A Beautiful Blessing

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.

My Challenging Piece: Tangueando

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!

The Greatest Gift of Love

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 submitted to the Father’s will fully

Buhay Mo O Hesus ang siyang alay na sapat               Your life, O Jesus, was the only offering that’s enough

Laban sa agos ng mundo,                                            Against the grain of the world,

Lumakad ka sa landas Mo                                          You walked the path only you have chosen

Laban sa lakad ng mundo,                                           Against the trend of 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 is full of tears

Pasakit man at dusa dulot ng mundo'y kamtan              Even if the world may bring me pain and suffering

Bawat bakas ng Iyong mga yapak                               Every trace of 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’s hard to do Thy will completely

Pinili kong sundan bakas ng 'Yong mga hakbang          I choose to follow the path treaded by your footsteps

Ang buhay ko'y laan sa Iyo kailanpaman                     My life I give fully to Thee forevermore

Maglilingkod sa'Yo Panginoon hanggang wakas           I shall serve you, O God, to the end

Pop Week: We Need To Rise Up Together

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. John 13:34

There are times when we feel lost in the dark--the dark recesses of our problems, setbacks, failures, trials, and many others. But while there is darkness, there is also the light. The light sheds its brightness upon these problems, setbacks, failures, trials and helps us see, how and where did we go wrong. Ah, but do we really want to see in the dark? Not everybody is open to admit that he has failed in something. Some people feel that only they can solve their own problems because other people will just get in the way. Some people admit to being a failure but simply accepted it as that, not moving towards a way to get up and take the fight again.

From time to time, it is best that we sort things out ourselves first. Hopefully, it wouldn't end there. We need to admit that we couldn't always do everything on our own. That is why the family is there as well as friends and colleagues. We need the help of other people just as they need our help too.

Things will not be resolved if it is not corrected. However, when we do correct someone whom we care about, we must do it with the right intention. We do it because we love the person and so we point out their faults not to bring them down but in order to make them change their bad way and win them back. In the same way, we must be open to what other people say about us. Maybe we don't like being told what to do. It's okay to feel bad about it, but we have to keep an open mind. Knowing our faults is not fun to hear--it shouldn't be precisely because it is a fault. What's better is we take it as an opportunity to change for the better.


In keeping with Pop Week, let's listen to a song that would uplift our spirits and inspire hope amidst our daily struggles in life.

Pop Week: Party On Fridays with ABBA

Yes! It's Friday! Although it's not pay day weekend, it's always a day being looked forward to. It's the day some of us look forward to do other activities in our lives such as maybe cook your favorite dish, read today's best-selling novel, Facebook all day and chat with friends, drink coffee out in the garden and just enjoy a relaxing weekend.

Friday is still party time to some. And what better way to celebrate it than to the tune of Abba. Here is a nice rendition of Abba Medleys by the Philippine Madrigal Singers. TGIF--thank God it's Friday! Enjoy the weekend everybody!

Being Thankful for Life's Challenges

We all go through life with its highs and lows. Many would tend to be thankful for the highs--who wouldn't? But how many thank the lows? When our business is running slow or not doing well, are we thankful? When we get robbed of our gadgets like cellphones, laptops and others like it, are we thankful? When our friend cheats as of thousands of bucks worth of merchandise, are we thankful? When we got broke by mid-year because our business has gone downhill, are we thankful? When our families have problems with relationships--with others or with each other within the family--are we thankful? I'm sure I'd hear a resounding "no" to all of this and perhaps you'd stop at the first question and forget the rest, depending on which circumstance you belong to.

I don't claim to know anyone's circumstance for that matter. But I met an extraordinary guy who despite all the problems he has encountered manages to face the world with a smile and strength of a lion who will never give up. Manuel (not his real name) has gone through all the things I've mentioned above. Despite which, this friend of mine often greets me in the morning and asks me how my day has gone. We'd exchange a word or two throughout the day about what we're up to during the day. He also gives me inspiring messages on hope, strength of character, and encouragement to face a new day of challenges. And if I asked these questions to him, his answer would be a resounding YES!

Why be thankful for our trials and problems? Well, we wouldn't grow in character without problems. Without testing our resolve, how can we be strong to face the world everyday? Problems are there not to hinder our progress, but to challenge us; they're there not to discourage us, but to see new opportunities that we might have missed. I admire my friend Manuel for his courage to stand up to face his trials in life and still looking forward to a brighter future ahead.

This song "Circle of Life" is Elton John's composition for the movie "The Lion King." The arrangement follows the version sung in the movie itself, but of course with changes that would showcase the singing prowess of the choir. To you Manuel and all the "Manuels" in the world, I offer this song to you.

 Circle of Life (Elton John)

Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba
Sithi uhm ingonyama

Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Sithi uhhmm ingonyama
Ingonyama

Siyo Nqoba
Ingonyama
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala

[Chant repeats]

From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life

It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life

A Prayer to a Beloved Friend

A friend's birthday is coming up. We haven't seen each other for quite a while. We were friends in college, but my graduation got delayed due to certain problems. I missed classes in the first semester of my senior year and for the shame of it, I never told anyone why--except Naomi.

Naomi (not her real name) is the kindest, the most gentle, and the sweetest person I've ever met. Her smile could brighten up overcast skies any day. She speaks quite softly that you really need to come close in order to hear what she has to say. But it also means that this is one person who rarely gets angry, hardly loses patience, and always ready to forgive. She has taught me how to be patient--with myself and other people. She taught me how to always see the bright side of things. I feel as though I can be myself with her, be open and outright honest with her. During my college days, she's become my one and only confidant.

After college, we chose two different paths in life. For the next couple of years after my graduation (she graduated ahead of me), we manage to speak to one another occasionally. We send each other birthday cards. Until the time came and we lost touch with each other. Around four or five years had lapsed since we last spoke to each other. By an awesome twist of fate, I've managed to find out where she works. While I was working in the office, I overheard my boss' daughter talk about her teacher. Upon hearing some bits and pieces of her story, it seemed that the teacher she's describing resembles my former college friend. I asked the daughter her name--true enough, the teacher's name was Naomi. On her birthday, I asked a favor to my boss to have a birthday card sent to Naomi through her daughter. The next day, the daughter told me that she was surprised at her teacher's reaction to the card. She said that her teacher literally jumped for joy. Of course I felt great that day! I miss my friend a lot and apparently, she (Naomi) misses me too.

So our paths continue to meet every now and then, but it's unlike that time when I gave that birthday card to her (which was around five years ago). I found out that she works as a part-time instructor in our Alma Mater. Since then, I've been working in Makati and the possibility of she and I getting together for catching up seems remote at this point.

Since it's her birthday on January 12, I've decided to offer something to her--a simple prayer. I doubt if she would ever read this blog I wrote about her. Nevertheless, my theme this week has been remembering and honoring friends. She's the one friend that I'll never forget.

Happy Birthday Naomi! ;-)

THE PRAYER (as sung by the Philippine Madrigal Singers)

I pray you'll be our eyes and watch us where we go.
And help us to be wise in times when we don't know
Let this be our prayer when we lose our way
Lead us to the place guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe
 

La luce che tu hai
  Nel cuore resterà
A ricordarci che
Eterna stella sei
Nella mia preghiera
Quanta fede c'è
  

Lead us to a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
 

Sogniamo un mondo senza più violenza
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno lo dia la mano al suo vicino
Simbolo di pace, di fraternità
La forza che ci dà

[We ask that life be kind]
È il desiderio che
[And watch us from above]
Ognuno trovi amor
[We hope each soul will find]
Intorno e dentro sé
[Another soul to love]

Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Need to find a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
 

È la fede che
Hai acceso in noi,
Sento che ci salverà

Women of Mind and Heart

Allow me to introduce you to my friends Jenny and Queenie. Jenny (not her real name) is smart, inquisitive, reflective, and always curious. She likes asking questions that would really make you think--questions about justice for example. She is open to new ideas and it would be a good idea to let her speak her mind. When something is troubling her and she feels the need to express it, just let her be--she usually does have a point to make. If she has the time, she could write inspiring messages and send them via cellphone or Facebook--about what went on in her mind while waiting in traffic for example. Last but not the least, she is very generous with her time and energy. Meeting friends, doing her duties, participating in outreach and other social activities--she's all for it!

Queenie (not her real name) is also just as generous with her time and energy. But whereas Jenny exemplifies keenness of mind, Queenie is a person with a pure heart. She is sensitive to other people's feelings and she never fails to make you laugh. Her sense of humor is natural, heartfelt, and downright funny--she doesn't even need to try hard. She greets you with a smile and you couldn't help but feel lifted up. Tell her in a subtle way that you have a problem, she'll surely be the one to lend a hand or even a shoulder to cry on. She will definitely take time to hear what's on your mind and your heart. She won't be afraid to advise or to guide you if you ask her to.

Yes, these are my friends whom I've met only last year. But they've been such a blessing to me that I fondly call them "Mind and Heart"--only in this blog anyway! In line with offering my fave choral pieces, I'd like to dedicate this song to my friends Jenny and Queenie. I believe this song captures some aspects of their character which I've roughly outlined here. Here's to Jenny and Queenie and I hope you like this song.

LET IT BE (by the Beatles, sang by the Philippine Madrigal Singers)

When I find myself in times of trouble, 
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness 

She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the broken hearted people                
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be
For though they may be parted, 
There is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the night is cloudy 
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine until tomorrow, let it be
I wake up to the sound of music, 
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

This song is about Paul McCartney's mom--which happens to be named Mary and a devout Roman Catholic. I guess this is a perfect song to all women--not just mothers. After all, at one point many women have become "mothers" to a lot of people by sharing their intelligence and love for the other people's benefit. :-)