History of filipino folk music

The decline was accelerated with the entry of televisionmaking popular culture from Europe and the United States easily accessible to a common Filipino. Though most Europeans would say that Filipinos are music-loving people, traditional history of filipino folk music is always at risk of being left in oblivion. Attempts have been made to collect and preserve traditional Philippine music, though no collection of the traditional music was ever made.

There are however studies made regarding this subject in the late 19th century, when the Romanticists of Europe began to find the value of folk songs. Even during the American Era, attempts to collect traditional music came rather late. Perhaps the first collection was in by Fr. Morice Vanoverberg, which is focused on the traditional music of the Lepanto Igorots of the north.

Unfortunately, only the words and not the tunes are included in the collection. The collection entitled Filipino Folk Songs by Emilia Cavan is considered to be the earliest collection with tunes, published in Perhaps, the most important collection of folk songs is the Philippine Progressive Music Series by Norberto Romualdez, published in the late s.

Unfortunately, the collectors who worked with Romualdez did not present the songs in their original languages but rather translated them into English and Filipino. This collection also included some songs aimed to promote national identity, like the national anthem of the Philippines"Philippines Our Native Land" and even "Philippines the Beautiful" an adaptation of " America the Beautiful ".

The collection also included some folk songs from other countries. For a period of time, Romualdez's collection became the textbook for teaching music in primary school. It also ensured that folk tunes from every part of the country was preserved to be passed to the next generation of Filipinos. Until now, this collection remains to be the most important collection of traditional music from the Philippines, since a copy of it is still available in major municipal and provincial libraries in the country.

Other collections like the Filipino Folk Songs by Emilia Reysio-Cruz caters to the so-called 'eight major languages' of the country and according to some, the collection is the best representation of the songs from these ethnolinguistic groups. Jose Maceda, former chair of the Department of Asian Music Research of the College of Music of the University of the Philippinesalso did some collections which began in and lasted until This was followed by collections from his students as well.

During the last years of the 20th century until the early 21st century, Raul Sunico, Dean of the Conservatory of Music of the University of Santo Tomaspublished his own collection. He began with publishing a collection of lullabiesfollowed by love songsthen by work songs. Finally, he published a collection of songs about Filipino women, a major topic of traditional songs from all the ethnolinguistic groups.

All these collections were arranged for the piano and the words are given in their original languages. A translation is also supplied, not to mention a brief backgrounder about the culture of the specific ethnic groups. With regard to traditional dance music, the seven volume collection of Francisca Reyes-Aquino is still the most important collection.

None has yet followed her lead until now. Borromeo also noted that one interesting feature of Western-influenced traditional music is that a tune is not bound to a particular language or dialect. The largest body of songs are those using the various vernacular languages, especially the eight major languages in the country. Many of the collected traditional songs have a translation in Filipino, the national language.

Songs from the various minority languages rank second in recognition, while those in Spanish rank third. This does not include the closest local language to Spanish, called Chavacanowhich has a degree of mutual intelligibility with Castilian. The curriculum of the Department of Education in the Philippines [ 4 ] discusses the value of music and art in learning as a "means to celebrate Filipino cultural identity and diversity.

Students in their 7th grade have folk music integrated into their education. The guide lists objectives that include analyzing musical elements in Philippine folk music and identifying the relationship among the music, people and culture of a given region. Before this book, teachers relied on a collection of folk songs from that Department of Education Symphonic Band conductor Rafael Rubio says has limitations.

Some Philippine rock icons from the s tried to record folk songs. Another popular music category, influenced by Traditional Filipino music but not rooted in the American folk rock tradition of the 70s, is that of "contemporary music using Filipino instruments," an example of which is UDD 's song "Paagi," which was used as the theme song for the animated adaptation of the comic book series Trese.

The most notable achievement in Philippine rock of the s was the hit song "Killer Joe", which propelled the group Rocky Fellersreaching number 16 on the American radio charts. Philippine rock musicians added folk music and other influences, helping to lead to the breakthrough success of Freddie Aguilar. Aguilar's " Anak " " Child "his debut recording, is the most commercially successful Filipino recording, and was popular throughout Asia and Europe, and has been translated into numerous languages by singers worldwide.

Asin also broke into the music scene in the same period, and were popular. Filipino hip-hop is hip hop music performed by musicians of Filipino descent, both in the Philippines and overseas, especially by Filipino-Americans. The Philippines is known to have had the first hip-hop music scene in Asia since the early s, largely due to the country's historical connections with the United States where hip-hop originated.

Rap music released in the Philippines has appeared in different languages such as Tagalog, Chavacano, Cebuano, Ilocano and English. Walter Alfanta. Create your own.

History of filipino folk music

For example, the Visayas region is known for its lively and rhythmic folk dances, while the Mindanao region showcases indigenous influences. This geographical diversity enriches the overall tapestry of Filipino folk music. Filipino folk songs often feature simple melodies and repetitive structures. This makes them easy to remember and sing along with.

The rhythms are usually lively, reflecting the joyful spirit of the people. Instruments like the guitar, bandurria, and kulintang are commonly used to accompany the songs. Many folk songs tell stories or convey messages. They often revolve around themes of love, nature, family, and community. This not only showcases local culture but also promotes an appreciation for nature.

Filipino folk music is rich in cultural symbols. It incorporates elements from indigenous beliefs, colonial influences, and modern interpretations. Festivals often feature folk music, showcasing the vibrant culture and traditions of the people. Folk music plays a vital role in shaping the Filipino cultural identity. It connects people to their roots and heritage.

Music as protest in the Philippines [ edit ]. See also: Protest music against the Marcos dictatorship. See also [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Retrieved January 23, University of Georgia Press. April 10, The Philippine Star. Retrieved November 24, May 13, The Varsitarian. Retrieved November 11, Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World 1.

London: Continuum. ISBN This annual songwriting competition was geared toward discovering new Filipino talent in popular music, and produced a rich repertoire of Filipino music Himig Handog. Archived from the original on February 7, Retrieved February 25, Retrieved February 13, Popular Philippine Musical Festival Archived from the original on July 23, Retrieved June 25, Bombo Music Festival.

December 5, OCLC Alpha Music. Archived from the original on November 11, September 7, CNN Philippines. May 20, Archived from the original on May 20, Retrieved May 20, May 11, Amsterdam University Press. JSTOR j. Filipinas Heritage Library. Philstar Global. Philippine eLib. June 16, Retrieved May 18, All About Jazz. May 25, Sounds Familiar.

November 13, February January 17, Retrieved March 15, ISSN Alzona, Encarnacion ed. Translated by Encarnacion Alzona. Quezon City: Academic Publishing Corporation. June 12, GMA Network. Culture and Customs of the Philippines. Greenwood Publishing. Retrieved April 5, South China Morning Post.