Alma Llanera
Alma Llanera ("Soul Of The Plains") is a Joropo created by Venezuelan musicians Pedro Elías Gutiérrez (composer) and Rafael Bolívar Coronado (lyricist). The first part of Alma Llanera is inspired on the waltz Marisela by composer Sebastian Díaz Peña from Venezuela, while the second part of Alma Llanera is inspired on the waltz Mita by the Curaçaon composer Jan Gerard Palm (1831-1906). This traditional Venezuelan song was originally part of a zarzuela whose premiere was on September 19, 1914, at the Teatro Municipal in Caracas. The title refers to the Llaneros, the herders of Venezuela and Colombia whose culture is part of these countries' popular imagery. The llanero culture is at the root of the joropo, firstly as a dance and then as a musical genre.
Alma Llanera is considered as Venezuela's unofficial second national anthem. It is a tradition in Venezuela to end any social reunion or party with the intonation of Alma Llanera. The OSV (Venezuela Symphony Orchestra) made an arrangement of this piece of music to commemorate the 75 years of this widely popular song.
Today, Alma Llanera is considered as a Latin America landmark song and has been performed by many famous singers all over the world such as the Spanish tenor, Plácido Domingo.
The original lyrics of the Alma Llanera are as follows:
Yo nací en esta ribera
del Arauca vibrador,
soy hermano de la espuma,
de las garzas, de las rosas,
soy hermano de la espuma,
de las garzas, de las rosas
y del sol, y del sol.Me arrulló la viva Diana
de la brisa en el palmar,
y por eso tengo el alma
como el alma primorosa,
y por eso tengo el alma
como el alma primorosa
del cristal, del cristal.Amo, lloro, canto, sueño
con claveles de pasión,
con claveles de pasión.
Amo, lloro, canto, sueño
para ornar las rubias crines
del potro de mi amador.Yo nací en esta ribera
del Arauca vibrador,
soy hermano de la espuma,
de las garzas, de las rosas
y del sol.
A translation:
I was born in this bank
of the rippling Arauca River,
I am brother of the foam,
of the herons, of the roses,
I am brother of the foam,
of the herons, of the roses
and the sun, and the sun.I was lulled by the living reveille
of the breeze in the palm grove,
and so I have the soul
like the exquisite soul,
and so I have the soul
like the exquisite soul
of crystal, of crystal.I love, I weep, I sing, I dream
with carnations of passion,
with carnations of passion.
I love, I weep, I sing, I dream
to adorn the blonde mane
of my delighteth's colt.I was born in this bank
of the rippling Arauca River,
I am brother of the foam,
of the herons, of the roses
and the sun.