Los magos que llegaron a Belén (Puerto Rican Epiphany carol); Hari Bayani - vocals and piano

Описание: Los Magos que llegaron a Belén
(The Magi who to Bethlehem did go)
Traditional Puerto Rican carol
Spanish lyrics: Manuel Fernández Juncas
English translation: Carolyn Jennings (from No. 155 of the New Century Hymnal)
Arranged by Hari Bayani (based on several sources)

Hari Bayani, vocals and piano
Recorded December 28-29, 2020
The Community Church of Honolulu

In celebration of The Feast of Epiphany (a.k.a. Día de los Reyes or “Three Kings Day”), I recorded this Puerto Rican carol, which I first learned when I was a participant in the “Las Posadas” Mexican Christmas plays produced at the Community Music Center (Capp St. branch) in San Francisco, California during the late 2000s to early 2010s. At various times, I was a chorister, one of the Three Kings/Magi, and even the innkeeper.

For this recording, originally used last year for my church’s online Epiphany service, I consulted two written sources, the first one being OCP’s “Flor y Canto” hymnal (catering primarily to Spanish-speaking Catholic congregations), the second being the UCC (United Church of Christ’s) version of the New Century Hymnal, used at the church where I work at. I learned the song in a certain way from the aforementioned Posadas plays, so I deviated from the written music in certain places, particularly at the very beginning. As “Los Magos” is essentially a folk song, there really isn’t a “definitive” version, nor do I think that there should be one. I consider my humble rendition as one version of many.

Although I’ve taught my choir at the Community Church of Honolulu in the past how to sing it in English, for this version, I had to record it in Spanish, as it “flows better off the tongue” for me, being that I first learned it in Spanish.

Artwork:
1. The Magi Journeying (c. 1890) – James Tissot
2. The Three Magi – Byzantine mosaic c. 565, Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy
3. Adoration of the Magi (c. 1304-1306) – Giotto di Bondone
4. The Adoration of the Magi (1623-1624) – Abraham Bloemaert
5. Adoración de los Reyes (1568) – El Greco
6. Adorazione dei Magi (c. 1655) – Bartolomé Esteban Murillo