Dolores Paterno
Encyclopedia
Dolores Paterno y Ignacio (March 10, 1854 — July 3, 1881) was a Filipina
composer famous for the song "La Flor de Manila" (also known as "Sampaguita").
as Dolores Ignacio Paterno or Dolores Paterno-Ignacio) was born on March 10, 1854 at Santa Cruz
, Manila
, Philippines
. She is one of the thirteen children of Maximo Molo Agustin Paterno and Carmina de Vera Ignacio.
Dolores Paterno came from the wealthy interrelated mestizo de sangley
families of Paterno, Molo, and Agustin. She is the sister of Dr. Pedro Alejando Paterno, a prominent Filipino politician, poet, and novelist. Her sisters and stepsisters, Agueda, Jacoba, Paz, Concepcion, and Adelaida, were celebrated painters and jewelers
whose works were exhibited at the Exposición Regional de Filipinas in Manila in 1895 and at the St. Louis World's Fair
in 1904. She is also related to the Asuncion brothers, among them Justiniano Asuncion who painted her portrait in 1870.
Musically inclined at a young age, she was sent by her parents to the Santa Isabel College, Manila
, an all girls Catholic school
managed by the Daughters of Charity
. She devoted much of her time learning the piano. In 1879, at the age of 25 she composed her only known work, "La Flor de Manila" ('The Flower of Manila'), inspired by the Sampaguita flower. The lyrics were by her brother Pedro Paterno, based on a poem written by their mother of the same title.
She died at the age of 27 on July 3, 1881.
genre. It was popular during the end of the 19th century and the early period of the American Commonwealth
. It has since been considered a Philippine romantic
classic. The lyrics were translated from Spanish
into Tagalog
by the Filipino national artist Levi Celerio
. The song was also included in the repertoire of the Harvard Glee Club
, during their tour of the Philippines in 1961.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
composer famous for the song "La Flor de Manila" (also known as "Sampaguita").
Biography
Dolores Paterno y Ignacio (anglicizedAnglicisation
Anglicisation, or anglicization , is the process of converting verbal or written elements of any other language into a form that is more comprehensible to an English speaker, or, more generally, of altering something such that it becomes English in form or character.The term most often refers to...
as Dolores Ignacio Paterno or Dolores Paterno-Ignacio) was born on March 10, 1854 at Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, Manila
Santa Cruz is located on the right bank of the Pasig River, on the northern portion of the City of Manila, near the mouth of the river, in between the districts of Tondo and Quiapo...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. She is one of the thirteen children of Maximo Molo Agustin Paterno and Carmina de Vera Ignacio.
Dolores Paterno came from the wealthy interrelated mestizo de sangley
Sangley
Sangley , is an archaic term used in the Philippines to describe and classify a person of pure Chinese ancestry, while mestizo de sangley was used to refer to a person of mixed Chinese and indigenous ancestry Sangley (Sangleye, Sangley Mestizo, Mestisong Sangley, Mestizo de Sangley or Chinese...
families of Paterno, Molo, and Agustin. She is the sister of Dr. Pedro Alejando Paterno, a prominent Filipino politician, poet, and novelist. Her sisters and stepsisters, Agueda, Jacoba, Paz, Concepcion, and Adelaida, were celebrated painters and jewelers
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
whose works were exhibited at the Exposición Regional de Filipinas in Manila in 1895 and at the St. Louis World's Fair
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
in 1904. She is also related to the Asuncion brothers, among them Justiniano Asuncion who painted her portrait in 1870.
Musically inclined at a young age, she was sent by her parents to the Santa Isabel College, Manila
Santa Isabel College, Manila
Santa Isabel College is a former all girls Catholic school and university in Ermita in the city of Manila, Philippines , offering courses at the primary, secondary, and post-secondary levels...
, an all girls Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
managed by the Daughters of Charity
Daughters of Charity
The Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, sometimes simply referred to as Daughters of Charity, is a Society of Apostolic Life for women within the Catholic Church. Its members take simple, private, annual vows...
. She devoted much of her time learning the piano. In 1879, at the age of 25 she composed her only known work, "La Flor de Manila" ('The Flower of Manila'), inspired by the Sampaguita flower. The lyrics were by her brother Pedro Paterno, based on a poem written by their mother of the same title.
She died at the age of 27 on July 3, 1881.
Works
"La Flor de Manila" is of the DanzaDanza
Danza is a musical genre that originated in Ponce, a city in southern Puerto Rico. It is a popular turn-of-the-twentieth-century ballroom dance genre slightly similar to the waltz. Both the danza and its cousin the contradanza are sequence dances, performed to a pattern, usually of squares, to...
genre. It was popular during the end of the 19th century and the early period of the American Commonwealth
Commonwealth of the Philippines
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was a designation of the Philippines from 1935 to 1946 when the country was a commonwealth of the United States. The Commonwealth was created by the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1934. When Manuel L...
. It has since been considered a Philippine romantic
Romantic music
Romantic music or music in the Romantic Period is a musicological and artistic term referring to a particular period, theory, compositional practice, and canon in Western music history, from 1810 to 1900....
classic. The lyrics were translated from Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
into Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
by the Filipino national artist Levi Celerio
Levi Celerio
Levi Celerio was a Filipino composer and lyricist who was born in Manila, Philippines. Celerio was a prolific song-writer, with over 4,000 songs to his credit. He is perhaps best-known for being a leaf-player, a feat for which he was put into the Guinness Book of World Records...
. The song was also included in the repertoire of the Harvard Glee Club
Harvard Glee Club
The Harvard Glee Club is a 60-voice, all-male choral ensemble at Harvard University. Founded in 1858 in the tradition of English and American glee clubs, it is the oldest collegiate chorus in the US. The Glee Club is part of the Holden Choruses of Harvard University, which also include the...
, during their tour of the Philippines in 1961.
| Sampaguita (Tagalog version by Levi Celerio Levi Celerio Levi Celerio was a Filipino composer and lyricist who was born in Manila, Philippines. Celerio was a prolific song-writer, with over 4,000 songs to his credit. He is perhaps best-known for being a leaf-player, a feat for which he was put into the Guinness Book of World Records... ) |
The Flower of Manila (English version) |
|---|---|
Sampaguita ng aming lipi, bulaklak na sakdal ng yumi Ikaw ang mutyang pinili Na sagisag ng aming lahi, At ang kulay mong binusilak Ay diwa ng aming pangarap, Ang iyong bango't halimuyak Sa tuwina'y aming nilalanghap. O bulaklak, na nagbibigay ligaya, O! paraluman, mutyang Sampaguita, Larawang mistula ng mga dalaga; Ikaw ang tanging bituin Hiraman ng kanilang ganda. Ang iyong talulot Ang siyang tunay na sagisag Ng sa dalagang puso'y wagas, Kayumian at pagkamatapat. |
Lovely bloom of the Sampaguita By my Philippine maid beloved, Not a flow'r in the world is sweeter As you circle her lovely brow! In the daintiest collar clinging, With one bud like a pendant swinging, Round the neck of the gentle and beautiful one, How happy and fortunate now! Beautiful flow'r Enchantment of fair Manila With happiness fill her, O bright Sampaguita Beautiful flow'r O rest on her hair so lightly! Softly caressing, touch her with blessing Dear Sampaguita flow'r Green of the Garden! Beloved symbol of my dear maiden, Pure Sampaguita, Entreat her to smile again My flow'r of flow'rs |
External links
- La Flor de Manila in the original Spanish, performed by Guillermo Gómez RiveraGuillermo Gómez RiveraGuillermo Gómez Rivera is a Filipino writer, journalist, poet, playwright, historian, linguist, dance instructor, and scholar of Spanish and British descent from the Province of Iloilo....
- Sampaguita instrumental, performed by Michael DadapMichael DadapMichael Dadap is a popular Filipino guitarist, composer, and conductor, and an influential advocate of Filipino folk music. He was influential in the creation of a world-class rondalla ensemble in the United States is also the founding music director of the Iskwelahang Rondalla of Boston,...