La Llorona

The legend of La Llorona (“he Weeping Woman”) is widespread throughout Mexico and the former Mexican lands in the American West. The tale of a woman cursed to spend eternity seeking her children, whom she had drowned, quickly became a favorite amid ghost and horror folklore. In some renditions, her call is like that of a siren; those who heed it go to their doom. The lyrics in this particular version reflect that infatuation with the otherworldly. The piece opens and closes with the Weeping Woman'' call. Creating staging may be employed to maximize the eerie effect of the aleatoric opening section.

This arrangement was commissioned by Joshua Habermann and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale in the spring of 2012 for the celebration of the Centenary of Statehood of New Mexico.

A translation is found on the first page of the sample PDF file.

recording performed by The Santa Fe Desert Chorale
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Joshua Habermann, conductor

To watch a YouTube video performance of La Llorna, click HERE .

YouTube video performance credits:
Ithaca College Choir
Dr. Janet Galván, director
Raul Dominguez, conductor

Click here to see a sample.

Click here to listen to a recording (MP3).