"Alma Llanera" ("Soul of the Plains") is a Venezuelan song, a joropo, created by Venezuelan musicians Pedro Elías Gutiérrez (composer) and Rafael Bolívar Coronado (lyricist). It was originally part of a zarzuela whose premiere was on September 19, 1914, at the Teatro Caracas. Alma Llanera has since come to be considered as Venezuela's unofficial second national anthem. Its hundredth anniversary was marked by its being declared Bien de Interés Cultural.

Song

The first part of Alma Llanera is inspired on the waltz Marisela by composer Sebastian Díaz Peña from Venezuela, while the second part of Alma Llanera is inspired on the waltz Mita by the Curaçaon composer Jan Gerard Palm (1831-1906). The title refers to the Llaneros, the herders of Venezuela whose culture is part of the country’s popular imagery. The llanero culture is at the root of the joropo, firstly as a dance and then as a musical genre. It is a tradition in Venezuela to end any social reunion or party with the intonation of Alma Llanera. The OSV (Venezuela Symphony Orchestra) made an arrangement of this piece of music to commemorate the 75 years of this widely popular song. Today, Alma Llanera is considered as a Latin America landmark song and has been performed by many famous singers all over the world such as the Spanish tenor, Plácido Domingo.

Lyrics

The original lyrics of the Alma Llanera are as follows: Yo nací en esta ribera del Arauca vibrador, soy hermano de la espuma, de las garzas, de las rosas, soy hermana de la espuma, de las garzas, de las rosas y del sol, y del sol. Me arrulló la viva Diana de la brisa en el palmar, y por eso tengo el alma como el alma primorosa, y por eso tengo el alma como el alma primorosa del cristal, del cristal. Amo, lloro, canto, sueño con claveles de pasión, con claveles de pasión. Amo, lloro, canto, sueño para ornar las rubias crines del potro de mi amador. Yo nací en esta ribera del Arauca vibrador, soy hermana de la espuma, de las garzas, de las rosas y del sol. A translation: I was born in this bank of the vibrating Arauca River, I am sister of its foam, of the herons, of the roses, I am sister of its foam, of the herons, of the roses and the sun, and the sun. I was lulled by the vivid reveille of the breeze in the palm grove, and so I have the soul like the exquisite soul, and so I have the soul like the exquisite soul of the crystal, of the crystal. I love, I weep, I sing, I dream with carnations of passion, with carnations of passion. I love, I weep, I sing, I dream to adorn the blonde mane of my lover's colt. I was born in this bank of the vibrating Arauca River, I am sister of its foam, of the herons, of the roses and the sun.