rumelian songs of love and rain were composed while I was finishing my folk opera
The Fiddler and the Old Woman of Rumelia. Similar to the opera, these are settings
of folk songs from the former Ottoman province of Rumelia, countries of the Balkan region,
including, in this collection, Turkey, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, and Bulgarian Macedonia.
Rain-begging songs are included, and are associated with abundance and the renewal of life.
Other songs are pithy anecdotes of the quixotic nature of human love, which affects
young and old alike, and about lovers who are at times loyal or unfaithful, ecstatic
or forlorn. The voice sings the folk tunes "untouched," though song texts were modified freely,
as part of my creative process using folk material.

rumelian songs of love and rain were premiered by soprano Elissa Alvarez and the composer
26 March 2014, on an Alea III concert at Boston University; see here. These studio recordings
were made soon after.

For a video of the premiere of the instrumental version for singer, flute/piccolo, clarinet, violin,
viola (or cello), and piano, by Amelia Kaplan and artists at Ball State University (18 March 2016), see here.

hey, the cock crows (Hungary) song text

you go seek the needle (Hungary) song text

two went (Hungary) song text

rain is falling (Hungary) song text

on sale (Hungary) song text

how much rain, how much mud (Hungary) song text

I'll not worry (Hungary) song text

cheese dumplings (Turkey) song text

who bit this red apple? (Turkey) song text

Premiere of instrumental version by Ensemble Ex Novo, as part of their 2015 Marathon, Theatre La Fenice, Venice, Italy.

a butterfly fluttered by (Bulgarian-Macedonia) song text

hey, Mara (Krk Island, Croatia) song text

woman is the devil's sister (Romania) song text

now that time's caught up with me (Romania) song text