El ángel Gabriel

$3.25

SATB a cappella + opt. Percussion. 3’20”
*Recording may vary from the most up-to-date score shown below.


Note: This is a digital score (PDF).
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This version of the Annunciation offers a view of Venezuelan Christmas imagery and traditions. Here, the local shephards offer Venezuelan foods and treats to the child, Mary and Joseph camp underneath the Araguaney tree, and local bioluminescent insects provide the holy glow for the scene. The songwriter, Francisco Carreño, contributed to the development of the Servicio de Investigaciones Folklóricas Nacionales and founded the Escuela del Folklore Venezolano (School for Venezuelan Folklore). Carreño's populist sentiments and research led to political persecution throughout the 1960s, until his death.

"El ángel Gabriel" is an aguinaldo venezolano, typically accompanied by a cuatro (a stringed instrument similar to the guitar) and written in a 5 time signature (3+2), which the opening bars of the choral arrangement has rewritten in 6 and borrows from an Argentinian chacarera hemiolic percussion pattern. The chacarera originally is accompanied by guitar/accordian in 6 time and a bass drum, the bombo legüero, on beats 2 & 3 of the 3 time. This arrangement suggest playing the rhythm on a cajón.

Forces

SATB, Cajón (Optional), Piano Reduction
Text

El ángel Gabriel anunció a María
que al cantar el gallo Jesús nacería.
Y a la media noche, cuando ella dormía,
se cumplió el mandato de la profecía.
Para el nacimento del Dios de Israel,
bajaron cantando los Reyes también.
Y los pastorcillos a Belén se van,
llevando hallaquitas, cachapas y pan*.
San José y la Virgen, la mula y el buey,
reposan debajo de un araguaney**.
Y sobre una mata el Niño se mece
y un haz de cocuyos*** de luz resplandece.
Translation

The angel Gabriel announced to Mary
that when the rooster crowed Jesus would be born.
And at midnight, when she slept,
the prophecy was fulfilled.
For the birth of the God of Israel,
The three kings came down singing as well.
And the little shepherds came to Bethlehem,
carrying hallaquitas, cachapas and breads*.
Saint Joseph and the Virgin, the mule and the ox,
They rest under an araguaney**.
And on a bush the Child rocks
and a bundle of cocuyos*** of light shines.
Notes

*Hallacas are a traditional Venezuelan steamed dish similar to the Mexican tamal. Cachapas are a traditional Venezuelan corn cake. The breads referred to are most likely sweet pastry holiday breads.
**The national tree of Venezuela that grows throughout neighboring countries. It has yellow flowers resembling the Venezuelan flag.
**Cocuyos, also known as glowing click beetles, are tropical bioluminescent insect sometimes confused with a firefly.

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