Romanian Christmas Carols, Sz, 57, BB 67 (Hungarian: Román kolindadallamok) is a set of little colinde, typical Christmas songs from Romanian villages, habitually sung by small groups of children, adapted in 1915 by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók to be played on the piano after hearing them sung in the below villages.
This work consists of twenty little songs put together into two major series. The movements are listed as follows:
Series A
I. "Pă cel plai de munte" (from the region of Várhely, in Hunyad). Allegro
II. "Intreabă si'ntreabă" (from the region of Malomvíz, in Hunyad). Allegro
III. "Doi roagă să, roagă" (from the region of Malomvíz, in Hunyad). Allegro
IV. "Ciucur verde de mătasă" (from the region of Temesmonostor, in Temes). Andante
V. "Coborâto, coborâto" (from the region of Alsóvisó, in Máramaros). Allegro moderato
VI. "În patru cornuți de lume" (from the region of Görgényorsova, in Maros-Torda). Andante
VII. "La lină fântână" (from the region of Sárafalva, in Torontál). Andante
VIII. "Noi umblăm da corindare" (from the region of Sárafalva, in Torontál). Allegretto
IX. "Noi acum ortacilor" (from the region of Bisztra, in Torda-Aranyos). Allegro
X. "Tri cai dela răsăritu" (from the region of Rogos, in Bihar). Più allegro
Series B
XI. "Colo'n jos la munte'n josu" (from the region of Körtekapu, in Maros-Torda). Molto moderato
XII. "Deasupra pă răsăritu" (from the region of Várhely, in Hunyad). Moderato
XIII. "Creștemi, Doamne, creștiu" (from the region of Cserbel, in Hunyad). Andante
XIV. "Sculați, sculați boieri mari" (from the region of Felsőoroszi, in Maros-Torda). Andante
XV. "Ăi, colo'n josu mai din josu" (from the region of Cserbel, in Hunyad). Moderato
XVI. "Șio luat, luată" (from the region of Libánfalva, in Maros-Torda). Andante
XVII. "Colo sus mai susu" (from the region of Temesmonostor, in Temes). Variante della precedente
XVIb. "Șio luat, luată" (reprise). Andante
XVIII. "Colo sus pă după lună" (from the region of Gyalán, in Bihar). Allegro
XIX. "De cei domnul bunu" (from the region of Várhely, in Hunyad). Allegretto
XX. "Hai cu toții să suimu" (from the region of Gyalár, in Hunyad). Allegro
The movement number XVIIb is generally appended to the previous one, and, in publications, the variation is represented as a single movement, even though it is clearly specified where the reprise begins. Bartók also wrote a concert version with slight variations to the original version. These changes consist mostly of denser chords and octaves.
Notable recordings of this composition include:
