Dolores Paterno


Dolores Paterno y de Vera-Ignacio was a Filipina composer known for the song "La Flor de Manila".

Biography

Dolores Paterno e Ignacio was born on March 10, 1854, in Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines. She was one of the thirteen children of Máximo Molo-Agustín-Paterno y Yamzon and Carmen de Vera-Ignacio y Pineda
Dolores Paterno came from the wealthy mestizo sangley Paterno family. She was the sister of Lcdo. Dr. Pedro Alejandro Paterno, a Filipino politician, poet, and novelist. Her sisters and stepsisters, Águeda, Jácoba, Paz, Concepcion, and Adelaida, were celebrated painters and jewellers whose works were exhibited at the Exposición Regional de Filipinas in Manila in 1895 and at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904. She was also related to the Asuncion brothers, among them Justiniano Asuncion who painted her portrait in 1870.
Musically inclined at a young age, she was sent by her parents to the Santa Isabel College, Manila, an all-girls Catholic school managed by the Daughters of Charity. She devoted much of her time to learning the piano. In 1879, at the age of 25 she composed her only known work, "La Flor de Manila", inspired by the sampaguita flower. The lyrics were by her brother Pedro Paterno, based on a poem of the same title written by their mother.
She died at the age of 27 on July 3, 1881.

''La Flor de Manila''

"La Flor de Manila" is of the Habanera genre. It was popular during the end of the 19th century and the early period of the American Commonwealth. It has since been considered a Philippine romantic classic. The lyrics were translated from Spanish into Tagalog by the Filipino National Artist Levi Celerio. An arrangement of the song by Rosendo E. Santos, Jr. was also included in the repertoire of the Harvard Glee Club, during their tour of the Philippines in 1961. It is sung by the Graduating Students of Centro Escolar University during their Annual Sampaguita Interlude as their closing number. The marching band arrangement of it entitled "Sampaguita March" was released in 1974, being performed by Malabon Brass Band. The arrangement is the official inspection march of the Vice President of the Philippines. This was first used as an official inspection march of President Noynoy Aquino from 2010 to 2012. It is currently used as the official inspection march of President Bongbong Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte.

Earliest lyrics

Translated versions