Ed Sanders

https://edsanders.bandcamp.com

Rothschild's Fiddle, by Ed Sanders, Music by Jay Ungar by Ed Sanders, released 25 September 20141. Rothschild's FiddleAbout Ed SandersFounder of The Fugs, a poetic/satiric/political group which has issued a number of albums and CDs during itsalmost 50 year history. Also founder of the Investigative Poetry movement, Sanders has recently completed a 350 page poem on the final years of Robert F. Kennedy. His book on the Manson group, The Family, is under option to be made into a movie. He livesin Woodstock with his wife Miriam, an essayist and painter."Rothschild's Fiddle" is publishedin Ed's book of poetry, Let's Not Keep Fighting the Trojan War,New and Selected Poems 1986-2009.THE HISTORY OF "ROTHSCHILD'S FIDDLE, based on a short story by Anton Chekhov—words by Edward Sanders, music composedand performed by Jay Ungarrecorded by Mike Merenda at Humble Abode MusicAnton Chekhov wrote the story, “Rothschild’s Fiddle” in 1884, when he was 24. I first saw it in the 1960s, when I stocked it in my Peace Eye Bookstore on Avenue A in the Lower East Side, and was greatly affected when reading it.I watched Jay and Molly perform "Catskill Farewell" at the October 21, 2001 salute to historian Alf Evers at the Senate House in Kingston. I was very very impressed. I spoke to Jay that day and mentioned "Rothschild's Fiddle."Years passed, and at a seder in April of 2006 I got the idea for a poem based on "Rothschild's Fiddle.” I wrote a draft a few days later. On April 21, I send a letter to Jay: "Dear Jay, Here's my poetic version of ‘Rothschild's Fiddle.’ You and I talked about it back in 2001. I think it needs two tunes, one on page one, which Yakov plays at night when he is a bit disconsolate. The second tune is the sad and elegiac one which Yakov plays for Rothschild after Yakov becomes ill.“Maybe you have some sad, mournful Rothschild's Fiddle type of tunes in your mind? With good wishes, Ed”.On May 5, 2006 Jay called, and we talked about a violin part for page 1, and then a real sad and anguished and sorrowful violin part for the ending, when Yakov plays and Rothschild listens. Jay said he’d work on melodies for the piece. December 9, 2006, I ran into Jay at the Woodstock police station. He was picking up the key to the Community Center to do his and Molly’s fiddle and dance performance. On December 16, 2006, I sent the final Rothschild's Fiddle text to you. Years went past.There was a benefit in March of 2013 to repair the hole caused by a storm in the roof of White Pines in Byrdcliffe in Woodstock. Jay and Molly were among the performers. In the Green Room before they went on, Jay played a sad, beautiful melody on his fiddle. On March 26 I sent an email to Jay: "I was moved by the sad melody you played in the Green Room at the Kleinert the other night,” and suggested that it would be perfect for “Rothschild's Fiddle.”' I wrote, “I have tweaked just a bit, and polished just a bit, the 2007 version I had sent you. I could send you a hard copy. And then, we could figure out when to record it. I think you said you knew of an affordable studio we could utilize.During the summer of 2014 we agreed at last to record "Rothschild's Fiddle" in September.Then September arrived, and I was beginning to feel as if the story line in the poem was too "heavy," so on September 14, I emailed: "Today, I was working on a volume of memoirs, and going through files for 1984, and lo! I found a flyer for the Unison Learning Center for 'Fiddle Fever' for December 14, 1984, featuring (in a photo) Evan Stover, Matt Glaser and Leader Jay Ungar 'three of the North's Top Fiddlers,' backed by guitarist Russ Barenberg and Molly Mason's "'fine bass.'"Plus I've been coming across various issues of 'Fiddle and Dance News.'"Anyway, from my early days I liked Chekhov's story, "Rothschild's Fiddle" for its tale of the transformational power of music and melody."And I kept thinking of you as a performer of a proper mournful, transformative melody. But maybe the piece is too heavy and even clunky to do, not to mention our overwhelming schedules. It was just a concept."But you responded that same Day: "I'm looking forward to recording music for Chekhov's story with or for you, if you're up for it. This Monday or Tuesday morning are good for Mike, his studio and me,. Assuming we go ahead with this there are two clear options. One would be for me to record the music to a recording of your reading and the other would be for us to record together, a live duet. I think i have music that's so right for this and sincerely hope you want to go ahead with it.All the bestJay"I happily said yes. We agreed to record it at Mike & Ruthy's studio in West Hurley. And set up a date.Then in the morning of September 16, 2014 we recorded "Rothschild's Fiddle," I reading the text, and Jay performing the music, with Mike Merenda as engineer. Jay and Mike prepared a mix, which I think it turned out very well, especially with the mournful beauty of Jay’s playing and excellent performance, bringing to life and strength this story-poem on the transformational power of music and melody.—Ed SandersWoodstock, NYRothschild’s Fiddle—adapted from a story by Anton ChekhovEd Sanders words, Jay Ungar musicIt was a small town filled with old people who rarely passed awayand Yakov the coffin makerhad not much businessHe lived in a one room cabinwith Marfa his wifea stove, a stack of coffins,a carpenter’s bench, a bed plus cooking utensils.Yakov was tall and stout and seventyHe made his well-joined coffins stout like he,all of a size, modeled on himself.He also made some extra moneyplaying fiddle at weddingswith a Jewish orchestra.He was very skillful at Russian songs(Russian tune here)Over time Yakov had grown anti-Semitic for no good reasonespecially at the flute player Rothschildwho played the flute sadlyeven on merry tunesYakov yelled at Rothschildand shook his fist at himand was rarely hired after thatThe coffin business, as we have said, was scanty& Yakov waited impatiently for sick people to worsenSometimes someone ill would pass away elsewhereand he would tally up the money he had lost Then he would pull out his fiddle late at nightto play a sad, mournful melody(mournful tune)Then his wife Marfa suddenly was illShe had difficulty breathingand in the morning slowly went on her daily walkto fetch waterbut in the late afternoon she lay down“Yakov, I am dying,” Marfa said.For fifty-two years they were married yet Yakov had never rubbed her sore backor given caresses during the long nightssleeping by the stoveHe’d never paid any attention to herany more than if she werea cat or dog by the housenor given her any presentsand thought he might now get her onebut it was too late.Never bought her a winter kerchiefnever brought any cake home for Marfa from any of the weddingsbut oh so often rushed at her with fistsand when he lost a coffin-making jobhe blamed herand because he didn’t want to spend the money on teashe drank hot water in the morningsHe took her in a neighbor’s cart to the hospitalwhere Yakov was glad they had only to waitfor three hoursThe doctor would not see themso the assistant looked at Marfa“She seems to have influenza and some fever,” he said“Typhus has also come to the town.How old is your wife?”“Sixty nine”“She’s an old woman. Maybe it’s time.”Yakov bowed and replied, “Thank you for yourremarks, but you know, every insect is fond of life”The doorman said “I will tell you what to do.Put a cold compress on her head, and haveher take these powders twice a day.Now goodbye”When they returned to the cabinMarfa was unsteady and held onto the stoveShe was afraid to lie downlest Yakov shout she was lazyand doing no workYakov knew he would soon have tobuild a coffinand so went to his wife and measured herafter which she lay down once againYakov made the sign of the crossthen began to saw and nailWhen he was done, he put on his reading glassesand entered into his book of losses“Marfa Ivanovna’s coffin— two rubles and 40 kopecks”Toward nightfall, she called out to him“Do you remember, Yakov”she had a face of joy as she looked over a

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