The title of Carl Strommen's piece, Tum Balalaika, is best known as a Russian-Jewish folk/love/riddle song. Loosely translated, “tum” means “noise,” and Balalaika is a Russian stringed instrument characterized by a triangular, hollow wooden body and three strings, a close relation to the domra and mandolin. Tum Balalaika should be played brightly and in a broad flowing manner.