PHILIPPINE MUSIC

AND INFLUENCES
What is Philippine Music?

anything composed by a Filipino regardless of

concept , form and style no matter how it
sounds - Felipe de Leon, Jr.
comes in a variety of forms, covering a wide
spectrum of sources, geographically and
historically, and representing more than 100
ethnolinguistic groups as well as different
social and cultural environment in the
Philippines - Ramon Maceda
 The totality of these musical forms may be
categorized into three distinct repertoires:
1. Asiatic oral traditions
2. westernized oral traditions
3. western-influenced art and popular music, and
semi-classical music
Asiatic Oral Traditions
Musical forms that are closely related to the
cultural traditions of Southeast Asia.
Most surviving music are still being practiced at
Cordillera region, Palawan, Mindoro and
Mindanao
These occasions consist of birth, initiation
ceremonies; courtship and marriage; death and
funeral rites; hunting, fishing, planting and
harvest; healing.
In Philippine literature, these forms are usually
referred to as Indigenous Philippine music.
Westernized Oral Traditions

musical forms consists of orally transmitted

genres and compositions that are performed
in rural Christian communities in Luzon,
Visayas and parts of lowland Mindanao, and
are generally referred to as Philippine folk
music.
Westernized Oral Traditions
Their origins may be traced through these
evolutionary processes:
1) forms that have been introduced by the Spanish
colonial power and later adopted and modified by
local artists and performers (metrical romances);
2) syncretic and hybrid forms that have been locally
assimilated elements from Western religious
traditions (subli, sanghiyang); and
3) locally processed songs based on Austronesian
tunes (planting songs, children s play songs)
Foreign-Influenced Popular
Music (western-influenced art
and popular music, and semi-
classical music)
musical forms found in urban communities
and centers of population
These forms maybe any of the following:
1. Instrumental (chamber music and symphonic
music)
2. Theatrical (moro-moro, sarswela, comedia)
3. Recreational (jazz, blues, rock)
Primary Forms of Traditional
Philippine Music
Ritual music and Indigenous Music musical
forms are performed in connection with rites of
passage and life cycle events as well as
occupational activities
Tagulaylay from taghoy meaning lament and
alalay; a mournful song
ex. Tagulaylay ng Ulilang Musmos
Kumintang originated from Batangas, a
regional variant of the awit, a song in slow triple
time using strophic or verse and refrain
structure, texts usually dealt with love and
courtship, sometimes with topics on hypocrisy
and the follies of man.
 Awit metrical romance; long verse narratives on
chivalric-heroic, religious, legendary and folkloric
themes.

Balitaw a Visayan love ditty in triple time, usually a

love debate between a man and a woman
Ex. Inday sa Balitaw

Kundiman a contraction of the phrase kung hindi

man, is a lyrical song in moderate triple time,
usually divided into two or three separate sections,
each with a different melody; the lyrics of the
kundiman are about romantic love, although love
for country and sorrow over the loss of a loved one
are common themes as well
Examples of Kundiman

Bituing Marikit by Nicanor Abelardo

performed by Conching Rosal
O, Ilaw
performed by Ruben Tagalog

Paki-usap by Dr. Francisco Santiago

Philippine Musical Forms with
Western Influence
Habanera originated in Cuba, Havana; also
known as danza or danza habanera; duple
time
Polka a lively Bohemian dance in fast duple
meter; exemplified in the folk song
Pamulinawen.
Jota originally a Spanish folk dance, has
sections in duple and quadruple time.
Ex. Jota Moncadea
 Mazurka originated from Poland is usually
dance in or 6/8 time by eight to sixteen
couples
Pasodoble a dance in duple meter slightly
faster than the march
Rigodon based on the French court dance, is a
dance for state functions in duple meter.
Marcha in duple time
Balse waltz, is an Austrian dance in lilting triple
time
Ex. Ang Maya by Jose Estella
Philippine Religious Music

pasyon chant reading of the life and passion

of Christ

Pabasa ng Pasyon

Tono ng Pasyon, San Miguel, Bulacan

Philippine Theater Music

Cenaculo a passion play

Sarswela an indigenized zarzuela; a musical play
with interspersed dialogue and musical numbers;
usually focuses on family affairs and love themes;
later plays discuss social issues.
Carillo - shadow play
Moro-moro or komedya and arakyo; play showing
the conflict between the Moors and Christians
Opera influence from western opera traditions
Bodabil from vaudeville, popular genre of
entertainment from the 1910s until the mid-60s.
Philippine Musical Ensembles

Rondalla Ensemble - is a traditional string

orchestra comprising of mandolin-type
instruments such as the banduria and laud;
octavina; a guitar; a double bass; and often a
drum for percussion
- has its origins in the
Iberian rondalla tradition, and is used to
accompany several Hispanic-influenced song
forms and dances.
Rondalla Instruments and Ensemble
Rondalla Music

Tinikling

Leron, Leron, Sinta

 Musikong Bumbong Ensemble
-consists of bamboo instruments
patterned after the brass band
Filipino Pop Music -OPM

Started in the late 70s from the Manila

sound. Artists include Nora Aunor, Pilita
Corrales, Eddie Peregrino, Victor Wood and
Asin.
Major commercial pop artists: Claire dela
Fuente, Didith Reyes, Rico Puno, Ryan
Cayabyab, Basil Valdez, Celeste Legaspi, Hajji
Alejandro, Rey Valera, Freddie Aguilar, Imelda
Papin, Eva Eugenio, Nonoy Zuniga and many
others.
 OPM artists in the late 80s to 90s:
Regine Velasquez, Sharon Cuneta, Kuh
Ledesma, Zsa Zsa Padilla, APO Hiking
Society, Jos Mari Chan, Dingdong
Avanzado, Rodel Naval, Janno Gibbs, Ogie
Alcasid, Joey Albert, Lilet, Martin
Nievera, Manilyn Reynes, Lea Salonga, Vina
Morales, Raymond Lauchengco, JoAnne
Lorenzana, Francis Magalona and Gary
Valenciano, among many others.
 In the 1990s, famous artists
included Eraserheads, Smokey Mountain, Donna
Cruz, Jessa Zaragoza, Ariel Rivera, South
Border, AfterImage, Andrew E., Jaya, Lani
Misalucha,Rivermaya, Ella May
Saison and Roselle Nava, among many others.
OPM pop has been regularly showcased in the
live band scene. Groups such as Neocolours,Side
A, Introvoys, The Teeth,Yano, True Faith,
Passage and Freestyle popularized songs that
clearly reflect the sentimental character of OPM
pop.
Metro Manila Popular Music
Festival
country's first songwriting competition
first established in 1977 and launched by the
Popular Music Foundation of the Philippines
featured many prominent singers and
songwriters during its time
held annually for seven years until its
discontinuation on 1985
later revived in 1996 as the "Metropop Song
Festival", running for another seven years before
being discontinued in 2003 due to the decline of
its popularity
 Another variation of the festival had been
established called the Himig Handog contest
which began in 2000, operated by ABS-CBN
Corporation and its subsidiary music
label Star Records. Five competitions have
been held so far starting in 2000 to 2003 and
was eventually revived in 2013. Unlike its
predecessors, the contest has different
themes which reflect the type of song entries
chosen as finalists each year. In 2012, the
Philippine Popular Music Festival was
launched and is said to be inspired by the first
songwriting competition.
Why study Philippine Music?
It is because studying Philippine music is an
opportunity for UNDERSTANDING THE
SELF. We understand our self more when we
trace our roots and recognize the influences.
It is only by UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
that we DISCOVER OUR DIRECTION.