Ovnt-lid (1968) is an exquisite song of incomparable calm and tenderness, tinged with childlike existential melancholy. The interplay between voice and piano is beautifully conceived, with each element proceeding independently—yet in perfect harmony with the other. Two brief recitative passages are supported by expressively inflected chords; the vocal line has an unusually rich melodic value. In essence, the song is a lullaby, and the alliterative syllables enhance the feeling of purity and gentle consolation. Ovnt-lid, while it is a faithful setting of the Yiddish poetry, does not rely on any perceived Jewish melos, although a few fragments in the piano part might suggest a reference to cantorial chant. Ovnt-lid was written for and dedicated to soprano Susan Davenny-Wyner, who joined the family in 1967.