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Friday, December 13, 2002
Pinoys are also good composers of Christmas songs
By Henrylito D. Tacio
Filipino composers have also written English Christmas songs. Jose Mari Chan, known for his love songs, is the man behind "Christmas in Our Hearts," one of the most popular carols in the Philippines.
WHO says Filipinos are not good composers of Christmas song? As music enthusiast Gerry Calba puts it: "Many of the carols we hear during the long Christmas season are imported ones, but we have a number of beautiful songs we can truly call our own."
Filipino historian Isidro Gregorio agrees. "We, Filipinos, have many beautiful native carols which have been made by Filipino composers. Written in various dialects, they make our Yuletide celebrations more festive and merry and in keeping with our time-honored customs and traditions," he explains.
The first Christmas song ever written by a Filipino composer came out in 1894. Marcelo Adonay, then a leading exponent of religious music in the country, composed "Invitation for Nativity" and "Responsarium."
"These two hymns were very much like the so-called Villacicos, which were quite popular among the Filipinos at that time," Gregorio noted. As time passed, however, these songs became obsolete.
Dr. Francisco Santiago, the first director of the University of the Philippines Conservatory of Music, was credited for being the first person "to write a nativity song truly Filipino in character and in spirit."
In 1932, Dr. Santiago put music to "Sumilang ang Manunubos," a piece written by poet Deogracias Rosario. The song was arranged for mixed and symphony orchestra. Ancient Igorot and Tingian musical instruments were included in the arrangement "to give it additional native flavor."
Meanwhile, well-known pianist and composer Antonio Molina tried to write a Christmas carol by using two native folk songs ("Ay Kalisud!" and "Magtanim Ay Di Biro"). He entitled it "The Living Word," which came out in 1936 with lyrics from poet and one-time ambassador Guillermo Sison.
Said Gregorio of the song: "It is a joyful and lively carol, which when played by an orchestra resounds with the best of the different percussion instruments."
When the Philippines was liberated from the Japanese invasion in 1946, Prof. Felipe de Leon of Nueva Ecija came up with a Christmas song called "Payapang Daigdig." Brigido Batungbakal and Eduardo de Leon provided the lyrics.
In the years that followed, a host of Christmas songs were heard. Among these are "Sumilang ang Mesiyas," "Pasko na Naman," "Noche Buena," "Magandang Pasko Po" (all four written by Prof. de Leon), "Umaawit ang Kampana" (by Hilarion Rubio), "Tatlong Haring Mago" (by Ramon Tapales), "Dalangin sa Pasko" (by Leopoldo Silos), and "Sino si Santa Klaus?" (by Ruben Tagalog).
"Despite the keen competition offered by foreign carols, not quite a few local carols have become favorites (among Filipinos)," Gregorio says, citing the popularity of "Mano Po, Ninong," "Paskong Dakila," "Ang Pasko'y Sumapit," "Pasko Na Naman," "Biyaya ng Pasko," and "Ang Aming Bati ay Magandang Pasko."
Christmas songs written in other major native dialects are also popular.
The music-loving Ilocanos, for instance, have their "Naimbag a Paskuayo," "O, Narimat a Bituin," and "Rabiie a Naulimek" to be proud of.
The Cebuanos have "Kasadya Ning Taknaa (which has been translated into Tagalog), "Pasko sa Among Lungsod," "Saulogon ang Pasko," "Bitoong Misubang," "Pag-amen sa Kamot," and "Pasko sa Usa Ka Binilanggo."
Filipino composers have also written English Christmas songs. Jose Mari Chan, known for his love songs, is the man behind "Christmas in Our Hearts," one of the most popular carols in the Philippines.
(December 13, 2002 issue)
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