Contemporary Music

Posted on April 15, 2015

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RAMON P. SANTOS, PH. D.

Contemporary music in the Philippines usually refers to compositions that have

adopted ideas and elements from twentieth century art music in the West, as well as the
latest trends and musical styles in the entertainment industry. This brief introduction
covers only the works written by the art music composers.

The modern Filipino repertoire consist of pieces that have been written in twentieth
century idioms that have evolved out of such stylistic movements as impressionism,
expressionism, neo-classism, as well as the so-called avant-garde and New Music. A
good number of these works have utilized the standard formats of classical European
music such as the concerto, the symphony, the symphonic and tone poems, cantata,
etc. and may therefore be broadly categorized as neo-classic. At the same time, they
have also been greatly influenced by the textural colors of Debussy’s music and the
ambiguous and “dissonant” tonalities of early 20 th century expressionist compositions.
Moreover, the sounds of non-Western instruments have been added to the tonal fabric.

The first modern works that belong to the above descriptions are attributed to
Nicanor Abelardo, who from 1931 till his death in 1934 produced works that show a
dramatic departure from his highly chromatic–tonal idiom to dissonant and ambiguous
tonalities and complex rhythmic textures. Some of the representative works of that
period are the “Sinfonietta for Strings” and the “Cinderella” Overture. In Panoramas,
a chamber music suite, Abelardo also experimented on unorthodox instrumental
combinations (flute, violin, viola, celesta, piano). Two short pieces for piano Dancing
Fool and Malikmata by Antoni Molina, Philippine Suite by Ramon Tapales,
and Mindanao Sketches by Antonio Buenaventura were isolated works that assumed
some degree of modernistic structural elements, immediately following Abelardo’s
output.

Philippine neo-classism is significantly represented by three names: Eliseo Pajaro,

Rosendo Santos and Lucresia Kasilag. Most of Pajaro’s works (usually bitonally
chromatic) are set in such extended formats as the symphony; concerto; symphonic
ode; e.g. Ode to Academic Freedom; and song cycles using Filipino folk tunes (Himig
Iloko). the prolific Rosendo Santos, also a versatile performer in the keyboard,
percussion, and wind instruments, has written hundreds of compositions for a variety of
instruments and instrumental combinations; e.g.Suite Brevet for clarinet, alto
saxophone and piano, Two Poems for flute, vibes, and percussion,Etude for six
timpanist and multi-percussion, Fantasy for Contrabass and Harp, etc.

Lucresia Kasilag, aside from using neo-classic idioms, has added a further
dimension to her compositions by infusing the sounds of native instruments as well as
their scales, and experimenting on new forms such as the operatorio Her
son, Jose and Dularawan, a contraction of dula (theater) and larawan (pictures). Some
of her landmark compositions are Toccata for percussion (orthodox and
Muslim) and winds, and Orientalia Suite for Piano and chamber and Philippine
percussion instruments. She has also applied elements of improvisation in
her Ekologie I: On a Day off for tape recorder and indigenous
instruments andImprovisations No. 3 and 4 for Moslem gamelan and tipangklong.

Another sub-classification of Philippine neo-classic works are those written by

Alfredo Buenaventura, Jerry Dadap, Eduardo Parungao, and Manuel Maramba. Their
works are characterized by the eclectic utilization of various harmonic idioms, from late
romantic to early twentieth century.

A departure from the standard forms of western classical music is a significant

characteristic of the works of composers who are exploring alternative directions and
concepts in music composition. Led and inspired by Jose Maceda, these works derive
their essence, theoretical and structural parameters from non-Western sources,
specifically Asian music and Philippine indigenous cultural traditions. At the same time,
they have been initially influenced by the ideas of mass structures that were advanced
by such avant-garde composers as Edgar Varese and Iannis Xenakis, and later by the
different streams of indeterminacy and improvisation as explored by John Cage and his
followers.

The initial works of Jose Maceda may be classified as color and cloud
compositions, utilizing the tones and timbres of non-Western instruments to create
different blocks of sounds; e.g. Ugma-Ugma and Agungan. His later works assumed
overwhelming dimensions in the use of acoustical space, mass performance and the
concept of a modern ritual- Pagsamba, Udlot-Udlot, Ading, Ugnayan, etc. Also
belonging to this formal category are Ramon Santos’ Ritwal ng Pasasalamat I and
II as well as his Likas-An and Nagnit Igak G’nam Wag’ nwag Nila, a Philippine
Centennial piece for orchestras, 7 choruses, audience, and conductor. Jonas Baes also
contributed to this literature with his Pantawag, Kalipay and Yeyunan which is based
in his study of Iraya mangyan culture.

Another category of New Music compositions are improvisational works. The early
pieces of Ramon Santos such as Radyasyon and Quadrasyon were later augmented by
Toledo’s Samut-sari, Pintigan and Terminal Lamentations, all written as musical
graphics, and his Humigit Kumulang for Malay hadrah and kompang.
Baes’ Wala and Banwa, both written in 1997, uses audience as well as the participation
of traditional Philippine instruments.

One of the more preferred media by the younger generation of Filipino composers
is mixed media and theater forms. Santos has significantly contributed to this body of
works with his Awit, Panaghoy, (on the poetry and Ninoy Aquino), Ta-O at
Dasalan and Pompyang at iba Pa by Chino Toledo. The experimentalPanata ng
Lupa by Francisco Feliciano and other composers is an outdoor theater that fuses
elements of opera and Kalinga rituals. Feliciano has also composed the music for
the music dramas Sikhay sa Kabila ng Paalamand Ashen Wings, as well as the
monumental opera La Loba Negra. Related to this category are ballet and
dance compositions to which belong Kasilag’s Sisa, Legende, and Tapestry;
Santos’ Aninag; Jerry Dadap’sTomaneg at Aniway; Feliciano’s Yerma;
Toledo’s Pilipino Komiks and Abe… (on the music of Nicanor Abelardo)

Some works may be categorized as “unclassified” for their uniqueness in

conceptual framework as well as the musical materials used; e.g. Santos’ Yugto-
Yugtong Tagpo na Hingango sa Makasaysayang Panaginip ni Antonio
Manggagawa, a modern epic; Jose Maceda’s Music for Five Pianos and Mosaic for
Gongs and Bamboo.