Shlof Mein Kind is a Yiddish lullaby, often performed by Klezmer musicians. This version is arranged as a duet for one Violin and one Viola.

There are two melodies in use for Shlof Mein Kind. The melody in this arrangement is the lesser known one, as sung by Paul Robeson. There is no record of the tune’s composer, but the words are a setting of a poem by the Jewish Ukrainian writer, Sholem Aleichem. Aleichem is best known as the creator of the “Tevye” short stories, which later inspired the musical “Fiddler on the Roof”.

Shlof Mein Kind is arranged in a key and range best suited to the instruments. The simple melody is played three times with varying accompaniment. Shlof Mein Kind is suitable for players at an intermediate level and above. Around three minutes long, this version of Shlof Mein Kind invites an expressive performance andis perfect for concert performances, both formal and informal. Click the link above to listen to a full Youtube performance of the Clarinet version of this duet.