Two Hannah Szenesh Poems

"Kol Kara" and "Ashrey Ha-Gafrur"

Composed by Max Helfman

Poetry by Hannah Szenesh

Range

Cb4 - F#5

Accompaniment characteristics

Alternates between highly dissonant tremolos, sparseness, and arpeggiated chords that encourage rubato

Pedagogical challenges

• Modal with constantly changing key centers

• Requires strong middle and lower registers

  • Ability to sing both intensely and quietly at the top of the staff

• Melismatic passages that reflect cantorial techniques

  
  

Context

This text comes from Szenes’ final poems. It expresses her willingness to fight until her last breath for the sake of the Jewish people. She gave the texts to her friend Reuven Dafni the night before she crossed the border to Hungary. She made this request of him: "If I don't come back, give this to my friends in Sedot Yam.”