Rafael Hernández Marín

(October 24, 1892 – December 11, 1965), born … Read Full Bio ↴Rafael Hernández Marín

(October 24, 1892 – December 11, 1965), born in the town of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, is considered by many to be the greatest composer of Puerto Rican music.

Hernández was born into a poor family. As a child, he learned the craft of cigar making, from which he made a modest living. He also grew to love music and asked his parents to permit him to become a full-time music student. When he was 12 years old, Hernández studied music in San Juan, under the guidance of music professors Jose Ruellan Lequenica and Jesús Figueroa. He learned to play many musical instruments, among them the clarinet, tuba, violin, piano and guitar. However, according to many Puerto Rican music historians, it was when he learned how to write music that his life and the history of Puerto Rican music would change forever. At the age of 14, he played for the Cocolia Orquestra. Hernández moved to San Juan where he played for the municipal orchestra under the director Manuel Tizol.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_Hern%C3%A1ndez_Mar%C3%ADn

Silencio
Rafael Hernández Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Duermen en mi jardín
las blancas azucenas,
los nardos y las rosas.
Mi alma, muy triste y pesarosa,
a las flores quiere ocultar
su amargo dolor.

Yo no quiero que las flores sepan

los tormentos que me da la vida.
Si supieran lo que estoy sufriendo,
De pena morirían también.

Silencio, que están durmiendo
Los nardos y las azucenas.
No quiero que sepan mis penas,
Porque si me ven llorando morirán.

Silencio, que están durmiendo
Los nardos y las azucenas.
No quiero que sepan mis penas,

Porque si me ven llorando morirán.
De penas morirán... también.

Overall Meaning

The song "Silencio" by Rafael Hernández speaks about the singer's sadness and pain, which they wish to keep hidden from the beautiful flowers in their garden. The flowers, including the white lilies and roses, are described as sleeping peacefully while the singer's soul is filled with sorrow. The singer wants to keep their bitter suffering hidden from the flowers because they do not want them to bear this burden as well. The singer believes that even the flowers would die from sadness if they knew the extent of their pain. The refrain of the song, "Silencio," urges the listener to be quiet and not disturb the peacefulness of the flowers who are sleeping. The singer wants to keep their sorrow hidden in silence.

The song portrays a vivid contrast between the beauty and serenity of the flowers and the suffering of the singer. The strong emotions painted in the lyrics are further amplified by the slow and melancholic melody. The singer wishes to remain silent and suffer alone, as they do not want to burden others with their grief. The song "Silencio" highlights the need for privacy in dealing with personal struggles and the importance of holding one's own pain in silence.

Line by Line Meaning

Duermen en mi jardín las blancas azucenas, los nardos y las rosas.
The white lilies, tuberoses, and roses sleep in my garden.

Mi alma, muy triste y pesarosa, a las flores quiere ocultar su amargo dolor.
My soul, very sad and sorrowful, wants to hide its bitter pain from the flowers.

Yo no quiero que las flores sepan los tormentos que me da la vida.
I do not want the flowers to know the torments that life brings me.

Si supieran lo que estoy sufriendo, de pena morirían también.
If they knew what I am suffering, they would die of sorrow, too.

Silencio, que están durmiendo los nardos y las azucenas.
Silence, the tuberoses and white lilies are sleeping.

No quiero que sepan mis penas, porque si me ven llorando morirán.
I do not want them to know my sorrows because if they see me crying, they will die.

De penas morirán... también.
They will also die of sorrow.

Contributed by Katherine F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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