SKU: A0.589296

Hava Nagila is a Hebrew Folk tune, often performed by Klezmer musicians. This version is arranged as a duet for one Violin and one Cello.

Hava Nagila was originally a Nigun melody thought to have originated in the Ukraine. In 1918 a professor and musicologist at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Abraham Zevi Idelsohn, set the tune to words adapted from Psalm 118. Hava Nagila was first performed at celebrations at the end of the Great War and quickly spread throughout the Jewish diaspora. In the fifties and sixties, performances by singers as diverse as Harry Belafonte and Bob Dylan popularised the song far beyond its original Jewish audience. Hava Nagila remains one of the best-known and loved Klezmer standards today, traditionally performed at Jewish celebrations.

Hava Nagila is simply arranged in a key and range best suited to the instruments. After a steady beginning, the melody gradually increases in tempo, with constant variations in the accompaniment. Hava Nagila is suitable for players at an intermediate level and above. With a performance time of around two and a half minutes, this version of Hava Nagila is perfect for celebrations, weddings and concert performances, both formal and informal. Click the link above to listen to a full Youtube performance of the Clarinet version of this duet.

There are many more top quality arrangements and compositions by David McKeown for you to browse at http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/david-mckeown/6203