Harmonica – Israel [Rivka Sturman]
Yes, a song about an accordion, but it’s really about the accordion providing music for dancing, which is a long standing tradition in many cultures, even though accordions are poo-pooed by some musicians. Developed in Germany in the early 1800s, the accordion is well-suited for a single musician to provide melody, harmony, and bass rhythm in one neat package. Our friend, Galilee, whether Sea or Mountains, once again get mention in this early Israeli kibbutzim dance. The second part of the dance is called the Harmonica Step, and, if you squint, it resembles the in and out of the accordion bellows. The best info is at Folk Dance Musing and IsraeliDances.com.
Fort Collins note: Direction of dance starts to the left (clockwise) instead of the normal CCW, for whatever reason.
Hey Harmonika nagni li She yirad kol tzlil Od nizkora et hahora Hora bagalil Hora Sherakadnu pa'am Hora Haglilit Hora od Nirkod hapa'am Hora Hanitzchit Od Nizkora od nizkhor et hahora Sherakadnu pa'am bagalil Hey accordion play for me until every note will shiver; Remember the hora danced that night in the Galilee We shall remember the hora we danced in the Galileehttp://www.folkdance.com/LDNotations/Harmonica1995LD.pdf