When the world seems far beyond me, And I have no place to go, When my life seems cold and empty, And I feel I’m all alone, Then a song that I remember Helps to ease my troubled mind...
I had a popular song in mind. But I couldn't find a choral version of it. So I typed the words "choir" on YouTube and see what comes out first. As the title of my blog suggests, this attention grabber made me wonder if such a song as "Call Me Maybe" could ever be arranged for choir. Well, this version wasn't only arranged for choir but also for an orchestra.
Admittedly, the first part of the piece seemed dragging to me. It was too slow and we know how the tempo of Call Me Maybe is sung. But I stuck with it a little more until I reached the build up. Indeed, the strings supplied this building tempo and from then on, the music became spectacular. What's also nice about this video are the singers and artists themselves. If indeed given a chance to do a rendition of a very popular song, wouldn't the excitement simply get you carried away? But as I listened to it, the excitement was a good one. At least I think it didn't sacrifice the quality of the rendition.
Then again you may have your own opinion about it. It isn't easy to appreciate choral and/or orchestral music. But it is nice to give it a chance.
I had a dream the other night. I dreamt that I was asked to sing. It seemed odd to me because I haven't really sung all by myself--I've always sung with a choir. Since it was a dream, anything is possible! The one thing I remember in that dream was that I actually sang a song that I used to sing with the choir.
The next day, I started looking for that song. In the process, it led me to a video--actually two videos on Youtube. I was surprised but at the same time ecstatic because it was a live performance of a choir that recently participated in the Asia Cantate International Choral Festival 2012.
Words could hardly express the joy I felt when I heard these voices sing. I was utterly speechless; I've had goose bumps and a pleasurable tingling sensation that seemed to have lifted away all my worries and pains. It is no wonder that this choir won the top prize in this competition. It gives me great honor to share these two videos with you.
I was told that I
need an outlet for my strong emotions. I need to find a way to let it out
without hurting others or myself. I used to have that outlet--same as the
heavenly voices I heard from a video on Youtube that my sister was playing.
Turns out that the young singing voices came from a group called Scala and
Kolacny Brothers.
Scala & Kolacny Brothers is a Belgian
women's choir, conducted by Stijn Kolacny and arranged and accompanied by
Steven Kolacny on the piano. Formed in 1996 and
winning the Belgian 'Choir of the Year'-contest in 2000, they have made five
studio albums, starting with On The Rocks
in 2002, in multiple languages. via Wikipedia
"With or
Without You" is one of my favorite U2 songs. Scala's rendition was so good
that it gave me goose bumps. The young girls sang so soothingly that it's truly
a choir that's worth listening to for relaxation and entertainment. Here's a
video of the choir. The girls' innocent looks and laughing reminded me of the
time when I was part of the choir. Once you sing in a group and have gone to
tours with them, the joy of singing extends to the joy of friendship. Don’t get
me wrong though--singing in a choir requires discipline too. But the reward is
simply priceless!
Coffee and/or tea
has two functions for me--keeps me awake and relax. Ironically, enjoying a cup
of coffee or tea is one of the things that I do in order to relax. Whenever I
do my so-called nothing day--no worries,
no work, no obligations whatsoever--I make it a point to have a cup of
coffee or tea just to cap it off. On the other hand, coffee could also cause
tension and unrest especially on busy and hectic days. But to me, coffee
doesn't necessarily keep me awake. I will admit that I was told to drink coffee
so that I could stay awake. But in recent years, no matter how much I drink
coffee or tea, sleep would still creep in every chance it gets.
While thinking about
this subject, I'm reminded of one of my favorite songs that I used to sing with
the choir--Java Jive. To all coffee and tea drinkers out there, this is one
song that perfectly complements that cup or mug of coffee/tea. I like the rendition
in this video because it's faithful to the arrangement done by Kirby Shaw. I
also like the soloists here compared to the other videos I've heard. Hope you
enjoy this relaxing song.
JAVA JIVE
I love coffee, I love tea
I love the Java Jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the java and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup (Boy!)
I love java, sweet and hot
Whoops Mr. Moto, I'm a coffee pot
Shoot me the pot and I'll pour me a shot
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup
Oh slip me a slug from the wonderful mug
And I'll cut a rug just snug in a jug
A sliced up onion and a raw one
Draw one -
Waiter, waiter, percolator
I love coffee, I love tea
I love the Java Jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the java and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup
Boston bean (soy beans)
I say those itty-bitty green bean (cabbage and greens)
When I do my
prayers, prayer for healing forms part of my daily set. These days we all need
some form of healing. In the recent events that happened to our country--the
monsoon, the typhoons, the death of an efficient and effective government
official, the rise in prices of basic commodities among others--some may feel
that it's the end of the world, the end of their lives. So what else is there
to live for? Well, this may be an age-old adage, but the only way is to turn
our attention to the one and only author of life: Jesus Christ.
Any form of healing that we may
need--physical, mental, spiritual, psychological--let God in and welcome him as
he does the one thing he's always been doing since he created us--to heal us of
our heartaches, our pains, our sufferings. Whatever it is that we've been
through, know that he himself has undergone them too. He became man for us,
grew up just like an ordinary human being. To this day, he remains with us in
several churches all over the world. Every hurt that we feel, he feels it too.
Every suffering we go through, he suffers alongside us to. Despite being the
author of life, he did not spare himself of the pain and suffering that we as
human beings go through in this world. Shall we not go to this man and ask for
his help and learn from him what it truly means to suffer for the sake of
loving others?
One song expresses
this more than any other. Let's all pray that God may heal our land.
HEAL OUR LAND
If my people will humble themselves Humble themselves and pray If they seek my face and humble themselves And turn from their wicked ways
[REFRAIN 1] I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins I will hear from heaven and heal their land [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsty.com/jamie-rivera-heal-our-land-lyrics.html ] [CHORUS] Lord, heal our land Father, heal our land Hear our cry and turn our nation back to You Lord, heal our land Hear us oh, Lord, and heal our land Forgive our sin and heal our broken land
Lord, we vow our knee, we humble ourselves Humble ourselves and pray Lord, we seek your face and humble ourselves And turn from my wicked ways
[REFRAIN 2] Father in Your mercy, forgive our sins Father in Your mercy, come heal our land
[Repeat CHORUS twice]
[CODA] (Lord, heal our land Father, heal our land) Hear our cry and heal our broken land
While struggling to
keep myself awake, I was reading chapter 6 from the Book of Numbers. Towards
the end, I read a prayer that the Lord said to Moses to be used to bless the
people. Upon reading it, I was reminded of a musical rendition of this song
during my early years at a university choir. There is a more popular version of
this song, but I couldn't help but reminisce the time that I sang John Rutter's
version of "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." During the first time I
sang this piece, I had difficulty with the soprano line. The female voices
would sing the first half of the prayer first. The way that the soprano line
soars was quite a challenge to me then. But if sung very well, it's that
feeling of soaring successfully that makes the effort worth while.
The repeating lines
and the extended "Amen" made me relax and calm and even made me stay
awake during the reading of the bible. So much so that I think this is a
song--a keepsake--that's worth sharing. Here is a rendition of the song by the
Philippine Madrigal Singers. Hope that it will uplift your hearts and souls to
God and be at peace knowing that He will always bless us with everything that
we need to do our duties for the coming week.
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19)
Today is Ascension Sunday commemorating the time of the Lord's ascension into heaven after 40 days of appearing to his disciples and performing miracles and signs to them. They say that this is the end of his mission--on Earth. But his mission continued in the lives of the disciples and the saints. In our own small way, we can also be living witnesses of Christ's teaching by loving one another as Christ has loved us.
While at Mass, the choir sang a song that I knew was originally written in Latin. They sang it in English. Honestly, I'd rather hear it sung in its original Latin verse. There are some English translated songs that are not entirely faithful to its original text. But more than that, I think the Latin text is much better synched with its music and musical lines compared to when you sing the song in English. The song I am referring to is Canticorum Iubilo (i.e. Let Us Sing With Joy!). It is a song that honors Christ as our King. It is a fitting opening song for today's Holy Mass. Here is the song in its Latin verse and faithful English translation.
CANTICORUM
Canticorum jubilo
Regi magno psalite
Jamresultent musica
Unda tellus sidera
Canticorum jubilo
Regi magno psalite
Personantes organis
Iubilate, plaudite
Canticorum jubilo
Regi magno psalite
English Translation
Let us sing aloud!
Play for our reigning King!
Let the music now strikes sharp as a spear coming from on high.
Let us sing aloud!
Play for our reigning King!
Let each one play his own instrument and burst aloud in praises.
Let us sing aloud!
Play for our reigning King!
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s
life for one’s friends.
(John 15:12-13)
The passage above
comes from today's Gospel in which the central theme of the readings is about
God's Love. As Christians, we are reminded that this is the one that should
characterize our actions--that we do everything out of love and our model for
this love is none other than Jesus Christ.
We have many songs
in Musica Sacra that pertain to God's love and one of them is Ecce Quam Bonum.
This song speaks about Christian brotherhood as expressed in Psalm 132. It
reminds us that this unity that we have as Christians centered on the love that
Jesus has given to us through the Holy Eucharist. We united ourselves in this
sacrifice of Christ in order to share in the life and be granted the grace from
the Father in heaven in order to imitate his love that Christ has shown us. And
this love is to "lay down one's life for one's friends"--it is not
forced, but offered, not conditional, but pure giving in the spirit of
generosity. Here is the Latin lyrics and it's English equivalent from Psalm
132. (source: Breviary) The rendition sang by Novo Concertante Manila is that composed by Hans Leo
Hassler.
Ecce quam bonum,
et quam jucúndum * habitáre fratres in unum.
2 Sicut unguéntum in cápite, * quod
descéndit in barbam, barbam Aaron.
3 Quod descéndit in oram vestiménti
ejus: * sicut ros Hermon, qui descéndit in montem Sion.
4 Quóniam illic mandávit Dóminus
benedictiónem, * et vitam usque in sæculum.
Behold, how good
and joyful a thing it is, * for brethren to dwell together in unity.
2 It is like the precious oil upon
the head, * that ran down upon the beard, even upon the beard of Aaron.
3 That went down to the skirts of his
clothing : * like as the dew of Hermon, which fell upon mount Sion.
4 For there the Lord hath
commanded blessing, * and life for evermore.
It's truly difficult
to love one's neighbor let alone to the point of laying down your life for
another. But it is a challenge to all of us if we really want to love.
Sometimes I hesitate to share how I feel if it means I'll end up hurting the
other person. And because it is also something that hurts me, I tend to keep
it. What's dangerous about it is that whatever it is that you're hiding, might eat you up or make you isolated from people who could show love to you. Hence, in cases like
these, it is also good to resort to prayer. If there's anybody who'd always be
willing to listento our cares and
sufferings, that would be Jesus Christ. Because he is the one who loved us
first before he even tried to save us.
I was about to write
a blog until I realized why not just do it tomorrow. I'm home, sick and uneasy.
I lost my voice today in the worst possible way. In a way, I saw it coming and I never thought it would come to pass.
Well, my sore throat
began last Friday, May 4. Then...the weekend came. Money came too late.
Obligations to the family set in. Change of plans disrupted some part of my
weekend activities. Although it was a fun and new experience, I realized that
it was the beginning of my present condition--lacking sleep.
Little did I realize
that the sore throat would gravitate into a dry cough by Monday. And Tuesday
was the clincher--I merely thought doing my service to the community would be
enough. Oh no! I didn't stay up that late because I wanted to. I wanted to go home,
badly! I wanted to sleep…(was it so wrong to ask???)
And now? Lost my
voice...couldn't work...no replacement… so what now? If there will be any sleep
at all it'll probably be something like this.
This is one of my favorite challenging pieces for me. When the sopranos soar towards the end and transitions into that pianissimo "sleep", I couldn't help but wonder if I could ever sing like that again. Now, my voice isn't much. I just wish that this illness of mine would come to pass.
Procrastination--putting off or delaying. Despite having the privilege of having 120 hours of surfing, I only managed to write one blog in a week. I kept putting it off for some strange reason or maybe it's because I still have yet to hold on to an inspiration--the one motivation that made me began this blog in the first place. Sometimes when faced with a choral piece that's not too easy to learn, the choir would at times "procrastinate." But eventually, we get it done in time for the performance or competition. Amazingly, we'd be successful at it.
Nach Soviel Nebel is one of those pieces. Composed by Bruno Strobl for the competition in Austria, Nach Soviel Nebel is a challenging piece because honestly, it's no ordinary piece. As Strobl would say in his profile, "My composition style is structurally determined. In the late
1980s I decided to experiment with the partial tone row as a basis for
composing. It took me a year, and several compositions, to consolidate
the features of this style. Since then, I have been fascinated by the
versatility, diversity and the incorporation of many musical elements in
which this style can be used." via Bruno Strobl.
Here is the composition as performed by the Paragita Choir. There are parts in the song which is sung in piano or pianissimo--very softly. It's a difficult piece but one that's worth singing.
Ever encountered a song or a choral piece you thought was impossible to sing? Or maybe the kind of choral piece where you think only the best choirs can sing but not your own group? When I was a chorister, I had my personal share of choral pieces that I thought I'd never be able to sing--let alone the choir I belong to. But once you get to sing it, it's like an accomplishment that is unmatched.
The song I'm about to feature today is Tangueando. I remember this song so well that I had to listen to another choir's rendition of this song so that I could have a reference or a clue as to how it is sung. At least, this was my style. When I was able to sing this with the choir, what I thought was an impossible and annoying song to learn turned out to be one of my favorites.
Just a little background, Tangueando is a song composed by Oscar Escalada. It was composed in 1990 with a minimalist style and published by Lawson-Gould in 1994. It was entitled "Tangueando" because its structure goes through the various rhythms from Argentina, adapting the fast-pace dance beat and meshing it with overlapping lines of texts. However, the texts don't even sound like words. So it's part of the challenge to sing with seemingly non-word texts alongside the musical harmony that's supposed to be brought out. Thus, what you get is a rich polyrhythmic and enjoyable masterpiece in choral singing. More information about this song and its composer is found here: Tangueando. The website is in Spanish but there is also an English version of it.
What's included in the website is information about various choirs that sang this song. I'll feature the one sang by the Philipppine Madrigal Singers. To be honest, I listened to their rendition of the song first before I started learning the piece itself. Without further adieu, here is Tangueando. Hope you enjoy it!
Happy Easter! This week marks the beginning of the Easter Season. For the next fifty days (culminating on the Pentecost), the noon time prayer to our Blessed Mother changes from the Angelus to Regina Caeli. The latter speaks of the joy of our dear Blessed Mother to the glorious resurrection of his son Jesus Christ from the dead.
I've sang two versions of this song when I was starting out as a choir member. I sang this with a group of all female vocalists and this was one of the songs we'd sing during the Easter Vigil. I had a hard time looking for the specific version that I like on the Internet. I didn't know the name of the composer then. But after trying every combination of search words on Google, I finally found the version I was looking for--Antonio Lotti.
Antonio Lotti was born at Venice in 1667; died there, 5 January, 1740 and studied under Legrenzi, producing an opera, "Il Giustino", in his sixteenth year. On 31 May, 1692, he was appointed second organist of St. Mark's, and on 17 August, 1704, he succeeded Spada as first organist. On 2 April, 1736, he was elected maestro di cappella, though Pollarolo, Porpora, and Porta were formidable rivals for the much-coveted post, with a salary of 400 ducats. Between the years 1703 and 1730 he composed numerous masses and motets, especially his "Miserere", which supplanted the version of Legrenzi and is still sung at St. Mark's on Holy Thursday. Lotti also composed twenty-seven operas (1693-1717), and he spent two years at Dresden, producing various works. After his return to Venice, in November, 1719, he gave up secular writing, and devoted himself solely to church and chamber music. via Catholic Encyclopedia
In this rendition, the choir is accompanied by organ. This song could also be sung a capella style. I like this version of Regina Caeli because its tone is a combination of solemn soft tones and grand celebration style tones. Hope you enjoy this video. Happy Easter once again!
Christ, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.
Thus it is written in today's second reading. Today is Passion (Palm) Sunday. I was looking for a song that would be featured in my blog. Upon doing so, I stumbled upon a memory, a song that I sang with the choir during my first year with them--Christus Factus Est.
Christus Factus Est This text is used both as agradualand, during thetriduum, as anantiphonin place of theresponsory. In the modernGraduale Romanum, this text is the Gradual for Passion (Palm) Sunday and The Exultation of the Holy Cross (September 14). In the extraordinary or ‘Tridentine’ rite, this text is the gradual for the Mass of Maundy Thursday, as well as for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. via ChoralWiki
The composition I'll be featuring is the one of Anton Bruckner. Josef Anton Bruckner was born on September 4, 1824 in the upper Austrian town of Ansfelden. His father was a schoolteacher and church organist, and Bruckner's initial studies followed similar lines. When Bruckner was 13, his father died, and he enrolled in the church school at St. Florian (some ten miles from Linz) as a chorister. There, he studied organ, piano, and music theory. On his own, Bruckner assiduously studied the music of Renaissance Italian polyphonic masters such as Palestrina and German Baroque composers, especially J.S. Bach. via Notes on four Bruckner Motets.
The video presents the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist in a Holy Mass presided by Pope Benedict XVI at Westminster Cathedral. The Westminster Cathedral Choir sings Bruckner's Christus Factus Est, which became a beautiful background to the offertory ceremonies being conducted at this point in the Holy Mass. The text of the song came from the quoted text above, the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians.
Christus / factus / est / pro / nobis / obediens Christ / made / was / for / us / obedient
usque / ad / mortem, / mortem / autem / crucis. even / unto / death / death / on / cross
Propter / quod / et / Deus / exaltavit / illum because of / this / and / God / raised / him
et / dedit / illi / nomen, and / bestowed / on him / name
quod / est / super / omne / nomen. which / is / above / all / names
Truly it is a mystery to be grasped. Our Lord's passion is the perfect example of obedience to the will of the Heavenly Father. By this act of obedience, Jesus opened the doors for us to save us from our sins. He bore it all on the cross in the spirit of a willing victim to be offered up once and for all to our Father God. It is difficult to explain the magnitude of this act of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hopefully, when we join the activities of the Catholic Church this week, we'd focus our minds in reflecting upon our Lord's passion and death.
Hearing the song once again brought back memories of joyful singing with the choir. We sang many sacred music pieces as it forms part of our usual repertoire when preparing for concerts. The singing of sacred music became the first in the line of pieces to be sung. The purpose of which is to give glory and honor to God for the wonderful gift of music. These are memories truly worth cherishing.
Ave Maria is one prayer that has several arrangements by well-renowned musicians. During my early stints as a chorister, I had the opportunity to sing Jacques Arcadelt's arrangement.
Jacques Arcadelt (also Jacob Arcadelt) (c. 1507 – 14 October 1568) was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance, active in both Italy and France, and principally known as a composer of secular vocal music. Although he also wrote sacred vocal music, he was one of the most famous of the early composers of madrigals; his first book of madrigals, published within a decade of the appearance of the earliest examples of the form, was the most widely printed collection of madrigals of the entire era. via Wikipedia
In preparation for Holy Week 2012, I will feature some of my favorite sacred music choral pieces. Ave Maria by Jacques Arcadelt is one of the first sacred music choral pieces I've learned. Since it's a Saturday, the church dedicates this day to our dear Lady, which is why I saw it fit to feature this song.
Although there were other verses that the priest emphasized in today's Gospel, I chose to reflect on these words. It reminded me of a song I featured in one of my earlier blogs in January of this year: Ave Verum. Here I will feature the song again, this time presenting Mozart's composition. When I was still singing with the choir, this is the version I learned first. It's accompanied by an orchestra or an organist. It's solemn and uplifting. Here are the words in Latin and English. It will truly help in reflecting the passage above. Have a wonderful day!
Ave, verum corpus Hail,true body
natum de Maria Virgine, born of the Virgin Mary,
Vere passum immolatum Who truly suffered, sacrificed
in Cruce pro homine, on the Cross for man,
Cujus latus perforatum Whose pierced side
unda fluxit et sanguine, overflowed with water and blood,
Esto nobis praegustatum Be for us a foretaste
in mortis examine. In the trial of death.
A colleague has this Dilbert mug with the following inscription: "Away you demons of stupidity!" Well, so many struggles in our life involve in one form or the other--not just demons of stupidity--but the "daemon" himself. After this gruelling week of training, I remember a song entitled "Daemon Irrepit Calidus" by Gyorgy Orban. It's one of the songs I used to sing with the choir in which I was quite challenged with the pacing, exchange and overlapping lines among the different voices. Also, this song brought back wonderful memories of my first trip outside of the Philippines. It's nice to sometimes go back a relish the good times as a way of recharging oneself and prepare for another possible challenging week ahead. And it's my personal prayer as well as a command in the name of Jesus Christ--away with you "daemons."
Daemon Irrepit Callidus György Orbán
Daemon irrepit calidus,
Allicit cor honoribus.
Quid amabile Daemon dat
Cor jesu minus aestimat
Daemon point frauds inter cantus,
Saltus, Daemon!
Caro venaratur sensibus;
Sen sus adhaeret dapibus;
In aescatur, impinguatur dilatatur.
Cordis Aestum non explebunt, non arcebunt, Daemon! Daemon!
Translation:
The Demon sneaks expertly
Tempting the honorable heart:
He sets forth trickery amidst praise, song and dance.
However amiably the Demon acts,
It is still worth less than the heart of Jesus.
The Flesh is tempted by sensuality;
Gluttony clings to our senses;
It overgrows, it encroaches, it stretches.
However appealing the Flesh is,
It is still worth less than the heart of Jesus.
Though the Universe may confer
Thousands upon thousands of praises,
They neither fulfill nor put out the desire of the heart.
However appealing the whole Universe is,
It is still worth less than the heart of Jesus.
When I was still with the choir, we were learning some new songs to sing for the mass. One of them was a song entitled "Sa Iyong Mga Yapak." When we were working on our harmony, I seem to remember our choirmaster telling us to feel and understand every word that we sing. Taking that suggestion to heart, we began singing the song and while the sopranos (I being one of them) were singing the words, I almost choked and found myself wanting to cry. It's like a revelation at that time that the song that I'm singing refers to the loving act of our Lord Jesus Christ as he suffered and died for our sins. It's a good thing that there were eight of us in the soprano section and so, my stopping at mid-song wasn't too obvious. Since then, whenever we sing this song during the mass, I try my best to hold back the tears for a few minutes so that the beauty of the song and it's reflective words may touch those people hearing mass. I knew then that this song is truly perfect for Lenten Season. But I'd take it a step further that this song truly reflects Jesus' everyday sacrifice to us whenever he changes the host and the wine into his body and blood. This is one of my favorite and most loved Filipino Sacred Music. Here I share it with you in the spirit of the Lenten Season and in thanksgiving for God's marvelous gift of love and mercy.
By the way, the English translation is a rough one. Pardon my efforts if I have not completely captured the essence of the song. I hope that you'd be touched by the song itself.
SA IYONG MGA YAPAK English Translation
Landas na kay tinik sa Iyo'y inilaan A path filled
with thorns was intended for You
Bawa't hakbang nito'y dusa't hirap ang laman Every step is filled with
suffering and anguish
Sa kalooban ng Ama nagpasakop kang ganap You
submittedto the Father’s willfully
Buhay Mo O Hesus ang siyang alay na sapat Your life,OJesus,was the only offering that’s enough
Laban sa agos ng mundo, Against
the grainof the world,
Lumakad ka sa landas Mo Youwalkedthe
path only you have chosen
Laban sa lakad ng mundo, Against thetrendof the world,
Landas na sa 'ki'y nais Mo You walked the path you wished that I would take
Sa Iyong mga yapak, ako ay tatahak I will walk in Your footsteps,
Kahit tigib ng luha ang nilakaran Mong landas Even
though the path You trod isfull oftears
Pasakit man at dusa dulot ng mundo'y kamtan Even if the world may bring me painand
suffering
Bawat bakas ng Iyong mga yapak Every traceof Your footsteps
Bawat hakbang Mo'y aking susundan Every step You take, I shall take it too
Kay hirap Mang gawin kalooban Mo'y tupdin Though it’shardto
doThywill completely
Pinili kong sundan bakas ng 'Yong mga hakbang I choose tofollow the path
treaded by your footsteps
Ang buhay ko'y laan sa Iyo kailanpaman My life I give fullyto Thee forevermore
Maglilingkod sa'Yo Panginoon hanggang wakas I shall serve you, OGod,to the end
It's difficult to lose a loved one--that's partly the reason why I haven't written anything on this blog. I know that we (the family) have done everything good for my dad. There was one detail there I wasn't happy about and it concerns the subject (the inspiration) for this blog. I lost that inspiration and it took a while before I thought about what to write in this blog.
Since my dad passed away three weeks ago, the family and I were too busy with things to be done for my dad's passage to the afterlife--the family, both here in Manila and Bacolod, contributed and shared with us (dad's immediate family) their condolences, plus friends of dad and the family. I couldn't thank them enough!
Our time to grieve happen to coincide with the Season of Lent. I came to recall a song that immortalized Mary's sorrow at the death of her dearly beloved son Jesus Christ--Stabat Mater. Who else could perfectly understand the pain of loss and suffering than that of our dear Blessed Mother Mary? This is a song that I see fitting for this occasion. And also, this for you, dad! Farewell!
From the family mausoleum in Isabela, Negros Occidental
STABAT MATER English Translation
1. Stabat Mater dolorosa 1. At the cross her station keeping,
Iuxta crucem lacrimosa stood the mournful mother weeping,
Dum pendebat Filius close to Jesus to the last
2. Cuius animam gementem 2. Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
Contristatam et dolentem all his bitter anguish bearing,
Pertransivit gladius now at length the sword had passed.
3. O quam tristis et afflicta 3. Oh how sad and sore distressed
Fuit illa benedicta was that mother highly blessed,
Mater unigeniti! of the sole-begotten One!
4. Quae moerebat et dolebat, 4. Christ above in torment hangs;
Pia Mater, dum videbat she beneath beholds the pangs
Nati poenas incliti of her dying glorious Son.
5. Quis est homo qui non fleret, 5. Is there one who would not weep,
Matrem Christi si videret whelmed in miseries so deep
In tanto supplicio? Christ's dear Mother to behold?
6. Quis non posset contristari, 6. Can the human heart refrain
Christi Matrem contemplari from partaking in her pain,
Dolentem cum Filio? in that Mother's pain untold?
7. Pro peccatis suae gentis 7. For the sins of His own nation
Vidit Iesum in tormentis, saw Him hang in desolation,
Et flagellis subditum. all with bloody scourges rent.
8. Vidit suum dulcem natum 8. Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
Moriendo desolatum she beheld her tender child,
Dum emisit spiritum till His Spirit forth he sent.
9. Eia Mater, fons amoris 9. O, thou Mother, fount of love,
Me sentire vim doloris touch my spirit from above,
Fac, ut tecum lugeam make my heart with thine accord.
10. Fac, ut ardeat cor meum 10. Make me feel as thou has felt;
In amando Christum Deum make my soul to glow and melt
Ut sibi complaceam with the love of Christ our Lord.
11. Sancta Mater, istud agas, 11. Holy Mother, pierce me through;
Crucifixi fige plagas in my heart each wound renew
Cordi meo valide. of my Saviour crucified.
12. Tui nati vulnerati, 12. Let met share with thee his pain,
Tam dignati pro me pati, who for all my sins was slain,
Poenas mecum divide. who for me in torments died.
13. Fac me tecum, pie, flere, 13. Let me mingle tears with thee,
Crucifixo condolere, mourning Him Who mourned for me,
Donec ego vixero. all the days that I may live.
14. Iuxta crucem tecum stare, 14. By the cross with thee to stay,
Et me tibi sociare there with thee to weep and pray,
In planctu desidero this I ask of thee to give.
15. Virgo virginum praeclara, 15. Virgin, of all virgins blest,
Mihi iam non sis amara O refuse not my request:
Fac me tecum plangere let me in thy weeping share
16. Fac, ut portem Christi mortem 16. Let me, to my latest breath,
Passionis fac consortem, in my body bear the death
Et plagas recolere. of that dying Son of thine.
17. Fac me plagis vulnerari, 17. Wounded with his every wound,
Fac me cruce inebriari, steep my soul till it hath swooned
Et cruore Filii in His very blood away.
18. Flammis ne urar succensus 18. Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Per Te, Virgo, sim defensus lest in flames I burn and die,
In die iudicii in that awful judgment day.
19. Christe, cum sit hinc exire, 19. Christ, when thou shalt call me hence,
Da per Matrem me venire be Thy mother my defense,
Ad palmam victoriae be Thy cross my victory.
20. Quando corpus morietur, 20. While my body here decays,
Fac, ut animae donetur may my soul Thy goodness praise,
Paradisi gloria. Amen safe in Paradise with Thee. Amen.
