Philippine folk music
[1] Traditional Filipino music is reflective of the country's history as a melting pot of different cultures, both western and eastern.
– discuss] Among the dominant cultural strains noticeable today are Hispanic, American and to some extent Chinese, Indian and Islamic.
Ethnomusicologists such as Ramon Santos and Corazon Canave-Dioquino typically identify three distinct traditions[2] or "repertoires"[1] of traditional Filipino music: Forms Traditional Filipino music is also sometimes categorized according to form, with one categorization being: The music of the Philippines' many Indigenous peoples are associated with the various occasions that shape life in indigenous communities, including day-to-day activities as well as major life-events, which typically include "birth, initiation and graduation ceremonies; courtship and marriage; death and funeral rites; hunting, fishing, planting and harvest; healing and various forms of armed conflicts.
"[1] Ethnomusicologists such as Ramon Santos note that Indigenous Philippine music forms closely related to the cultural traditions of Southeast Asia.
"[1] Santos also notes that the majority of these musical performances involve "the participation of the community or audience" and with "dancing and some form of physical movement."
The notable exception is in instances of solo playing or small group singing, which do not necessarily involve much physical movement.
[1][2] Some of these musical forms, notably the metrical romances, were introduced during the Philippines' Spanish period of rule, and later adopted and adapted by local artists.
[1] Many of the developments during this period were influenced by the formal training received by musicians from music schools established in the early days of the American colonial regime.
[1] Earlier musical forms evolved further, as was the case of the Kundiman, which was widely adapted as an art song, further differentiating it from its predecessor, the Kumintang.
In a study by National Artist for Music Dr. Antonio Molina, the Balitao, famous in Tagalog and Visayan regions, employs a 3/4 time signature with a "crotchet-quaver-quaver-crotchet" beat.
The dance recounts the story of Putri Gandingan (Sita) as she was saved by Rajahmuda Bantugan (Rama) from crashing rocks, represented by bamboo poles.
The Singkil is considered the most famous in the Philippines under this category for its perceived elegance, and is also performed by Filipinos from other ethnic groups throughout the country.
As closeness to Nature is a main feature of these ethnic groups, one can expect that dance steps falling under this category are a mimicry of the movements of plants and animals of a certain locality.
The decline was accelerated with the entry of television, making popular culture from Europe and the United States easily accessible to a common Filipino.
Many songs in the different Philippine languages, however, share the same tune, such as the Tagalog Magtanim ay 'Di Biro, Kapampangan Deting Tanaman Pale and the Gaddang So Payao.
Another example is the Visayan song Ako Ining Kailu, which has the same melody as the Ibanag Melogo y Aya and Kapampangan Ing Manai.
A teacher’s guide[5] released by the Department of Education Schools Division of Bataan details the lesson plan for Music in Grade 7.
Before this book, teachers relied on a collection of folk songs from 1983 that Department of Education Symphonic Band conductor Rafael Rubio says has limitations.
Florante, Freddie Aguilar, Heber Bartolome, Joey Ayala and the group Asin propagated Filipino folk songs akin to the phenomenon in the United States.
Globally popularized under the label "world music" to distinguish it from folk rock, its most popular practitioners include University of the Philippines Professor Edru Abraham and group Kontra-Gapi (short for Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino), Ethnomusicologist Grace Nono, and world music band Pinikpikan (since renamed Kalayo).
In 2014, artists Kitchie Nadal and Bullet Dumas collaborated on a contemporary recording of the traditional Waray language song "Idoy, Uday" as part of the relief effort for victims of Typhoon Haiyan the year before.
[16] Toma Cayabyab, their lead vocalist, said that they arranged the songs with the hopes of “making the younger generation appreciate and love Filipino music.”
