Monday morning found Mrs. Austria's class still sleepy and tired. They were told to do same rest exercises. Next the teacher told the members of group to present their drama.
- CHARACTERS-
Father Diego Cera, a Recollect, parish priest of Las Pinas Sacristan
Capitan Pedro Lara, a prominent resident Desto, Victor, Juan, Nano - residents of the town
Nyora Panang and Nyora Annge - other residents of the town
Scene l
Setting : In the year 1818, at the Las Piñas Beach, off Manila Bay.
Father Cera : (Going down from the Las Piñas churh, he reaches the beache. Severalpiles of cured bamboo poles line the shores. These bamboo have been under the sands of the beach for quite a long time to preserve the bamboos form insects. The process is called curing. Faher Cera meets the capitan who kisses his hand. God bless you, Pedro. are all 'the bamboo poles brought ashore?
Capitan Pedro : Yes, Padre. Nothing is left under the sands. They are now piled according to their sizes and lengths.
Father Cera : Call you companions. I woudl like to takl to them.
Capitan Pedro : (He calls his townmates form where they are washing their hands.) Juan, Desto, Victor, Nano!
Desto : Yes, Capitan. We are coming. (They go ashore and run to where the prest and the capitan are standing.)
Father Cera : Select the bamboo poles with the finest tones. Strike each one with a piece of wood. Separate those with dissonant tones.
Juan : Yes, Padre. We are ready to help you with the organ until it is finished.
Father Cera : Thank you, everbody. I know that with god's help and your cooperation the organ can be finished.
Capitan Pedro : What shall we do with the remaining poles?
Father cera : Bury them again in the sands. Take the selected bambooto the convent. I need several hundreds of them. Here's the list of the desire lengths and sizes of opening. (He gets a slip of paper form his pocket, gives it to Capitan Pedro and departs.)
Capitan Pedro : (to his townmates.) Our priest is very much interested in making a bamboo organ. Let us help him as well as we can.
Desto : Of course, we'll try our best. It will be a distinct pride of our town when the organ is completed. (they continue selecting the bamboo poles which they later carry to the convent.)
The Bamboo Organ Scence ll
One early moring, three years after working painstakingly on the organ.
Father Cera : (Kneeling in front if the altar.) O, Lord! Grant me, thy humble servant, the exceptional skill and ability to perfect this organ as i dreamed it should be. (He makes the sigh of the cross, rises and proceeds to the corner where the unfinished organ is planced.)
Sacristan : (Meets Father Cera and kisses his hand.) Will you play on the organ again?
Father Cera : Yes, I will. I'll succeed. You're a good musician. You've made several musical instruments out of native materials. This time you will succeed.
Father Cera : (He comes near the organ. He plays and as he plays, he adjusts a ploe or changes its placement.) A sound! What a sound! ( He immediately transfers another pole. He plays again.)
Sacristan : (Listening intently) What soft melodies! Splendid blending of tones!
Father Cera : (Shakes his head.) Something is still missing . . . still lacking . . . oh, myLord, help me produce it. . . make me instrument to . . . (He stops playing and meditates. Heavens! That tone! That sound! (He returns to the organ and plays as if lost to himself.)
Sacristan : (Amazed.) Padre, you did it! Doi hear right? No . . . No . . . but yes, . . yes, it's true.
Father Cera : (From his deep thougts.) Pedro, get me a glass of water! HUrry, Il'll . . . I'LL . .
Sacristan : (Runs out and returns with a glass of water.) Pa. . . pa .. . , padre! here!(Hands the glass of water to the priest.)
Father Cera : (He pours the water into one of the tubes and plays on the organ again.) At last it's done! (He kneels) Gracias! O, Lord! That you made me worthy of producing those unique sound . . . those same sounds theat will be the and honor . . . those same sounds that will be the crowning glory of my life!
Sacristan : Padre! it's wondreful! My God! It sounds just like a hundred twittering birds. What a great musical instrument for God's music.
Father Cera : (ONtinouously playing the organ) I'll play the organ on Sunday. I'll let the people hear.
Sacrustan : Good! the town folk will surey be surpriced.
Scene lll
Sunday morning , Father Cera played the organ during the mass. The sounds of the unique instrument filled the air. Church goers were delightfully surprised upon hearing its resonant tones. All heads were turned to it, some unmindfull of the Mass going on.
Nyora Panang : (Turn to Nyora Angge and murmurs.) Sweet and melodious are the sounds!
Nyora Angge : From the choir?
Nyora Panang : No, from the organ. At last Father Cera has done it!
Nyora Angge : Yes, by the grace of our Lord! (Looks ups and meditates.)
Nyora Panang : We must be grateful to Father Cera. This is a wonderful piece of work, the pride of Las Piñas.
Nyora Angge : They years will come and go but this unique oragn will stay with us. For this, Father Cera will long be rememberd.
Scene IV
Six months after, in his study room.
Father Cera : (To Pedro.) Do you think the miniature copy of the bamboo organ has reached Spain?
Sacristan : I think so, Padre. I told the captain of the galleon to handle it with care. He, himsef, must deliver it to the Governor of Mexico.
Father Cera : (Tapping the arms of his lounging chair) Hm-m-m. Our Queen Isabela must have it by now.
Sacristan : Have you opened the box which arrived yesterday, Padre?
Father Cera : No, it,s in the library. It arrived when i had several callers and forgot all about it. Go bring it here, Pedro.
Sacristan : (Run out to get the box) Padre, it's quite heavy. I requested two boys to help me carry it upstairs. What could be inside this box? (Opens the box.)
Father Cera : My gosh! a bell! a church bell! a bell of brass! (Taps the bell.)
Sacristan : (Tries lifting the bell but can not. Tears the sides of the box. A note falls from within.) A letter, Father. It's from Spain.
Father Cera : (Opens the latter.) From Queen Isabel! Gracias! What a great honor! A precious gift for the people of Las Piñas! Viva, Reyna Isabela!
Sacristan : What luck! God-given luck! An organ with rich and heavenly sound, a bell, a durect gift from the Queen of Spain. Our Lord, we thank thee for all these good fortunes! (Make the sign of the cross.)
Rizal Province Then and Now (1967)
THING TO REMEMBER
- The bamboo organ was constructed for almost four years,(1818-1822)- one year for curing the bamboos, three years for the prefection of the organ.
- Father Diego Cera, a Recollect priest, came to the Philippines to make organs.
- The bamboo organ is 12 feet wide. the largest pole is 8 feet long and 5 inches in diameter. There are 122 horizontal reeds made of metal and 714 pipes of bamboo.
- A replica of this sent to Queen Isabela of Spain. In return she donated the big brass bell of Las Piñas church.
- Before, air was pumped into the organ by hand, by rotating a big wheel. In 1942, Carmelo Loinaz, a Spaniard installed a device, making it possible to operate it by electricity.
- The organ was damaged by the earthquake of 1863. It underwent repairs in 1872,1888,1917 and 1942.
- To preserve this important relic, it not used in ordinary mass to day. It is played only on important occasions and when ther are visitors.
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