Author: armidanagyrose

Music, p. 255

by armidanagyrose

Dance and music mediate between the sensual and the spiritual life.  Ludvig van Beethoven (modified quote)

Introducing the sound of chutney-soca Caribbean music. In Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Jamaica, and Suriname, Chutney soca music is a crossover style of music incorporating Soca elements and Hindi-English, Hinglish, Bhojpuri lyrics, chutney music, with Indian instruments such as the dholak and dhanta. So what if the novel is a decade earlier than chutney-soca! It was an effort to modernize calypso. Be happy!

Music, pp. 205 & 211

by armidanagyrose

Dance and music mediate between the sensual and the spiritual life.  Ludvig van Beethoven (modified quote)

 Ziggy warms the air up with his djembe drum at the landhuis, plantation home.

Later, Ziggy plays tambú rhythms (p. 211) for Yellie to dance—

The following video and those that ensue provide historical background of African rhythms in Curaçao and much more….

Music, p. 161

Credit to “I’ve looked at love from both sides now” – when Dara finally give in to her true love. Her pride gives in—

 

Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell

Rows and floes of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I’ve looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I’ve looked at love that way

But now it’s just another show
You leave ’em laughing when you go
And if you care, don’t let them know
Don’t give yourself away

I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say “I love you” right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I’ve looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed
Well something’s lost, but something’s gained
In living every day

I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all

I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all

Music, p. 148-149

by armidanagyrose

Dance and music mediate between the sensual and the spiritual life.  Ludvig van Beethoven (modified quote)

The Zeffa, a wedding processional dance, was to be performed by Dara, brought  to Panama to perform at the wedding of an affluent business man’s daughter.

Known by various names—zeffah, zaffa, zeffa—it is a raqs as-shamadan dance style and a very old Egyptian tradition. The use of a candelabra is more recent. The raq traces its origins somewhere between the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s. The dancer who made it famous was Zouba al-Klobativa who balanced a lantern on her head during a wedding procession. The light from the candles were to light the way and symbolized light, love, and prosperity, including fertility.

Another dancer who made it famous was Shafiqa al-Qobtiva. She was already famous and took the balancing act to higher demand.

 

Music, p. 183

by armidanagyrose

Dance and music mediate between the sensual and the spiritual life.  Ludvig van Beethoven (modified quote)

Finally, an old love is neither left or forgotten. The old lovers come together.

 

Un viejo amor (translated below)

Por unos ojazos negros,
igual que penas de amores,
hace tiempo tuve anhelos,
alegrías y sinsabores.
 
Y al dejarlos algún día,
me decían así llorando,
no te olvides vida mía
de lo que te estoy cantando:
 
Que un viejo amor
       ni se olvida ni se deja.
       Que un viejo amor,
       de nuestra alma sí se aleja,
       pero nunca dice adiós.
 
       Que un viejo amor…
 
Ha pasado mucho tiempo,
y otra vez vi aquellos ojos,
me miraron con despejo,
fríamente y sin enojo.
 
Y al notar ese desprecio
de ojos que por mí lloraron,
pregunté si con el tiempo
sus recuerdos olvidaron:
 
Que un viejo amor
       ni se olvida ni se deja.
       Que un viejo amor,
       de nuestra alma sí se aleja,
       pero nunca dice adiós.
       Que un viejo amor…
       Que un viejo amor…
 

An old love

For a pair of ardent black eyes
just like the sorrow of a love,
long ago I had desires,
happiness and grievous time.
 
And on leaving them one day
they were saying to me crying,
don’t you ever forget, darling,
what to you I am singing now:
that an old love
you neither forget nor drop.
That an old love,
may go away from our heart
but it never says good-bye.
That an old love…
– – –
 
A long time has passed by,
and I saw those eyes again,
they looked at me with indifference
coldly and without contempt.
 
And when I noticed that disdain
from the eyes that cried for me,
I wondered if with the time
they forgot their memories.
 
That an old love
you neither forget nor drop.
That an old love,
may go away from our heart
but it never says good-bye.
That an old love…
 
That an old love…
 

Music, p. 79

by armidanagyrose

Dance and music mediate between the sensual and the spiritual life.  Ludvig van Beethoven (modified quote)

In this mix of boleros, somewhere “Como divina floración de perlas” is song composed by the Golden Bohemian of Mexico, Agustin Lara.  His lyrics were a perfect match for the long-suffering Adries. Lara’s music also touched Dara’s heart at the core. And so, Dara played this melody on Stefan’s first visit with Ayana. The video below has Pedro Vargas singing Un Viejo Amor.

Por unos ojasos negros, igual que penas de amores 
Hace tiempo tuve anhelos, alegrías y sin sabores 
Y al dejarlos algún día, me decían así llorando 
No te olvides vida mía, de lo que te estoy cantando

Que un viejo amor, 
Ni se olvida ni se deja 
Que un viejo amor, 
De nuestra alma si se aleja, 
Pero nunca dice adiós 
Que un viejo amor

Ha pasado mucho tiempo, 
Y otra vez vi aquellos ojos 
Me miraron con despejo, fríamente y sin enojos 
Y al notar ese desprecio de ojos que por mi lloraron, 
Pregunte si con el tiempo, 
Sus recuerdos olvidaron

Que un viejo amor, 
Ni se olvida ni se deja 
Que un viejo amor, 
De nuestra alma si se aleja, 
Pero nunca dice adiós 
Que un viejo amor

Que un viejo amor

But this is how Andries felt deep inside with his doubts, imagining the worst.