WEEK 1
Contemporary Music
Major Philippine Contemporary Composers
Francisco Santiago
- “Father of Kundiman”
- finished his music specialization at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago where he obtained his doctorate degree in 1924
Famous Works :
∙ Kundiman (Anak Dalita) - This piece was sung before the Royal Court of Spain upon the request of King Alfonso II.
∙ Pakiusap, Madaling Araw, Sakali Man, Pilipinas Kong Mahal, Hibik ng Pilipinas, Ano Kaya ang Kapalaran
Nicanor Abelarndo
- studied at the Chicago music college and was influenced by Serialist/Second Viennese School and Post-Romantic European composers.
- Abelardo, together with Francisco Santiago, elevated the Kundiman status into an Art Song status equivalent to that of the German Lied, the French Chanson, and the Italian Aria.
Famous works:
∙ Mutya ng Pasig
∙ Bituing Marikit
∙ Kundiman ng Luha
∙ Kung Hindi Man
∙ Cavatina for Violin and Piano,
∙ First Nocturne for Piano, and Magbalik Ka Hirang
∙ Nasaan Ka Irog
∙ Ikaw Rin
∙ Pahimakas
∙ Pahiwatig
Antonio Molina
- He is the first National Artist
for Music
- He began his music career as an orchestral soloist at the Manila Grand Opera House
- He served as the dean of Centro Escolar University
- Conservatory of Music from 1948 to 1970
- He was also a faculty member of the University of the Philippines’ Conservatory (now college) of Music.
Famous Works:
- Orchestral Music: Misa Antoniana Grand Festival Mass, Ang Batingaw, Kundiman - kundangan
- Chamber Music: String Quartet, kung sa iyong gunita, Pandangguhan
- Vocal Music: Amihan, Awit ni Maria Clara, and Larawan nitong Pilipinas
Lucio San Pedro
- Born on February 11, 1913 in Angono, Rizal
- Began composing during elementary school
- Studied the banjo, which sparked his passion for music
- Earned a music degree from the
University of the Philippines and the Juilliard School in New York, USA.
- Became a professor of theory and composition at UP college of music until retirement in 1978
- “Romantic Nationalist” - for blending Philippine folk elements with western forms & harmony
- Most famous work: "Sa Ugoy ng
Duyan," a lullaby composed with
Levi Celerio as the lyricist.
- Invited as judge for Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1980
- Declared “National Artist for Music” in 1991
- Passed away on March 31, 2002
Cipriano “Ryan” Cayabyab
- Born : May 4, 1954 in Manila
- Education : Bachelor of Music degree from the University of the Philippines (1983) : later became a faculty member in composition
- Compositional Style: Influenced by a variety of genres such as Moroccan music, jazz, gospel,
neo-classical European,
Broadway musicals, and
Philippine indigenous chants.
- Albums : Produced and performed in the vocal jazz acapella series (One, One Christmas, One More)
- Roles : Executive and Artistic Director of the San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts, overseeing the San Miguel
Philharmonic Orchestra and Master Chorale.
- National Artist : Declared National Artist of Music in 2018
- Continues to work as a professor, musical director, composer, arranger, and conductor.
SUMMARY
- Ryan Cayabyab spans both popular and classical worlds with his popular ballads, musical plays, operas, ballet, zarzuela, orchestral, and choral compositions.
- Lucio San Pedro is known as a “romantic nationalist.” He incorporated Philippine folk elements in his compositions with Western forms and harmony. His chords have a rich expressive tonality, as represented in his well-loved “Sa Ugoy ng Duyan”, a lullaby melody sung by his mother.
- Nicanor Abelardo contributed in elevating the Kundiman as an Art Song form.
- Francisco Santiago is considered as the “Father of Kundiman”.
- Antonio Molina came to be known as the “Father of Philippine
Impressionist Music”.
WEEK 2 and 3
TRADITIONAL MUSIC
Characteristics of Traditional Filipino Music
- Reflects Filipino way of life, beliefs, and rural traditions
- Often celebrates nature & humanity’s connection with the environment
- uses the diatonic scale ( 7 note scale) which distinguishes it from the asian pentatonic scale (5 note scale)
- Influenced by intercultural exchanges and colonization.
Lowland Regions
- Music has spanish influences, especially in Luzon & Visayas
Upland and Indigenous Regions
- Igorot, Ifugao, Muslim, and Lumad music retain unique indigenous elements.
1. Ethnic Music
∙ Gangsa Ensemble
- played by tribes like Kalinga, Ifugao, and Bontoc in the Cordillera
- smooth-surfaced gongs with narrow rims
∙ Kulintang Ensemble
- A set of eight gongs played in Muslim Regions
- gandingan (suspended gongs) & agung (tubular drum)
2. Hispanic Music
∙ Rondalla
- A Spanish-origin string
ensemble popularized in
Filipino folk music with
instruments like guitar, laud,
octavina, and bajo de uñas.
∙ Guitar
-It is the most familiar instrument,
providing the harmony and rhythm that supports the other instruments.
∙ Laud
- It is similar to a guitar but has a shorter neck and is often used to play the higher harmony or melody parts.
∙ Octavina
- It is a stringed instrument resembling a small guitar but with a unique sound that fills out the midrange of the ensemble, adding depth and texture.
∙ Bajo de Uñas
-The group’s bass provides
the low notes, grounding the
harmony and rhythm.
∙ Sarsuwela
- A form of melodrama involving songs and dances, with the rondalla serving as accompaniment.
3. Filipino
∙ Kundiman
- an art song that expresses a man’s love for a woman
- ¾ time, starting in minor key shifting to major key, evoking hopeful mood
∙ Balitao
- A traditional Visayan folk song and dance featuring humorous debates between men & women
∙ Musikong Bumbong (Bamboo Music)
- Bands using bamboo instruments : piccolo, tuba, clarinet, flute, saxophone
- popular at festivals
Examples of Traditional Filipino Instruments
∙ Kudlung
- 2-stringed wooden lute, used in ritual music
∙ Kudyapi
- A boat-shaped, 2-stringed lute commonly used in folk music.
∙ Serongagandi
- A bamboo tube decorated and closed at both ends, often played in traditional ceremonies
∙ Saludoy
- Bamboo tube with five strings cut from the tube itself
∙ Afiw
- Brass Instrument held horizontally by the tongue, played with an open mouth.
∙ Balingbing
- Bamboo buzzer that produces a unique sound
Contemporary Philippine Music
• Known as "New Music" or Modern Music.
• Incorporates 20th-century Western music elements and recent trends.
• Reflects influences from global music styles, evolving with the entertainment industry.