PARANG KAHAPON LAMANG
(It Seems Only Yesterday)

Parang Kahapon Lamang (It Seems Only Yesterday) was inspired by a scene in a musicale, written in 1985 by the composer, of a mother pining for her children who are coming home after many years' stay in a foreign land. The mother waxes nostalgic reminiscing her kids' childhood days when she would play hide-and-seek among the rocks and trees with them, bathe them, and lull them to sleep with lullabies.

This piece evokes the character of the Philippine's native lullaby, Oyayi, and is notable for its effortless modulations and its clever, tasteful major-to-minor, minor-to-major shifts at key junctions.