Tres Hermanicas

There are 16 verses in this song. Each verse consists of two phrases. The first phrase is sung, followed by
the refrain (in italics), then the first phrase again, and finally the second phrase.

Tres hermanicas eran There were three little sisters.

Blancas de roz, Ay ramas de flor!... Whites and pinks, Ay flowering boughs!...
Tres hermanicas eran, tres hermanicas son. There were three little sisters, there are three little sisters.

Las dos eran cazadas, la una se deperdió
Su padre con verguënsa, a Rodes l’anbió.
En medio del camino, castillo le fraguó
De piedra menudica, xixicos al deredor.
Varon es que lo supo, a la mar ya se echó.
Nadando y navegando, al castillo arivó.
“Échame tus entrensado, arriva suviré.”
Ya l’echo sus entrensados, arriva lo suvió.
Ya le quitó acomeres, agua le demandió.
Agua no havía en caza, a la fuente salió.
En medio del camino, la nina se durmío.
Por allí paso el cavallero, tres bezicos le dió:
Uno de cada cara, y uno al coraçon.
“Si el mi querido save, matada meresco yo.”
“No te mates mi querida, el tu querido so yo.”
Two of them were married, one of them went astray.
Her father, with shame, sent her to Rhodes.
In the middle of the way, he built her a castle.
With small stone and little pebbles all around it.
A man found out and he went to sea.
Swimming and sailing, he reached the castle.
“Let down your tresses so I can climb up.”
She let down her tresses and he climbed up.
She brought food for him, and he asked for water.
There was not water in the house. She went to the fountain.
In the middle of the way, the girl fell asleep.
The nobleman passed that way, giving her three kisses:
One on each cheek and one on her heart.
“If my beloved finds out, I deserve to die.”
“Don’t destroy yourself my darling, for I am your beloved.”

Annotation
As the song’s story unfolds, each verse ends with the dominant chord, which creates
suspense and propels us toward the return of the tonic chord at the beginning of the next verse.
The active nature of the dominant chord magnifies our desire to hear the next line of text in the
story. Even the final verse ends this way, creating the feeling that the story is not truly finished. I
learned this song from Judy Frankel’s Sephardic Songs in Judeo-Spanish.
I have arranged only seven verses for this guitar duet because, without the lyrics, seven
verses seems just long enough for the piece.

Performance Notes

Frequently, in both parts of this duet, solo melodic passages are played in 2nd or 5th
position in order to avoid the open 1st and 2nd strings. This allows for a sweeter timbre and the
use of vibrato where desired. I’ve made an effort to place the position changes where they can be
done gracefully.
Feel free to embellish the melody with ornamentation ad lib.

Note 1: Whenever an open A or an open D comes before a low E, damp the A or D upon
arrival on the E, either with the thumb or with an available left-hand finger.

Note 2: Taking the D on the 5th string makes it possible to damp sympathetic vibrations
of the 6th string with the side of your right thumb as you strike the D.

Note 3: Using the 6th string for A eliminates the need to consciously damp it when the E
arrives in the next measure and allows for the possibility of vibrato.
 Tres Hermanicas
Arranged for Two Guitars by
Ellen S. Whitaker Sephardic Traditional

 
Allegro e = 186 A    
I 
    2


1 1 3 0

                  
 
    
0 1 0 0 0
4


1 0 4 1
II 2 2 1 2 0
1
3 2
3 2
0 0

 
7 
              
    
4 2 1 2 2


1 1 1 4 1


1 0 3 3
1 3 1 2 1
2 0
0

                      

CI

   

  




4 4


0 0 1 0

   
1 1


0 1 0 1

 
2 0 0 0 2 0

2 3 3
0 3 3
1

      
     
15 B


2 1
 

2 2


1 1
3 3 1 -1 3 0

                     

       
1 3 1
0


1


4 0
4


0 1
2 1 2
1


0
0 2
0

Note 1

     
22
    
     
1 1


1 0 3 3
1 3 1 2 1
2 0
0

       
CI


   
 
 
0 2 0


      
4 4


0 1 1

 
1 0 0 0 1

 
2 0 0 0 2

2 3
0 3 3
1

This Arrangement Copyright © 2006 and 2008 by Ellen S. Whitaker. All Rights Reserved.
2

          
28
4 2
 
 
2 1 4 2 1 2 1


1 2
3 3 1 -1

0 1 0 4

                
 
2 0 1

       
1

 
0 4 1 0
1 4 0
2 2
0


2
3 0
3

 
    
C

 
35 CIII
     
1 0

    
2 4


  
1 2 1 4 4 0 0
3 1


0 0 1 1

 
0

0  0 2
3
3
1

     
0

 
Note 1

    CIII
   
     
2
3 3 1 1


4
1 4 1 1 1 3 3 1 1
0 3 3 2

               
42
 
4 4 4 1

   
0 1 4 0

 
1 0 1
1


4 0 4
1
3 3
1

 
0
3 3

      

     
CI
  4
1
4
-4
0  1
0
0 -4 1 0 2
4 0 1
 1
2

 
       
48
 
D 1 0

    
2


 
1 2 1 4 4
3


0 0 0 1


0

  0  0 2


3
0 0

          
  
2 2 4

    
4 4 1 1
4 -4 1 3 3
0

1
 3

              
55 CIII

4 4 4 -4 1

  
4

 
0 1

    
1 0
0 0 1 4
1

 
1 3

- 
0 0

      
3 1 3 3
1

  
  


4 3 4 4
-3

4 3 1
2
1 -1 1

 
      
61
   E
     
 
0
    


1 1

  
0 0


4 1
1 0 1 0
2 2

 
3 3
0 2 3
1 0
2

 
0
0 0

     -4


4


4
p p p etc.


3 3 3

1  2   1
4
 
1

               
CI
  
67

        
4


1 1
0
0 0 1 2 1

  
0 0
3
3
3

 p 
p

   
p
   
       
1


1 1
1 1
2 4 4 2 4
2 1 0 1
2

                     
73

       

 
  
1 0
4 4
2
0
 

    
p p p p etc.

      
0
1 2 0
2 1
4
2
2 1
4 2   1

 F 
4

      
80

   

          
 Note 2
   
4
4 1 2 1
0 0 1 2 2 2 2 0
0 1


3

          
 


       
1 1 1


2 1


1 1 3 0 3 1 3 3 1
0 0 1 2
2 0

  
CI
 
88
          
 
   
1 4

  
4 4 0 1 0
1 1
0

  
0 2 2
2
0 2


3 3

           
0
4

     
 
4 2 2 2


1 4 1 1 2 1 4


2 3
3
- 3 1 1 1

 G                

95

      

 
4 4

 
0 0 0 0
1 1

 
0 0 1 0

 
2 2 0 0 0
1
2 2 3
0 0 3 3

          
       
1


2 1


1 1 3 0 3 1 3 3 1
0 0 1 2
2 0

                     

102 CI

  
     
1 0 1

  

1 1 4
2 0 2

 
0
3


1

            


1 1 4 2 1 2 4 2 1 2 1


2
3 3 1 -1