Music of the Philippines

Balitaw

Balitaw, the traditional Visayan folk song, is usually written in ¾ time. Traditionally,
balitaw was played accompanied by a three stringed coconut shell guitar, but in the later
part, a harp was adopted because more chords could be played on it. In modern
rendition, a five string guitar is used.

The balitaw is danced to, although it was originally something merely sung.

The balitaw is a debate or dialogue song in which a male and a female compete in who
can improvise romantic verses. These verses are sometimes memorized ahead of time

These witty exchanges of balitaw used to be a prelude to courtship and marriage, but
this style has fallen by the 1930s and is no longer observed in Vasayan society, although
the songs are still performed for the sake of performance.
 Kundiman

A kundiman is a genre of traditional Philippine love songs and its melody is described as
smooth, flowing, and gentle rhythm.

Dr. Fransisco Santiago (1889-1947) is known as the Father of the Kundiman Art Song
while singer Sylvia de Torre is widely known as the queen of Kundiman.

An example of a popular Kundiman is the song Bituing Marikit (Beautiful Star)

composed by Nicanor Abelardo in 1926. This genre popularized with Atang de la Rama
popularizing the movie and Sampaguita Pictures releasing a movie with the same name.

Bituing marikit sa gabi ng buhay

Ang bawat kislap mo'y ligaya ang taglay
Yaring aking palad iyong patnubayan
At kahit na sinag, ako'y bahaginan

Natanim sa puso ko yaong isang pag-ibig

Napinakasasamba sa loob ng dibdib
Sa iyong luningning, laging nasasabik
Ikaw ang pangarap, Bituing marikit

Lapitan mo ako, halina Bituin!

At ating pag-isahin ang mga damdamin
Ang sabik kong diwa'y huwag mong uhawin
Sa batis na iyong wagas na paggiliw