HaranaThe 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 singing 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.
KundimanThe 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. One such Kundiman that tells about unrequited love is the Visayan song Matud Nila.
In the 1920s Kundiman became a much more mainstream musical style, with many popular performers including Diomedes Maturan and Ruben Tagalog.
RondallaAs proof of the rondalla's natural fit with Philippine music, it has been brought to other parts of the world wherever Filipinos can be found. In the United States, the Philippine Chamber Rondalla of New Jersey, Inc. is a leading proponent of Philippine rondalla music in the North Eastern seaboard.Spain brought the rondalla to the Philippines in the 1800s. 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, narra, kamagong, and mahogany, 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.
Philippine choral musicThe 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. 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.
Philippine Popular Music
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,
Filipino rock
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.
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.
Joey Ayala, popular Filipino Neo-Traditional Artist, has been partly responsible for the rediscovery of indigenous genres in modern Filipino music.Filipino rock has also developed to include some hard rock and heavy metal such as Wolfgang, Razorback, Greyhounds, Queso and the progressive band Fuseboxx.
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 ethnic minorities of the country.
Today, the Philippines is perhaps Asia's most vibrant music-obsessed country, with home spawned bands such as Aegis, Bamboo, Urbandub,Imago, Kitchie Nadal, Moonstar 88, MYMP,Hale 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.
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, Sharon Cuneta, 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 the 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 Tagalog, English or taglish).
Filipino Hip-Hop and R&BThe Philippines is said to have developed the first hip-hop scene in all of Asia and the Pacific islands. 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 1980s 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 Tagalog became a pioneer in the genre and a superstar as a result.
The 1990s were known as the "Golden Age" of Pinoy 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.
The millennium saw Pinoy rap's popularity transform from being considered a fad or novelty into a fully blown musical enterprise. Rap artists such as Apokalipsis, Syke, Mistah Blaze, Stick Figgas, Knife, Krook and J.O.L.O.,Mike Kosa, and rap superstar Gloc-9 continue to top music charts. and also Francis M..
