Romanian Christmas Carols, Sz, 57, BB 67 is a set of little colinde

Colinda

Colindă are traditional Romanian Christmas carols.- Origins :Although the text of all colinde is concerned with the events of the Nativity, certain elements of the folk rituals performed around Christmas are probably pre-Christian in origin, having their roots in the Roman Saturnalia and pagan...

, typical Christmas songs from Romanian villages, habitually sung by small groups of children, composed in 1915 by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók

Béla Bartók

Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...

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Structure

This work consists of twenty little songs put together into two major series. The movements are listed as follows:

• Series A
  • I. "Pă cel plai de munte" (from the region of Várhely
    Sarmizegetusa (commune)
    Sarmizegetusa is a commune in Ţara Haţegului depression, Hunedoara County, Romania. It is composed of five villages: Breazova, Hobiţa-Grădişte, Păucineşti, Sarmizegetusa and Zeicani....
    
    , in Hunyad). Allegro
  • II. "Intreabă si'ntreabă" (from the region of Malomvíz
    Râu de Mori
    Râu de Mori is a commune in Hunedoara County, Romania. It is composed of eleven villages: Brazi, Clopotiva, Ohaba-Sibişel, Ostrov, Ostrovel, Ostrovu Mic, Râu de Mori, Sibişel, Suseni, Unciuc and Valea Dâljii.-References:...
    
    , in Hunyad). Allegro
  • III. "Doi roagă să, roagă" (from the region of Malomvíz, in Hunyad). Allegro
  • IV. "Ciucur verde de mătasă" (from the region of Temesmonostor, in Temes). Andante
  • V. "Coborâto, coborâto" (from the region of Alsóvisó
    Viseu de Jos
    Vişeu de Jos is a commune in Maramureş County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Vişeu de Jos. The Vişeu river, a tributary of Tisa, flows through this commune.-External links:...
    
    , in Máramaros). Allegro moderato
  • VI. "În patru cornuți de lume" (from the region of Görgényorsova
    Gurghiu, Mures
    Gurghiu is is a commune in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of ten villages: Adrian, Caşva, Comori, Fundoaia, Glăjărie, Gurghiu, Larga, Orşova, Orşova-Pădure and Păuloaia.- See also :* List of Hungarian exonyms...
    
    , in Maros-Torda). Andante
  • VII. "La lină fântână" (from the region of Sárafalva
    Saravale
    Saravale, colloquially Şarafola , is a commune in Timiş County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Saravale. It was part of Sânpetru Mare Commune until 2004, when it was split off.The town first appears in written history in 1333....
    
    , in Torontál). Andante
  • VIII. "Noi umblăm da corindare" (from the region of Sárafalva, in Torontál). Allegretto
  • IX. "Noi acum ortacilor" (from the region of Bisztra
    Bistra, Alba
    Bistra is a commune located in Alba County, Romania. It has a population of 5,066. It is composed of 35 villages: Aroneşti, Băleşti, Băleşti-Cătun, Bârleşti, Bistra, Cheleteni, Ciuldeşti, Creţeşti, Dâmbureni, Dealu Muntelui, Durăşti, Găneşti, Gârde, Hodişeşti, Hudriceşti, Lipaia, Lunca Largă,...
    
    , in Torda-Aranyos). Allegro
  • X. "Tri cai dela răsăritu" (from the region of Rogos, in Bihar
    Bihor County
    Bihor is a county of Romania, in Crişana, with capital city at Oradea. Together with Hajdú-Bihar County in Hungary it constitutes the Biharia Euroregion.-Demographics:...
    
    ). Più allegro
• Series B
  • XI. "Colo'n jos la munte'n josu" (from the region of Körtekapu
    Faragau
    Fărăgău is a commune in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Fărăgău, Fânaţe, Hodaia, Onuca, Poarta and Tonciu.- Demography :...
    
    , in Maros-Torda). Molto moderato
  • XII. "Deasupra pă răsăritu" (from the region of Várhely, in Hunyad). Moderato
  • XIII. "Creștemi, Doamne, creștiu" (from the region of Cserbel
    Cerbal
    Cerbăl is a commune in Hunedoara County, Romania. It is composed of eight villages: Arănieş, Cerbăl, Feregi, Merişoru de Munte, Poieniţa Tomii, Poiana Răchiţelii, Socet and Ulm.-References:...
    
    , in Hunyad). Andante
  • XIV. "Sculați, sculați boieri mari" (from the region of Felsőoroszi
    Chiheru de Jos
    Chiheru de Jos is a commune in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Chiheru de Jos, Chiheru de Sus, Urisiu de Jos and Urisiu de Sus.-Demographics:...
    
    , in Maros-Torda). Andante
  • XV. "Ăi, colo'n josu mai din josu" (from the region of Cserbel
    Cerbal
    Cerbăl is a commune in Hunedoara County, Romania. It is composed of eight villages: Arănieş, Cerbăl, Feregi, Merişoru de Munte, Poieniţa Tomii, Poiana Răchiţelii, Socet and Ulm.-References:...
    
    , in Hunyad). Moderato
  • XVI. "Șio luat, luată" (from the region of Libánfalva
    Ibanesti, Mures
    Ibăneşti is a commune in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of ten villages: Blidireasa , Brădeţelu , Dulcea , Ibăneşti, Ibăneşti-Pădure , Lăpuşna , Pârâu Mare , Tireu , Tisieu and Zimţi .At the 2002 census, 99.6% of...
    
    , in Maros-Torda). Andante
  • XVII. "Colo sus mai susu" (from the region of Temesmonostor, in Temes). Variante della precedente
    • XVIb. "Șio luat, luată" (reprise). Andante
  • XVIII. "Colo sus pă după lună" (from the region of Gyalán, in Bihar). Allegro
  • XIX. "De cei domnul bunu" (from the region of Várhely, in Hunyad). Allegretto
  • XX. "Hai cu toții să suimu" (from the region of Gyalár
    Ghelari
    Ghelari is a commune in Hunedoara County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Ghelari, Govăjdia , Plop and Ruda.-References:...
    
    , in Hunyad). Allegro

The movement number XVIIb is generally appended to the previous one, and, in publications, the variation is represented as a single movement, even though it is clearly specified where the reprise begins. Bartók also wrote a concert version with slight variations to the original version. These changes consist mostly of denser chords and octave

Octave

In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...

s.

Notable recordings

Notable recordings of this composition include:

Piano Solo	Record Company	Year of Recording	Format
Jenő Jandó Jeno Jandó Jenő Jandó is a Hungarian pianist and Professor of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary.He studied piano at the Liszt Academy with Katalin Nemes and Pál Kadosa, later going on to win many major international piano competitions, including the Georges Cziffra and Ciani Piano...	Naxos Records Naxos Records Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...	2005	CD