Praying For Others

It is only now that I've had the time to write a blog. I guess when I do a week's training, I realize that I haven't got the time to write and organize my blog. Last week was Valentine's week--a week dedicated to love and friendship. So how have I been during that week?

I admit that I am an impatient person. I even get impatient with myself--not finding the file I'm looking for in my computer at one time led me to a childish tantrum. At that time, I was alone in the room. As my trainees came in, they did see the distress in my face, but the tantrum was over by then. If I get impatient with myself, so much more with other people.

Last Friday, I had a sinking feeling of sadness. Yes, I pray to the Lord everyday. But I'm saddened by the fact that how I am in prayer is not how I am in practice. I may be "holier than thou" in front of the Lord in a chapel or church. But where is the love when I'm out there facing different types of people and being impatient when they do something that's not to my liking? I was saddened by the fact that I am angry at some people and I am impatient with others. Realizing that I myself am imperfect and no better than any human being, why am I being so impatient with others? Have I lost the love of Christ?

I struggle with my impatience everyday. It's more of a spiritual struggle and times like these call for prayers--not only my own--of other people, especially those who are close to me. Today, I reflect on the importance of praying for other people. I remember being told that praying for others is actually quite powerful. The inspiration for this song came from the Gospel according to St. Matthew 18: 19-20. I know I couldn't face my struggles alone. With God--and others praying for me and I for them--every struggle can be overcome.

ESTO LES DIGO

Esto les digo,                                                           'This I say to you,
si dos de ustedes se ponen,                                      if two of you are put,
se ponen de acuerdo aquí en,                                    are put in accord here in,
en la tierra para pedir,                                                in the earth to ask,
pedir algo en oración,                                                to ask anything in prayer,
mi padre que está en el cielo,                                     my Father which is in heaven,
se lo dará.                                                                 will give it to you.
Porque donde dos o tres se reúnen en mi nombre,        Because where two or three are gathered in my name,
allí estoy yo,                                                               there am I,
en medio de ellos.                                                      in the midst of them.'

Let's Be Generous--Prayer for Generosity

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” (Mark 1:41)

Sometimes it's disheartening to listen or read the news. You'll hear public servants getting impeached, politicians simply grandstanding during impeachment trial proceedings, rumors about who's who and who's the president dating these days. Then lately you've heard the devastating earthquake that struck our brothers and sisters in Negros Oriental. Then, you have your own personal problems to take care of--the primary needs of your family, the duties you need to fulfill at work, the everyday commute, and to some, the demands of serving your community.

Jesus Christ had a lot to do when he did his ministry. During such times, he healed many people who are sick. In today's Gospel, he cured a man who had leprosy. The passage above is truly something that shows the Godliness and humanity of our Lord--he was moved with pity. It was compassion and love that made him do the healing. But after this episode, despite asking the man who was cured not to spread it around, the man broadcasted it through out the city. Jesus became popular but he doesn't need or want that popularity at all. And despite going to a deserted place to rest and pray, people eventually found him and he would serve them still. But are the people only after his healing and not appreciating his compassion for them?

How many of us take time to be compassionate towards one another? Sometimes, we are too focused on the "bad news" or our own problems that sometimes we tend to forget what also matters--to love one another as Jesus loved us. When we do our work, do we do it whole-heartedly, not just out of a sense of duty? When we take care of the needs of our family, do we take time also to simply tell them that we love them? When we watch the news or other TV programs, do we feel pity and try to help out if we hear victims of natural disasters? When we are with friends, is it only because we need them or we enjoy their company or do we stop at times and think about what do they need that you could help them out with?

Despite all the negative vibes from "bad news" and other things that preoccupy us, we could counter this one by asking the Lord to also make us clean--clean us of our impatience, of our indifference, of our selfishness, of our hatred or anger towards other people. Then, we can also stretch out our hands to the people who need us, to be of service not just because it is a duty or an obligation but out of love and compassion. 

Let's all join our hands in prayer as we all ask for a generous heart from our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm sure some of you have heard this song before. It is the Prayer for Generosity. Feel free to sing with the Ateneo choirs.

Prayer for Generosity

Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous

Teach me to serve you as I should

To give and not to count the cost

To fight and not to heed the wounds

To toil and not to seek for rest

To labor and ask not for reward

Save that of knowing that I do

Your most Holy Will.

Filipino Folk Goes International: Iddem-Dem Mallida

Singkreis Porcia was founded in 1956. Members come from the communities of Upper Carinthia. They come from different professions, some of them are into music as a profession. The choir has developed more intensively and is now one of the well-known choirs in Austria. They have performed in many countries around the world, represented at prestigious festivals in various concerts in Austria and been repeatedly invited by domestic and foreign radio and television stations to participate in live performances and archival footage.
 
Via Singkreis Porcia (roughly translated in Google Translate)

When I came to Austria with Novo to participate in one of the world's prestigious choir festival and competition in Spittal an der Drau, the Singkreis Porcia performed in a welcome concert wherein they sang the various folk songs from the country of origin of the different participating choirs. In this concert, they sang Iddem-Dem Mallida as representative of the Philippine choir. I've sung this song with a different choir and so I was really excited to hear their rendition of this song. They sounded good and in fact, their approach to the song came out as classical--smooth, harmonious, polyphonic singing at best. Admittedly, the song wasn't suppose to be sung that way. Nevertheless, I feature this song and this rendition for the sole purpose of saying thank you and for giving their best to sing a Filipino folk song that many Filipino choirs have sung. 


Here is a video of their rendition captured in my own meek digital camera. The picture isn't that good but you could hear their singing which is more important. Iddem-Dem Malida is an Itneg Tribal Chant, arranged by Elmo Makil. It's origin I believe is the Mountain Province of Northern Philippines. Here is Singkreis Porcia singing Iddem-Dem Mallida.

Lyrics (based on the musical score)

Iddem-dem mallida, inabacmidaida
Iddem-dem mallida
Yomayom agdagdagi yomayom
Iddem-dem mallida, inabacmidaida
Dong dong ay sidongilay insallidumay
Ilailalay, Ilailalay
Yomayom agdagdagi yomayom
Iddem-dem mallida, inabacmidaida
Iddem-dem maillida

Filipino Folk Goes International: Paru-Parong Bukid

Paru-Parong Bukid (Eng Trans. Butterfly Field) is one of the more popular folk song in the Philippines that was successfully made into a classic “kundiman” (musical) movie eponymously titled – Paru-Parong Bukid. The movie was produced by Sampaguita Pictures in 1938 top-billed by renowned “kundiman” actor Rudy Concepcion and his favorite on-screen love interest, Rosario Moreno.  via All Philippines

A fellow faculty member told me this joke.
Faculty: Knock! Knock!
Me: Who’s there?
Faculty: Butterfly.
Me. Butterfly who?
Faculty: B-U-TT-E-R  F-L-Y, Butterfly! (repeat 3x) Beeeee-U-TT-ER  F-L-Y, Butterfly!

Not funny isn’t it? Try singing the line to the tune of Paru-Parong Bukid. Listen to the video below as an American Choir sings and interprets this song.

PARU-PARUNG BUKID SONG LYRICS (Learn more)

Paruparong bukid na lilipad-lipad               
Sa gitna ng daan papagapagaspas           
Isang bara ang tapis
Isang dangkal ang manggas
Ang sayang de kola
Isang piyesa ang sayad


May payneta pa siya — uy!
May suklay pa man din — uy!
Nagwas de-ohetes ang palalabasin
Haharap sa altar at mananalamin
At saka lalakad nang pakendeng-kendeng.

Now try singing it, using only one word: Butterfly. Ready? Go! B-U-TT-E-R  F-L-Y, Butterfly... ;-D

Filipino Folk Goes International: Bahay Kubo

Here’s to reminiscing one of the most sung Filipino Folk Songs--Bahay Kubo. In fact, it’s a song kids use at play. What’s amusing is watching and listen to an all-boys choir sing this song with their own peculiar accent. But wait...they’re not Filipino! That is why it’s even more interesting. Watch and enjoy these adorable angels sing one of the Philippines’ popular folk song.

Bahay Kubo English Translation (Nipa Hut)

Bahay kubo, kahit munti Our Nipa Hut, even though it’s small
Ang halaman doon ay sari-sari. We have various plants found in our garden
Singkamas at talong, Jicama (Mexican turnip) and eggplant,
sigarilyas at mani Winged beans and peanuts
Sitaw, bataw, patani. String beans, lablab beans, lima beans

Kundol, patola, upo't kalabasa Wax gourd, loofah, bottle gourd and squash
At saka mayroon pang labanos, mustasa, And also radish, mustard
sibuyas, kamatis, bawang at luya Onions, tomatoes, garlic and ginger
sa paligid-ligid ay puro linga. The area is filled with sesame seeds

Filipino Folk Goes International: Katakataka

Today, I'm featuring my country's Filipino Folk Songs. Singing folk songs is a mainstay in choral singing. In fact, it's through folk songs that choral groups all over the world find their commonality as well as their differences. It is the way through which we--singers, directors and composers--appreciate cultural diversity. In this blog, I aim to highlight this by featuring Filipino folk songs sung by non-Filipino choral groups from the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

Katakataka is a song about two friend's who started to joke around until one of them fell in love with the other. Below are the lyrics and translation courtesy of tagalog.com.

Here is a rendition of the song by the NTU CAC Choir.

Kataka-takang mahibang ang katulad ko sa iyo
It's remarkable for someone like me to fall for you

Biru-biro ang simula
Joking around at first

Ang wakas pala ay ano?
The ending is what?

Aayaw-ayaw pa ako
I profess not to want it

ngunit ’yan ay ’di totoo
but that isn't true

Dahil sa iyo
Because of you

puso kong ito’y binihag mo
this heart of mine you've captivated

Ala-ala ka maging gabi’t araw
Thinking of you day and night

 

A Soul Thirsts For God

I haven't written a blog in three days. Today, I'm trying to write it using the keyboard in typing this out on my tablet PC. A few minutes ago, I restarted this blog because my sister turned the Wi-Fi router off. Right now, I'm so freaking frustrated as I realize that it's hard to write my blog on my tablet PC. I am getting pissed off at the fact that the virtual keyboard keeps popping up and it blocks my post window that I can't see what I'm writing. There's nothing in the settings that could keep it from popping up and I have yet to figure out how to turn the thing off. Why the hell did I even bother to buy an external keyboard?

There were just so many things to take care of during the previous week. I wasn't able to fill up my blog for Madrigal week. But today is a Sunday and I dedicate this to the Lord Jesus Christ. I feature sacred music genre on this day. Amidst all the daily cares of life, what keeps me focused is prayer and deepening my relationship with God. Just now, I thought about the problem with my tablet PC and keyboard. How petty it is compared to other things in life that we struggle with.

In one of my consultations with my trainees, I explained to her how her writing activity turned out to be something I did not instruct the class to do. In fact, she was the only one who did not follow instructions. When she tried to explain why, I realized that she was struggling with a problem at work. It was another case of being blamed for something that she did not do or that she had no intention of hurting anyone. As she was telling me this, I felt pity for her and so I asked her how she copes with it. She clings on to support from her bosses and colleagues. But I asked her if she prays. To tell you honestly, I thought that I'd get the eyebrow raised up look or the surprised look. But when she said that she does pray all the time and she believed in the power of God to make things all right, I was humbled by what she said.

It is good to know that in this world where people think that they don't need God that there are still those who hold on to God to help them as they go through their struggles in life. That Jesus is truly the one to go to if we are faced with problems whether big or small. This song that I'll feature talks about Jesus as the source of strength as what he told the Samaritan woman in the gospel: "but those who drink the water that I will give them will never be thirsty." (John 4:14). The song is "Sicut Cervus" composed by one of the famous masters of music during the Renaissance period: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. When you see the English translation of this song, you'll see that it's a familiar song that is being sung during the Holy Mass. This song soothes the soul through it's polyphonic lines. It's like streams of river gently flowing the sound of which makes one relax and calm down. 

This video shows the musical score while the choir sings as though it is its background. What's nice about this is that you'd get to follow the beautiful lines of the text--how the different lines move on their own and finally converge at the end. Hope this would make us appreciate the wonderful art of choral music.

Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum,ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus.

As the deer longs for running water, so longs my soul for you, O God. 

Madrigal Week: Chase Them Away!

Some madrigals feature stories of ordinary life. I remember one madrigal that was fun to sing especially when the second line of text comes in--Vechhie Letrose.

Composed by Adrian Wilaert (1450-1599), it's a short text that tells of a person getting rid of "spiteful old hags" in the neighborhood. Imagine yourself walking down the street and seeing all sorts of people along the way--office workers, students, vendors, street children, traffic police, or people simply going to markets and other establishments. We mind our own business until suddenly something or someone catches our attention--the graffiti along the walls, the beggars begging, pedestrians bumping you unintentionally or otherwise, and worse--snatchers! If you could get a chance to get even with them or even go after them, imagine yourself running after them with a baseball bat or a broom stick or even shouting at the top of your vice and say "spiteful old hags, you good for nothing!"

Of course it's just a fantasy. The song I'm about to feature talks about someone shooing away someone (or even something) that irritates him or makes him spiteful. Not to condone any negative forces here, but this song is a delight to sing because once the second line is sung, you could imaging the movement of the voices as though they were chasing someone. The rendition is quite fast indicating a running motion. So if you feel like shooing something away--maybe a negative force in your life--then just sing along and chase them away. Oh, and try to keep up! ;-)

VECCHIE LETROSE

Vecchie letrose, non valete niente                                 Spiteful old hags, you are good for nothing,
Se non a far l'aguaito per la chiazza.                             Only for lying in wait in the thicket.
Tira, tira, tir'alla mazza,                                                Beat, beat, beat with your canes,
Vecchie letrose, scannaros'e pazze!                              Spiteful old hags, murderous and mad!