Luigi - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

While my nephew was performing, some of his family in the audience, including myself, were brought to tears. He's only 12. He's amazing.

Luigi Plays Jump!

I can only play the first 11 chords of this song. Luigi heard his dad playing it and learned it on his own. He was asked to perform during the Christmas program of his school, Centro Montessori.

Tuloy na Tuloy pa rin ang Pasko

I watched the Philippine Madrigal Singers at the Philamlife Lobby for Christmas Treats, a one-hour concert for the benefit of streetkids. I think the message of this song is very apt for Filipinos.

Tuloy na Tuloy pa rin ang Pasko
Apo Hiking Society

O bakit kaya tuwing Pasko ay
dumarating na
ang bawa't isa'y para bang
namomroblema
hindi mo alam ang regalong ibibigay
ngayong kay hirap na nitong ating buhay

Meron pa kayang caroling at noche buena
kung tayo naman ay kapos at wala nang pera
nakakahiya kung muling pagtaguan mo
ang 'yong mga inaanak sa araw ng Pasko.

[refrain]

♫♬♩♪
Ngunit kahit na anong mangyari
ang pag-ibig sana'y maghari
sapat nang si Hesus ang kasama mo
tuloy na tuloy pa rin ang Pasko

Mabuti pa nga ang Pasko noong isang taon
sa ating hapag mayroong keso de bola't hamon
baka sa gipit, Happy New Year mapo-postpone
at ang hamon ay mauuwi sa bagoong

[refrain]
Ngunit kahit na anong mangyari
ang pag-ibig sana'y maghari
sapat nang si Hesus ang kasama mo
tuloy na tuloy pa rin ang Pasko

(Instrumental)

♫♬♩♪

[refrain]
Ngunit kahit na anong mangyari
ang pag-ibig sana'y maghari
sapat nang si Hesus ang kasama mo
tuloy na tuloy parin ang pasko

[coda]
Tuloy na tuloy pa rin (Tuloy na tuloy pa rin)
tuloy na tuloy pa rin (Tuloy na tuloy pa rin)
tuloy na tuloy pa rin ang Pasko

tuloy na tuloy pa rin ang Pasko ♫♬♩♪

Total Eclipse of the Heart

I know there are better things to do on a Sunday, on a Sunday morning, on the first Sunday on Advent at that. I will get to those in a while.

For now, I want to share something that people with a lot of time on their hands have done.

First, the flowchart. Study it closely. Prepared by this blogger.

And now, the literal version of the video. I'm rehearsing for the upcoming Christmas parties. Wonder if I'll get 100 if I use these lyrics. Haha.

I Dreamed a Dream...

My nephew's current favorite musical is Les Miserables because he was asked to perform one of its songs during his school's recognition rites. He requested me to sing On My Own when our whole family went karaoke singing last January. Next time, I'd like to sink my teeth into this song made even more popular by Susan Boyle.

I listened to the words again last night and was amazed at the powerful story they told.

I Dreamed a Dream
From Les Miserables

There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

Here's the link to the famous video.

And another video from the same talent show, of a little girl who also could sing like an angel.

Youtube has disabled embedding of these videos. Please go to the links and enjoy!

It's never too late to dream. :)

Now Playing: Time and Tide

I've been told that I can't go problogging if I keep posting non-original content to my blog. I guess I have to create another blog for that dream to become a reality, for in this blog, I will indulge in sharing the songs I sing, the movies I watch, the poetry I read, and the beauty I appreciate.

This morning, I traveled back in time and played this in the car over and over again. I think I'm going to form a band with some friends and sing old songs in harmony!



For now, this is my personal karaoke. :)

Time and Tide
Basia

It's hard for me to stop my heart
love never knows
when the time is right
I don't want to hurt
anybody but
can't help loving you

I never felt like this before
I know this is passion
worth waiting for
let love take take its course
that's the only thing
for us to do

We got time, oh baby,
there's no rush
gonna be a better
day for us
hang on
and I will
wait for you
our love will always stay as good as new

Time and tide
nothing and no one
can stop us now
for better for worse
this time I'm sure
it's gonna last

How can I stop my heart?
Love never knows
when the time is right
don't want to hurt
anybody
don't want to make them cry
don't want to make them cry

We've got time, oh baby
there's no rush
gonna be a better
day for us
hang on
and I will wait for you

Our love will always stay as good as...
new

It's a matter of time
only a matter of...

Time and tide
nothing and no one
can stop us now
for better for worse
this time I'm sure
it's gonna last
gonna last forever

We got time, oh baby
there's no rush
gonna be a better
day for us
hang on
and I will wait for you.

I think Mrs. RJAQ and TSP will sound good when they do a cover of this song. I can do keyboards and backup vocals. :)

They're Playing My Song

Sanity break. I'm going through work overload stress and I need to breathe, so I did some Facebook therapy.

I found that one of my friends tagged me in the note "No. 1 Song". I did not just read her Note; I went one step further and blogged about it because it was interesting. The Note led me to a website where the No. 1 Song on Any Date in History may be found. I looked up my birthday and found that that the No. 1 Song in the US Billboard on the day I was born was:

Annie's Song
John Denver

You fill up my senses
like a night in the forest
like the mountains in springtime,
like a walk in the rain
like a storm in the desert,
like a sleepy blue ocean
you fill up my senses,
come fill me again.

Come let me love you,
let me give my life to you
let me drown in your laughter,
let me die in your arms
let me lay down beside you,
let me always be with you
come let me love you,
come love me again.

(instrumental)

You fill up my senses
like a night in the forest
like the mountains in springtime,
like a walk in the rain
like a storm in the desert,
like a sleepy blue ocean
you fill up my senses,
come fill me again.



My favorite version of this song is from "My Best Friend's Wedding" (what, this film? I don't remember it; I don't remember ANY line from the movie, only that it made me curious enough to try a creme brulee for the first time in my life), where Dermot Mulroney's brother and his friends took in helium from the balloons they were preparing for the wedding, and then sang this song in perfect harmony, with helium- thin voices. Too bad this song was not included in the original motion picture soundtrack (what soundtrack? I don't own a copy of this soundtrack, I DON'T listen to it, I just can't stop Sayin' a Little Prayer, Wishin' and Hopin' that someone will sing The Way You Look Tonight because What the World Needs Now is Love, but I'll Be Okay).



Okay, enough silliness. Back to work.

Now Playing: Remembering You

The video and the song played during Fr. Geoffrey's Youth Alive despedida, October 18, 2008.  Read about him here.

Remembering You
Steven Curtis Chapman
The Chronicles of Narnia Soundtrack

I found You in the most unlikely way
But really it was You who found me
And I found myself in the gifts that You gave
You gave me so much and I

I wish You could stay
but I'll, I'll wait for the day

Chorus
And I watch as the cold winter melts into spring
And I'll be remembering You
Oh and I'll smell the flowers and hear the birds sing 
and I'll be remembering You, I'll be remembering You 

From the first moment when I heard Your name
Something in my heart came alive
You showed me love and no words could explain
A love with the power to
Open the door
To a world I was made for

Chorus
And I watch as the cold winter melts into spring
And I'll be remembering You
Oh and I'll smell the flowers and hear the birds sing 
and I'll be remembering You, I'll be remembering You 

The dark night, the hard fight
The long climb up the hill knowing the cost 
The brave death, the last breath
The silence whispering all hope was lost
The thunder, the wonder
A power that brings the dead back to life

I wish You could stay
But I'll wait for the day
And though You've gone away
You come back and

Chorus
And I watch as the cold winter melts into spring
And I'll be remembering You
Oh and I'll smell the flowers and hear the birds sing 
and I'll be remembering You, I'll be remembering You 

And I'll watch as the sun fills a sky that was dark
And I'll be remembering You
And I'll think of the way that You fill up my heart
And I'll be remembering You

I'll be remembering You
I'll be remembering You
I'll be remembering You

I'll be remembering You

When I Was Four-and-Twenty

From the last silly post that had me taking an online quiz and finding out that I acted like I was twenty-four years old, comes now this new entry about a song that came out when I was about that age and bawling over the movie "My Best Friend's Wedding".

I'll Be Okay
Amanda Marshall 

It's time to let you go
It's time to say goodbye
There's no more excuses
No more tears to cry

There's been so many changes
I was so confused
All along you were the one
All the time I never knew

I want you to be happy
You're my best friend
But it's so hard to let you go now
All that could have been
I'll always have the memories
She'll always have you
Fate has a way of changing
Just when you don't want it to

[Chorus]

Throw away the chains
Let love fly away
Till love comes again
I'll be okay

Life passes so quickly
You gotta take the time
Or you'll miss what really matters
You'll miss all the signs
I've spent my life searching
For what was always there
Sometimes it will be too late
Sometimes it won't be fair

[Chorus]

I won't give up
I won't give in
I can't recreate what just might have been
I know that my heart will find love again
Now is the time to begin

[Chorus]

I can't hold on forever baby
I'll be okay.

Well now.  That was fun!  I bet girls who are old enough to remember that movie have also memorized each song in its equally famous soundtrack.  I think this was the only original song in that compilation.  The rest are re-makes.  But I know them all by heart.

There was a time when I couldn't watch that movie without shedding a tear.  It was a comedy, for crying out loud.  My best friend lent me her copy so I could desensitize myself, so I watched it nightly for a straight week.  I wept every time.

More than a decade later, I saw it again on HBO.  The song is right - I eventually became okay.  I survived up to the last scene without crying.  I saw how selfish Jules had been, and un-romanticized Michael, the sports writer who was going to marry a college student and ask her to give up her career, and who was blind not to see that he and Jules were perfect for each other.  I hated him for the tender moments he shared with Jules just when he was supposed to be focused on Kimberly, and for not choosing Jules.

I am okay about the movie.  As to the reality, I'm getting there too.     

Sonata Pathetique

Frustrations out. In my head, I could play Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8, or Sonata Pathetique, like this:



Oh well. Some of us were just born to listen and appreciate.

For Just a Moment

From the classic '80's bratpack movie, St. Elmo's Fire, comes this love theme that is what the power of great soundtrack music is all about.  It makes you remember the movie's essence and captures the emotions of the characters.  I like the instrumental version as well.

I must be getting old.  This song reminds me of old friends and old times.   

Love Theme from "St. Elmo's Fire" - (For Just A Moment)

David Foster

Written by David W. Foster and John Stephen Parr

We laughed 

Until we had to cry

And we loved 

Right down to our last goodbye

We were the best

I think we'll ever be

Just you and me

For just a moment

We chased 

That dream we never found

And sometimes 

We let one another down

But the love we made

Made everything alright

We shone so bright

For just a moment

Time goes on

People touch and then they're gone

And you and I

Will never love again

Like we did then

Someday, when we both reminisce

We'll both say

There wasn't too much we missed

And through the tears

We'll smile when we recall

We had it all

For just a moment

Time goes on

People touch and then they're gone

But you and I

Will never really end

We'll never love again

Like we did then

We laughed until we had to cry

And we loved right down to our last goodbye.

Picking Up the Pieces

Finally, I was prevailed upon to play the piano again, for a one-night engagement, here in our living room, as part of a family recital for a dear friend.  

I have a confession to make.  I never play because I don't think I'm good enough.  I'm not concert pianist-level.  I'm never going to make it to Julliard.  So I quit while I was still ahead, and opted to finish Business Economics, instead of taking up a Minor in Piano, which a friend of mine actually succeeded in doing.

It all came back to me tonight when I started practicing "The Poet's Harp" (Op. 38, No. 3, composed by Felix Mendelssohn) a beautiful piece from my college days.  After four tries (should be ten times, according to my piano teacher-mother), my neck and shoulders hurt (I can hear her reply - that this is due to my wrong sitting position), and I felt like I had wrestled with the notes.  I had to stop and play something easier, something I had memorized like the back of my hand, J.S. Bach's Two-Part Inventions, until I checked the pieces and the actual notes, and realized how wrongly I had been playing Nos. 1, 4, 8, and especially 13, all these years.  Like a friend of mine from a choir told me years ago, practice makes permanent.  I did not practice perfectly and so the effect of that mistake is permanent.  Unless I practice the pieces correctly, "ten times".  I stopped after an hour, for I could not hear the music anymore.  I also noticed that my piano teacher from UP's Extension Program had encircled parts where I made the most mistakes, and consciously or subconsciously, I hit the wrong notes on the exact same parts of The Poet's Harp.  Talk about repeating one's mistakes over and over again.

I will try again this weekend, and hopefully, I will not resist anymore, and will not end up feeling like I had just been on a boxing match with the piano.

There was only one man who was able to bring not just me back in front of the keys, but also my mother, who is even more of a musical perfectionist than I am.  One man, a good friend of mine who is leaving the country, requested a recital for his farewell party, and I could not help but oblige.  He also convinced my mother, who in turn encouraged her grandsons (the current performing stars of the family) to play at least two pieces each.  I don't know how to say goodbye, to face him and thank him for all that he's done for me, to wish him the best in his further studies, to ask him to write to me often, to memorize his face so that I don't forget.  I will just pour my goodbyes into The Poet's Harp.  I asked him to paint me something as a remembrance.  He is an artist who has stopped painting due to a new vocation.  I don't know if he will do his part of the bargain, but I sure am doing mine.

In the movies, goodbyes are so poignant.  They bring out the best memories and make the characters realize their worth in one another's eyes.  

In the movies, rusty musicians play gloriously in the end, and frustrated artists create masterpieces.

This is real life.  I don't know how this will end.  But I will try to enjoy the journey, and not commit the same mistakes I've made in the past.

Proud Tita

Quick email - my sister-in-law has uploaded the video of the latest piano recital of my two handsome and brilliant nephews.

Visit http://luigimiko.digitalres.com to see that I'm not exaggerating.

Tess, this is really, really Miko! And Luigi! I can't even play these pieces.

A Night to Remember

Chopin's Etude In E Major Opus 10 No. 3 (basis of "No Other Love")
Hatinggabi by Antonio Molina
Mayon (Fantasia de Concierto) by Francisco Buencamino, Sr.
I Could Have Danced All Night  (from My Fair Lady)
Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal by Ernani Cuenco

This list reads like the Top Five Hits From My Childhood, for I grew up in this music, as they are just some of my parents' favorite songs. Imagine the joy my Mama and I felt when all these and more were performed last Saturday during "A Night to Remember", a fundraising concert for the projects of the Parish of Saint Benedict, held at the Don Antonio Heights Homeowners' Association (DAHHA) Clubhouse.

Internationally-acclaimed artists May Gorospe-Favis (soprano), Angelo Favis (guitar), and Charisse Baldoria (pianist) treated the parishioners and friends of St. Benedict to world-class music. Mama and I particularly enjoyed the jaw-dropping set of six out of seven songs composed by Manuel de Falla, where husband-and-wife team May and Angelo displayed their versatility in evoking a myriad of emotions through Siete canciones populares españolas ("Seven Spanish Folksongs").

If I were Mama, I would miss Papa during the concert, as the latter is currently on vacation in the U.S. The celebration of music reminded us that true beauty comes from God and art such as that reminds us of what our soul aches for - heaven. I have seen concerts at the Vatican and in other grand churches - on TV, as I wasn't invited - with the Pope in attendance, and last Saturday, I felt that grand. May also performed Psalm 23 and a song for Saint Clare that gave me goosebumps.

I could not help but admire the artists for their skill and talent. The priests asked me afterwards if I was inspired to practice the piano more and perform for them after watching that concert. I said, "As a matter of fact, No. You know me, I would choose not to do something if I know I cannot do perfectly."

I love music though and I bought Angelo's two CD's where he recorded Philippine music with his guitar. Love was in the air that night and I could not help but catch it with a smile. Love for God. Love for music. Love for friends. Love for community. And Love for my parents, who taught me all that.

My friends Hanzel, Marla, and Tess watched the concert, too, and we enjoyed the cocktails together with Mama, Fr. Steve, and some friends from the Parish Pastoral Council afterwards. We could not help laughing and having a great time, and it was not (just) because of the overflowing wine.

Forgive me for using a cliche, but I must admit it was indeed "a night to remember".