Unveiling of new GLF hymn set November 7

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A new hymn for this city’s Giant Lantern Festival (GLF) or “Ligligan Parul” will be unveiled on November 7, Monday, during the traditional flag raising rites.

The new hymn was composed by Irwin Nucum, a local culturati, book author, composer of original Kapampangan music, an outstanding Thomasian in the field of arts and culture and an outstanding Fernandino in the field of civic service, who was commissioned by the Giant Lantern Festival Foundation for the “obra.”

Nucum’s “Ligligan Parul San Fernando” will replace the late Ben Escasa’s “Ligligan Parul” which has been a familiar tune of the world renowned festival of lights, colors and sounds.

According to Nucum, he was summoned by the GLF Foundation Board of Trustees on April 25, 2016 regarding the need for a new hymn. He told Sun.Star Pampanga that he then wrote the proposed lyrics of the “Ligligan Parul San Fernando” from April 27, 2016 to April 29, 2016 and from May 02, 2016 to May 03, 2016 for the review of the Board.

He said he made it a point that he will only compose the corresponding music of the hymn once the lyrics have been approved en toto. When the lyrics were forwarded by the secretary to the Board of Trustees for their perusal and subsequent approval in principle, Nucum, hearing no single objection from them, started composing the first melody of the hymn from June 27, 2016 to June 28, 2016.

On July 16, 2016, Nucum furthered that he came up with another music for the said anthem. He chose the latter version as the more appropriate music to the festival because of its unique, soaring and catchy beat.

Jake Abella, a Gawad Urian awardee for the musical scoring of the film Ari: My Life With A King, provided the distinctive musical arrangement to the composition on August 20, 2016. Lawyer Victor “Bong” Roque assisted in recording and in the initial editing and mixing of the soothing voice of Inah Evangelista, a talented and awarded Fernandino artist.

Willan Caimol, one of the resident sound engineers of the Jesuit Communications Foundation, provided his able services in editing and mixing of the musical arrangement, editing and remixing of the vocal recording and professional mastering of the final recording.

On October 26, 2016 at the special meeting of the GLF Foundation Board of Trustees, Nucum said he presented the fruit of his labor as a fitting tribute and perpetual legacy to Fernandinos with regard to their famed Ligligan Parul.

With the presence of a quorum, his “Ligligan Parul San Fernando” was adopted as the official hymn of the Giant Lantern Festival of the City of San Fernando. (JTD)

Related Stories

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph