On the 4th day of Christmas, this blogger gives you a NEW POST!
*WARNING: this post contains a youtube video. You will need to view this on my actual website*
So if you are not a long time reader of this blog, I'm quite a music nerd, and I'm pretty sure it's hereditary. Both my parents are lifetime musicians who sing and play multiple instruments each (well, they know how, even if they are a bit out of practice now because of needing to work at real jobs that pay money and all that) and encouraged (read: forced) my sister and me towards the same. Being able to bring my guitar to play, and the ability to read music and my hymnals and books from home to sing with has been one of the most valuable tools so far here in Brazil. Many of the hymns in their tiny hymnal (no notes, just words) are sung to many of the same tunes as our hymns back home, although the words and meanings can vary greatly. But, it is FAR easier to sing a tune you know while focusing all your attention on pronunciation of a language you've barely learned, than to try and catch on to both at once. Christmas songs especially have a lot of overlap of melodies.
So I attended and played at an event at the Cathedral just before Christmas. It was kinda like the Lessons and Carols back home, except no lessons, just prayers. It would alternate between a prayer, a hymn, then a musical offering by someone or some group from the diocese. I'm pretty sure my songs were rather unremarkable (at least in my estimation), but the more I sing at different churches, the easier it is to cross language barriers with the people of my new community. (I also feel like it proves that I'm not as dumb as I currently sound in Portuguese)
Anyways, there were others who also played and/or sang in the evening's rotation. I greatly enjoyed both sets of spouses that performed duets with guitar, especially because the style of guitar playing here is greatly different than mine and seems more a derivative of flamenco style (which I couldn't do if my life depended on it). There was also a women's choir from the church I'll be attending once I'm settled into my home near the school. Many of the ladies I had already met from my visit out there, and some will even be coworkers soon. Their songs were sung to mp3 tracks and were some of the contemporary Christmas tunes here. I fell in love with the first one, and managed to sneak a peek of the page over a shoulder to figure out the title. I've tracked it down and now you get to hear it too!
So here's your challenge, lovely reader, and a little taste of my life these days: below are the lyrics in Portuguese. Try to read this and attempt your expected pronunciation before you hit play on the video below (and I'll let you know, this particular set of words is rather light on the accents, you're welcome). (It's a lyric video, so you'll see the words as she sings them). Under the video, I've translated the lyrics to English (yeah, I used google for about 3 words. Sue me, I've only studied this for about 3 weeks. My vocabulary is outpaced by any moderately linguistically gifted Brazilian 3 year old)
So good luck. May the accents be ever in your favor.
Venho oferecer-me prostrado ante a ti
Meu coração entrego a Ti
O céu se vestiu de gala, jamais se viu algo assim
Em um humilde presépio ali em Belém, nasceu o nosso rei
Dai louvores ao rei... Ao Rei de Israel
Pastores e magos vieram a ti, a render adoração
Anjos agora cantam a Deus nova canção
Pois ao mundo chegou o presente de Deus, paz e salvação
Dai louvores ao rei... Ao rei de Israel: Emmanuel
I come to offer myself before you
My heart I deliver to You
The heavens are dressed for the spectacle, I've never seen anything like it
In a humble manger in Bethlehem, our king was born
Give praise to the King (x2)...The king of Israel
Shepherds and magi came to him, to worship you (more literally: to render adoration)
Angels now sing to God a new song
Because to the world arrives the gift of God, peace and salvation
So there you have it. Likely your first Brazilian carol. Paz e bençoes. E Feliz Natal pra você.
So if you are not a long time reader of this blog, I'm quite a music nerd, and I'm pretty sure it's hereditary. Both my parents are lifetime musicians who sing and play multiple instruments each (well, they know how, even if they are a bit out of practice now because of needing to work at real jobs that pay money and all that) and encouraged (read: forced) my sister and me towards the same. Being able to bring my guitar to play, and the ability to read music and my hymnals and books from home to sing with has been one of the most valuable tools so far here in Brazil. Many of the hymns in their tiny hymnal (no notes, just words) are sung to many of the same tunes as our hymns back home, although the words and meanings can vary greatly. But, it is FAR easier to sing a tune you know while focusing all your attention on pronunciation of a language you've barely learned, than to try and catch on to both at once. Christmas songs especially have a lot of overlap of melodies.
So I attended and played at an event at the Cathedral just before Christmas. It was kinda like the Lessons and Carols back home, except no lessons, just prayers. It would alternate between a prayer, a hymn, then a musical offering by someone or some group from the diocese. I'm pretty sure my songs were rather unremarkable (at least in my estimation), but the more I sing at different churches, the easier it is to cross language barriers with the people of my new community. (I also feel like it proves that I'm not as dumb as I currently sound in Portuguese)
Anyways, there were others who also played and/or sang in the evening's rotation. I greatly enjoyed both sets of spouses that performed duets with guitar, especially because the style of guitar playing here is greatly different than mine and seems more a derivative of flamenco style (which I couldn't do if my life depended on it). There was also a women's choir from the church I'll be attending once I'm settled into my home near the school. Many of the ladies I had already met from my visit out there, and some will even be coworkers soon. Their songs were sung to mp3 tracks and were some of the contemporary Christmas tunes here. I fell in love with the first one, and managed to sneak a peek of the page over a shoulder to figure out the title. I've tracked it down and now you get to hear it too!
So here's your challenge, lovely reader, and a little taste of my life these days: below are the lyrics in Portuguese. Try to read this and attempt your expected pronunciation before you hit play on the video below (and I'll let you know, this particular set of words is rather light on the accents, you're welcome). (It's a lyric video, so you'll see the words as she sings them). Under the video, I've translated the lyrics to English (yeah, I used google for about 3 words. Sue me, I've only studied this for about 3 weeks. My vocabulary is outpaced by any moderately linguistically gifted Brazilian 3 year old)
So good luck. May the accents be ever in your favor.
Venho oferecer-me prostrado ante a ti
Meu coração entrego a Ti
O céu se vestiu de gala, jamais se viu algo assim
Em um humilde presépio ali em Belém, nasceu o nosso rei
Dai louvores ao rei... Ao Rei de Israel
Pastores e magos vieram a ti, a render adoração
Anjos agora cantam a Deus nova canção
Pois ao mundo chegou o presente de Deus, paz e salvação
Dai louvores ao rei... Ao rei de Israel: Emmanuel
I come to offer myself before you
My heart I deliver to You
The heavens are dressed for the spectacle, I've never seen anything like it
In a humble manger in Bethlehem, our king was born
Give praise to the King (x2)...The king of Israel
Shepherds and magi came to him, to worship you (more literally: to render adoration)
Angels now sing to God a new song
Because to the world arrives the gift of God, peace and salvation
So there you have it. Likely your first Brazilian carol. Paz e bençoes. E Feliz Natal pra você.
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