הקוקיה | Ha-kukiya | The Cuckoo (1912)
Artist: Abraham Zvi Idelsohn (1882-1938)
Lyrics: From "Ha-Zamir"
The text of this song, along with instructions for its performance, were published in Ha-Zamir (Odessa, 1903: p. 20). According to the instructions, "one group of children sits in a circle on the floor with their eyes closed as if they were sleeping”. The other group sings: "wake up sleepers, morning has come, look up to the sunshine". One child, who sits in the corner, answers: "ku ku" and the group “awakens” and stands up. In the second verse, the group sings: "wake up boys, it is time to study, wake up birds, the cuckoo sings" and the group stands up". Idelsohn omitted these instructions in Sefer Ha-Shirim.
Two melodies to the text were published in T'amey Zimra Le-Shire 'Ha-Zamir' [Singing Notes to the songs of Ha-Zamir] (Warsaw, 1904: p.12-14), one for voice and piano by Cantor David Nowakowski, and the second, unattributed, for voice only.
Idelsohn chose the second melody, which is adapted from what he referred to as a “foreign melody”, in a major key. The cuckoo's call is in a downwards minor third.
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