Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Purchasable with gift card
£10GBP
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
A deluxe 180g 12" classic black vinyl record, featuring the music of 'Precious Collection' with accompanying insert featuring additional artwork from Lily Buchanan.
Includes unlimited streaming of Precious Collection
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
shipping out on or around December 4, 2024
edition of 150
£24GBPor more
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
A deluxe 180g 12" pink/orange vinyl record, featuring the music of 'Precious Collection' with accompanying insert featuring additional artwork from Lily Buchanan.
Includes unlimited streaming of Precious Collection
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 5 days
edition of 150
£27GBPor more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
A limited edition CD, featuring the music of 'Precious Collection'.
Includes unlimited streaming of Precious Collection
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Fort a fisher afn yam
Er fort aroys baginen
Es hoft der fisher, minestam
Fishelekh gefinen
Murmlen khvalyes shtil far zikh,
Der yam iz a batribter,
Tsi iz der yam azoy vi ikh,
Oykhet a farlibter?
Gey ikh mir baym breg ot do
Un tu mayn kholem shpinen
Efsher vel ikh ergets vu
Mayn libstn nokh gefinen
Kumt der fisher troyerik
Er hot keyn fish gefangen
Un ikh bin moyre-shkhoyre|dik,
A kholem iz fargangen
Casting off at break of dawn
The fisherman counts wishes:
Steady waves, a little sun
And one full net of fishes
Waves are rippling restlessly
The clouds turn moody colours
Are we both, the sea and me
Unrequited lovers?
Wandering by the shore awhile
I weave a dream of wishes:
Steady arms, a little smile
And deep enduring kisses
In his net the fisher finds
only melancholy
Like the fish I’ve swum away
And left my dreams behind me
Farkoyfn di sapozhkelekh un forn oyf di droshkelekh,
abi mit dir in eynem tsu zayn.
Oy ikh on dir un du on mir, vi a klyamke on a tir,
ketsele, feygele mayn.
Oy ezn on a tishele, un shlofn on a kishele,
abi mit dir in eynem tsu zayn.
Oy, ikh on dir un du on mir, vi a klyamke on a tir,
ketsele, feygele mayn.
Oy shlofn oyf di vagzolekhlekh un vashn fremde polekhlekh,
abi mit dir in eynem tsu zayn.
Oy, ikh on dir un du on mir, vi a klyamke on a tir,
ketsele, feygele mayn.
I’ll discard my leathers, ride without a saddle, and cleave to you
You are a bag of myrrh lodged between my breasts, my sweet love
I’ll uncover my head, tear my tallis, and sustain you
Your fruit is sweet to my mouth, my fresh cherry
I’ll dirty myself with food scraps, sleep on your floor, and gaze at you
Our vineyard is in blossom, my radiant beauty
I’ll make all that I’ve known nameless, and forever seek you
You have brought me to your chambers, my king, my delight, my sweet bird.
Following their critically acclaimed 2019 debut album Unfurl, Hidden Notes Records are happy to announce the release of the multi-award-nominated experimental/contemporary folk string duo Fran & Flora’s sophomore full-length album, Precious Collection.
Released on Friday 12th April 2024, this album, produced by the duo themselves, explodes in myriad directions expressing the richness of the long-standing collaboration between Francesca Ter-Berg (cello/vocals/electronics) and Flora Curzon (violin/vocals/electronics). With Klezmer and Yiddish song as the predominant inspiration for the record, Precious Collection defies convention, featuring self-penned tunes and unique arrangements pushing their ground-breaking project beyond their virtuosic string playing. Drummers Ursula Russell (Ursa Major Moving Group) and Simon Roth (Chris Potter, Olivia Chaney) feature on the record on full kit and Ukrainian Poik (marching drum) respectively, and Francesca and Flora experiment with bowed cymbals, extended piano techniques, and samples of found sounds.
"We offer this album as a body of work which honours our creative collaboration, research, and desire to bring this much loved music to life in our own way. We are very fortunate to have access to so many sources in the forms of archival recordings and tune collections made available by the hard work of many of our colleagues in the Klezmer scene, and opportunities to travel and study with tradition bearers in Eastern Europe and North America. As well as traditional Jewish, Ukrainian, Greek, Transylvanian and Roma music, our inspiration includes free jazz, punk, improvised, post-rock, classical, ambient and drone-based music. We strive to keep our ears and minds open to new sounds, follow our artistic curiosities and be playful in our music-making. Our long-standing collaboration and friendship has grown in a way that gives space for creative vulnerability and continual exploration. ‘Precious Collection’ is about optimism, freedom to experiment, and creating music that comes straight from our hearts.
This album was written and recorded in remote regions of New Hampshire and Maine as well as by the sea in Margate and Ramsgate with a final addition of crusty Hackney magic."
credits
released April 12, 2024
Recorded at
Big Jelly Studios, Ramsgate (engineered by Al Harle)
Total Refreshment Centre, London (engineered by Jordan Parry)
Great North Sound Society, Maine USA (engineered by Colin Fleming)
Produced by Fran & Flora
Mixed by Julian Tardo at Church Road Recording Company, Hove
Mastered by Peter Beckmann at Technology Works
Album drawings by Lily Buchanan
Graphic design by Adam Hinks
All tracks are traditional, arranged by Francesca Ter-Berg & Flora Curzon, except tracks 1 & 9 which are original.
All tracks performed by Francesca Ter-Berg and Flora Curzon
With Ursula Russell, drum kit (4,5,8) and Simon Roth, Ukrainian Poik (3)
Special thanks to Ursula Russell and Simon Roth for performing on the record; Cantor Rachel Weston for Yiddish pronunciation support; Adah Hetko and Cantor Rachel Weston for their Yiddish Song translations; Al Harle at Big Jelly Studios; Jordan Parry at Total Refreshment Centre; Colin Fleming and Sam Kassirer at Great North Sound Society; Julian Tardo at Church Road Recording Company; Peter Beckmann at Technology Works; David Wille; Alex Hobbis, Daniel Inzani & Adam Hinks at Hidden Notes Records; James Vella at Phantom Limb and Wise Creative UK; Jimi Tormey for generously lending his cymbals; Theo Passingham and Rick Leigh; and lastly, our mentors and friends Tcha Limberger, Michael Alpert, Sasha Lurje, Jake Shulman-Ment and Deborah Strauss, who have encouraged and enabled us to discover the traditional music featured on this record from the constantly evolving well of rich source material, and teaching us ways to approach and appreciate it more deeply. Source material for this record includes tunes from the Moshe Beregovski ‘Jewish Instrumental Folk Music’ collection (second edition, revised by Kurt Bjorling), songs from Bronya Sakina, Feygl Yudin and Aliza Greenblatt and and archival recordings by Josef Solinksi and Avram Bughici.
Supported by the Help Musicians Record & Release Fund, and PRSF Women Make Music.
Violinist Flora Curzon and folk/experimental cellist Francesca Ter-Berg combine aspects of traditional string music from Eastern Europe with original compositions and experimental electronics.
supported by 11 fans who also own “Precious Collection”
this is one of the most beautiful collections of music I've heard in a very long time. every song draws your attention - don't plan on doing anything else while you listen. more please 🙏 kimmcb