Polish Christmas Carol "Lulajże, Jezuniu" (Sleep, Infant Jesus) - Fryderyk Chopin - Stefan Witas !

To these friendly people for whom the time
of Christmas may be a moment of meditation
over the re-birth phenomenon.

The "Scherzo in B minor Op. 20" was written in 1831 (though the final version was not completed until 1834-5) while Chopin was in Vienna, spending his first Christmas away from his family home.
The letters he then wrote were filled with sadness, sorrow and longing for his homeland, and these are the feelings present in his "Scherzo in B minor".

It must have been the separation from his country and family which made Chopin introduce a Polish note, the tune of the Christmas Carol "Lulajże, Jezuniu" ("Sleep, Infant Jesus") in the middle part, where the monotonous, rocking movement of the melody and the unchanging bass accompaniment build an image of a baby being brought to sleep.

In the video I am presenting the carol, recording of which reaches the year 1932 when it was made by the young Polish singer Stefan Witas (1908-2006) for the Polish Columbia label.
All three Christmas postcards belong to the family collection and were used in 1962, ("Wesołych Świąt" means "Merry Holidays !"), whereas the records of other Polish carols presented herewith cover the period 1929-34 and constitute part of the JP's, author of the video, collection.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Polish
• Christmas
• Carol
• Lulajże
• Jezuniu
• Sleep
• Fryderyk
• Chopin
• Stefan
• Witas
• jurek46pink

[RichTGFP]

My dad was murdered 18 years ago this year on December 11th and it is hitting me esp. hard this year probably because we are going through some issues with our son. This song (crackling of a record and all) took me back to Christmas Eve as a child and being teased as being "the Irish" one of the family. I could not stop crying and had to play this song 5 times and talk to my Polish best friend/sister who also lost her father. Thank You for posting this ! XOXOXOXO

[jurek46pink]

@RichTGFP

Best greetings to you, from Poland ! J.

[crazyoldsecretary]

Beautiful song. My father came from Poland when he was 6 with his family. Never heard this song, but it makes me feel very sentimental and a bit sad.

[thexcityxhasxsex]

@crazyoldsecretary

My father always played this song which was on an album of polish Christmas carols. It brings back beautiful memories. It does make me cry now that both of my parents have passed. But also brings back wonderful childhood memories. That's what Christmas is all about for an aging person such as myself.

[jurek46pink]

@thexcityxhasxsex

Best greetings to you, from Poland !

 J.

[jurek46pink]

@crazyoldsecretary

Best greetings to you, from Poland !

J.

[OwlWatchman]

We sang this in church during midnight mass as a child years ago.

I used to have this memorized.

Merry Christmas to all.

[weeknightingale]

:)

[whitesox2005ify]

@wolf654321

My Grandfather use to sing this Song to me when I was few months old when I would not stop crying.

Merry Christmas

[jurek46pink]

@retrolukasz88

Najlepsze życzenia dla Pana !