Composed in the same year as Le train bleu and Les Malheurs d'Orphée, the Chants (6) populaires hébraïques (Jewish Folksongs) was only the second specifically Jewish opus of Milhaud. It was also his first composition for voice and piano since Caramel mou of 1920. The Chants populaires hébraïques share some commonality with the earlier Poèmes juifs (Jewish Poems) of 1916, but also contain some noticeable differences. Like those of Poèmes juifs, the anonymous texts of the Chants populaires hébraïques embrace the principle tenets of Judaism and are mostly of folk character. They range in mood from an ironic, even bitter tone about difficulties of being Jewish in a Gentile world to unwavering trust in God. "La Séparation," (Separation) and "La chant du veilleur" (Song of the Watchman) belong in the former category, the second song strikingly similar to one by Eastern European songwriter/performer Berl Broder (1815-1886). "Chant de délivrance" (Song of Deliverance) and "Gloire à Dieu" (Glory to God) are songs of deep faith and confidence, reminiscent of the

Psalms. "Chant hassidique" (Hassidic Song) is a version of the popular "counting" song sung at Passover. "Berceuse," though, is a simple lullaby, with no overt connection to Judaism except that it was originally in Yiddish. These texts are generally more brief and uncomplicated in format, but nevertheless more tightly structured, than those of the Poèmes juifs. The music highlights another difference between the two song collections. Whereas the melodies of the Poèmes juifs were freely composed by Milhaud, those of the Chants populaires hébraïques were adapted, even reconstituted, from Ukranian and Polish Jewish folk songs. Milhaud had said there were two means of dealing with traditional or folk material: either "collect it and store in a library" or "use it as though it were an original melody." Some maintain that this approach has robbed the folk melodies of their unique tonal/modal cast in the Chants populaires hébraïques. Others agree that Milhaud "gave them stronger, more colorful wings with which to soar." In any case, as in the earlier collection, layered tonalities are used, usually resulting in no more than actual bitonality. Consistent with the composer's own practice, modal lines and even harmonies are employed. Milhaud dedicated each song to a different friend. Most of the dedicatees were noteworthy singers, such as Madeleine Grey, Jane Bathori, and Marya Freund. Grey premiered the songs in Paris on March 19, 1925. The composer also arranged the accompaniment for orchestra with woodwinds and brass in pairs.

© Neil Cardew-Fanning, Rovi