Philippine Music: Traditional Composers

Philippine Traditional Composers

• Contemporary music in the Philippines has adopted ideas and elements from 20th-century Western art music, trends, and entertainment industry styles.
• Modern Filipino repertoire consists of 20th-century musical pieces that have evolved from impressionism, expressionism, neo-classicism, avant-garde, and new music.
• New Filipino music includes improvisational works.
• European and American influences from colonizers led to Western musical styles shaping Philippine compositions leading to the popularity of 20th Filipino song composers for background music and theme songs in film.

Traditional Composer

• 20th-century Filipino composers introduced innovative sounds amid Western colonization which influenced compositional techniques.
• 20th-century Filipino composers retained traditional elements assimilating into Western techniques, forming the foundation of what is now known as Philippine music.
• Major contemporary Filipino composers include Francisco Buencamino Sr., Francisco Santiago, Nicanor Abelardo, Antonio Molina, Hilarion Rubio, Col. Antonino Buenaventura, Rodolfo Cornejo, Lucio San Pedro, Rosendo Santos Jr., Alfredo Buenaventura, and Ryan Cayabyab.

Nicanor Abelardo (1893-1934)

• Nicanor Abelardo belonged to the "Triumvirate of Filipino Composers," along with Antonio Molina and Francisco Santiago.
• He studied at the Chicago Music College and was influenced by Schoenberg, Hindemith, and Stravinsky.
• Abelardo combined European romanticism with chromaticism, using hazy tones, dissonance, and unusual chord combinations.
• Notable works include Cinderella Overture, Panoramas, and a violin sonata.
• His best-known compositions include "Mutya ng Pasig," "Nasaan Ka Irog," "Cavatina of Violoncello", and "Magbalik Ka Hirang".

Cipriano Ryan Cayabyab (1954-present)

• Ryan Cayabyab, born on May 4, 1954, is a popular contemporary composer.
• Has classical compositions to his credit, like "Misa," "Four Poems for Soprano and Piano," and "Te Deum."
• Cayabyab served as the Executive and Artistic Director of the San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts.
• He continues to work as a professor, musical director, composer, arranger, and conductor in the Philippine concert and recording scene.
• Award-winning compositions include "Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika" (1978) and the modern zarzuela "Alikabok" (2003).
• He also composed the opera "Spoliarium," choral pieces, song cycles and several kundiman, and zarzuelas.

Francisco Santiago (1889-1947)

• Francisco Santiago, known as the "Father of the Kundiman" and a member of the "Triumvirate of Filipino Composers”, finished his music specialization at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago.
• He earned a Doctorate Degree in 1924.
• Santiago's music was Romantic in style, combining Western forms and techniques with folk materials and composed kundiman, symphonies, piano concertos, and other pieces for piano, violin, and voice.
• He was the first composer to include the kundiman in a concert and the first to write Philippine Christmas carols.
• He supervised the music for the films "Kundiman," "Leron Leron Sinta," "Madaling Araw," "Manileña," and "Pakiusap."

Lucrecia R. Kasilag (1918-2008)

• Lucrecia R. Kasilag, born on August 31, 1918, in San Fernando, La Union, became a National Artist for Music.
• She pursued a music degree at the Philippine Women's University and a master's degree from the Eastman School of Music in New York, USA.
• Her professors, Irving McHose and Wayne Barlow influenced her to created compositions that fused Eastern and Western styles in instruments, melody, harmony, and rhythm.
• She is known for incorporating indigenous Filipino instruments into orchestral productions.
• Notable compositions include "Toccata for Percussion and Winds" (1959), "The Legend of the Sarimanok" (1963), "Divertissement and Concertante" (1960), and "Dularawan" (1969).

Ramon P. Santos (1941-present)

• Ramon P. Santos, born in Pasig on February 25, 1941, is a National Artist for Music.
• He completed his degrees at the University of the Philippines, Indiana University (USA), and the State University of New York (USA).
• He also pursued graduate ethnomusicology studies at the University of Illinois, USA.
• Santos' style features chromaticism, music series, and electronic components, combined with indigenous Philippine music elements.
• Santos held the position of Dean of the UP College of Music from 1978 to 1988 and was conferred the title of National Artist for Music in 2014.
• Works include "Ding Ding Nga Diyawa," "Nabasag na Banga at Iba't Iba pang Pinagugpong-ugpong na Pananalita sa Wikang Pilipino para sa Labing Anim na Tinig," and "L'BAD."
• He researched the gamelan music of Java, and the traditional music of various tribes in the Philippines, he is the head of the UP Center of Ethnomusicology and was annointed Professor.

Francisco F. Feliciano (1942-2014)

• Francisco F. Feliciano, born on February 19, 1942, in Morong, Rizal, was a composer, conductor, and National Artist for Music.
• His exposure to music began with the Morriz Band, owned by his father, Maximiano Feliciano.
• Feliciano obtained his degrees in Composition and Conducting at the University of the Philippines (UP).
• Feliciano composed over 30 major works, including "Sikhay sa Kabila ng Paalam," "Ashen Wings," and the opera "La Loba Negra" (1984).
• He wrote orchestral music, such as "Prelude and Toccata" (1973), "Fragments" (1976), "Life of Wartime Filipino Hero Jose Abad Santos," and the ballet "Yerma" (1982).

Antonio J. Molina

• Antonio Molina, born in Quiapo, Manila, on December 26, 1894, and known as the "dean of Filipino composers" wrote over 500 musical compositions, including "Hatinggabi" and "Awit ni Maria Clara” and also taught Lucresia Kasilag and Felipe de Leon.
• He was influenced by Romantic and Impressionist schools.
• Characteristically impressionist work is his piano work Malikmata (Transfiguration).
• He wrote several compositions for piano, violin, and voice and also wrote the Spanish-style opera form known as the zarzuela.

Lucio San Pedro (1913-2002)

• Lucio San Pedro was proclaimed National Artist of the Philippines for Music on May 9, 1991, due contributions to Philippine Music.
• Known as a "romantic nationalist”, he incorporated Philippine folk elements in his compositions with Western forms and harmony.
• His chords have rich expressive tonality as represented in his well-loved Sa Ugoy ng Duyan, a lullaby melody sung by his mother.

Col. Antonino Buenaventura (1904-1996)

• Antonino Buenaventura was formerly an organist at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Manila.
• He received the Republican Cultural Heritage Awards in 1964 and 1972 and the Bonifacio Centennial Awards.
• His compositions include a number of operas, symphonic poems, vocal works, and chamber music.

Song Composers

• The 20th-century Filipino song composers/lyricists include Levi Celerio, Constancio de Guzman, Mike Velarde Jr., Ernani Cuenco, Restie Umali, George Canseco, Angel Peña, Leopoldo Silos Sr., and Santiago Suarez.
• Provided traditional Filipino love songs, music for the movies, and contributed to contemporary arrangements, concert repertoire.

Levi Celerio (1910-2002)

• Levi Celerio, born in Tondo on April 30, 1910, became a National Artist for Literature and Music.
• A prolific lyricist and composer, he was named National Artist for Music and Literature in 1997 and wrote the lyrics for over 4,000 songs, including many for film.
• He studied at the Academy of Music in Manila under a scholarship and joined the Manila Symphony Orchestra.
• He translated and re-wrote folksongs to traditional melodies, such as "Maliwanag Na Buwan", "Ako ay May Singsing", , and "Alibangbang”.
• Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the only man who played music with a leaf and was invited to The Merv Griffin Show.

George Canseco (1934-2004)

• George Masangkay Canseco was born on April 23, 1934, in Naic, Cavite.
• A journalist and "freelance scriptwriter for hire” he composed approximately 120 songs, including "Ikaw," "Kailangan Kita," "Dito Ba," "Hiram," "Tubig at Langis," "Hanggang sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan," "Sinasamba Kita," "Kastilyong Buhangin," and "Sana Bukas Pa ang Kahapon."
• His best-known composition was "Child" the English language version of Freddie.

Explore the evolution of contemporary Philippine music, which blends Western art music with Filipino identity. Discover 20th-century composers who integrated traditional elements into Western techniques, shaping the foundation of modern Philippine music and film scores.