Cirilo R. Zayas

Cirilo R. Zayas was a Paraguayan composer and writer. He was born in Asunción, capital of Paraguay, on March 9, 1929. His parents were Ramón Zayas and Ramona Román. His father was a lawyer and also a musician, played the violin, guitar and flute, so it was probably from him that Cirilo inherited his love for music and words. He died in Asunción, Paraguay on September 19, 2001.

Cirilo R. Zayas belonged to a group of educated people, artists, journalists, professors, priests and trade unionists. His father, before going to Law and Social Sciences College, played the violin, flute and guitar. Was victim of the political fanatics of other times; “his mother, along with other brave women, by lying in the railroads, defied a convoy that transported men and weapons, in one of the many syndicate strikes of political connotation in Paraguay”, explains a written preserved by Autores Paraguayos Asociados - APA -(Paraguayan Authors Association).

Cirilo Zayas was a man of words and music, by composing “Felicidades” (Congratulations), has given the Paraguayan folklore music a song that describes the sentiment of profound caring and respect for who is having a birthday or anniversary, giving them a message of good augurs with the sounds of a polka.

“Felicidades, bien de mi vida, que tu destino te brinde siempre felicidades” (Congratulations, good of my life, that fate gives you always happiness), when we hear this well known phrase, composed to salute someone on their birthday, we should always remember the author of this song, one of the most known, diffuse and still in force in the national repertory.

Besides developing a great artistic labor in music, another subject that he felt really passionate about was writing; for many years he wrote an article about traditions and folklore of Paraguay that was named “Parrilla Luna y Folklore”. A book with the same name was created from a compilation of these articles.

In his autobiography is told that he was a musical author and composer, also a theatre author and book writer. His songs were honored by the Autores Paraguayos Asociados (APA), Asunción’s Municipality and other institutions.

He got the title of Grade Licensed in Public Relations in the Instituto Superior Internacional de Relaciones Públicas - ISIRP–(International Superior Institute of Public Relations); afterwards he was professor of Public, Human and Social Affairs in almost all the institutions that taught Politics in the capital of the country; he was also scholarship student of the American States Organization, of the French Radio and Television, in Paris and of the United States Workmen Central, in Virginia, New York City and Washington.

In the Centro Internacional de Estados Superiores de Periodismo para América Latina (International Center of Journalism for Latin America) he finished his career of journalism and later he was chief of the arts and shows division in different written press media in Paraguay.

He was teacher of radio journalism, literature and scripts in the Municipal School of Radio and Television Locution of Asunción, in addition, was librettist of almost every radio station in the capital and interior of the country.

With all his knowledge he was also the editor chief in the magazine of the Police department of the capital and director of Culture of the Municipality in Encarnación, the Sub-Secretary of Information and Culture of the Republic’s Presidency and was also Vice-President of the Autores Paraguayos Asociados (APA), as well as chief of Public Relations of the Government Delegation of Alto Paraná.

He wrote lyrics for great music composers such as Chinita de Nicola, Porfirio Báez, Gerardo Arroyo, Vicente Orrego Chono Duarte, Alejandro Villamayor, Lorenzo Alvarez and others.

His musical composition “Extraña mujer” written with Chinita de Nicola, was selected among many others to be included in the movie “El trueno entre las hojas”, an Argentine production based on a book written for Augusto Roa Bastos.

His best known works are: Felicidades, Por tu gracia angelical, Al pensar que me querías, Ensueño de claro lunar, Mi rosal de amor, Paraguaya rohayhu, Curubica de amor, Lucero de mi camino, Por tu amor mi palomita, La morena karape, Dulce melodía, Mañanitas paraguayas, Soy paraguaya, among others.

He was a well known journalist and promoter of Paraguayan folklore. He was a columnist for the newspaper Ultima Hora and has published more than 150 articles that are compiled in the book “Parrilla, Luna y Folklore” (Asunción 1995).

He also started in the composition of music for zarzuelas and one of them, the Paraguayan zarzuela “Mburukuja”, with music of Neneco Norton, is still popular.

Lyrics from 2 of his songs

Felicidades

Felicidades bien de mi vida,
Que tu destino te brinde siempre felicidades,
Que un cielo hermoso de dicha eterna
Alegre siempre tu corazón

II

Sea un milagro toda mi vida
Gloria enjoyada de realidad
Y que en tus sueños también recibas
Un tierno beso de felicidades

Lyrics: Cirilo R. Zayas. Music: Cirilo R. Zayas.

Por tu amor mi palomita

Yo te pido mi palomita yo te quiero
Por que eres un encanto bella flor
Yo te adoro princesita de mi vida
Y mi alma y mi sueño está en tu amor

II

Que me muero que me muero de esperarte
Y al cantarte yo te entrego mi corazón
Como quieres que te diga palomita
Que te quiero que te adoro
Que yo sufro por tu amor

III

Como quieres que te diga palomita
Como quieres que te diga bella flor
Que te quiero con el alma que te quiero
Que me muero palomita por tu amor.

Lyrics: Cirilo R. Zayas. Music: Chinita de Nicola.