CHAPTER1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Filipinos has always been musically inclined. This is why the music industry is one
of the most prominent industries in the world of entertainment.

“Musika ang isa sa pinakamatandang sangay ng pambansang sining sa

Pilipinas. Musika rin ang isa sa pinakamasigla kung hindi man pinakamasigla
sa mga sining ng ating bansa ngayon bukod sa ito ang may pinakamalaki’t
mariwasang industriyang pangkultura na makakapantay lamang ng
makabagong pelikula.” (Almario, 2005)

According to Besa (1998), Philippine music has been developed long ago in 1521
in the time of Ferdinand Magellan when he brought Spanish colonization and
Christianization to the Philippines, which also brought in European religious and secular
music. Ever since then, the Western culture has already influenced our characteristics,
culture, fashion, linguistics, and especially in music. Music in the Philippines consists of
three major streams: the indigenous, the Spanish-influenced, and the American-
influenced.

“The nationalization of our music is so important that it merits more than a

passing notice. It is true that America, with all her progress in music, is still
without a national music. But America can never have one; perhaps
thousands of years from now when conflicting foreign elements have
unified into one compact thing, she can produce music that is somehow
distinctly American. What about our kundiman, awit and kumintang? Let us
dig them up and from them fashion a music that is truly Philippine.”
(Abelardo, 2005)

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 Original Pilipino Music, also known as OPM, is Philippine music that was
developed from the 1970’s up to the 1990’s. In the 1970’s and in the early 1980’s it
served as the voice of the Filipinos during the Martial Law. In the 1990’s the birth of
modern, alternative Philippine Music flourished.

Original Pilipino Music (OPM) played an important role in the history of the
Philippines. Filipinos use their music and lyrics as their way to voice out their opinions
on current events that are happening in the Philippines.

“Filipinos are known for being “makabayan,” so it’s no stretch of the imagination
to realize that so many of our OPM songs have political references. These songs are
great works of art in and of themselves but they don’t stop there. Their artists used
their influence to try to connect to their audience on a deeper level, reaching out to
those who care and those who understand.” (Gonzalo, 2016)

Allegory is a body of text which symbolizes a deeper meaning or story. It has

two meanings or interpretations: one literal meaning and another meaning that is
usually a hidden meaning that is a moral, political or a spiritual meaning.

“An allegory is a prominent figure-of-speech technique used in literature. Often

confused with symbolism, which is more narrow, an allegory is an entire story or poem
that presents a moral lesson.” Kokemuller (2018)

It is a literary device that is used by poets, authors and songwriters to convey a

deeper meaning through their own mediums in the form of words.

Interpretation is a process to reveal meanings or to explain something. Veverka

(1994) cited that according to Interpretation Canada (N.D.), "Interpretation is a
communication process, designed to reveal meanings and relationships of our cultural
and natural heritage, through involvement with objects, artifacts, landscapes and sites."

In music, it’s very common that the audience or the listeners to have their own
interpretations to the song. The composers make songs to be able to convey their

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message to their audience. In graphic design, interpretation also exists. Graphic design
is visual communication. It is creating visual materials for a purpose and to convey a
message to its target audience.

“Graphic design is art with a purpose. It involves a creative and systematic

plan to solve a problem or achieve certain objectives, with the use of images,
symbols or even words. It is visual communication and the aesthetic
expression of concepts and ideas using various graphic elements and tools.”
(Hawkyard, N.D.)

Like any music industry in the world, Original Pilipino Music also had the help of
graphic design in the marketing their music to the public.

“An illustration is a visual explanation of a text. It can also be a decoration or

an interpretation of a text. At the same time, illustration can be a process or a
concept. Generally, an illustration is for its integration in published media such
as magazines, books, posters, animations, teaching materials, flyers, video
games, and films.” Paul (2017)

An artbook is a collection of works and illustrations that showcases either a

theme or the artist or designer themselves.

“Because the art books are works of visual art, an approach or criteria that
could include the case of books made by artists. The works in this exhibition
have been produced by people who have themselves, or are considered by
the art world, as belonging to the rank of artists. However, artists also
produce statements of philosophical and critical, autobiographies and other
kinds of writing that would not be willing to bring them the label of visual art.”
(Milpedras, 2010)

The researcher created digital illustrations to interpret the allegorical meaning to

OPM songs.

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1.2 Project Rationale

Original Pilipino Music (OPM) has played an important role in the history of the
Philippines. It is loved and cherished by each and every Filipino. OPM songs where
influenced by the current events in society. And after every era, significant and
historical events happen thus influencing the music of the Filipinos.

“The music of a given period specifies the character of the said time frame: it
can be contemplative, festive, or glorious. Indeed, the music of a particular
period tells “not only of its harmonies but also of its conflicts”; and in times of
oppression, music reveals a “passionate outpouring of the human heart”
(Fleming & Veinus, 1958)

Today, OPM lacks support from the Filipino people. This project is worth pursuing
to inspire Filipinos to support Original Pilipino Music.

“Although OPM is being heavily endorsed, many still prefer listening to foreign
music. In the University alone, only seven out of 20 students preferred
listening to OPM. Others preferred listening to foreign music because they
claimed it had more thought and better quality. Filipinos support foreign music
more than their own and prefer buying albums produced by foreign artists. In
the album charts of major record companies, more than half of the albums in
the top spots were by foreign artists.” Santos (2012)

The researcher aims to interpret Original Pilipino Music through illustrated

interpretations in an art book.

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1.3 Objectives of the Study

The objective of the study is to design an art book with a collection of

illustrations that will interpret Original Pilipino Music.

Specifically, at the end of the study, the researcher aims to accomplish:

1. To determine ten OPM songs that has allegory.

2. To have the ten selected OPM songs interpreted.

3. To illustrate the interpretation of the OPM songs.

4. To layout and publish the art book.

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1.4 Scope and Limitations

This research will cover the beginning from where Original Pilipino Music was
“Filipinized” which is in the 1970’s up to this day. The study is limited to OPM songs in
Tagalog only.

The researcher created ten illustrated interpretations of the OPM songs. The
study is limited to OPM songs that have allegory. This study used interview method as a
data gathering method. The researcher interviewed music experts and experts in
interpreting literature to be able to aid with the interpretation of the OPM songs. The
researcher aims to illustrate the interpretations of OPM songs with allegory through
digital illustrations.

The art book will contain illustrated interpretations of the OPM songs that will be
selected. It will also contain the lyrics of the each song, the interpretations, and
information about the artists of the songs.

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1.5 Significance of the Study

This section provides an outline about the various significance of this study. This
study is significant to the following:

Filipino Musicians. This study will give recognition to the Filipino musicians. This
study will serve as an inspiration and support to every Filipino musician to uphold
Original Pilipino Music.

Graphic Designers. This research’s output will serve an inspiration for conceptualizing
visual designs and graphic design styles.

Millennials. This study will serve as an inspiration to them to appreciate Original

Pilipino Music in its prime years where every song has inspired and has marked and
stayed in hearts and minds of each and every Filipino.

Music Enthusiasts and OPM Enthusiasts. This study will enhance their appreciation
for Original Pilipino Music (OPM).
Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mangaawit (OPM). This study’s output will serve as a
tribute to the Original Pilipino Music industry as it showcases OPM songs.

Filipinos. This study will serve as an inspiration to Filipinos as it showcases OPM songs
that gave empowerment of patriotism to them.

Future Researchers. This study will provide information on the history of original
Pilipino music and graphic design.

Researcher. This study will help her enhance her knowledge in Philippine Music, the
history of graphic design and developing and utilizing different graphic design styles.

BS Graphics Design and Multimedia Arts students. This study will serve an
inspiration for studies related to graphic design, illustration and visual graphics.

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1.6 Definition of Terms

The following are the operational and conceptual definitions of terminology used
in this research. The meanings are provided to guide the readers to understand the
study better.

Allegory is a body of text which symbolizes a deeper meaning or story. It has two
meanings or interpretations: one literal meaning and another meaning that is usually a
hidden meaning that is a moral, political or a spiritual meaning.

Art Book showcases graphic illustrations that are created by the artist.

Digital Illustration it is developing and creating illustrations digitally through the use
of modern technology.

Graphic Design it is developing and creating visual graphics that has a purpose to
inspire and to inform a message through visual elements of graphic design such as
typography, imagery, shapes, colors, symbols, and many more.

Illustrated Interpretation it is a graphic illustration that is created through an

interpretation of a body of text.

Millennials people who are reaching adulthood in the year 2000's.

Original Pilipino Music (OPM) it is Philippine Music from the 1970’s up to this day

Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mangaawit (OPM) is short for “Organisasyon ng mga

Pilipinong Mang-aawit”. This is an organization that promotes, preserves and protects
the rights of each and every OPM artist.

Philippine Music it is a general term for music in the Philippines. It has no certain
timeframe, period or era.

Symbolism it is the use of symbols to represent or suggest something else. It uses

objects, words, visual images to convey an idea or a deep meaning.