se naw ba na, arr.
Instrumentation: SATB & Optional Thai Ensemble
Purchase:
SATB
Duration: 5:00
Language: Karen
Story: This arrangement is the result of the scholarly work of Dr. Benjamin Fairfield. Dr.
Fairfield completed his PhD in ethnomusicology from UH Mānoa, and his research
focused on the music of the Karen people who live in northwest Thailand and southeast
Myanmar. During his time there, he encountered leading Karen musician Tue Pho,
who wrote and performed the original version of Se Naw Ba Na. Pho’s music contains
many Karen narratives and themes and seeks to preserve and propagate aspects of the
Karen culture in the face of systemic and government-sponsored cultural erasure. Pho
sadly passed away in 2017, but his music and legacy remain important to the Karen
people and their cause. This arrangement was crafted by Dr. Alec Schumacker with
guidance from Dr. Fairfield and was collaboratively premiered by the UH Mānoa
Concert Choir, led by Dr. Schumacker, and the UH Thai Ensemble, led by Dr. Fairfield.
Purchase:
SATB
Duration: 5:00
Language: Karen
Story: This arrangement is the result of the scholarly work of Dr. Benjamin Fairfield. Dr.
Fairfield completed his PhD in ethnomusicology from UH Mānoa, and his research
focused on the music of the Karen people who live in northwest Thailand and southeast
Myanmar. During his time there, he encountered leading Karen musician Tue Pho,
who wrote and performed the original version of Se Naw Ba Na. Pho’s music contains
many Karen narratives and themes and seeks to preserve and propagate aspects of the
Karen culture in the face of systemic and government-sponsored cultural erasure. Pho
sadly passed away in 2017, but his music and legacy remain important to the Karen
people and their cause. This arrangement was crafted by Dr. Alec Schumacker with
guidance from Dr. Fairfield and was collaboratively premiered by the UH Mānoa
Concert Choir, led by Dr. Schumacker, and the UH Thai Ensemble, led by Dr. Fairfield.
Text and Translation:
Ja thaw loe yoe law pha daw na
Pha yi loe yoe koe thi ke na
Me thi ba na thi ba loe ta mi maw pu
Ja jo phae da yoe sa
Jaw sa pwa na toe se
Phae loe yoe lae ma ta akha
Mue thu akha yoe se naw na
Yoe me aw me aw me se naw ba na
Ja jo phae da yoe sa
Jaw sa pwa na toe se
Phae loe yoe ke mi loe mue na
La a pho hae thaw chase koe prue law
Yoe u cho mu cho mu noe ta oe law
Jaw wae loe thaw ya gaw
Cho mu phaw mae thi law
Tue Pho
Pha yi loe yoe koe thi ke na
Me thi ba na thi ba loe ta mi maw pu
Ja jo phae da yoe sa
Jaw sa pwa na toe se
Phae loe yoe lae ma ta akha
Mue thu akha yoe se naw na
Yoe me aw me aw me se naw ba na
Ja jo phae da yoe sa
Jaw sa pwa na toe se
Phae loe yoe ke mi loe mue na
La a pho hae thaw chase koe prue law
Yoe u cho mu cho mu noe ta oe law
Jaw wae loe thaw ya gaw
Cho mu phaw mae thi law
Tue Pho
Yellow moon fills the windowpane
Silhouettes and shadows stir again
Oh, I recall summer days fading to fall
And birds will still their calls
When trees turn bare and plain.
Crescent moon trails behind the light,
Chasing suns and taken from the night
Fields growing gold, growing cold now,
growing old, your blanket’s all I hold,
Here at the fireside.
New moon yielding to the stars
Mountain pines grow quiet in the dark
Your cup and bowl they were filled and still are full
Departed still you pull
You’ll always have my heart.
Dr. Ben Fairfield
Silhouettes and shadows stir again
Oh, I recall summer days fading to fall
And birds will still their calls
When trees turn bare and plain.
Crescent moon trails behind the light,
Chasing suns and taken from the night
Fields growing gold, growing cold now,
growing old, your blanket’s all I hold,
Here at the fireside.
New moon yielding to the stars
Mountain pines grow quiet in the dark
Your cup and bowl they were filled and still are full
Departed still you pull
You’ll always have my heart.
Dr. Ben Fairfield