FORPO

LIO
FOR
PRESENTED
MUS TO
MR.
IC 7
ROGE
LIO
MAGN
O

BY
JED
ELRAY
C.
DOM
ONDO
N
 CONT
I. Music ENT of Luzon (Lowland)
A. Folksongs and Kundiman
B.
C.
S Sacred and Secular
Instrumental Music

II. Music of Cordillera

III. Music of Mindoro and Palawan

IV. Music of Visayas

V. Music of Mindanao
A. Islamic Music
B. Music of Non-Islamic

VI. Festivals and Theaters

A. Philippine Festivals
B. Theatrical Forms
I. Music of Luzon (Lowland)

- Composed of Vocal and Instrumental music, which varies in every province of Luzon

- The lowland folks are composed mostly of farmers, fishermen, artisans, vendors and
traders and common people. They have a deep faith in God, whom they served with faith
and devotion. Their key celebrations are festivaals for thanksgiving of good harvest, and
to honor Jesus Christ, Santo Nino, Virgin Mary and patron saints in the Roman Catholic
Church.

- Through the various music used for liturgy, devotion and secular purposes, one will
discover how the people of the lowlands express their feelings, history and religious
beliefs.

A. Folksongs and Kundiman

 Folksongs are written by the folk and are sung to accompany daily
activities such as farming, fishing and putting baby to sleep. These are
traditionally passed on orally.

1. Characteristics
 Originally passed down orally to the family and to the other members
of the community
 Learned through rote
 Sung in their own dialects
 Begins in one key and ends with same key
 Composers and lyricsts are usually unknown
 Mood can be sentimental, playful and humorous
 Concept are based on people’s work, tradition and culture
 Short and simple
 Either in duple meter, triple meter or quadruple meter

2. Types of Folksongs based on functions:

 Ballad – narrative song or songs that tell a story (example: Atin Cu
Pung Singsing)
 Lullabye – songs for rocking the baby to sleep (example: Ili-ili Tulog
Anay and Pamuwa sa Bata)
 Songs of Friendship and Conviviality – drinking songs, humorous
songs, welcoming songs (example: Salidummay, Doon Po sa Amin,
Condansoy)
 Love and Courtship Songs – love songs (parental and romantic love),
courtship songs (example: Si Nanay, Si Tatay di co Babayaan,
Pamulinawen, No Te Vayas)
 Ritual or Religious Songs – used for worship or marking rites or
ceremonies (example: Ka Sadya ning Taknaha)
3. Some examples of Philippine Folk Songs from the lowlands of Luzon

Ilocano
1. Pamulinawen
2. Naraniag a Bulan
3. Manang Biday
4. Dungdungwen Kanto
5. Bannatiran
6. Ti Ayat ti Maysa nga Ubing
7. Igid Diay Baybay
8. Diro ni Ayat

Kapampangan
1. Doredo
2. Caca, O Caca
3. Ing Bulung Lara Y Rizal
4. Tinanam Kung Kamantigui
5. Misan a Cayaldawan
6. Patag a Bundoc
7. Nung Acuing Cucutnan
8. Y Mariang Malagu
 Kundiman - literally means
‘kung hindi man’ in Tagalog,” became
associated with music from the Spanish
colonial period, when the Spaniards, who
were unfamiliar with Tagalog, used it to refer
to the soothing melodies played by the
infatuated writer. Written in the Tagalog
language, these folksongs were subtly
patriotic but typically disguised as love
songs.

- Kundiman is a genre of traditional

Filipino love songs. The lyrics of the
Kundiman are written in Tagalog. The melody is characterized by a smooth, flowing and
gentle rhythm with dramatic intervals. Kundiman was the traditional means of serenade in
the Philippines. The Kundiman came around to be an art song at the end of the
nineteenth century and by the early part of the twentieth century, its musical structure was
formalized by Filipino composers such as Francisco Santiago and Nicanor Abelardo; they
sought poetry for their lyrics, blending verse and music in equal parts. Scholars and
historians believed that the Kundiman originated from the Tagalog town of Balayan,
Batangas. Dr. Francisco Santiago, the "Father of the Kundiman Art Song", briefly explains
in his scholarly work "The Development of Music in the Philippines" the reason why this
Tagalog song is called Kundiman is because the first stanza of this song begun thus: In
1872, the illustrious Franciscan Tagalist and poet, Joaquín de Coria wrote the "Nueva
Gramática Tagalog Teorica-Práctica" which, besides treating grammar, also enumerates
the characteristics of Tagalog language, and discusses Tagalog poetry.

- Harana, another similar term, is actually different from kundiman. The former is the vocal
performance itself, while the latter refers to what is being sung by the performer. As
Mallari puts it simply, “Kundiman is the genre; harana is the act.”

- Kundiman belongs to the traditional Filipino music genre that began in colonial

Philippines under Spanish rule. Mallari explains that the early work of kundiman  “[uses] a
3⁄4 time signature, with stanzas starting in minor chords and [then] progressing to major
chords.” This means that the song begins with a slow and gentle melody, then gradually
shifts in tone as it escalates to emphasize the heart-wrenching lyrics and the singer’s
emotive rendition.

4. Sacred and Secular

Sacred Music of Lowland of Luzon

"Liturgical worship is given a more noble form when it is celebrated in song, with the ministers
of each degree fulfilling their ministry and the people participating in it.

Indeed, through this form, prayer is expressed in a more attractive way, the mystery of the
liturgy, with its hierarchical and community nature, is more openly shown, the unity of hearts is
more profoundly achieved by the union of voices, minds are more easily raised to heavenly
things by the beauty of the sacred rites, and the whole celebration more clearly prefigures that
heavenly liturgy which is enacted in the holy city of Jerusalem.

The MASS
- Of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is commonly called in the Roman
Catholic Church.
- Derived from the Late Latin word “missa” (dismissal), a word used in the concluding
formula of Mass in Latin.

DEVOTIONAL MUSIC
- A hymn which accompanies religious observances and rituals.
- In Eastern and Near-Eastern religions, devotionals can function as communion prayer and
meditation.

PASTORES
- A Waray Christmas Tradition

SENAKULO (from the Spanish cenaculo)

- It is a Lenten play that depicts events from the Old and New testaments related to the life,
sufferings and death of Christ.
- It is traditionally performed on a proscenium-type stage with painted cloth or paper
backdrops that are called telon.

PASYON
- It is a Philippines epic narrative of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ in a
form of song with a dramatic theme.
- It is a book of stanza of five lines of eight syllables.
- The whole text is chanted and known as “Pabasa” and is recited during Holy Week
(Semana Santa).
- The entirety of the text is chanted during the Lenten season and particularly Holy Week,
and is popular Filipino Catholic devotion.

SALUBONG
- It is an Easter Sunday pre-dawn ritual that reenacts the Risen Christ’s meeting with His
mother.
- It is performed in the churchyard under a specially prepared arch and where the veiled
image of the Virgin Mary has been placed.

MORO-MORO - The Moro-Moro dance is the earliest form of theater performing in the
Philippines, starting in 1650. It is part of their cultural routine when entertaining visitors. The
dance is a play based off of two poems, the “awit” and the “corrido”, that spread across the
Philippines around 1610. It usually shows the struggles between Christians and non-Christians.

Flores de mayo
- celebrated in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. People offer flowers to Virgin Mary
once they arrive at the church.

Santacruzan
 - devotion honoring St. Helena(known as reyna Elena) and the Emperor Constantine
finding the True Cross in Jerusalem

Secular Music – refers to any music that is not religious in nature.

HARANA – a serenade traditionally sung by a young man to a young woman outside the
young woman’s house as a profession of his love to her usually accompanied by a guitar.
Some of the popular harana songs are: “Ang Tangi kong Pag-ibig”, “ O Ilaw”, and “Dungawin
mo Hirang”.

KUMINTANG – originally a war song and in the later it became a plaintive song focuses on
topics on love, resentment and social commentary. It became also a dance or a combination of
song and dance in style. It is also the oldest and most popular song among Christian Filipinos.
- It is a nocturnal song sung to the accompaniment of violen or guitar.
- It is originated in Balayan, Batangas, known as the province of Kumintang.

PANDANGGO – a courtship dance originating from the fandango of Spain, it is a fast-paced

dance in triple time.
- A dance that can be found in the different islands of Luzon such as Batanes, Tarlac, and
parts of the Visayas sometimes gongs are also used.
- A variation of the Spanish word Fandanggo and it became popular in the 19th century
- A form of entertainment in the Tagalog Region called Pandangguhan is performed during
social celebrations

POLKA - Originated from a Bohemian dance that became popular in Europe and America in
the early 19th century.
- It was performed in elegant evening gatherings at the height of its popularity during the
Spanish colonial period.
- The tempo is in quick, a lively dance in double time.

BALITAW – a dialogue or courtship song in triple meter mostly in 2- and 3-part forms and
arranged with counter melodies. Examples are “Sa libis ng Nayon”, “Bakya mo Neneng” and
“Arimunding-munding” by Severino Reyes.

5. Instrumental Music

A. Brass Band – an ensemble of woodwind, brass and

percussion instruments. It is usually played in fiestas, religious
and civic celebrations.
- Examples of brass band instruments are:
o Woodwinds
o Brass winds
o Percussions

B. Musikong Bumbong – are Filipino marching bands that use woodwind instruments that are
made of bamboo. The musikong bumbong playing together produces good harmony.
 C. Pangkat Kawayan – “Singing Bamboos of the Philippines” –
an orchestra that plays music using non-traditional bamboo
instruments.

D. Angklung Ensemble – small group of musicians who plays

angklung bamboo instruments.

E. Angklung Instruments are made of bamboo rattle tubes attached to a

bamboo frame.

VII. Music of Cordillera

- Cordillera is the country's only land-locked region. It has a
mountainous topography and dubbed as the “Watershed Cradle of North Luzon" as it
hosts major rivers that provide continuous water for irrigation and energy for Northern
Luzon.

Characteristics:
1. Music is very much part of life and living.
2. Have a rich variety of songs and music performed on instruments
3. Often performed in groups, all members of the community are welcome and encouraged
to join the singing, dancing and playing instruments.
4. Their music is communal and participatory.
5. Songs are usually in unison of pentatonic melodies
6. Music and other components of their culture are transferred from generation to
generation through oral tradition. Oral tradition is cultural material and traditions
transmitted orally from one generation to another. Oral may refer to speech
communication as opposed to writing.

Important Activities Where Music is Utilized

1. Peace pacts
2. Healing rituals
3. Invocation of the gods
4. Rites of passage
5. Weddings and festivals
6. Other life cycle events such as birth, coming of age, work, marriage and death.

VIII. Music of Mindoro and Palawan

A. Music of Mindoro

Folk song – is a song transferred from one generation to another without knowing who the
composer was. The song contains the different aspects about the people, places, beliefs,
values, and their ambitions, or dreams.

Instruments of Mindoro
1. Gitgit  – an instrument with 3 or 4 strings. It has a wooden body. The hair of a person is
used as strings for the bow.
 2. Batiwtiw – an instrument made from a bamboo. The strings are tied at both ends. At the
center of the instrument there is fret. The strings are plucked and the sound is “tiw-tiw.”
3. Kinaban – called a jaws harp which is made from a bamboo.
4. Kudlong – a zither made from a bamboo with two strings.

Ensemble Instrument of Mindoro

1. Buray-dipay - a kind of a rattle made from “bean pod” together with other instruments
like kalutang (two wood sticks).

2. Kalutang Ensemble - several pairs of wood nailed at both ends with intervals of 2,3, and
4 and produces harmony. This ensemble is used for hiking.

3. Agung Ensemble - made up of two gongs played by two males sitting on the floor. One
plays at the rear of the gong while the other one plays at the embossed portion of the
gong. A stick with a cotton pad at the end of the stick is used to strike the gong. Both
players used the duple time.

4. Kalutang - two big wooden sticks.

5. Lantoy - flutes that maybe blown by mouth or nose.

Music Context of Mindoro

Mindoro is the 7th largest island in the island nation of the Philippines. It is located to the west
of the island of Luzon and east of the island of Palawan. The primary language of Mindoro is
Tagalog, which is spoken by roughly a quarter of the Filipino population.

Percussion Instruments of Mindoro

Some of the percussion instruments from Mindoro are batiwtiw and tongatong. Batiwtiw is
made up of a bamboo about 40 cm long and tongatong is used by Kalinga people to
communicate with spirits during a house blessing.Mindoro musical instruments

Gitgit – is an instrument with 3 or 4 strings. It has a wooden body. The hair of a person is used
as strings for the bow.

Atiwtiw – a bamboo instrument from Mindoro about

40 cm long,played by striking the split end of a
bamboo against the left palm.

Kinaban – A musical instrument common to many regions in Asia is the

jaw harp or mouth harp,often referred to as “jew’s harp”. The jaw harp is
a slim bamboo instrument approximately of ball-pen size, of different
shapes and lengths varying from 10 cm. to 40 cm.

Kudlong – The kutiyapi, or kudlong, is a boat-shaped plucked string

instrument from the Phillippines. It has frets and is often heavily carved.
 Buray-dipay – A kind of Rattle Made from “Bean Pod” Together with other instrument like
Kalutang(two Wood Sticks)

Kalutang – This is a kind of musical instrument found in the province of Marinduque.

The”Kalutang” consists of two pieces of wood, graduated in sizes, to produce different note
ranges with which bands of 10 to 12 people make music.

Agung ensemble – is a set of two wide-rimmed, vertically-suspended

gongs used by the Maguindanao, Maranao and Tausug people of the
Philippines as a supportive instrument in kulintang ensembles. The
agung is also ubiquitous among other groups found in Mindanao.

Sabah,Sarawak and Kalimantan as an integral part of the agung orchestra.

Lantoy – is a nose flute

Babandil – abandil or Babandir, in the Philippines, is a kind of musical instrument. It is part of

the so-called Kulintang Ensemble. The other instruments included in this ensemble are the
Kulintang, Agong, Gandingan, and Dabakan. The Babandil is a small metal gong that is struck
by a wooden stick on its side producing a high-frequency sound. It serves as the pace-keeper
in the ensemble. It is usually played first when starting kulintang music.

Aruding – This musical instrument can be made by using a bolo or”itak”. A stick of bamboo is
carved and a pebble is stuck to help produce the sound while an extract of honey is used to
put the pieces together. An ideal tool to make this delicate instrument would be a small knife
because the intricate design of the instrument demands the use of a thin, sharp object.

Gamba – The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, fretted,
stringed musical instruments developed in the mid-late 1400s and used primarily in the
Renaissance and Baroque periods. The family is related to and descends primarily from the
Spanish vihuela (a guitar like plucked string instrument). Some degree of developmental
influence, if only in playing posture, is credited to the Moorish rabab as well.

Music of Palawan
The music of Palawan is a brief survey of the music from different indigenous groups from
Palawan such as the Batak, Tagbanua and Palaw’an. The analysis of the music is done by
relating the music to concepts of soundscape, music suggesting/representing elements of
nature, spiritual and human emotional expressions through the language. An application of
the kulial (song) culminates the module through musical composition and performance.

Vocal Music – mainly used for work, leisure, worship and rituals.
- Most often they are performed with musical instruments.

Types of Vocal Music:

1. Lantege is a love song of the Tagbanuas and people of Palawan.
2. Pasiyak is an example of Cuyunon traditional folksong.
3. Tarintingis a kind of bird usually found in the sea shore.
Tribal Groups in Palawan and their Music
1. Tagbanua (Central Part of Palawan) – Their Musical Instrument are usually used during
gatherings and rituals.

2. Batak (smallest group in Palawan near Puerto Prinsesa)- They use music for their rituals
done by male Babaylan.

3. Cuyunon (group living in the island of Busuanga)

4. Aetas (found in the forest between Puerto Prinsesa and Roxas)

 Kulial | Symbolic love song
 Aruding | Jew’s Harp

Palawan musical instruments

Pa’gang – Made of bamboo – Polychordal bamboo zither

Tubuldu – Made from bamboo – Bamboo zither
Kudlong – Made of bamboo – Boat like flute
Kudyapi – Made of wood – Wooden guitar
Babarak – Made of bamboo – Small ring flute
Suling – Made of bamboo – Banded flute
Aruding – Made of metal – Jaws harp
Beberek – Made from bamboo – Nose flute
Tipanu – Made from bamboo – Mouth flute
Lantoy – Made from bamboo – Nose flute
Gimbal –  Made of animal skin (Lizard) – Long and narrowed drum
Agung – Made of bronze /metal – Big gong
Babandil – Made of bronze /metal – Small narrowed gong
Tiring – Made from bamboo – Bamboo xylophone
Sabanang – Made from bamboo – Bamboo tube
Lamping – Made from wood – Small wooden stick

IX. Music of Visayas

- For Vocal music, the balitao & composo are accompanied by the guitar and/or Rondalla
instruments. It includes an introduction to the Binanog Music Ensemble of Panay
Bukidnon, Tultogan Bamboo of Maasin, Iloilo and Rondalla of Silay-on, Negros.

- Viewing and listening of the said instrumental and vocal music is included.
Making improvised instruments from bamboo materials and/or playing simple folk songs
on selected rondalla instruments will culminate the learning experience.

A. Folk Music

Dandansoy – is the name of a boy. This song is about the singer
leaving Dandansoy to go back to her hometown.

Ili-ili tulog anay – It is a lullaby song of the ilonggos not bikolanos. Ili-ili is the way you
sway the baby when you are trying to put it to sleep. 

Rosas Pandan – Is a Visayan folksong that speaks of a maiden who came down from
the mountains to celebrate fiesta. Lots of dancing, singing and courtship ensued. 
B. Visayan Musical Instruments

Bandurria – is a 14-string instrument used in

many Philippine folkloric songs.

Tultugan – Is an instrument equivalent to drums.

The instrument is played by striking the bamboo
with a stick to produce a rhythmic pattern.

Angklung – Is made of two bamboo tubes attached in a frame also made of bamboo.

Gabbang – Is a xylophone with more or

less 12 bamboo keys separated by nails.
 ABOUT MINDANAO

Islamic Cultural Group

1. Badjao Tribe – Sulu
2. Ilanun Tribe – Sulu
3. Jama mapun Tribe – Sulu
4. Maguindanao Tribe – Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat
5. Maranao Tribe – Lanao, Bukidnon
6. Samal Tribe – Sulu
7. Tausug Tribe – Sulu
8. Yakan Tribe – Basilan
 CHARACTERISTICS OF MUSIC OF ISLAMIC
1. Melisma singing
2. Song Phrases
3. Narrow singing
4. Fluid Sing
5. Fluid Singing
6. Tremolo
7. Strained Voice
8. Nasal enunciation

Vocal Music (Life Cycle)

1. Langan Bata Bata – Lullabye of Tausug
2. Tarasul – Tausug song of advice to wedded couple.
3. Dekir – death song of Maranao.
4. Dekil – Maguindanao dirge in vigil.

Religious Chant
1. Salathul Juma – Friday prayer chant
2. Tarawe – chant during the Ramadan Folk Epic Rajah
3. Indarapatra – Maguindanao
4. Darangen – Maranao

NON-ISLAM CULTURAL GROUP

1. Bagobo Tribe – Davao Gulf and Davao Region
2. Bilaan – Davao Gulf
3. Kalagan – Davao Gulf
4. Mandaya – Davao Region
5. Mansaka – Davao Region
6. Manobo – Bukidnon, Agusan del Sur, Cotabato
7. Matigsalug – Bukidnon
8. Subanon – Zamboanga Peninsula
9. Tiruray – SOCCSARGEN Region
10. T’boli – South Cotabato
Occupational Song
1. Gago Napu – song for either hunting or fishing of Subanon
2. Balatuking – Manobo harvest song Ritual Song
3. Diwata – for curing ceremony of Subanon
4. Pamasag – for victory celebration of Manobo
5. Pangan – for thanksgiving of Manobo

1. Chordophones (Stringed Instruments)

 A chordophone is any musical instrument which makes sound by way of a
vibrating string or strings stretched between two points.

Two Stringed-Lute
- Mansaka-Binarig Bukidnon - Katyapi
- Blaan – Faglong Subanen - Kutape
- T’boli – Hagelong or hegalong Tiruray – fegerong
- Mansaka – Kudlong Ata – Kudlung
- Manobo - Kudlong Bagobo - kodong
- Maranao - Kutyapi Maguindanao - Kudyapi
 2. Aerophones (Wind Instruments)
o Is any musical instrument which produces sound primarily by causing a body of air
to vibrate without the use of strings or membranes and without the vibration of
the instrument itself adding considerably to the sound.

1. Sahunay – is a bamboo flute, leaving six holes for the

fingers and trumet made of coconut leaf. It is about 50
cm long and 3 cm in diameter. This is a bamboo flute of
the Tausugs in Sulu.

2. Palendag - A lip-valley flute, it is considered the

toughest of the three bamboo flutes (the others being
the tumpong and the suling) to use because of the way
one must shape one's lips against its tip to make a
sound.
The construction of the mouthpiece is such that the
lower end is cut diagonally to accommodate the lower
lip and the second diagonal cut is make for the
blowing edge.

3. Suling - ring flute of Bilaan and Tiruray, Maguindanao, Samal, Tausug and
Yakan
 is the smallest bamboo flute of
the Maguindanaon and the only
one classified as a ring-flute (the
other two bamboo flutes of the
Maguindanaon, the tumpong
and the palendag are both lip-
valley flutes). Other names for the suling include: Lantey (Ata), Kinsi
(Bukidnon), Dagoyong (Higanon) Babarak (Palawan)

Idiophones (Percussion Instruments)

 An idiophone is any musical instrument which creates sound primarily by way of the
instrument's vibrating, without the use of strings or membranes
 Most percussion instruments which are not drums are idiophones.

1. Kulintang is a term with various meanings, all related to the melody-

playing gong row.
 Technically, the term kulintang is the Maguindanao word for
eight gong kettles which are laid horizontally upon a rack
creating an entire kulintang set called apasangan. is a set of
eight knobbed gongs in graduated sizes from largest to
smallest mounted in a wooden frame, about a meter long.
Muslim carvings decorated the frame.
 The kulintang is played by striking the gongs with two pieces
of wood, about 12 inches long while the player squats on the
floor. The instrument is popular in Sulu.
2. Gabbang - is similar to a xylophone. It is made of wooden
box with one end wider than the other, and with an open
top. Across top, wooden bars of different lengths are
placed to fit the shape of the box, about 1 cm from each
other. It is played by striking the wooden bars with a
wooden hammer. This instrument is popular in Sulu.

3. Gandingan a Kayo (translated means, “wooden gandingan,” or

“gandingan made of wood”) is a Philippine xylophone and
considered the wooden version of the real gandingan. This
instrument is a relatively new instrument coming of age due to
the increasing popularity of the “wooden kulintang ensemble,”

4. Agung – is a set a two wide rimmed bossed- gongs hangs from

horizontal pole or wooden frame. It is used by the
Maguindanao, Maranao, Samal- Bajau and Tausug people of
the Philippines.
 The larger, lower pitched gong of the two is called the
pangandungan by the Maguindanao and the
p'nanggisa- and by the Maranao. Played on the
musician’s right, it provides the main part, which it
predominantly played on the accents of the rhythmic
structure. The smaller, higher pitched gong, the thicker of the two, is called the
panentekan by the Maguindanao and the p'malsan or pumalsan by the Maranao.

5. Gandingan - is a set of four small narrow- rimmed and suspended

gongs.
 They hang in pairs with the knobs of the lower pitched
gongs facing each other. The same with the two higher
pitched gongs. The pair of lower pitched gongs is
positioned on the player’s left side while the pair of the
higher pitched gongs is on the right.
 The player usually a woman who stands between the two
pair of gongs. Her body touches slightly the gong in the
middle to prevent from swinging. She uses two padded mallets

6. Babandil- is a single, narrow- rimmed Philippine

gong used primarily as the “timekeeper” of the
Maguindanao kulintang ensemble.
 Babandil It is struck with thin bamboo
sticks to produce a metallic sound. There
are three ways to play the babendil
o by striking the rim of the
suspended gong with a pair of
sticks on the left hand
o by striking the gong's rim with the right hand using one stick while the left
hand grasps the rim
 o by laying the instruments upside and striking the gong’s rim with the two
sticks.
7. Kagul - is a type of Philippine bamboo scraper gong/slit drum of the
Maguindanaon and Visayans with a jagged edge on one side, played
with two beaters, one scarping the jagged edge and the other one
making a beat.
 The Maguindanaon and the Banuwaen use it in the rice
paddies to guard against voracious birds, using the sound it
produces to scare them away.The Maguindanaon and
theBukidnon also use it for simple dance rhythms during
social occasions. It is also called:

Garakot (Maranao) Tagutok (Yakan)

Bantula or Tagungtung –(Bukidnon)

8. Kulintang aTiniok is a type of Philippine metallophone with eight tuned

knobbed metal plates strung together via string atop a wooden
antangan (rack).
 Kulintang a tiniok is a Maguindanaon term meaning “kulintang
with string” but they also could call them kulintang a putao,
meaning “kulintang of metal.” The Maranao refer to this
instrument as a sarunay (or salunay, salonay, saronay, saronai,
sarunai), terminology which has become popular for this
instrument in America.

9. Kubing –it is a bamboo jaw harp of Tiruray. These have become one
of the most popular jaw harps internationally due to their highly
responsive sound and ornate designs. In the hands of a good
player the kubing is capable of a vast number of sounds and
timbres. This kubing was collected in Manila in 1987. Other names:
Kumbing –Bagobo Lideng- Blaan Kobing- Maranao and Samal
Kulaing – Tausug and Yakan.

Membranophones (Drum Instruments)

A membranophone is any musical instrument which produces sound primarily by way of a vibrating
stretched membrane

1. Dabakan - is a goblet -shaped drum of Maguindanao and Maranao, which has a

single head covered with goat, lizard or snakeskin. It is struck with two thin
bamboo sticks about 18 inches in length primarily used as a supportive
instrument in the kulintang ensemble.

2. Gandang - is a two-headed cylindrical drum of Tausug,

Samal, Badjao, Maranao and Maguindanao. Called as
Kendang in other South East Asian countries. It is one of the
primary instruments used in the Gamelan ensembles of Java,
Bali and Terengganu.
X. Festivals and Theaters
The festivals celebrated all over the celebrated throughout the year are divided into two:
religious and non-religious or cultural festivals.

Elements and Principles of Arts in Philippine Festivals

 Philippine festivals are famous for their colorful and artistic costumes, masks, and
props.
 The art elements like color, lines, and textures are considered, and their principles like
repetition and balance are used to come up with good designs.

Religious Festivals:
1. Ati-atihan
Place: Kalibo, Aklan
Date: Every 3rd Sunday of January

2. Sinulog
Place: Cebu City
Date: Every 3rd Sunday of January
3. Dinagyang
Place: Iloilo City
Date: Every 4th week of January

4. Moriones of Marinduque every Holy Week (March or April)

5. Carabao Festival of Pulilan, Bulacan every 14 th

-15th of May
6. Pahiyas Festival at Lucban, Quezon every 15th of May

7. Higantes Festival at Angono, Rizal every 23 rd

of November

8. Fertility Dance Festival of Obando, Bulacan

 9. Santacruzan Festival – a religious parade
by the catholic devotees of St. Helena. It is helf on
the last day of the Flores de Mayo.

Non- Religious Festivals

1. Panagbenga Festival of Baguio City for the whole month of February.

 is a month-long annual flower

occasion occurring in Baguio. The
term is of Kankanaey origin,
meaning "season of blooming".
  The festival, held in February, was
created as a tribute to the city's
flowers and as a way to rise up
from the devastation of the 1990
Luzon earthquake.
 The festival includes floats that are
covered mostly with flowers not
unlike those used
in Pasadena's Rose Parade.
 The festival also includes street
dancing, presented by dancers
clad in flower-inspired costumes,
that is inspired by the Bendian,
an Ibaloi dance of celebration that
came from the Cordilleras.

2. Kadayawan Festival of Davao City every 3rd

week of August
- An annual festival in the city of Davao in
the Philippines. Its name derives from the friendly
greeting "Madayaw", from the Dabawenyo
word meaning good, valuable, superior or beautiful.
 The festival is a celebration of life, a thanksgiving for the gifts of nature, the wealth of
culture, the bounties of harvest and serenity of living.

3. Masskara Festival of Bacolod City every 3rd weekend of October.

- The word "Masskara" is a portmanteau,
coined by the late artist Ely Santiago
from mass (a multitude of people), and
the Spanish word cara (face), thus
forming MassKara (a multitude of faces).
The word is also a pun on maskara,
Filipino for "mask" (itself from
Spanish máscara), since it is a
prominent feature of the festival and
are always adorned with smiling faces,
giving rise to Bacolod being called the
"City of Smiles".

4. Giant Lantern of San Fernando, Pampanga every Christmas Eve

- The Giant Lantern Festival (Kapampangan:
Ligligan Parul) is an annual festival held in
mid-December in the City of San Fernando in
the Philippines. The festival features a
competition of giant parol lanterns. Because
of the popularity of the festival, the city has
been nicknamed the "Christmas Capital of the
Philippines".

Theatrical Forms
- Performances we see today are mere products of the cultures that have influenced the
country through the years.

Pre-colonial Time

During the pre-historic times, theater in the Philippines was in the form of indigenous rituals, verbal
jousts or games, or songs and dances to praise gods. According to early chronicles, pre-historic
dramas consisted of three elements – myth, mimesis, and spectacle.

These mimetic performances mostly dramatized primitive rituals and epic poetry about deities and
mythical legends, where the spirit of the deities would seemingly possess a catalonan (priest) or
babaylan (priestess).

Spanish Regime
When the Spaniards reached our shores, they used dramas such as zarzuelas as a pedagogical tool to
influence the pagan tribes and teach them about Christianity and religion.

Another important form of theater popularized during the Spanish

colonization is the comedia, also known as moro-moro, linambay,
or arakyo. It’s a play in verse that portrays the lives, loves, and wars
of moors and Christians.

Moro-Moro is a secular comedy that dramatizes the war between

Christians and Muslims through the forbidden love between the
prince and the princess. The comedy is resolved with the non-
Christian being converted to Christianity, or through his or her
death, immediately followed by his or her resurrection.

Comedias were normally performed in the pueblos or village centers to attract more people to the
foundation of its regime. The comedia can last anywhere from 3 to 15 hours through a series of
performances. The first Filipino comedia was performed in Latin and Spanish by Fr. Vicente Puche in
Cebu in 1598.

On the other hand, a zarzuela is a form of musical theater

that combines spoken word and song that celebrates
various Catholic liturgical feasts. Jugar Con Fuego by
Francisco Asenjo Barbieri was the first zarzuela introduced
in the country in late 1878 or early 1879.

By August 17, 1893, Teatro Zorilla, the home of zarzuela,

was inaugurated. Throughout the 333 years of the Spanish
regime, the Philippines was widely influenced by their
culture, tradition, and religion. Today, zarzuelas and comedias are still being performed, albeit with
other cultural influences and contemporary touches.

American Colonization

When American colonial rule was established, the United States introduced the American way of life
through education, media, and language. Their influence on Philippine theatre is most apparent
through the bodabil (vaudeville) and the plays and dramas staged or translated into English.

In 1898, the first bodabil was produced by the Manila Dramatic Guild for the sole purpose of
entertaining American soldiers and other Americans residing in Manila. It was also the first theatrical
performance since the revolution.

The bodabil is not a straight-up play. The theatrical

performance is, in fact, a mix of songs, dances, comedy skits,
and even magical performances. Local audiences bought-in
and productions soon found themselves becoming
entertainment spectacles that can be transported from one
town to the next. Not long after, the bodabil was interjected
into comedias and zarzuelas, as intermission numbers known
as jamborees.
The Japanese Occupation

By the 1940s, when the Japanese took over the Philippines from the Americans, movie actors and
actresses could no longer appear in films, as the Japanese confiscated all film equipment. However,
the comedia, zarzuela, and bodabil remained in the country as forms of entertainment and
expression.

Eventually, the bodabil evolved to become stage shows or variety shows with a short melodrama at
the end to accommodate the actors and actresses who moved their craft to bodabil and theatre.
Venues such as the Manila Grand Opera House and the Savoy Theatre became homes of bodabil.

After the war, movies returned to popularity, and the bodabil era slowly lost its luster. Stage shows
became small, cheap performances held in open-air stages in the provinces. Sadly, the bodabil
deteriorated decades later to become burlesque and strip shows held in cheap theatres around
American military bases.

Philippine Theatre as We Know It Today

After the Japanese occupation, the Philippine theatre has evolved to become an amalgamation of the
various influences such that of the zarzuela, comedia, bodabil, and western classics. Theatre was
largely performed in English during the time, as it became a large part of classroom education.
Meanwhile, zarzuelas such as “Ang Kiri,” “Dalagang Bukid,” and “Paglipis ng Dilim” became well-
known beyond their regions.

By the 1950s, theatre had moved out of classrooms and the concept of
paying for a ticket to see a theatrical performance emerged. This
“legitimate” theatre was held in closed theaters – these became events in
themselves, not just mere parts of a celebration or religious ritual.

During this time, playwrights such as Severino Montano, Wilfrido Ma.

Guerrero, and Alberto S. Florentino honed their crafts and contributed to
the development of performing arts in the Philippines.

Through the years, Philippine theatre groups have staged numerous plays in both English and
Filipino, be it written by a Western or local playwright. Spanish culture and traditions largely influence
performing arts in the Philippines, but the contemporary style is borrowed from the Americans.
Classic shows such as The Westside Story and Sound of Music made waves in recent years when it
took the local stage. This year, The Theatre at Solaire presents The Lion King, an internationally
renowned production set to wow Philippine audiences.