Much ado about singing

It seems that there is more to the Pacquiao-Hatton one-sided match than Hatton hitting the canvas three times in only two rounds. Apparently, there is some furor over the manner by which Martin Nievera sang the National Anthem, Lupang Hinirang. Even more revealing was that apparently, there is a law on how the anthem must be sung, and for how long! Did you know that? 53 seconds is the magical number, and the anthem, written by Julian Felipe as a marching song, should be sung like a cadence to a march. I honestly never knew that there was a law covering the manner and length of time to sing the anthem!

Martin Nievera started the song in a slow, prayer-like manner and pace. It was solemn. I started to feel the hairs on my back come to life. This is, after all, Manny Pacquiao, the best to ever come out of the Philippines in decades. And hearing the National Anthem is always a source of pride for me. Martin then starts to pick up the pace, a little faster than what we’re used to in countless flag ceremonies. He then pauses in the middle of the last verse, and you know that he’s going to finish it big. Yes, a big high note in a crescendo typical of what every contestant in American Idol does when they end their songs. But alas, the Simon Cowells of the National Historical Institute were not impressed nor amused. For them a law has been broken! Now they’re talking lawsuits. And jail time!

I’ve heard the Star-Spangled Banner, the American National Anthem, sung in as many ways as those who have sung them. Some have put in so many riffs that the anthem was lengthened by over 50%! But one thing is constant. No matter how it is sung, the people that listen to it always break out in cheer at the end. For it is a battle song, written during wartime. Wasn’t our National Anthem also written in a similar war? A war for freedom and independence? And when you’re fighting a war, you don’t fight to the tune of “Feelings”.

 I would think that Martin Nievera was psyching everyone up for the big fight, especially Manny Pacquiao. Everybody expected a war, a bloodbath, as everyone knew Ricky Hatton’s brawler-style of boxing. Nobody expected it to be over in less than two rounds with Ricky Hatton flat on his back.

Perhaps it is about time we reviewed this law pertaining to the manner and length as to how the National Anthem must be sung. And honestly, I believe that changing the tempo of the song is a much lesser infraction than forgetting the lyrics. And yet there wasn’t any furor over that. Charice Pempengco has already expressed her desire to sing in one of Pacquiao’s future fights. And when has Charice ended a song other than a fortissimo? Is the NHI going to sue her too? Don’t we have more deserving people to sue?