During the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey, Roberto Hernandez of Palau, left, GM Eugene Torre of the Philippines, middle, and Mrs. Marylin Torre were side-by-side watching the show and awarding of prizes. It happens again in the Closing Ceremony of the 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway. This time, Roberto is all by himself as his teammates are busy packing their belongings for the early morning trip back to Manila. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
GM EUGENE TORRE --
THE SINGING GRANDMASTER
Roberto Hernandez attended the 2014 World Chess Olympiad Closing Ceremony alone because his 8 other teammates are busy in packing their things for the 4am flight--Tromso-Bodo; Bodo-Oslo; Oslo-Helsinki; Helsinki-Hong-Kong and Hong Kong to Manila. It's a 36-hour trip and for them, the Closing Ceremony is not that important.
But for Roberto, he's not letting go the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pass by. He also attended the FIDE Arbiters Seminar for 5 consecutive days hoping to pass the test/exam and be awarded FIDE Arbiter Title. Packing your things can be done in a few hours.
After getting off the bus, Roberto stand a few meters from the entrance. He saw GM Eugene Torre there standing by himself, waiting for his wife Marylin.
They have a long conversation about FIDE Senior Trainer Title that GM Torre got. Roberto got a FIDE Instructor Title after topping the FIDE Trainers' Seminar held in Palau by FIDE C. E. O Geoffrey Borg in April this year.
Their conversation was focused in music when Eugene asked, "So your job is just to play music?"
Eugene asked Roberto if he knows the lyrics of the song "As Time Goes By" from the movie "Casablanca" in 1942 and sung by Jimmy Durante. They sang it together without mistakes of the lyrics...
You must remember this, A kiss is still a kiss, A sigh is just a sigh. The fundamental things apply, as time goes by. And when two lovers woo, they still say I Love You, on that you can rely, no matter what the future brings, as time goes by.
Moonlight and love songs, never out of date, hearts full of passion, jealousy and hate, woman needs man and man must have his mate, that no one can deny.
It's still the same old story, of fight for love and glory, a case of do or die, the world will always welcome lovers, as time goes by.
**Would you believe that I typed this lyrics without looking at my song book?
Eugene is now convinced that I know how to sing songs. He mentioned what Toti Abundo told me when Toti visited Palau in January 2014... that he and Toti used to sing in karaoke bars and their competition is whoever forgot the lyrics lose!
In January 23, 2014, Casto 'Toti' Abundo, Asian Chess Federation Deputy President, seated in the middle, sung some songs at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort without using the song books in front of him as he knows the lyrics of the songs that he requested to Roberto Hernandez, PRR resident musician. Playing blitz chess are FIDE C.E.O. FM Geoffrey Borg, left, and Palau top player Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. Mr. Borg defeated all of his opponents including Toti in a show of his blitz chess prowess.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
Eugene and Roberto sung also the Spanish song "Besame Mucho" ....Besame, besame mucho, como si fuera esta noche la ultima vez. Besame, besame mucho, que tengo miedo perderte, perderte despues.
Quiero tenerte muy cerca, mirarme entus ojos verter junto a mi. Piensa que talvez manana, yo estare muy lejos, muy lejos de ti.
Excellent singing and pronunciation of that song BUT...
WHEN EUGENE ASKED ROBERTO IF HE KNOWS IT IN ENGLISH, He was completely lost. He knows also the English version.
Another song that he knows better than Roberto is the song "Save The Last Dance For Me". He can play it instrumental without mistakes but had not yet memorized the lyrics.
They sit together near the stage. While there is some technical problem of the video/audio, they are having again the singing of song --this time "Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel. People in front of them --Australia's women's team, can hear them singing it while in the screen, they are showing some highlights of the 2014 World Chess Olympiad including Roberto's teammate Destiny Sisior, the youngest participant in the women's section.
She is the youngest participant in the
women’s section of 2014 World Chess Olympiad. The daughter of Palauan Harvey
Sisior scored 2 wins and almost won her last game but couldn’t hang on to her
advantage. Typical of a youngster, her time management still needs improvement.
It’s written on the website …. “Destiny Sisior, 10 years old, from Palau. No
words are needed…”
(Photo by Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps)In singing "Just The Way You Are", Roberto sometimes mixed up the 2nd stanza to the 3rd stanza. Eugene knows exactly the right lyrics from 1st to 6th stanzas. In the Refrain of the song, they sung it correctly.
1. Don't go changin' to try and please me, You never let me down before, umm, hmm. I don't imagine, you're too familiar and I don't see you anymore.
2. I would not leave you in times o' trouble, we never
could have come this far, umm, hmm. I took the good times, I'll take the bad times, I'll take you just the way you are.
3.Don't go tryin' some new fashion, Don't change the color of your hair, umm, hmm. You always have my unspoken passion, although I might not seem to care.
4. I don't want clever conversation, I never want to work that hard, umm, hmm. I just want someone that I can talk to, I want you just the way you are.
REFRAIN: I need to know that you will always be. The same old someone that I knew. Oh, what will it take till you believe in me, the way the I believe in you?
5. I said I love you, and that's forever. And this I promise from the heart, umm, hmm. I couldn't love you any better, I love you just the way you are. Alright!
Ad lib: Sax
6. (same as 4th stanza-pausing at the start of last 2 lines)
In some songs like this one, the g is cancelled in 'changin'. Also in tryin'. The song Fallin' by Teri deSario has cancelled all the g of the title from start to finish.
Some f are also cancelled like in o' trouble.
Want to becomes wanna, going to becomes gonna.
Never becomes ne'er to fit the rhythm. Prayer becomes pray'r to make it like one word.
During the singing of Turkish most popular singer in the closing ceremony of Istanbul Olympiad, Eugene and Marylin left because it's too loud for them. Roberto thought that they are not music lovers. When they come back, Eugene asked Roberto, "You can take that loud music?"
ROBERTO ANSWERED, "I'M USED TO IT. I'VE BEEN A BAND MEMBER BEFORE PLAYING LOUD MUSIC."
Source: Chess And Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
August 2012 --August 2014
To be published as a book in the future
