Evolution of Filipino Music

Group III; Written Report

Terminologies
*Sound – a wave that causes noise in the environment from anything around us that can be heard by human
and animal ears.
*Music – a systematic structure of sounds with the elements of rhythm, dynamics, pitch, tone, and etc.
*Cultural globalization - refers to the transmission of ideas, meanings, and values around the world in such a
way as to extend and intensify social relations.

Introduction
Objectives:

 To know the history and transitions of Philippine Music from Pre-colonialism to Post-colonialism and
Modern Period.
 To determine the effects globalization to the Philippine music and culture.
 To determine and know the current situation of Filipino Music in today’s era.

How does Cultural Globalization affect the Filipino culture in terms of Music?
Before the arrival of the colonizers Philippines has already a lot of music we depend from nature; used
for worshiping, rituals and other sacred and meaningful celebrations.
The coming of the west owning period altered a lot in our culture from the daily routines we used to
down to our taste of Music, Filipinos were exposed in many forms of music- in Pre-colonial we have the Ethnic
Music, Spanish era we had the Religious and operatic kind of music, American era to Liberation we had the
introduction of pop, rock n’ roll, ballad, disco and broad way music ,Reawakening kind of music, music about
freedom, Political, economics and even environmental-issue-music. With these exposures we were fed with
many ideas and knowledge about music and now in our modern era we continue to create music such as
Original Pinoy Music (OPM), music with foreign influences that flourishes not just in our country but also to
outside the Philippines.
What we have now in our music industries are the result of cultural globalization that continues to
spread and shapes our taste of music. Filipino singers and musicians became well-known even outside of the
country

I. Main Division/Time Line

1. Old Asian influenced music referred to as the Indigenous Music. (pre-colonial)

2. Religious-secular music influenced from Spanish-European. (colonization)
3. American-European inspired classical music and popular music. (colonization)
4. Japanese Period (colonization
5. Reawakening Period/ Liberation (post-colonization)
6. Modern Filipino Music
A. Indigenous Music (Pre- colonial)
Also known as Ethnic Music, the traditional and typically anonymous music that is an expression of the
life of people in a community, often serves as a musical accompaniment for various traditions such as
ceremony and rituals such as:

-Child Birth
  - Courtship
  - Death
  - Work and Harvest
  - Worship or Rituals
  - Welcoming Guests and etc.

Soundscape- the combination of all the acoustic resources, natural and artificial, within a given area as
modified by the environment.

- our ancestors are surely music lovers.

- In the account of Pigafetta, the official historian of Magellan's expedition, when they arrive here in the
Philippines, women from Cebu were harmoniously playing : (some)

Cymbals Nose Flute Bamboo Harp

Northern and Southern Forms of Music

-Southern Style-  the ethnic groups of Mindanao, the Tausug, Maranao and some parts of Visayan islands.
They also have Gangsa but it is called as “Gongs”. Kulintang is the their main instrument which composed of
Gongs and is originated from Indonesia.

Kulintang Palendang Kalutang

-Northern Style-  mostly the ethnic people of Cordilleras and central Luzon. They used “Gangsa” which is
originated from mainland Asia.

Gangsa Paldong Gilgit

- Nature has played a great role in shaping the music technology and the aesthetics of the ethnic musical
traditions.

B. Spanish Period (1565-1898)

The lesson is an overview on the Spanish-influenced secular music of the Lowlands of Luzon. Through the
lesson, one will discover how Spanish-influenced dance music and art songs express their feelings towards
each other and the environment, their history, and their religious beliefs through voice.

- With the coming of Spaniards, Filipino’s music underwent a transformation with the influx of western
influences during 15th to 18th centuries.
- It effected a change in the people’s musical thinking.
- It produced a religious and other “societal concerns” kind music.

The colorful Spanish-European Influenced Music

- Music for festivities and recreation

- Work (planting and harvesting)
- Courtship
- Social commentary and Patriotism

Liturgical Music-  music written for performance in a religious rite of worship; the term is most commonly
associated with the Christian tradition.
– Gregorian Chant
– Pasyon

Secular Music-  is non-religious music. Secular means being separate from religion.

- Harana
- Kundiman
- Rondalla
- Sarswela

- Harana (Spanish ‘jarana’) – Serenade; Kundiman

--Kumintang- originally a war song, this song in triple time can be of any topic: love, resentment, or a social
commentary
- Cariñosa - using of fan or handkerchief to show romantic gestures.
- Rondalla-  a traditional string orchestra.

Spaniards really altered the Filipinos way of thinking from beliefs; Christianity down to their tastes of
Music and shaping the Filipino patriotism.

C. American Period (1898-1946)

The American regime lasted from 1898 to 1946 during which time Philippine music underwent another
process of transformation.

Side by side with this classical music art tradition was a lighter type of music which includes stylized of
folk songs, theater music and instrumental music.

American music influences in the Philippines

Folk songs-  one of the oldest and most prevalent forms of folklore. It unites a poetic text with a
melody. Morales performs traditional songs and children's songs, with a guitar for harmony

Ballads- a poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas.

Rock’ n roll – a hard and loud kind of music.

Disco-   a party kind of loud and RnB music.

Jazz -   repulsive syncopated rhythms, polyphonic ensemble playing, varying degrees of improvisation, and
often deliberate distortions of pitch and timbre. 

Rap -  recurring beat pattern provides the background and counterpoint for rapid, slangy, and often boastful
rhyming patter glibly intoned by a vocalist or vocalists.
Americans did not just simply give contribution to Music but they also focused on the system of
Education that led the Filipinos ready for an Independent country; The Philippines. In the newly established
public-school system, music was included in the curriculum at the elementary and later at the high school
levels.

D. Japanese Period (1941-1945)

The invasion of the Philippines, started on ten hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Lacking air cover,
the American Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines withdrew to Java on December 12,1941 , Douglas McArthur then
escaped the Corrigedor.
- Death March then occurred.
- February 1945 Manila has been destroyed.
- Churches, convents and universities are piles or rubble.
- Murder, starvation, sex slaves existed.
During the Japanese invasion, the second world war American forms of entertainment such as music
were banned with the suppression of American values. Japanese music was heard daily in radio broadcast
their songs, their songs were also taught in public schools. However, students never took their songs to their
hearts. The Japanese branded American culture as decadent when concealing its own agenda of economic
and cultural expansionism.
With this a pro-Filipino virtue was promoted side by side with the pro Japanese virtue and songs were
one important medium to disseminate this value.
Forms of Music
1. Orchestra- composed of mass number of musician.
2. Symphony- is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost for orchestra
contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle
3. Musical March- a music that is written for marching and most frequently performed by a military band.
-Filipino musician performed for American soldiers at the post liberation Army camps and for the visitors.
There are only few contribution of Japanese in music.

E. Liberation (Post-War)
After independence in 1946, Philippine music showed a marked growth in cultural consciousness and
nationalism. Music schools increased from the pre-war 12 to 33, offering Bachelor of Music courses in piano,
voice, strings and wind instruments, music theory, composition and music education. Some schools offer
course for the Master of Music degree
- All songs and other forms of art, music, and literature were all about Nationalism and Patriotism
- Need for vocal and instrumental growth as evident.
- It is emotional and creative.
Advancement in Musical Development
- Nationalism in Music - Passage of R. A 4723
- Formation of Music Organization - Educational Television

F. The New Society

Original Philippine Music (OPM) is originally referred only to Philippine pop songs especially those in
ballad form.

Philippine Music during Martial Law

On September 23, 1972 ; Prevents the spread of radical and progressive thoughts, control over prints
and broadcast was being limit, also remembered where arts and music era flourished.

Imelda Marcos

- Sponsored artists
- Provided recognition for artist’s efforts.
- Encourage the use of song to the public
- Funded CCP and it became an important venue for arts.
EDSA Revolution
Music remained a method for protests against Marcos Regime. Demands justice not only for Ninoy
Aquino but for the other affected Filipinos of Martial Law. Music became part of the rallies: Pop musicians
Aguilar and Apo Hiking Society.

Ang Bayan Ko
Composed by Jose Corazon de Jesus was a prominent example of protest that was sang by Aguilar at
Aquino’s funeral.
- A public ode of love for the country, the type of love to free the nation precisely.
Anak
A song composed by Freddie Aguilar that became hit and translated into different languages; signifies
the children of the nation.

G. Contemporary Period of Music

■ Refers to compositions that have adopted ideas and elements from late 90’s to twentieth century
art music in the West, as well as the latest trends and musical styles in the entertainment industry,
■ The Contemporary Music represents about the Local and Global trends and issue in the society.
■ Most artists and performers are millennials and from Generation x.
■ In this period, most of our Artists and Performers became Globally Famous and wrote their Names with
good reputation and achievements in the Music Industry.
■ Heavy westernized Music.
PARAISO by: Smokey Mountains
- Released in 1991
- Won the Awit Best Album Package Award
- Environmental Concern Music
Bamboo
Genre: Alternative Rock, Jazz Fusion, Pinoy Rock, Hard Rock.
Famous Song: Tatsulok(2007), Hallelujah(2005).
Tatsulok is a Filipino song originally sung by Buklod, an activist folk-group in the
Philippines in the year 1989. However, the song was made popular by a Filipino
alternative rock band founded in 2003 by Francisco “Bamboo” Mañalac, Ira Cruz,
Nathan Azarcon and Vic Mercado. 
. It describes the social class in our society wherein only a few belongs in the top.
It is the socio-political pyramid, organized by the overhaul forces of the decadent system
that is subservient to the foreign interest and the ruling elite. 
Ryan Cayabyab

- Advocate of Original Filipino Music

- - Leads the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra in OPM.

Some of His Works:

- The coconut nut
- Heto na naman
- Kumukuti-kutitap
- Tuwing umuulan at Kapiling ka

HIMIG HANDOG
is a multimedia songwriting and music video competition
in the Philippines based in. The organization is operated by ABS-CBN
and Star Music. The contest ran from 2000 to 2003 and was later revived
in 2013. The theme of the contest has been love songs since 2002

;; And other some Popular Song writers and Singers this also includes Bands