Mikail’s Berlin Sessions feat. Hazal Erdal - La Rosa Enflorece & Si Verias a la Rana (Sephardic)

For the 10th episode of Berlin Sessions, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Hazal Erdal, a Berlin-based actress, voice artist, and singer with deep ties to the Sephardic Jewish tradition through her maternal grandparents. We met in the serene space of Nikodemuskirche, where we performed two Ladino songs from the Sephardic repertoire: “La rosa enflorece” and “Si verias a la rana.”

These songs carry the weight and warmth of a diasporic heritage shaped by centuries of movement, memory, and coexistence, particularly in cities like Istanbul, where the Sephardic community found refuge after being expelled from Spain in 1492. This community preserved their language, Ladino (also known as Judeo-Spanish), and their musical traditions, which continue to echo through generations.

“La rosa enflorece” ("The Rose Blooms") is a melancholic love song, believed to have originated in medieval Spain and carried eastward by Sephardic Jews settling in the Ottoman Empire. Its lyrics speak of the pain of unrequited love, cloaked in rich natural symbolism: "La rosa enflorece en el mes de mayo, mi alma se escurese sufriendo del amor." (The rose blooms in the month of May, my soul darkens, suffering from love.)

In contrast, “Si verias a la rana” offers a glimpse into the playful, satirical side of Sephardic song. It’s a humorous folk tune that combines Ladino and Turkish, a testament to the cultural fluidity of Jewish life in the Ottoman world. The frog (la rana) becomes the central figure of an absurd, surreal vision of desire and surprise: "Si verias a la rana kon pantalones i chaleko" (If you saw the frog wearing pants and a vest)

This blend of languages and imagery reflects how Sephardic culture naturally absorbed and reflected its surroundings, especially in vibrant, multicultural cities like Istanbul. Hazal, whose maternal grandparents were Sephardic, brings a personal resonance to this music. Her voice carries both tenderness and theatrical flair, rooted in years of experience on stage and behind the mic.

This session, like all others in the series, was filmed in one take; no overdubs, no corrections. Just the moment as it was.

I am deeply grateful to Batuhan Kavlak for this beautiful video and for his tremendous support throughout this series. Many thanks to Emre Nişancı for working his magic on the sound again and Kulturkiche Nikodemus for opening their doors for us.

"La Rosa Enflorece” & “Si Verias a la Rana”
Traditional Sephardic Songs

Performed by
Hazal Erdal – Vocals   / hazalerdal  
Mikail Yakut – Accordion https://www.mikailyakut.com/

Video - Batuhan Kavlak
Mix - Emre Nişancı   / enisanci  

INSTAGRAM   / mikordeon  
FACEBOOK   / mikordeon  
YOUTUBE    / @mikailyakutofficial  

LYRICS

LA ROSA ENFLORECE / THE ROSE BLOOMS
La rosa enflorece
En el mes de mayo,
Mi alma se oscurece
Sufriendo del amor.

Mas presto ven, palomba,
Mas presto ven a mí,
Mas presto tú, mi alma,
Ke yo me vo morir.

The rose blooms
In the month of May,
My soul darkens
Suffering from love.

Come quicker, my dove,
Come quicker to me,
Come quicker, my soul,
For I am about to die.

SI VERIAS A LA RANA / IF YOU COULD ONLY SEE THE FROG
Si verias a la rana
asentada en la ornaya,
Friendo suz buenaz
i spartiendo a suz ermanikaz.

Refrain [in Turkish]:
Ben seni severim,
Çok seni severim.

Si verias al raton
asentado en el kanton,
Mundando suz muezizikas
i spartiendo a suz ermanikaz.

Ben seni severim,
Çok seni severim.

If you could only see the frog
seated on the oven,
Frying her lovely fritas
and sharing with her sisters.

Refrain:
I love you,
I love you so much!

If you could only see the mouse
seated in the corner,
shelling walnuts
and sharing with its sisters.

I love you,
I love you so much!