The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #53580   Message #825671
Posted By: Haruo
14-Nov-02 - 12:29 AM
Thread Name: Tune Add: Tam okolo Levoci
Subject: Tune Add & Lyr Req: Tam okolo Levoci
I would have sworn that a year or two ago I had a brief thread seeking information on this Slovak folksong, but maybe not; in any case I can't find it. I'm interested in the original Slovak text (I only have the incipit, "Tam okolo Levoči") as well as any English or other non-Slovak versions (Japanese, Masato?). I only know it in Esperanto. I'm told it's also popular in the Czech duchies, but I don't know if they sing it in Slovak or Czech. Here's the tune:

MIDI file: CeLevoca.mid

Timebase: 192

Name: CxeLevocxa-mel
Text: Generated by NoteWorthy Composer
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
TimeSig: 2/4 24 8
Start
0000 1 60 110 0094 0 60 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 65 110 0046 0 65 000 0002 1 62 110 0142 0 62 000 0002 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 60 110 0094 0 60 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 65 110 0046 0 65 000 0002 1 62 110 0142 0 62 000 0002 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 74 110 0046 0 74 000 0002 1 72 110 0142 0 72 000 0002 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 65 110 0046 0 65 000 0002 1 64 110 0142 0 64 000 0002 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 60 110 0094 0 60 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 65 110 0046 0 65 000 0002 1 62 110 0142 0 62 000 0002 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 74 110 0046 0 74 000 0002 1 72 110 0142 0 72 000 0002 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 65 110 0046 0 65 000 0002 1 64 110 0142 0 64 000 0002 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 60 110 0094 0 60 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 65 110 0046 0 65 000 0002 1 62 110 0142 0 62 000 0002 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the latest version of MIDItext and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:CxeLevocxa-mel
M:2/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
C2E2G2G2|A2A2G4|c2E2FD3|C4C4|C2E2G2G2|A2A2G4|
c2E2FD3|C4C4|c2B2A2B2|dc3G4|A2B2c2G2|FE3D4|
C2E2G2G2|A2A2G4|c2E2FD3|C4C4|c2B2A2B2|dc3G4|
A2B2c2G2|FE3D4|C2E2G2G2|A2A2G4|c2E2FD3|C4C7/2||

Here's the Esperanto text and a rough English translation (not for singing):

  1. Ĉe Levoĉa la river' fluas jen torente,
    Ĉe Levoĉa la river' fluas jen torente,
    La knabinoj sen amant', la knabinoj sen amant',
    La knabinoj sen amant' en ĝin saltu pente.
    La knabinoj sen amant', la knabinoj sen amant',
    La knabinoj sen amant' en ĝin saltu pente.
  2. Kial en la akvon mi saltu en la ploro?
    Kial en la akvon mi saltu en la ploro?
    La junul' ne estas ja, la junul' ne estas ja,
    La junul' ne estas ja por la dron' valora.
    La junul' ne estas ja, la junul' ne estas ja,
    La junul' ne estas ja por la dron' valora.

At Levoča* the river flows torrentially, (x2)
The girls without a lover (x3), let them leap into it in penance.
The girls without a lover (x3), let them leap into it in penance.

Why should I jump in the water weeping? (x2)
The young man isn't indeed (x3) worth drowning over.
The young man isn't indeed (x3) worth drowning over.

*"Tam okolo Levoči", I think, probably means "There near Levoča", but I'm guessing; I know maybe four words of Slovak, and probably more Russian than is safe in this sort of quest. Also, the Esperanto "Levoĉa" is accented on the middle syllable, but I think the Slovak "Levoča" is probably accented on the first syllable.

Haruo