Perine

Name: Perine
SKU: RP 01-0009
Availability: InStock

PERINE, Composer Unknown arr. Jordan Sramek

A dramatic and inspirational dialogue hymn.

Choral

mixed choir

a cappella

Difficulty: 3

Duration: 3-5 min.

RP 01-0009

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SATB soli, SATB a cappella

This text proposes a theological conversation between the Hawaiian people and the Christian missionaries there to convert them. The suggested, simple staging and varying voicing brings even more interest to this historical piece. The score contains source information, historical context, editorial notes, performance suggestions, and a translation above the staff. A brief Hawaiian diction guide is included.

Composer’s Notes

When the brig Thaddeus first arrived in Hawaiian waters in April 1820 carrying the Pioneer Company of the Sandwich Islands Mission, members of the company sang several psalms and hymns for the Hawaiian Royal party. Liholiho—King Kamehameha II (1797-1824)—was apparently pleased. By 1823 the Hawaiians had advanced well enough in hymn singing and in reading the Hawaiian language to warrant a printed hymnal. In that year, the mission press put out the first hymnbook in Hawaiian: Na himeni Hawaii: he me ori ia Jehova, ke Akua Mau (“Hawaiian Hymns and Songs to Jehovah, the Eternal God”). The publication of Na himeni Hawaii helped to widely promote the practice of hymn singing.

In 1834, hymn singing reached a new stage of sophistication when the great missionary Hiram Bingham (Binamu) published the first Hawaiian hymnal containing musical notation and even explicit instructions in both singing and reading music.

The hymn tunes used in the early Hawaiian hymnals were not composed in Hawaiʻi, but mostly of British and American origin. These were well-known and loved by the Calvinist missionaries, many of whom were well-educated in music and active in the Handel and Haydn Society of Boston.

Text

1. ʻOwai lā ka mea e hōʻike mai,
I ʻike mākou i ka mea maikaʻi?—
Hoʻo lohe ʻoukou i ka mea pono e,
He ola kā mākou e haʻi aku nei.

2. ʻAuhea la ka pono? e haʻi mai ʻoukou,
ʻAuhea la ke ola e ola ai mākou?—
A i luna ke Akua ka Haku maikaʻi,
No ia la nā lani, nā ʻāina, nā kai—

3. Hūhū paha ia, e make mākou;
ʻAuhea la ke ola? e haʻi mai ʻoukou.
Na Iehova he mau kānāwai i kau mai
Hoʻolohe mau ia, ka mea e ola ai—

4. Ua haki— ua hewa— ua make mākou;
ʻAuhea la ke ola? e haʻi mai ʻoukou.
O kana Mesia ua iho mai nei—
A mālama pono ia mau kānāwai—

5. Pehea hoʻi iā ia e ola ai mākou?
ʻAuhea la ke ola? e haʻi mai ʻoukou.
Kiʻi mai ka Mesia i ola ʻoukou—
Ua pepehi ʻia, make e iā kākou—

6. ʻAuwē i ka make! ua hewa mākou!
ʻAuhea la ke ola? e haʻi mai ʻoukou.
Kau iā ia ka hala o kākou ā pau,
I make— ua ola— ua hoʻi i ke ao—

7. Pehea la ke ʻano? e haʻi pono mai;
Ma hea la ka hewa e kālaia ai?—
Mai kānalua aʻe i ka Mōhai maikaʻi,
E paulele iā ia— e ola mau ai.

8. Oiaʻiʻo ka ola!— Pōmaikaʻi mākou!
Me e ka Mesia e ola ai kākou!—
Ua ʻikea ke ola! mahalo ke ao!
Iā Iesu ke aupuni a ʻole e pau.

Who is the one who will show
so that we can see what is good?
Listen to the good word.
We tell of life.

Where is the righteousness? Tell us.
Where is the life that grants us life?
Above is God, the good Lord.
From him are the heavens, the land, the oceans.

He is angry, we shall die.
Where is life? Tell us.
Jehovah has placed laws before us.
Listen to that which gives life.

We are weak, we have sinned, we have died.
Where is life? Tell us.
His Messiah has descended
And care properly for the laws.

How will he grant us life?
Where is life? Tell us.
The Messiah is summoned so that you shall live,
crucified, and died for us.

Alas, death! We have sinned!
Where is life? Tell us.
Place our sins before him.
When he dies, he rises, the day returns.

How shall it be? Tell us.
Where shall sin be carved out?
Do not doubt the good sacrifice.
Trust in him to live forever.

We believe in life.
We are blessed.
Life is known. Thanks to the light.
To Jesus is the never-ending kingdom.

-Author Unknown
ed. Amy Kuʻuleialoha Stillman

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