immigrated to Palestine from Russia in 1924 and made an enduring contribution to the literate and cultural life of the Jewish society. Ben-Haim attended one of the traditional Saturday afternoon gatherings at Bialik's spacious home in Tel-Aviv and was deeply impressed by the poet's warm personality. In 1940 Ben-Haim set Hakhnisini one of Bialik's best known poems which received different interpretations, ranging from an intimate love poem to an expression of the love between the Jewish nation and the Sh'china - one of the designations of the Lord. Ben-Haim's music supports the national interpretation through musical reference to Eastern-European Jewish cantorial chant music and the modal harmony.

8   Children songs,

     poems by Miriam Yalan-Stekelis (1943)

       One: Lullaby for the doll

Two: The rain

Three: The clock is tired

Four: Wind, wind

The lovely song cycle belongs to the category of songs commenting on the child's world from the adult point of view. Miriam Jalan-Stekelis devoted most of her poems to kindergarten children. Ben-Haim expressed the light humour of the verses through direct word painting and simple, regular melodies.

Varda Kotler