"Alma Llanera" ("Soul of the Plains") is a Venezuelan song, a

joropo The joropo is a musical style resembling the fandango, and an accompanying dance. It originated in Venezuela and is also present in the eastern Colombian plains. It has African, Native South American, and European influences. There are diffe ...

, created by

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

n musicians

Pedro Elías Gutiérrez Pedro Elías Gutiérrez (March 14, 1870–May 31, 1954) was a Venezuelan musician who is mainly remembered for the song ''Alma Llanera'', whose music he composed for the zarzuela of the same name. Gutiérrez also led the Orquesta Caraque� ...

(composer) and

Rafael Bolívar Coronado Rafael Bolívar Coronado was a Venezuelan composer and author. He was born on 6 June 1884 in Villa de Cura, Aragua, Aragua State. Bolívar is best known for writing the lyrics of the popular joropo song ''Alma Llanera'', in conjunction with com ...

(lyricist). It was originally part of a zarzuela whose premiere was on September 19, 1914, at the Teatro Caracas. ''Alma Llanera'' has since come to be considered as Venezuela's unofficial second national anthem. Its hundredth anniversary was marked by its being declared ''

Bien de Interés Cultural A Bien de Interés Cultural is a category of the heritage register in Spain. The term is also used in Venezuela and other Spanish-speaking countries. The term literally means a "good of cultural interest" ("goods" in the economic sense) and inclu ...

''. 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 Jan Gerard Palm (2 June 1831 – 13 December 1906) was a 19th-century composer. Palm is often referred to as the "Father of Curaçao's classical music". Biography Born in Curaçao, Palm had directed several music ensembles by a relatively young ...

(1831-1906). The title refers to the

Llanero A (, ‘plainsman’) is a South American herder. The name is taken from the Llanos grasslands occupying eastern Colombia and western-central Venezuela. During the Spanish American wars of independence, lancers and cavalry served in both ar ...

s, the herders of

whose culture is part of the country popular imagery. The

llanero culture A (, ‘plainsman’) is a South American herder. The name is taken from the Llanos grasslands occupying eastern Colombia and western-central Venezuela. During the Spanish American wars of independence, lancers and cavalry served in both ar ...

is at the root of the joropo, firstly as a dance and then as a musical genre. 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 José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French, ...

. The original lyrics of the ''Alma Llanera'' are as follows:

''Yo nací en esta ribera''
''del Arauca vibrador,''
''soy hermana de la espuma,''
''de las garzas, de las rosas,''
''soy hermana 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 hermana de la espuma,''
''de las garzas, de las rosas''
''y del sol.''

A translation:

''I was born in this bank''
''of the vibrating Arauca River,''
''I am sister of its foam,''
''of the herons, of the roses,''
''I am sister of its foam,''
''of the herons, of the roses''
''and the sun, and the sun.''
''I was lulled by the vivid 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 the crystal, of the 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 lover's colt.''
''I was born in this bank''
''of the vibrating Arauca River,''
''I am sister of its foam,''
''of the herons, of the roses''
''and the sun.''

References

{{reflist

External links

Listen Alma Llaneralisten to instrumental Alma Llanera

The Great Soprano and Tenor of China sing Alma llanera.
Spanish-language songs Venezuelan songs

See also

References

External links