Music of the Philippines
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The music of the Philippines is a mixture of European, American and indigenous sounds. Much of the music of the Philippines have been influenced by the 333 year-long colonial legacies of Spain, Western rock and roll, hip hop and pop music from the United States, the indigenous Austronesian population and Indo-Malayan Gamelan music
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[edit] Indigenous Musical Styles
[edit] Southern Genres
Among the various groups of the island of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, a highly sophisticated musical repertoire called kulintang exists in which the main instruments used are bossed gongs not dissimilar to gongs used in Indonesia.
Generally, kulintang ensembles among the Maguindanao, Maranao, the Tausug and other lesser known groups, are composed of five pieces of instrumentation. Among the Maguindanao, this includes: the kulintang (strung stand, serving as the main melody instrument of the ensemble), the agung (the largest gongs of the ensemble providing much of the lower beats, either coming in a pair of two or just one alone), the gandingan (four large vertical gongs aligned front to back, used as a secondary melodic instrument), the dabakan (an hour-glass shaped drum covered in goat/lizard skin) and the babendil (a singular gong used as the timekeeper of the entire ensemble). The Maranao have similar instrumentation with the exception of the gandingan which they do not have an equivalent of.
| List of the Traditional Instruments of the Southern Philippines: |
| Five main instruments of the Maguindanao Kulintang Ensemble |
| Kulintang - Agung - Gandingan - Babendil - Dabakan |
| Other Southern Pilipino non-ensemble instruments |
| Kulintang a Kayo - Gandingan a Kayo - Kulintang a Tiniok - Kubing - Luntang - Agung a Tamlang – Kagul – Palendag – Tumpong – Suling - Kutiyapi |
Among the Maguindanao/Maranao, kulintang music serves as their means of entertainment and hospitality, being used in weddings, festivals, coronations, to entertain visiting dignitaries and to send off those heading and coming back from pilgrimages. Kulintang music is also used to accompany healing ceremonies and particularly among the Maguindanao, can serve as a form of communication. Because the Maguindanao can convert the music into their language and vice versa, the Maguindanao can sends messages long distances using their instruments. The gandingan usually is their instrument of choice to send messages, known among the Maguindanao as apad. Apad has been used to warn others of impeding danger or to send a message to a lover. In fact, people have been known to elope with the use of such songs.[1]
Among the Tausug of the Sulu Archipelago, The Sindil (sung verbal jousts) is a musical lighthearted style that is sung by a duo of both sexes sung in front of an audience. Teasing, jokes, and innuendos flow into the verses, the better ones being applauded by the audience. The gabbang xylophone and biyula traditional violin are the instruments mainly used. Although Sindil is a particular genre of music, the verbal jousting musical type is also found in many other parts of the country, especially among the Visayan peoples, who are ethnically related to the Tausug. Sindil are normally used at weddings and other festive events.
Other musical traditions of this region are those of the serenade form Kapanirong and the outdoor "loud" music repertoire called Tagonggo.
[edit] Northern Genres
Among the indigenous peoples of the Central Cordilleras of the northern island of Luzon, music is also played with gongs, but unlike those of southern repertoires, these gongs, called Gangsa, are unbossed and have their origins in mainland Asia. Music is usually played to accompany dance, and because of this is mostly percussion based. Gong ensembles are normally accompanied by drums. The music is polyphonic, and uses highly interlocking repeated patterns.
[edit] Other Genres
Other indigenous instruments include a bamboo zither, log drums, the Kudyapi two stringed boat lute and various flutes, including some nose flutes used by northern tribes.
[edit] Hispanic Musical Styles
Spanish and Mexican colonizers left their musical mark on the Philippines, introducing another rich culture, Christianity and its attendant religious music. The guitar and other instruments, as well as zarzuela (a form of operetta) were popular and soon became an important part of the customs and traditional elements of the culture of the Philippines.
[edit] Harana
The Harana first gained popularity in the early part of the Spanish Period. It's influence comes from folk Music of Spain and the Mariachi sounds of Mexico. It is a traditional form of courtship music in which a man woos a woman by serenading her underneath her window at night. It is widely practiced in many parts of the Philippines with a set of protocols, a code of conduct, and a specific style of music. Harana itself uses mainly Hispanic protocols in music, although its origins lie in the old pre-colonial Philippine musical styles which still practiced around the country (See Also Kapanirong style of the Maguindanao of Mindanao). The main instrument used for Harana is the Guitar, played by the courter, although other string instruments such as the Ukulele and less frequently, the Violin and Trumpets are also used.
[edit] Kundiman
The Kundiman is a lyrical song made popular in the Philippines in the early 19th century, but having origins in older pre-colonial indigenous styles. Composed in the Western idiom, the song is characterized by a minor key at the beginning and shifts to a major key in the second half. Its lyrics depict a romantic love, usually portraying the forlorn pleadings of a lover willing to sacrifice everything on behalf of his beloved. In many others, it is a plaintive call of the rejected lover or the broken-hearted. In others, it is a story of unrequited love. Almost all traditional Filipino love songs in this genre are heavy with poetic emotion. In the 1920s Kundiman became a much more mainstream musical style, with many popular performers including Diomedes Maturan and Ruben Tagalog.
[edit] Rondalla
Spain brought the rondalla to the Philippines in the 1800's.[2] An ensemble of plectrum instruments, the early Philippine rondalla repertoire consisted primarily of Western European symphonic overtures and arias from operas. Its compatibility with native Philippine music allowed the rondalla to figure prominently in Filipino rural community life, providing accompaniment to folk dancing and singing as well as the featured ensemble.
The standard Philippine rondalla consists of the pear-shaped piccolo bandurria, bandurria, and la-ud, and the guitar-shaped octavina and mandola, guitarra, and bajo de unas (which has been supplanted by the double bass). Fashioned from common Philippine wood such as langka, pine,molave, cypress, narra, kamagong, and mahogany, yakal,acacia, the instruments are played with a plectrum of turtle shell. The fourteen strings of the rondalla instruments, except for the guitarra, are grouped into six tuning units – viz., F#, B, E, A, D, G. The doubling or tripling of strings produces better sound quality and volume.
banduria, double bass, laud, octavina, guitar , piccolo , etc. are examples of rondalla instruments.
[edit] Philippine choral music
The Philippine choral music scene has been developed and popularized by the Philippine Madrigal Singers. This choir is the country's premier chorale and has been an award-winning chorale through its existence. It is the only choir in the world to have won twice in the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (1997 and 2007), widely considered the most prestigious chorale competition in the world. Also from the same homefront, i.e. the University of the Philippines, are the University of the Philippines Singing Ambassadors (or UPSA) and the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus (or UPCC), two of the most sought-after and multi-awarded groups in the country. Also, Kundirana, a high-school choral group from La Salle Green Hills, became popular as well. Other popular and internationally awarded groups are the UST Singers and the Ateneo College Glee Club. Saint Louis University Glee Club in Baguio city has been one of the outstanding choral group in the Philippines and the most rewarded choral group in the Cordilleran Region for winning in the CCP. The Philippines is arguably the most awarded Asian country in choral music.
[edit] Philippine Popular Music
[edit] North American influences
The United States occupied the Islands in 1898 until 1935 and introduced American blues, folk, R&B and rock and roll became popular.
For many years, even after the Republic of Philippines became an independent nation, most popular Filipino musicians recorded "covers" of American hit songs. However, this American influence taught the Filipinos how to create and market their own performers, and led to the emergence of superstars such as Martin Nievera, Sharon Cuneta, Gary Valenciano, Lea Salonga and Regine Velasquez,
[edit] Filipino Rock Music
In the late 1950s, native performers wrote Tagalog lyrics for North American rock n'roll music, resulting in the beginnings of Filipino rock.
The most notable achievement in Filipino rock of the 1960s was the hit song "Killer Joe," which propelled the group "Rocky Fellers" to #16 on the American radio charts. However, despite the Fellers family (father and four sons) being of Manila origin, the song itself was written by US musicians Bert Russell (Bert Berns), Bob Elgin, and Phil Medley, so some critics contend that it wasn't truly Filipino rock. RJ Jacinto also known as RJ started releasing instrumentals during the 1960's. His band took it's style from the British band called the Shadows. He currently has a TV station, radio show, and the owner of his very own night-club. Up until the 70s, popular rock music had always been written in English. In the early 1970s, rock music began to be written using local languages, with bands like the Juan Dela Cruz Band being among the first popular bands to do so. Mixing Tagalog and English lyrics were also popularly used within the same song, in songs like "Ang Miss Universe Ng Buhay Ko," by the band Hotdog which helped innovate the Manila sound. The mixing of the two languages (known as "Taglish"), while common in casual speech in the Philippines, was seen as a bold move, but the success of Taglish in popular songs, including Sharon Cuneta's first hit, "Mr DJ," broke the barrier forevermore.
Soon, Filipino rock musicians added folk music and other influences, helping to lead to the 1978 breakthrough success of Freddie Aguilar. Aguilar's Anak, his debut recording, is the most commercially successful Filipino recording in history, and was popular throughout Asia and Europe, and has been translated into numerous language by singers worldwide. Asin also broke into the music scene at the same time and were very popular.
Rock music became the music of Filipino protesters in the 1980s, and Aguilar's "Bayan Ko" became especially popular as an anthem during the 1986 revolution. At the same time, a subculture rejected the rise of socially aware lyrics. In Manila, a Punk Rock scene developed, led by bands like Betrayed, The Jerks and Urban Bandits. The influence of New Wave was also felt during these years, spearheaded by The Dawn.
1990s saw the emergence of superstar pop rock group Eraserheads, considered by many as the greatest Filipino artist of all time. Following their success are Filipino rock stars Yano, Parokya ni Edgar, Rivermaya, Cocojam, and Grace Nono, each of which adopts a variety of rock subgenres into their style.
During the 1998 Rock Band festival held at Hard Rock Café, Makati, a young rock group from the University of the Philippines, College of Music “Circle’s End]]” won the Best Band of the Year category and the Best Composition by Georsua. The band lasted only for 3 years after formally disbanded. The band members were Clair Subijana (Drums) Jerome Subijana (keyboards) Marcus San Juan( lead guitars) Geno Georsua (bass guitar/song writer) Mark Velasco (vocals/guitar/song writer) The Hard Rock Café platform will surely miss their virtuosity.
Filipino rock has also developed to include some hard rock and heavy metal such as Wolfgang, Razorback, Greyhounds, Queso and the progressive band Paradigm.
The Neo-Traditional genre in Filipino music is gaining popularity, with artists such as Joey Ayala, Grace Nono and Bayang Barrios enjoying relative popularity within the Philippines for including the traditional musical traditions of the many indigenous minorities of the country.
Today, the Philippines is perhaps Asia's most vibrant music-obsessed country, with home spawned bands such as Sponge Cola, Chicosci, Bamboo, Silent Sanctuary, Rocksteddy, Kjwan, Kamikazee, Cueshe, Itchyworms, Vinyard, Valley of Chrome, Clap Your Hands, Imago, Hale, The Ambassadors, Moonstar 88, Faspitch, Callalily and Urbandub, among others.
There has always been a blend of rock and easy-listening styles in OPM, so it is not unusual for a single artist or group to have a wide repertoire and an equally wide range of fans. A retired businessman may find himself seated next to a teen girl at an appearance of Juan De La Cruz or the latest girl group from Makati, and outcheering her after a favorite song.
[edit] OPM (Original Pilipino Music)
Original Pilipino Music, now more commonly termed Original Pinoy Music, (frequently abbreviated to OPM) originally referred only to Filipino pop songs, especially those in the ballad form; such as songs popularized in the 1970s through the mid-1990s by major commercial Filipino pop artists like Ryan Cayabyab, Kuh Ledesma, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Basil Valdez, Rey Valera, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid, Jaya, Lani Misalucha, Lea Salonga, Janno Gibbs, and APO Hiking Society. In the passage of time as well as the development of many diverse and alternative musical styles in the Philippines, however, the term OPM now refers to any type of Original Philippine Music created in the Philippines or composed by individuals of Philippine extraction, regardless of location at the time when composed. The lyrics, in fact, may be in any language (although most of it are written either in Filipino/Tagalog, English or taglish).
[edit] Filipino Hip-Hop and R&B
Main Article: Filipino hip hop, Filipino R&B
The birth of Filipino hip-hop music (sometimes referred to as "Pinoy Rap" or "FlipHop"), occurred in the early 1980s with songs by Dyords Javier ("Na Onseng Delight") and Vincent Daffalong ("Nunal"). The genre developed slowly during the 1980's but soon hit the mainstream with Francis Magalona's debut album, Yo! which included the nationalistic hit "Mga Kababayan" (My countrymen) and the rap-ballad "Cold Summer Nights". Magalona, who rapped in both English and Filipino, became a pioneer in the genre and a superstar as a result.
The 1990's were known as the "Golden Age" of Filipino rap and saw the beginning of rapid stylistic innovation with Francis M.'s second album released in 1992 Rap is Francis M. which is considered to be one of the greatest Pinoy rap albums. In 1994, Death Threat released the first Filipino gangsta rap album titled Gusto Kong Bumaet (I Want to be Good). Another associate of Magalona who emerged as a leading pioneer of the hip hop scene is DJ MOD a.k.a as Noel Macanaya.
Rap artists such as Apokalipsis, Chill, Syke, Mista Blaze, Stick Figgas, Mobbstarr/Dice & K9, Krook and J.O.L.O., Mike Kosa, Francis Magalona and rap superstar Gloc-9 continue to top music charts. Some of the most popular R&B artists in the Philippines are Kyla dubbed as R&B Princess, JayR dubbed as R&B Prince, Nina dubbed as the Soul Siren, Kris Lawrence, Amber, Thor, Luke Mejares, South Border and Keith Martin. i love joevel
[edit] See also
- Original Filipino music and Lyrics
- OPM Filipino Music Lyrics
- Modern Filipino Music
- Traditional Filipino Music
[edit] References
- Clewley, John. "Pinoy Rockers". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 2: Latin & North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific, pp 213-217. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
- ^ Mercurio, Philip Dominguez (2006). Traditional Music of the Southern Philippines (html). PnoyAndTheCity: A center for Kulintang - A home for Pasikings. Retrieved on February 25, 2006.
- ^ Aning, Jerome. "NATIONAL INSTRUMENT?: Rondalla maestro makes strong pitch for banduria", Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2007-11-23. Retrieved on 2008-04-05.
[edit] External links
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