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!