Kokle and Voice | Xenia Twarz | Baltics meet Bal Folk - Jūrā gāju naudu sēti (Hanter Dro)

Last summer I had the curious wish to merge two worlds I love - Latvian Folk Music and Bal Folk dances. The result is my solo program "Baltics meet Bal Folk" with which I have the honor to tour in Europe now. Thank you Jan Felix Bergmann for recording this beautiful song, my new arrangement of Jūrā gāju naudu sēti, danced as an "Hanter Dro". [Latviski zemāk] Hello! My name is Xenia, I am from Germany and I have lived in Latvia (to be precise in Riga and Jelgava) for 1,5 years in 2019-2020 to do voluntary work in the education field. Before I came to Latvia, I almost did not know anything about this mysterious country. Some months later, I ended up learning the Latvian language, singing in a choir, falling in love with the nature and eventually also starting to learn the national folk instrument "Kokle" more or less by my own. In summer 2022 I travelled to Latvia again to participate in a "Kokle building course", 2023 I sang at the famous Latvian Song and Dance Festival (Dziesmu Svētki) and the journey continues! This is my version of the beautiful Folk song Jūrā gāju naudu sēti (I went to sea to sow money), inspired by this video of the kokle ensemble "Teiksma" ---    • Latvian folk song   My attempt to translate this song to English: I went to sea to sow money I carried my soul in my hand The sea's money was valuable My soul was valuable All the white sea's money Is not worth as much as my soul Riga's men came forward Counting their money Counting their money Wanting my soul I won't give up for money My valuable soul Please keep in mind that sometimes it might be very difficult to translate folk songs (especially as a non-native!) where the meaning might be symbolic and sometimes even debatable. My main aim is to share with you the depth and beauty that I have encountered when diving into Latvian folk songs, their melodies and by playing Kokle, an instrument that became very dear to me. Thank you and enjoy! Original words: Jūrā gāju naudu sēti Saujā nesu dvēselīti Dārga bija jūras nauda Dārga mana dvēselīte Visa balta jūras nauda Ne vērts manas dvēselītes Rīgas kungi pretim nāca Siekiem naudu mērīdami Siekiem naudu mērīdami Dvēselīti gribēdami Es par naudu neatdošu Savu dārgu dvēselīti *** Sveiki visiem! Mani sauc Ksenija, esmu no Vācijas un es dzīvoju Latvijā (Rīgā un Jelgavā) 1,5 gadus 2019. -2020. gadā, lai darītu brīvprātīgo darbu izglītības jomā. Pirms atbraucu uz Latviju, gandrīz neko nezināju par šo valsti. Pēc dažiem mēnešiem es saku mācīt latviešu valodu, dziedāt korī, iemīlēties dabā un beigās arī mācīties kokli pati. Tagad atkal dzīvoju Vācijā, Regensburg, manām studijām, bet Latvija vēl ir manā sirdī. 2022 vasarā biju Latvijā Kokļu Radības nometnē un tur uzbuvēju savu 14-stīgu koklīti, 2023 dziedāju Dziesmu Svētkos utt. :) Šī ir mana versija dziesmu "Jūrā gāju naudu sēti", izbaudiet!