Alma Llanera
Encyclopedia
Joropo
The Joropo is a musical style resembling the waltz, and an accompanying dance, having African and European influences originated in Venezuela and performed in Colombia and Venezuela. It's a fundamental genre belonging to its typical music or música criolla...
song composed by Pedro Elías Gutiérrez
Pedro Elías Gutiérrez
Pedro Elías Gutiérrez was a Venezuelan musician who is mainly remembered by the joropo song Alma Llanera, whose music he composed.-Life and valoration:...
and with lyrics of Rafael Bolívar Coronado
Rafael Bolivar Coronado
Rafael Bolívar Coronado was born in Villa de Cura, , Venezuela, on 6 June 1884. He is the author of the lyrics of the popular joropo song "Alma Llanera"...
. It was part of a zarzuela
Zarzuela
Zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular song, as well as dance...
whose premiere was on September 19, 1914 at the Teatro Municipal de Caracas.
Alma Llanera is considered as a 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
Venezuela Symphony orchestra
The Orquesta Sinfónica Venezuela was founded by a group of 26 professional musicians met at the invitation of the maestro Vicente Emilio Sojo following the dissolution on January, 1929 of the Union Filarmónica Nacional.This meeting took place January 15, 1930 in the Caracas Musical Declamation...
) made a beautiful 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
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
.
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.
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.