Tumbalalayka

for mixed chorus a cappella

“An exceptionally ingenious arrangement”
Der Küsnachter, Switzerland

Tumbalalayka is a rhythmic, harmonically rich setting of the beloved Yiddish folksong. The voices imitate the strumming of the balalaika in this classic riddle-courtship song—by turns playful and tender. Performed regularly by choirs around the world. It is included on French vocal quartet Quatour Aesthesis’ 2022 CD O Do Not Move.

At a glance

  • • WACDA 2026 Reading Session selection
  • • SATB a cappella • 2’30”
  • • Yiddish
  • • Moderate difficulty
  • • For strong HS, university, community choirs

📖 Download the Perusal Score
Choose the “free perusal score” option in the “Choose Format” dropdown.

SKU: SWM-013 Categories: , Instrumentation:
Voicing:SATB
Descriptive Tags:Fun, Jewish, PROJECT : ENCORE
Instrumentation:A Cappella
Language:Yiddish
Sacred or Secular:Secular
Duration:1-5 Minutes

Price range: $0.00 through $2.00

This title is available in print or for immediate download. For both options, there is a minimum required quantity of 8 copies for choral titles. Please support self-publishing composers by ordering the quantity according to the number of singers in the ensemble that will perform the work.

Print orders are printed on demand and shipped by our printing partner, and can be expected to be processed within a few days of the order. Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] to follow up.

Quantity

    Explore More Music…

    Filters Sort results
    Reset Apply
    Title
    View
    Voicing
    Duration
    Language
    Composer
    for Mixed Choir (SATB) with Soprano Soloist
    GTT-022
    SATB
    2' 3"
    English
    This setting is ideally suited for a good chamber choir with a high soprano soloist. Julie Myers’ beautiful poem suggests to the composer a journey from darkness to light, from despair to hope, and this is reflected in the music, which should be performed simply, but with expressiveness and conviction.
    for 2-part chorus of equal voices and piano
    JBN-002b
    Equal Voices
    3'
    English
    An original song the lovingly evokes images of the Golden State.
    for SATB chorus & organ/piano
    ROC-003
    SATB
    3'30"
    English
    This setting of the Gloria text in English is excerpted from a longer Anglican communion/mass service — Communion Service in D — also published on Swirly (including settings of the Hosanna, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei). The Gloria is a simple, tuneful arrangement that can be performed as a general-purpose anthem or during the Christmas season. […]
    for SATB chorus and piano
    SRD-002
    SATB
    3'
    Hebrew
    This upbeat mixed-meter setting of Psalm 100 in Hebrew was inspired by Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. The difficulty level is moderate, suitable for high school, college, and community choirs. It was premiered by Triad: Boston’s Choral Collective. The English translation is as follows: 1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the […]
    for SATB choir a cappella
    RCL-016
    SATB
    3'35"
    English
    The text of “In Those Years, No One Slept” is a scene from a time of conflict/war, by Romanian-American immigrant Claudia Serea. The score is at once rhythmic and exciting, haunting and unsettling. It was a winner of the 2018 Uncommon Music Festival Composition Competition. It is accessible for all fine high school, collegiate and […]
    for mixed choir and piano w/optional children's choir
    GTT-026
    3' 15"
    This joyful harvest song may be of particular interest to choral groups within the Jewish tradition, but it may equally prove to be a useful addition to the harvest or thanksgiving repertoire of any choir. The text is taken from World Healing Prayers, with additional text by Linda G Marcus, adapted by the composer. There’s […]
    for TBB chorus, piano, and violin
    SRD-004c
    TB
    TBB
    TTB
    TTBB
    5'
    English
    Hebrew
    In the poem “Psalm of the Sky,” Rabbi Rachel Barenblat reimagines “The Lord is My Shepherd” (Psalm 23) in a contemporary context. Performers may highlight the many instances of text painting and create contrast between moments of gentleness, boldness, and carefree movement. The last verse of Psalm 23 is included in Hebrew as a coda […]
    for SATB chorus & organ/piano
    ROC-002
    SATB
    3'30"
    English
    This is a straightforward setting for choir and organ/keyboard of an Appalachian carol found by John Jacob Niles (1892-1980).  Niles was an American composer, singer, and collector of traditional ballads. He discovered this carol in Mayfield, Kentucky in 1933. Niles was an important influence on the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s, […]
    for mixed choir a cappella
    JBN-010
    SATB
    5'
    English
    for lower voices a cappella
    JBN-004
    TBB
    TTBB
    3'
    English
    TTB American folksong arrangement
    Shopping Cart