OH HOLY NIGHT in Asingan

OH HOLY NIGHT in Asingan

The first time I heard O Holy Night was inside the St. Louis Bertrand church. This was about 1950 or 51. This piece is usually reserved for the Midnight Mass, Dec. 24, the highlight of the Christian Christmas celebration..Inside a packed church smelling of human sweat and cheap perfumes, I was lucky to get a seat..Then I heard O HOLY NIGHT sung by a Soprano who was a part of the RJC ( Rizal Junior College) choir handled by Mr. Juan Salinda who was then the school Principal..The song woke me up ( hey, the sermon was boring and it was past my bedtime ) and I thought I was already in heaven listening to Angel's voices..Then they followed it by the SILENT NIGHT version with "7 voices"..This version is done best by a choir with at least 7 good singers. I said to myself: I wish I could join the group..I know they were all high school people and I was still an elementary school kid, still wearing short pants.

But years later, my wish came true..That was during the time of Fr. Lazaro de Guzman when I joined his choir out of my love for music..That batch consisted of Josie Casimiro Velasco ( now deceased ) plus other local singers who were contributing their spare time to volunteer work in church. When Fr. de Guzman left Asingan, his place was taken by Fr.Jose V. Ferrer, Some new voices joined too.. Singers leave, new ones come in. This is about 1965..The remarkable new ones were the Delmendo sisters; Julie, Mildred and Susan. Julie eventually became a soloist and her favorite piece was O HOLY NIGHT.I always accompanied her in the church organ.

 Fr. Ferrer had a tape recorder at that time ( a first one in Asingan ) and I was also hooked with this tape recording hobby. One time I borrowed it, and we recorded Julie's O HOLY NIGHT, a very suitable music to play before the start of the Misa de Gallos which commences every December 16 in Asingan.. Her vocal rendition  was in the middle section of that tape..After Xmas, I recorded for Father Ferrer, a series of Jazz tunes  from the start of the tape to the beginning of Julie's O HOLY NIGHT.  Of course I did not erase Julie's song. Erasing something beautiful  would be a "crime."

Months later, one afternoon in May, there was a celebration in the church yard  and it was the habit of Father Ferrer to play music through a powerful speaker at the top of the belfry or bell tower on such ocassions to attract people to come.. That music was loud enough to  be heard in many of the barriosof Asingan.There he was, chatting and  laughing with some CURSILLISTAS listening to that fine Jazz music tape which I made for him.( now playing out of the powerful speakers atop the bell tower). Suddenly, the jazz music faded and the intro for O HOLY NIGHT came in..Then Julie's voice, singing the Christmas song, wafted over the air space in Asingan! Holy Toledo, and it was still May!

 The cursillistas were laughing as Fr. Ferrer rushed back to the CONVENTO to switch off his tape recorder! He put on the radio instead then he came back down with an embarrased smile..Well, it is not a crime or a sin to be playing Xmas songs in May or June..I play them anytime I feel like listening to one! But only in  private. I am sure not only the cursillistas were laughing when they heard that song played that afternoon several months before Christmas!

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Thirty years later in 2003, in Asingan, I played this Christmas Carol again. This time I accompanied Susan Delmendo Santos, Julie's younger sister who came all the way from Los Angeles to celebrate the Christmas Program in her school, the Colegio de San Luis Beltran which now she owns. This is the new name of the Rizal Junior College, also named Rizal Academy at one time. During the rendition, I used a Yamaha keyboard which I borrowed from Leah Rame Apuyod ( sorry if I mispell this name) a businesswoman in Asingan. Leah 's parents Max and Julie Rame were close friends of my parents.

It was an uncanny experience playing the song again in Asingan. Julie is supposed to come home too that Christmas but she did not make it..But Susan did a good job, singing it with great feeling on the stage in front of the school. She is also a very good singer like the rest of her siblings. And she did it so well that the audience keep clapping and cheering even in the middle of the song just to show their appreciation..Due to some technical difficulties, I had to stay far away from her. My spot was beside the Sound Man who was  outside of the school fence. Reason why is that the cable for my keyboard connecting it to the Sound System was so short so I had to stay close with the amplifier.While I was playing, I was surrounded by children watching me, and a TV cameraman too was there shooting it for the Delmendo cable...It was a December night but it was so HOT that my shirt wasdrenched with sweat due to the weather and the stressful situation..But I played in all kinds of tight places here in Toronto, and doing it in Asingan after 30 years is really a big thing for me..

I  must have played O HOLY NIGHT a thousand times already but I never get tired doing it. .God willing I am playing  it again this coming Christmas eve 2005 at St. John's here in Toronto to accompany a group of five young brilliant  singers. Two of them are my grandaughters, Mia and Emma of whom I have written a few times in my blogs..

May God Bless Us All THIS COMING CHRISTMAS SEASON!