Dolores Paterno

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Paterno.

Dolores Paterno
Portrait c. 1870 by Justiniano Asuncion
Born	Dolores Paterno y Ignacio March 10, 1854(1854-03-10) Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines
Died	July 3, 1881(1881-07-03) (aged 27)
Nationality	Filipina
Education	Santa Isabel College, Manila
Occupation	Composer
Known for	"La Flor de Manila" ('The Flower of Manila')
Style	Romantic

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").^[1]

Biography

Dolores Paterno y Ignacio (anglicized 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.^[2]

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,^[3] 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 Danza genre.^[4] 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.

Sampaguita (Tagalog version by Levi Celerio)

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

See also

• Pedro A. Paterno

References

1. ^ "Dolores Paterno". http://himig.com.ph. http://himig.com.ph/features/38-dolores-paterno. Retrieved 27 December 2010. 
2. ^ Brains of the nation: Pedro Paterno, T.H. Pardo de Tavera, Isabelo de los Reyes, and the production of modern knowledge, by Resil B. Mojares
3. ^ Isagani R. Cruz (30 June 2006). "A Thousand Years of Filitude". http://isaganicruz.wordpress.com/category/news/page/39/. Retrieved 27 December 2010. 
4. ^ "Sampaguita". http://himig.sagadalabs.com/. http://himig.sagadalabs.com/songs/4707-sampaguita. Retrieved 27 December 2010. 

Bibliography

• Camacho (2000). 100 taon, 100 Filipina sa digmaan at sa kapayapaan. Quezon City: Leonarda Navato-Camacho.
• The National Historical Institute (1989). Filipinos in history (vol. 5). Manila: The National Historical Institute.

External links

• La Flor de Manila in the original Spanish, performed by Guillermo Gómez Rivera
• Sampaguita instrumental, performed by Michael Dadap

Persondata
Name	Paterno, Dolores
Alternative names
Short description	Composer
Date of birth	March 10, 1854
Place of birth
Date of death	July 3, 1881
Place of death