Composer's Note

Agaw-Dilim (Twilight) is a setting of a Tagalog poem by José Corazón de Jesús (1894–1932), also known as Huseng Batute. It was composed for Enrico Lagasca and completed in New York City in March 2017.

Text

Namatay ang araw
sa dakong kanluran,
nang kinabukasa'y
pamuling sumilang,
ngunit ikaw, irog, bakit nang pumanaw
ay bukod-tangi kang di ko na namasdan?

Naluoy sa hardin
ang liryo at hasmin,
Mayo nang dumating
pamuling nagsupling,
ngunit ikaw, sinta, bakit kaya giliw
dalawang Mayo nang nagtago sa akin?

Lumipad ang ibon
sa pugad sa kahoy,
dumating ang hapon
at muling naroon,
ngunit ikaw, buhay, ano't hangga ngayo'y
di pa nagbabalik at di ko matunton?

Translation

The sun died
out west,
in the morning
it rose again,
but you, my dear, why, after you left,
have I never seen you again?

In the garden withered
the lily and jasmine,
come May,
they sprang again,
but you, my love, why, my darling,
has May come and gone twice while you hide from me?

The birds flew away
from their nest in the trees,
afternoon came,
and again they were there,
but you, my life, why, until now,
have you not returned where I can find you?

Duration

5 minutes

First Performance

18 February 2018, Chicago, IL
Enrico Lagasca, bass-baritone; Victor Asuncion, piano