In this song Turkish Jews describe the Balkan Wars (1912-1913, [ Ссылка ] ), when European armies were invading Edirne. Many Sephardic Jews served in the Ottoman Army. Until the 19th century the Spanish Jews who lived in Turkey were not yet serving in the Ottoman Army but in 1826 the Janissary soldiers revolted and they were disbanded by Sultan Mahmud II ( [ Ссылка ] ), and as a result, the Sephardic Jews ( [ Ссылка ] ) were gradually recruited as soldiers into the Turkish Army and many of them died during the Balkan Wars. The song is in Ladino, which is a Medieval version of Spanish adopted by Sephardic Jews more than 500 years ago. [ Ссылка ] . In this song the city of Luleburgaz, where the Jewish Turkish soldier died, is located in Edirne near the Bulgarian border. This song has a military quality.
-------------------------
There is also a similar Sephardic song about the Gallipoli (Canakkale) Battle during World War I, using the same melody, but this time the words are about Canakkale, and in this song Mustafa Kemal is mentioned instead of Enver Pasha. In the Canakkale war, there were also many Spanish Jews who served in the Turkish Ottoman army:
[ Ссылка ]
----------------------------------------
Derek Burrows: flutes, mandolin, guitar, dumbeks, naqqara and voice
Lisle Kulbach: rebec, kamanja, violin, shawm, percussion, and voice
Jay Rosenberg: 'ud, guitar, dumbeks, percussion and voice
Judith Wachs: baglama, saz, naqqara, percussion, and voice
-----
[ Ссылка ]

"O Madre mia"

SOURCE: Diana Sarano Vocalist: D.B.; guitar, tambourines, VOT

O madre mia, Tu muy kerida, De ke 'stas triste En este dia.
Keridos ijikos, Yora la manziya Ke amargo Muestra famiya.

Tu ermano el grande, K'el era soldado, El fue matado En Lule Burgaz.
Es en esta gerra Lo ke se vido Las krueldades De la Bulgaria.

L'armada Turka Era komandada, Por el ministro Enver Pasha.
Adelantre, adelantre Ivan gritando A Edirne Ivan entrando x2

Maldicho seas Tu rey Ferdinan Ke tu kavzates Todo 'ste mal
Djemidos amargos De kriaturas ) Ivan suviendo ) A las alturas )x2

O my mother, My beloved mother, Why are you so sad This day?
Beloved children, I cry for the tragedy That embittered Our family.
Your eldest brother, He was a soldier, Killed, In Lule Burgas.
It is in this war One can see The cruelties Of Bulgaria.
The Turkish armada Was commanded By the Minister, Enver.
Forward, forward, They cried! To Edirne! They were invading.
Cursed be you, You King Ferdinand! You have caused All this misery. The
bitter sighs of children Reached up to the skies.

A song of sadness and mourning, belonging to the repertoire of endechas
(dirges). The piece reflects the tragic consequences of the Turco-Bulgarian
war and tells about the conquest of Edirne(Adrianopolis). Most interestingly,
the last stanza lays the blame on King Ferdinand and his Edict of Expulsion(1492)
. The endechas were sung on the occasion of a death in the family; those whose
theme was about war were particularly selected to be sung to mourn the death
of a young man.

свернуть