"Where credit is due" FUNFARE by Ricardo F. Lo
Updated May 15, 2002 12:00 (Philippine Star)
Funfare just got a letter from Ivar Tulfo Gica, founder-trustee of the Kultura Bisaya Foundation, Inc. and president of the Rotary Club of Manila East (1991-92), clarifying certain misconceptions about some classical Filipino songs and setting the record straight. Excerpt of Gica's Letter: The original Ang Pasko ay Sumapit is Kasadya Ning Taknaa, which is still the most popular Cebuano Christmas carol in the Visayas and Mindanao and being sung in its original Bisayan lyrics. The music was composed in 1933 by buddies Vicente Rubi with lyrics by Mariano Vestil, both of Mambaling, Cebu City. With the help of Manuel Velez of Sa Kabukiran fame, it was copyrighted also in 1933. In the early 1950s, Villar Records bought its rights, recorded and credited the entire work to the two Cebuano chums.
The song was used as background music in the film that starred Darmo von Frazier Acosta that wrongly credited Josefino Cenizal as the composer. Cenizal claimed he composed it, inspired by the strains from carolers on the Bantayan shorelines while he was passing through in a banca in Cebu where he evacuated during the war (1942), about a decade after it was copyrighted by Rubi and Vestil. But even if this was just claimed to be their Tagalog translation, its lyrics suffer in comparison to the spirit and ardor of the jagged musical lines characteristic of Bisayan compositions.
Observe the real McCoy: Kasadya ’ning taknaa dapit sa Kahimayaan/Maoy among nakita ang tagbalay nga masanagon/Bulahan ug bulahan ang tagbalay nga giawitan…
(‘Tis a moment of bliss, next door to Paradise/We behold a beaming family by this song blessed/…), incorporating the translation by Napoleon G. Rama, chairman of the prestigious Kulturang Bisaya Foundation, Inc. whose founding members include Chief Justice Davide, Ombudsman Aniano Desierto, retired Court of Appeals presiding justice Jesus Elbinias, former Sen. Rene Espina, UP President Francisco Nemenzo, ex-UP Pres. Jose Abueva, Concert pianist Ingrid Sala-Santamaria, Dr. Teresita Maceda, Dr. Erlinda Alburo, and others.
Compare the pseudo lyrics: Ang Pasko ay sumapit/tayo ay mangagsiawit/ng magagandang himig… (Christmas is here/let us altogether/sing beautiful songs). Such a drab, dispirited translation, a poor parody of Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
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Topic: Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit (Read 2869 times)