Below are links to a number of performances of the song available on YouTube. I've copied notes for some of them. Most interesting imo are the two Russian 78s from late 1930's and the very recent version by Maria Ka (Maria Kawska) with colorful visuals.
Some information about the town: Dzhankoi or Jankoy[1] is a city of regional significance in the northern part of Crimea, internationally recognized as part of Ukraine, but since 2014 occupied by Russia. It also serves as administrative centre of Dzhankoi Raion although it is not a part of the raion (district). Population: 38,622 (2014 Census).[2] The name Dzhankoi (Ukrainian and Russian: Джанкой; German: Dshankoj;[3] Crimean Tatar: Canköy; Yiddish: דזשאַנקויע ) means 'new village': canköy < cañi köy (cañi is 'new' in the northern dialect of Crimean Tatar), but it is often explained as meaning 'spirit-village' (< can 'spirit' + köy 'village'). The city has various industries, which produce automobiles, reinforced concrete, fabric, meat, and other products. Dzhankoi also has professional technical schools.
Listening to the first listed Russina record (mixed chorus) the tune sounds a little different at the beginning. If anyone can decipher the words, are there any interesting differences ?????
IF anyone knows of print sources or recordings before 1940, please let us know. THANKS!
It is my impression that the song entered the US folk movement from the Benzion Witler recording of 1947, but I do NOT know that to be a fact. Does anyone remember or have source to indicate where the song was learned by Ruth Rubin (who also recorded it in 1947) and The Berries with pete Seeger (Peoples Songs recording on the Charter label, also 1947) ?????
5165 USSR 78rpm jewish choir In The Fields Of Dzhankoi, song (arr. Yegoshua Sheinin) "Evokans" State Jewish Choir Capella, Conductor Yegoshua Sheinin 1937 Kiev Aprelevka Plant УРК 73
Evokans Jewish Choir - 1937 E.P. Sheinin organized the Jewish vocal ensemble “Evokans” in 1929. At the same time, performances of the Jewish song ensemble began in Odessa. In 1931, the ensemble “Evokans” was transformed into the State All-Ukrainian Jewish Chapel “Evokans”. The location of the chapel was determined to be Kyiv, and a room was allocated - the building of the former Karaite synagogue - kenas. Yehoshua Pavlovich was a musical director of a very high professional level, who graduated from the Petrograd Conservatory in 1918. Gradually, the chapel grew, singers from the Odessa Jewish ensemble and other singers joined it. Soon the “Evokans” chapel grew to 30 highly qualified performers of Jewish choral works. At that time, there were almost no musical recordings of Jewish song folklore. Sheinin and his volunteer assistants recorded folk songs, processed and arranged them, then these songs were performed with great warmth at the “Evokans” concerts. The character of the songs was masterfully conveyed, without undue exaggeration. The interpretation of these songs, their color accurately and organically reflected the soul of the Jewish people and sadness and hope and the ability to laugh at themselves. In 1935, the chapel received the title of State Honored Chapel of Ukraine "Evokans". It was probably the only Jewish choir chapel of mixed composition in the world at that time. At least I have not come across any mentions or recordings of performances of such choirs anywhere. There are recordings of performances of the choir under the direction of Vladimir Heifetz in the USA, but already in the forties of the last century. The "Evokans" enjoyed particular success in small cities and towns of Ukraine and Belarus, where a large percentage of the Jewish population lived. The tours of the "Evokans" in Odessa, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Minsk, Gomel, Bobruisk, Mogilev were very busy, sometimes two concerts a day. The audience at these concerts most often sang along with the choir, and in tragic places the audience wiped away tears. The performance of “Evokans” was warmly welcomed in the mining towns and villages of Donbas, in Kadiyevka, Kramatorsk, Donetsk and other cities. In 1936, the “Evokans” chapel was invited to Moscow. I was lucky to be with my father on this tour. I remember the recording on the All-Union Radio and the performance of “Evokans” in front of the employees of the US Embassy. The concert took place in a small hall, in the embassy premises. Now, many decades later, I clearly realize that the tour was specially arranged to show that there is no anti-Semitism in the USSR and that the Communist Party constantly cares about the flourishing of Jewish national culture... At the end of 1938. Sheinin began preparations for the performance of a new concert program - an oratorio based on ancient Jewish history. But these plans were not destined to come true. The Department of Arts issued an order to close the "Evokans". I remember from conversations with adults that the order blamed Sheinin for the wrong selection of repertoire, formalism and "synagogue style" in the performance of works. Is it a coincidence: the liquidation of the "Evokans" chapel took place during the period when Soviet-German negotiations were underway in Berlin and Moscow on the signing of the "Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact"? There is no doubt: the highly artistic, honored Jewish choral chapel "Evokans" was liquidated clearly for the political plans of Stalin during the period of rapprochement of the USSR and Hitler's Germany.
6426 USSR 78rpm yiddish soprano with piano Dzhankoi, folk song (lyrics by Alexander Veprik) Sara Fibich, acc. Ye.Belenkaya (piano) 1938 Moscow Aprelevka Plant ГРК 0446
Sara Fibich 1938 Sarah Fibich was a popular singer between the two world wars. She was a performer of Jewish, Russian and other songs. She was born in Warsaw, began her theatrical life in Odessa, moved to Kharkov, where she became a prima donna in the All-Ukrainian mobile Jewish theater ?Unzer Winkle? (the State Jewish Theater in Belarus was created on the basis of this theater). She came to prefer solo concert activity to the musical-drama theater. She toured many cities and towns of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Azerbaijan, and the press always covered these tours with praise and favor. During World War II she sang in Russian hospitals. Russian became her adopted country. There is conjecture that her death at age 52 on the operating table was a Stalin ordered execution. In a way, her death was more merciful than what awaited the Jewish intelligentsia at the hands of Stalin in the years after her death.
Benzion Witler with Medelsohn Ensemble 78rpm SUN 1055 1947 Benzion Witler
Travellers 2009 Pete Seeger 90th Birthday Tribute Concert, Toronto. Travellers Pete Seeger 90th Birthday Tribute Concert was recorded at the at Leah Posluns Theatre in Toronto on May 3, 2009. Travellers
ALIBI SISTERS The duo The Alibi Sisters, Anna and Angelina Zavalski, are siblings from Kyiv. Their joint creative life began in childhood, when they were soloists in the children folk ensemble “Strumochok”, established by their father Oleksandr Zavalsky. Later, they created the “Alibi” project, which became very popular in Ukraine. Feeling certain limitations in pop music, the sisters decided to go deeper into world music.
MARIA KA ( Maria Kawska ) 2022 "Dzhankoye דזשאַנקויע" is a popular Yiddish song performed on many occassions ?? its authors are unknown, yet in some sources Itzik Fefer and Moisei Beregovski appear as its creators ?? it is a story about the ideal agricultural Jewish life on Crimea ?? a piece encouraging Jews to join the farms and colonies in rural regions on the peninsula ?? even though its roots are believed to be a 30's propaganda song, its meanings and interpretations evolved throughout the years, together with its vibe, continuously positive and vivid in its core yet ??
Maria Ka decided to include the piece in the album after the breakout of the war in Ukraine in February '22 ?? since 2014 Crimea has been under p*tin's Russia occupation ?? Maria's intention is to express solidarity with the Ukrainian nation in their brave fight against the agression ?? fusing colors, motion, liveliness and brisk pulse of the song, she wants to transfer the huge load of Light, Hope, Support, Encouragment and Power to the ones fighting in defence of their territory and people ??
the song's lyrics contain a twist: instead of "bruder Abrashe" Maria sings about "schwester Natashe", including only female heroines in the piece and, therefore, wanting to metaphorically highlight the women's participation in the fight, resistance and social activity, making women distinctly visible and significant in the overall narrative, also the one linked with military actions and social service on the spot, in which women get often omitted ??