20th CENTURY TRADITIONAL COMPOSERS

3 QUARTER
RD
MUSIC
CONTEMPORARY
PHILIPPINE MUSIC
According to National Artist Ramon
Santos, PhD, “contemporary music in
the Philippines refers to compositions
that have adopted ideas and elements
from 20 century art music in the west,
th
as well as the latest trends and musical

styles in the entertainment industry.”
20th CENTURY
TRADITIONAL
COMPOSERS
Philippine contemporary composers are
Francisco Buencamino Sr., Francisco
Santiago, Nicanor Abelardo, Antonio
Molina, Hilarion Rubio, Col. Antonino
Buenaventura, Rodolfo Cornejo, Lucio
San Pedro, Rosendo Santos Jr., Alfredo
Buenaventura, and Ryan Cayabyab.
Francisco Beltran
Buencamino Sr. was born on
November 5, 1883 in
Bulacan. He was the son of a
musically inclined couple.
He taught at the Ateneo de Manila,
and at Centro Escolar de Señoritas
whose Conservatory of Music he
founded. He also created the
Buencamino Music Academy in 1930
where Nicanor Abelardo was one of
his students.
Buencamino’s compositions include Harana,
Pandanggo ni Neneng, Collar de Sampaguita,
Dulces las Horas, Mayon (Fantasia de
Concierto), My Soul’s Lament, Larawan,
Mazurka, Boholana, Mi Bandera, Princesa ng
Kumintang, Maligayang Bati, Ang Bukang
Liwayway, Pandanggo ni Neneng, Ang Bagong
Balitaw, Himig ng Nayon, Damdamin
(Romance), and Pizzicato Caprice.
Many of his piano works have become a
staple part of the Philippine repertoire of
today’s young students, especially Mayon,
Larawan, and Maligayang Bati. He also
wrote several zarzuelas and kundimans. He
passed away on October 16, 1952 after which
a posthumous award honored him with the
title “Outstanding Composer.”
LARAWAN
LARAWAN
Francisco Santiago is known as the
“Father of the Kundiman” and
belongs to the “Triumvirate of
Filipino Composers.” He finished his
music specialization at the American
Conservatory of Music in Chicago,
where he obtained his Doctorate
Degree in 1924.
Santiago’s music was Romantic in
style, incorporating Western forms and
techniques with folk materials. He
composed several works such as
kundiman, symphonies, piano
concertos, and other music pieces for
the piano, violin, and voice.
Among his famous works are
Pakiusap, Madaling Araw, Sakali
Man, Hibik ng Pilipinas, Ano Kaya
ang Kapalaran, and Kundiman (Anak
Dalita). This piece was sung before
the Royal Court of Spain upon the
request of King Alfonso II.
He was also a musical director for films.
Among the films whose music he
supervised are Kundiman, Leron Leron
Sinta, Madaling Araw, Manileña, and the
movie inspired by his own composition
Pakiusap. He became the first Filipino
Director of the UP Conservatory of Music.
PILIPINAS KONG
MAHAL
Francisco Santiago
PILIPINAS KONG MAHAL
Nicanor Abelardo is one of the
“Triumvirate of Filipino Composers”
which includes Antonio Molina and
Francisco Santiago. He studied
music at the Chicago Music College
and was influenced by the musical
styles of Schoenberg, Hindemith and
Stravinsky.
Abelardo developed a style that
combined European romanticism with
chromaticism. His compositions contain
hazy tones, dissonance and unusual
chordal combinations found in such
works as Cinderella Overture,
Panoramas, and a violin sonata.
Although a 20th century modern
composer in style, he is also
considered a composer in the
Romantic style. His best-known
compositions include Mutya ng Pasig,
Nasaan Ka Irog, Cavatina for
Violoncello, and Magbalik Ka Hirang.
NASAAN KA IROG
Antonio Molina, the first
National Artist for Music, is
considered one of the “Triumvirate
of Filipino Composers” which
includes Nicanor Abelardo and
Francisco Santiago. He began his
music career as an orchestral soloist
at the Manila Grand Opera House.
Antonio Molina served as Dean of
the Centro Escolar University
Conservatory of Music from 1948 to
1970. He was also a faculty member
of the University of the Philippines’
Conservatory (now College) of Music
Molina was a product of both the
Romantic and Impressionist schools of
thought. He was fascinated by the
dynamics and harmonies of Debussy, but
retained much of the Romantic style in
his melody. A characteristically
impressionist work is his piano work
Malikmata
The mysteriously exotic chords of this
piece gradually lead to a lyrical melody,
with the traditional harmonies abruptly
returning to the initial mood. Molina
wrote several compositions for piano,
violin, and voice as well as a Spanish-
style opera form known as the zarzuela.
He is best known for his poignantly
romantic serenade for violin and piano
Hatinggabi. Subsequent transcriptions of
this piece were written for the cello, flute,
piano, and guitar. Other works by Molina
include orchestral music -Misa Antoniana
Grand Festival Mass, Ang Batingaw,
Kundiman-Kundangan;
Chamber music of Molina- String
Quartet, Kung sa Iyong Gunita,
Pandangguhan; and vocal music -
Amihan, Awit ni Maria Clara, and
Larawan Nitong Pilipinas. He received
the National Artist for Music award in
1973. He passed away on January 29,
1980.
HATINGGABI
(Excerpt)
Antonio J. Molina (Music) /
Levi Celerio (Lyrics)
SA UGOY NG DUYAN
(Excerpt)
Lucio San Pedro (Music) /
Levi Celerio (Lyrics)
Hilarion Rubio was born on
October 21, 1902 in Bacoor, Cavite. A
composer, music teacher, conductor,
and clarinetist, he created substantial
works for the orchestra. He served as
conductor for opera, ballet, dance
recitals, and movie music.
Col. Antonino Ramirez
Buenaventura was a renowned
composer, conductor, and teacher.
His father Lucio was the chief
musician of the Spanish artillery
band in Intramuros and
founder of Banda Buenaventura.
Rodolfo S. Cornejo was
born on May 15, 1909 in
Singalong, Manila. Inspired
by his mother’s genuine
support, the young Cornejo
started formal music lessons
at the age of six.
His first composition at age 10 was a
piano piece entitled Glissando Waltz. It
was followed three years later by a
military march entitled Salute. At the
age of 14, 26 of Cornejo’s
compositions were already listed by the
United Publishing Company Inc.
Felipe Padilla de Leon was
born on May 1, 1912 in
Barrio Papaya (now General
Tinio) in Penaranda, Nueva
Ecija. He is the son of Juan
de Leon and Natalia Padilla.
Felipe de Leon married pianist
Iluminada Mendoza with whom he had
six children. Bayani and Felipe Jr., are
two of his children. Bayani is a well-
known composer, and Felipe Jr. is a
writer and the chairman of the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts
(NCCA).
Two operas which are considered his
masterpieces are the Noli Me Tangere (1957)
and El Filibusterismo (1970). These two
operas have been staged in the Philippines
and abroad. He also wrote a march during the
Japanese regime entitled Tindig, Aking Inang
Bayan, and another march Bagong Lipunan
during the martial law.
Lucio San Pedro was born on
February 11, 1913 in Angono,
Rizal. Since his elementary
days, he started composing. He
studied the banjo which
inspired him to become a
serious musician.
He later pursued his music degree at
the University of the Philippines and
the Juilliard School in New York, USA.
Upon returning to the Philippines, he
became a professor of theory and
composition at the University of the
Philippines’ College of Music.
San Pedro is known as a “romantic
nationalist.” He incorporated Philippine
folk elements in his compositions with
Western forms and harmony. His chords
have a rich expressive tonality, as
represented in his well-loved Sa Ugoy ng
Duyan, a lullaby melody sung by his
mother.
Rosendo E Santos Jr. was
born on September 3, 1922 in
Cavite City. At age 11, he
started composing band
marches, instrumental, and
vocal scores, as well as music
for Catholic masses.
As a UNESCO scholar, Santos was
awarded the “Philippine Composer of
the Century” after receiving the
“Composer of the Year Award” in
Manila in 1956 and 1957. He joined the
faculty at Wilkes University,
Pennsylvania in 1968.
Dr. Alfredo Santos
Buenaventura, composer,
conductor and teacher, was born
in Sta. Maria, Bulacan on
October 14, 1929. He grew up in
a musical environment and
became a band member in his
hometown at a young age.
He was drawn by his fascination with
trumpets and trombones and became
one of its arrangers and conductors. He
was one of twenty boy sopranos of
Tiples at Sto. Domingo Church from
where he received his first significant
musical training.
Some of his major works include the
operas Maria Makiling (1961), Diego
Silang (1966), Prinsesa Urduha
(1969), cantatas Ang Ating Watawat
(1965), Pasko ng Barangay
(1964).
Ryan Cayabyab is a popular
contemporary composer who also
has classical compositions to his
credit, such as Misa, Four Poems for
Soprano and Piano, and Te Deum.
His compositional style makes much
use of syncopation, extended chords,
and chromatic harmony.
Among his numerous compositions are
the award-winning Kay Ganda ng Ating
Musika (1978), as well as the modern
zarzuela Alikabok (2003), the opera
Spoliarium with libretto by Fides
Cuyugan-Asensio, and a variety of choral
pieces and song cycles.

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