Daily listening Friday 3rd April

This song is in the klezmer style, which is a Jewish style originating in Eastern Europe. As well as having its roots in Jewish folk music, there are elements of Romani music (because Jews and Roma lived in the same communities in Eastern Europe), and jazz.

Things to notice:

• The exuberant clarinet playing, with lots of scoops and slides, is characteristic of klezmer
• The alternating major and minor key sections
• The lyrics in Yiddish (a language derived from German, spoken by Ashkenazi Jews in central Europe). They tell the story of Yidl the violinist and Aryeh the bass player, who cheer up a sad goat and a lonely bird with their music
• The unusual-shaped, space-saving double bass
• The characteristic oom-pah accompaniment