What is the background of traditional Filipino Contemporary Music?

Spain and then America having colonized the Philippines from early 1500’s to the late
1800’s, it was unavoidable that Western compositional techniques found their way
into the works of Filipino composers. Yet, even 20 th century Filipino composers have
managed to retain some traditional elements in their assimilation of Western
techniques. In fact, they have become the strongest foundations of what we know as
Philippine Music.

Among the major Philippine contemporary composers are Francisco Santiago,

Nicanor Abelardo, Antonio Molina, Lucio San Pedro, Rosendo Santos Jr., Alfredo
Buenaventura, and Ryan Cayabyab.

MUSICAL
COMPOSER MUSICAL STYLE
COMPOSITION
1. Antonio Molina (1894-1980)
⮚ Product of ⮚ Hatinggabi,
Antonio Molina, the first
National Artist for Music, is both the Misa Antoniana
Romantic
considered one of the ⮚ Grand Festival
and
“Triumvirate of Filipino Mass
Impressionist
Composers” which
schools of ⮚ Ang Batingaw,
includes Nicanor Abelardo thought.
https:// and Francisco Kundiman-
annacom531237817.
files.wordpress.com/ Santiago. He began his Kundangan
⮚ Dynamics
music career as an orchestral soloist at ⮚ String Quartet
the Manila Grand Opera House. and
harmonies of ⮚ Kung sa Iyong
Debussy Gunita
He was also known as the Claude
Debussy of the Philippines due to his use ⮚ Pandangguhan,
of impressionism in music. ⮚ Romantic
Amihan
style in his
One of his major compositions which is melody ⮚ Awit ni Maria
characteristically impressionist work is Clara
his piano work Malikmata ⮚ Larawan Nitong
(Transfiguration). The mysteriously
exotic chords of this piece gradually lead Pilipina
to a lyrical melody, with the traditional
harmonies abruptly returning to the
initial mood. Molina wrote several
compositions for piano, violin, and voice
as well as a Spanish-style opera form
known as the zarzuela.

He is best known for his poignantly

romantic serenade for violin and piano
Hatinggabi. Subsequent transcriptions
of this piece were written for the cello,
flute, piano, and guitar. He received the
National Artist for Music award in 1973.
He passed away on January 29, 1980.

2. Francisco Santiago (1889 – 1947)

⮚ Romantic in ⮚ Pakiusap,
Francisco Santiago
is known as the style, Madaling Araw
“Father of the incorporating
⮚ Sakali Man
Kundiman” and Western forms
belongs to the and ⮚ Hibik ng
“Triumvirate of techniques
Filipino Composers.” Pilipinas
with folk
materials ⮚ Ano Kaya ang
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Kapalaran,
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specialization at the
American Conservatory of Music in ⮚ Kundiman (Anak
Chicago, where he obtained his Dalita).
Doctorate Degree in 1924.

He composed several works such as

kundiman, symphonies, piano
concertos, and other music pieces for
the piano, violin, and voice.

3. Nicanor Abelardo (1893 – 1934)

⮚ European ⮚ Mutya ng Pasig
Nicanor Abelardo
is one of the romanticism
⮚ Nasaan Ka Irog
“Triumvirate of and
Filipino chromaticism ⮚ Cavatina for
Composers” which Violoncello
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Molina and ⮚ Magbalik Ka
compositions
Francisco Santiago. Hirang
contain: hazy
tones, ⮚ U.P. Naming
Music College and was influenced by the
dissonance and Mahal.
musical styles of Schoenberg, Hindemith unusual
and Stravinsky. chordal

The main theater of the Cultural Center

of the Philippines (Tanghalang Nicanor
Abelardo) and the building housing the
College of Music in UP Diliman are
named in his honor. He died on March
21, 1934.
Constancio De Guzman (1903-1982)
⮚ Ang Bayan
Constancio Canseco de Ko
⮚ He writes
Guzman was born on
melodious ang ⮚ Kung Kita’y
November 11, 1903 in
memorable Kapiling
Guiguinto, Bulacan. He
songs that will
grew up in Manila where ⮚ Babalik Ka
still linger and
he studied piano and Rin
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haunt the
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Nicanor Abelardo. listeners.
Kong Pag-ibig
Acknowledged as the “Dean of Filipino ⮚ Birheng
Movie Composers and Musical
Walang Dambana
Directors,” De Guzman became the
music director of movie production ⮚ Maalaala Mo
companies like Sampaguita, LVN, Royal, Kaya
Excelsior, Lea, and Tagalog Ilang-Ilang
⮚ Sa Piling Mo
Productions. His “unexpected” hit
music, Panaginip, paved the way for him
to record hundreds of songs, principally
under Villar and Columbia Records. De
Guzman passed away on August 16,
1982.
 7. Levi Celerio (1910-2002)
⮚ He wrote ⮚ Ang Pipit
Prolific lyricist and
composer Levi Celerio was Filipino folk, (music by Lucio D.
named National Artist for Christmas, San Pedro);
Music and Literature in and love Bagong Pagsilang
1997. Also, a violinist, he songs. (music by Felipe
had written the lyrics for Padilla de Leon)
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4AAQSkZJRgABAQ over 4,000 songs in his lifetime, ⮚ He was known ⮚ Sa Ugoy ng
including many for film. A great number for creating a Duyan (music by
of kundimans and Filipino love songs music with a Lucio D. San
have lyrics written by notable of which mouth-blown Pedro);
are Dahil sa Iyo, Buhat, and Ang Pasko leaf.
ay Sumapit. Celerio was known for ⮚ Misa de
creating music with a mouth-blown leaf. Gallo (music by J.
Balita);
His achievements include a citation in
⮚ Itik-itik (folk
the Guinness Book of World Records for
song)
being the only person to make music
with a mouth-blown leaf. Celerio passed ⮚ Tinikling (folk
away on April 2, 2002. song)

What is the background of the Contemporary Philippine Music?

Contemporary music can be called also as “New Music or Modern Music.”
Contemporary music is any style of music that is current or modern, addressing
current issues in a manner that is appealing to the current audience. The manner of
appeal may involve fusing more than one original music style together. However, it
should be noted that contemporary music takes advantage of the technological
development of the era.

Who are the music composers of the new Contemporary Music in the
Philippines?
Composers of experimental New Music in the Philippines include Jose Maceda,
Lucrecia Kasilag, Josefino “Chino” Toledo, Jonas Baes, and Francisco Feliciano. They
retained the Filipino spirit by incorporating traditional music forms as well as
indigenous rhythms and instruments in their compositions.

MUSICAL
COMPOSER MUSICAL STYLE
COMPOSITION
 Jose Maceda (1917 – 2004)
⮚ His compositional ⮚ Ugma-Ugma
Jose Maceda was
approach is
born in Manila on ⮚ Agungan
January 17, 1917. Western Style and
He started his his compositions ⮚ Pagsamba
music studies at were usually for
the Academy of large group of ⮚ Ugnayan
Music in Manila. musicians.
⮚ Udlot-Udlot
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Alfred Cortot. He eventually sounds of the
pursued advanced studies in the environment with
USA with E. Robert Schmitz and ethnic instruments.
earned a Doctorate Degree in
Ethnomusicology from UCLA.
Maceda’s musical style changed
when he encountered the music of
the indigenous tribes of Mindoro
in 1953. He then embarked on his
life’s work, dedicated to the
understanding and preservation of
Filipino traditional music. His
extensive research and fieldwork
resulted in an immense collection
of recorded

music taken from the remote

mountain villages and far-flung
inland communities in the
Philippines. Although his
compositional approach tended to
be Western in style, Maceda
combined sounds of the
environment with ethnic
instruments. His compositions
were usually for large groups of
musicians.

Considered as the first Filipino

avant garde composer, he also
worked at a recording studio in
Paris in 1958 which specialized in
musique concrète. During this
period, he met Pierre Boulez,
Karlheinz Stockhausen, and
Iannis Xenakis, considered the
musical giants of this musical
genre. Maceda served as Professor
of Piano and Musicology at the
College of Music, University of the
Philippines from 1952 to 1990. He
was appointed Executive Director
of its Center for Ethnomusicology
in 1997. In the same year, he was
conferred the honor of National
Artist for Music. He passed away
in Manila on May 5, 2004.

2. Lucresia Kasilag (1918-2008)

⮚ Her compositions ⮚ Toccata for
Lucrecia R. Kasilag
demonstrated a Percussion and
was born in San
fusion of Eastern and Winds
Fernando, La
Western styles in
Union on August ⮚ The Legend of
using instruments,
31, 1918. She melody, harmony the Sarimanok
went to Manila to and rhythm.
pursue a degree in ⮚ Divertissement
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⮚ She incorporated
Philippine Women’s University. ⮚ Dularawan
She obtained her Master’s degree indigenous Filipino
from the Eastman School of Music instruments into
in New York, USA. Her orchestral
productions.
compositions were influenced by
her professors Irving McHose and
Wayne Barlow.
She is credited for having written
more than 200 musical works,
ranging from folksongs to opera to
orchestral works, which she
continued to compose for the rest
of her life. For all these
outstanding achievements, she
was conferred the title of National
Artist for Music in 1989. She
passed away in Manila in August
2008.
3. Jonas Baes (1961 – present )
⮚ He researched on the ⮚ WALA
Jonas Baes was
music of the Iraya- (Nothingness)
born in Los Baños,
Mangyan people of
Laguna in 1961. ⮚ DALUY (Flow)
Mindoro, which later
He enrolled at the
became the ⮚ IBO- IBON
College of Music, inspiration for his
University of the (Birdwoman)
compositions.
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Philippines (UP) in ⮚ SALAYSAY
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⮚ He utilized ⮚ PATANGIS-
of Ramon P. Santos. While at UP,
he encountered the works of Jose unorthodox musical BUWAYA
Maceda and attended several instruments such as
bean- pod rattles, ⮚ PANTAWAG
seminar-workshops of visiting
leaves, iron-nail ⮚ BASBASAN
lecturers.
chimes, and various
Asian instruments (Blessing).
He researched on the music of the
such as bamboo
Iraya-Mangyan people of Mindoro, scrapers, bamboo
which later became the flutes, and vocal
inspiration for his compositions. music in his
From 1992- 1994, he studied with composition.
Mathias Spahlinger in Freiburg,
Germany.

Baes is known for writing music.

His early works in the 1980s were
influenced by Maceda in the use
of large numbers of performers.

5. Ryan Cayabyab (1954 - TRADITIONAL

⮚ Syncopation,
present) SONGS:
Ryan Cayabyab is a extended chords
and chromatic ⮚ Misa
popular
harmony.
contemporary ⮚ Four Poems
composer also has ⮚ Neoclassicism for Soprano and
classical Piano
https://encrypted-
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credit, such as Misa, CONTEMPORARY
Four Poems for Soprano and SONGS:
Piano, and Te Deum.
⮚ Kay Ganda ng
Among his numerous Ating Musika
compositions are the award- ⮚ Da Coconut Nut
winning Kay Ganda ng Ating
Musika (1978), as well as the
⮚ Kumukuti-kutitap
modern zarzuela Alikabok (2003),
the opera Spoliarium with libretto ⮚ Limang Dipang
by Fides Cuyugan-Asensio, and a
Tao
variety of choral pieces and song
cycles. ⮚ Spoliarium

Cayabyab was born on May 4, ⮚ Nais Ko

1954 in Manila. He obtained his
⮚ Paraiso
Bachelor of Music degree at the
University of the Philippines’ ⮚ Kahit Ika’y
College of Music. After which, he
Panaginip Lang
became a faculty member for
Composition at the same ⮚ Kailan
University. He also served as the
Executive and Artistic Director of ⮚ Tuwing Umuulan
the San Miguel Foundation for the at Kapiling Ka
Performing Arts, which oversaw
the operations and programming
of the San Miguel Philharmonic
Orchestra and the San Miguel
Master Chorale. At present, he
continues to be a much sought-
after professor, musical director,
composer, arranger, and
conductor in the Philippine
concert and recording scenes.

He is a contemporary composer
and conductor who spans both
popular and classical worlds with
his pop music, ballads, operas,
zarzuelas, orchestral
arrangements, masses, psalms
and choral compositions.
LUCIO SAN PEDRO
 He was born on February 11, 1913 in Angono, Rizal.
 Since his elementary days, he started composing.
 He studied the banjo which inspired him to become
a serious musician. He later pursued his music degree
at the University of the Philippines and at the Juilliard
School in New York, USA.
 He became a professor of theory and composition at
the University of the Philippines’ College of Music up
until his retirement in 1978.
 San Pedro is known as a “romantic nationalist.” He
incorporated Philippine folk elements in his
compositions with Western forms and harmony.
 Arguably, his most popular work is the well-loved
“Sa Ugoy ng Duyan”, a lullaby melody sung by his
mother. He composed “Sa Ugoy ng Duyan” together with his friend Levi Celerio as the
lyricist.
 His musical prowess was internationally recognized when he was invited to be a
judge at the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1980.
 He was declared National Artist for Music in 1991 and passed away on March 31,
2002.