La Espero
I've always been a trifle put off by the melody that "La Espero" is usually sung to. Sounds so.......19th century brass-bandy.....almost "too cutesy" to me.
Of late I seem to be remembering seeing another melody used but for the life of me can't remember where it was. Maybe I'm just getting senile or maybe my wishful thinking is interfering with my perception of (past) reality. Anyone ever hear (of) another melody used for this poem?
by orthohawk
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Not a big fan of "La Espero"
I'm not a big fan of "La Espero" (the hymn / anthem; the poem itself is fine). When I was at the opening ceremonies for the UK in Zagreb in 2001, during the between-verse "bum bum bum bum" part, people stomped their feet in time, in a sort of cross between the chicken dance and a high-school marching band move. It occurred to me that we looked rather ridiculous in front of the assembled honored guests, who were largely from outside the Esperanto movement.
I don't think it's especially important for us to have a hymn / anthem / theme song for formal occasions. I can't think of other (non-religious) cultural movements that do. It seems to breed insularity and conformity -- two traits that we're ostensibly against, as a movement. To me, anthems are largely about identity -- "us" who know the hymn, "them" that don't -- and I'm not sure that's the right message. I wish we didn't sing it at the opening ceremonies of our congresses and instead sung it some other times -- on Zamenhof Day, before the "Cultural Evening", as a drinking song...
We want an identity as a movement though, and maybe an anthem really is the best way to accomplish this. Perhaps I'm just jealous that I can't sing!
A side node: At IJK that same year, there was a very complicated sort of kissing dance associated with "La Bambo" that I think was traditional -- I also found this a little peculiar / isolating, but it's more forgivable as a spontaneous, youth-oriented good time. (Though I was 18 at the time, I've never been accused of being youthful.)
January 4, 2009 by Tim Westover, 1 year 10 weeks ago
A DRINKING song!!!
That's what it reminds me of! OK, now I hate it more
Although some might say otherwise ;) sporting events are not religious yet the national anthem is played/sung. Oh, and don't go to the movies in a Commonwealth country; you'll be standing for "God Save the Queen" before the film starts (or at least that's the way it was back in '86 when I was in Cyprus)
stomped their feet???? Egads.....
Demetrio
Iowa City, IA
January 5, 2009 by orthohawk, 1 year 10 weeks ago
Drink-ludoj
Tio pensigas min pri la ideo de drink-ludoj en Esperantujo: Kiaj estus la reguloj? Dum prelegoj, oni devas trinketi iom se oni diras "Zamenhof" sed trinki la tutan glason se oni diras "fundamento" -- kaj elverŝi la glason se oni diras "volapüko"? Nu, eble ne.
--
Steven BREWER
January 5, 2009 by limako, 1 year 10 weeks ago
Drink-ludoj
Ne forgesu, ke oni trinku gluton se iu mizuzas la akuzativo.
January 5, 2009 by Tim Westover, 1 year 10 weeks ago
Plua regulo
Laŭ mi, vi trinketu kiam la parolanto uzas nefundamentan vorton--kaj trinkegu se vi ne konstatis ĝin.
January 6, 2009 by pbrewer, 1 year 10 weeks ago
drinkado, ktp
Lau mi, plej saghe simple drinki, anstatau paroli au kanti. Tio solvus multajn problemojn. (Kvankam vershajne kauzus kelkajn novajn . . .)
Lee
January 6, 2009 by Lee Miller, 1 year 10 weeks ago
La Espero . . .
There is indeed at least one alternate tune . . . now the tricky thing is remembering where to access it. I think I have music for an alternate tune somewhere at home, will have to hunt around for it. And it's possible that Leland Bryant Ross (Ros' Haruo) has it on his music we site. I'm working this afternoon so I don't have my usual links at hand.
Wait, here you go:
http://www.geocities.com/lilandr/kantoj/kantoj.html
Different tunes listed for La Espero in the list of "Unuopaj Kantotekstoj" . . .
Lee
January 3, 2009 by Lee Miller, 1 year 10 weeks ago
And if you're feeling REALLY adventurous...
...here's the sheet music for the Motteau rendition:
http://books.google.com/books?id=3A0SAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA16
Listening to the other two contenders, I can see why things turned out the way they did. The other two melodies are decent hymns, but the de Ménil setting feels more like an anthem to me. Of course, that's probably personal taste...
January 3, 2009 by enwilson, 1 year 10 weeks ago
THAT'S the one I saw!
But, egads! It's worse than the "anthemy" one, vocal range-wise!
Demetrio
Iowa City, IA
January 4, 2009 by orthohawk, 1 year 10 weeks ago
Alternative text . . .
It's worth reading the text of "La Vespero", also found on Leland Bryant Ross's site:
http://www.geocities.com/lilandr/kantoj/malprudaj/lavespero1.htm
Nur por plenkreskuloj, mi petas!
Lee
January 6, 2009 by Lee Miller, 1 year 10 weeks ago