I found this round in one of Pamela’s notebooks, handwritten with blocked chords as a guide for creating the tune. There’s no evidence that she ever sang it with anyone.

Pamela wrote it in the key of G, but many people will find that too high, so I’ve transposed it down to D. I’ve added the sheet music in the higher key to download, if you prefer.

See the recordings below to help you learn it.

Here is a piano playing the tune (in D), with repeats to help you learn it and sing another part with it:

And here’s all four parts in a round, using different (computer-generated) instruments: piano, guitar, marimba and banjo (in D), so hopefully you can follow one of them and hear how it goes, and sing along:

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Sheet music

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Om tare tuttare ture swaha (or soha) invokes the Green Tara, a female Bodhisatva or Buddha of compassion and action, a protector who comes to our aid to relieve us of physical, emotional and spiritual suffering. Translations abound. (My very quick research indicates that “soha” is the Tibetan version.)

This is kirtan. Teach it to a group, call and response. Watch the rhythm: 3+3+2 = 8. Percussion can mark the beat. Repeat ad infinitum. Let the trance develop. After they get it, encourage them choose their harmonies in the moment.

Sheetmusic

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In the recording below, Pamela had run out of time at the end of a workshop and didn’t have time to teach it as a round, so sang it straight through. It must have been during the daytime, as she substituted “closing time” for “evening time”.

Technical note: If you’re singing it as a round, I would suggest singing the second measure of the first line as written, with a D on the word “is”, rather than how she sings it in the recording, dropping to the B. Otherwise, you’ll be missing the fifth in the chord of G major.

(Side note: The photo shows Pam’s delight as a roomful of family and friends had just finished stumbling through Silent Night in German, just for fun, Christmas 2015.)

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The first part of this chant can be sung as a round or canon, then all sing the chorus together. There’s an audio of that further down. Or sing it straight, as in the video.

Lyrics

Bless the seeds we sow today, Ostara,
Bless the earth that all may grow in peace.
Bless the sun and rain that falls, Ostara.
Bring to life the radiance in our seeds.

Sing Ostara, Bringer of new life.
Dark is lessened, stronger grows the light.
We sing to Ostara, Bringer of good cheer
The time of light is here.

Video

Pamela recorded Ostara with a live singalong audience at the James St. Wellness Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, on March 19, 2011. I’ve made the recording into a video:

Audio

This is the audio to the live video. You can always right click and save the audio to your device.

Here is another recording in a lower key, in which Pamela is teaching the song to a group. Sing along and you’ll learn it with them in no time!

As a canon

The first part of Ostara can be sung as a round. This is what it sounds like (2nd and 3rd times through):

(This is actually the first recording digitally manipulated. That’s why it sounds like Pam is singing with herself.)

Sheet music

Pam’s garden

Pam took great pleasure in her community garden bed. A bountiful harvest!

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