Ang Tren, by Saunder Choi

A fast and furious piece depicting the fierce power and beauty of the pre-World War 2 trains in the Philippines. The lyrics (in Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines) combine vast landscape imagery and sentimental poetics by combining rhythms driven by onomatopoeia and soaring lyrical lines. The result is a breath taking sound world of texture that singers will enjoy as much as the audience.

Audio credit: Performed by the UA&P Chorale,
Anna Abeleda-Piquero - Conductor; 2021

Purchase the score for ANG TREN and other works at seeadot.com!

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Lyrics:
Tila ahas na nagmula
sa himpilang kanyang lungga,
ang galamay at palikpik, pawang bakal, tanso, tingga,
ang kaliskis lapitan mo't
mga bukas na bintana.

Ang rail na lalakara’y
nakabalatay sa daan,
umaaso ang bunganga at maingay na maingay,
sa Tutuban magmumula't patutungo sa Dagupan.

O, kung gabi't masalubong
ang mata ay nagaapoy,
ang silbato sa malayo'y dinig mo pang sumisipol
at hila-hila and kanyang kabit-kabit namang bagon.

Walang pagod ang makina,
may baras na nasa r’weda,
sumisigaw, sumisibad, humuhuni ang pitada,
tumetelenteng ang kanyang kainpanada sa tuwina.

"Kailan ka magbabalik?”
"Hanggang sa hapon ng Martes.”
At tinangay na ng tren ang naglakbay na pag-ibig,
sa bentanilya'y may panyo't may naiwang nananangis.

Translation:
Like a snake coming from
its barracks, its den,
its tentacles and fins, like metal, copper, lead,
its scales, with a closer look,
appears to be open windows.

The rail it treads upon
lays itself on the road.
Its mouth reeks of smoke, and is very noisy,
going all the way from Tutuban to Dagupan.

When night comes,
its eyes shine bright like flames,
you can hear the sound of its whistle from afar,
as it restlessly chugs and pulls its interlocking wagons.

The tireless machine
has dents on its wheels,
its horn shouts, rushes, whistles,
relentlessly making noise in the distance.

"When is it coming back?"
"Not 'till Tuesday afternoon."
As the train carried away a wandering love,
it left behind a handkerchief by a window full of sobs.