“Dark Eyes,” also known as “Black Eyes,” is a Russian romance song associated with Florian Hermann’s melody for Valse Hommage. Its lyrics were written by the Ukrainian poet and writer Yevhen Hrebinka, whose poem first appeared in his own Russian translation in Literaturnaya Gazeta on 17 January 1843. The song has been described as a Gypsy romance and as one of the best-known folk melodies to emerge from Russia. An original recording is dated 1938, though its performer is unknown.
The melody combines an exotic character with an atmosphere of regret, reflecting lyrics in which the narrator laments meeting a captivating Gypsy girl. Jaïr Klarfeld arranged the tune in 2020 for solo tuba and concert band. Commissioned by the Roma Middle School Symphonic Winds for a 2020 TMEA convention performance, the arrangement features a solo tuba against concert-band accompaniment and was premiered by J.D. Salas with the ensemble conducted by Corey Graves.
