Birth of another song...

Morning Mist in Minas (Photograph © Alberto Woodward)

Whilst looking for more appropriate material for this project the other day I remembered a tune that I had written some years ago entitled ‘Morning in Minas’. I got out my trusty M-Audio MicrotrackII recorder and quickly laid down a basic version of it, dropped it into ‘Audition 1.5’ and converted it to an MP3, then sent it with the following email to Silvia –

Oi Silvia,

Here is the MP3 of my tune, 'Morning in Minas'. As I said, it's a bit rough as my hands don't work as well as they used to, but you should get the idea. The tune was inspired by seeing the mist rising over the Serra when we were in Tiradentes a few years ago. I had been seeing evidence of the Cornish being there (the town of São Jão del Rey had hundreds of Cornish miners living there between 1890 and 1950) and I was thinking how different the landscape must have looked to someone who had started life in Cornwall. What do you think? Could you maybe do something with this?

Love

Pete

Back came a prompt response –

Hi Peter,

Beautiful song! It certainly feels like Minas! Maybe in the previous life you were born in Minas! Do you like me to put lyrics to your song?

beijo,

Silvia

It was my birthday yesterday and I had mentioned this to Silvia previously. She suggested that we should celebrate it again when she and Rodrigo arrived here – hence my email response to her –

Oi Silvia,

I would love you to write some lyrics for this tune. That would be a wonderful Birthday present! And, yes - we will celebrate again when you get here. I can have two birthdays in one year!

Love

Pete

I looked forward to hearing what she might do with my tune but didn’t expect an immediate reply. However, much to my surprise and delight an email was waiting for me this morning. It said -

Hi Peter,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!  Our birthday gift is attached, I hope you enjoy it! I imagined you and Jackie in Minas, at dawn.

beijo grande,

Silvia

Rodrigo sends um abraço!

Attached was the MP3 of ‘Amanhecer em Minas’ (which you will find in the SoundCloud player at the top of the page), complete with some pictures taken whilst it was being recorded and a translation of the lyric. Now that’s what I call a birthday present!

Silvia at work on the lyric

Recording the vocal

Rodrigo mixes the tracks down.

And here is the lyric - 

Amanhecer em Minas (Morning in Minas) (Peter Turner/Silvia Nicolatto)

Alvorecer acorda o sol

Dawn, the sun wakes up

um   raio entrou amanheceu

the sunlight broke in, morning came

Gota divina vem pela fresta

Divine drop comes through the window gap

entra o dia a luz

the light of the day

sonho de um tempo pela janela

dreaming  of an age through the window

vejo a cidade acordar

I watch the city waking up

cantam poemas os seus poetas

singing the poems, the poets

de conspirações ideais

of ideal conspiracies

 surgem paisagens  brasões

sights of landscapes,coats of arms

deixa o dia entrar manhã

let the day come in, the morning

 ruas paisagens clarões deixa o dia entrar manhã

streets,  landscapes, glares, let the day come in, the morning

Minas reluz

Minas sparkles

No seu olhar deixa o dia entrar

In your eyes, let  the day come in

It's an amazing thing, this internet business. It is now possible for people who live thousands of miles apart to work as easily as if they were in the studio together. Long may it continue...