Early Filipino Symphonies

    It is without a doubt that Filipino composers have written many symphonies during its musical history. Rosalina Abejo wrote 14 symphonies, Pajaro wrote 3, Alfredo Buenaventura also wrote 3, and many more. However, our interest for today focuses on Philippine symphonies produced before World War 2. While most of them are now lost, this post sought to create awareness and new appreciation to these innovative works by the composers of the olden times.

Simplicio Solis: Limahong Symphony

    This Symphony by Simplicio Solis is indeed the earliest Filipino Symphony ever recorded so far, probably written in the late 19th century. Unfortunately, it was lost in a fire in 1932, along with practically all of Solis's compositions.

    Raymundo Bañas in his 1926 book "Music and Theater of the Filipino People" contains the main source about Simplicio Solis and his compositions, as well as of other early Spanish period composers such as Jose Canseco Jr. 

    Any other information about Solis's "Limahong" Symphony is unknown besides from its title and that its inspired by Chinese traditional music and about the historical figure Limahong.

    According to Bañas, Solis lived alongside a Chinese store, wherein every night the Chinese owners would play their own traditional music. Inspired by these nightly concerts, Solis went and transcribed the music he heard, eventually culminating in the Symphony.

 Tereso Zapata: Symphony/Symphonic Poem

1920 faculty of UP Conservatory of Music. Zapata's Symphony was mentioned in the article. Also in the picture were Abelardo, Santiago, Jacobe, and Schofield.

    Tereso Zapata was an early Filipino violinist and composer. His "Symphony" was mentioned in the February 1920 issue of Musical America, saying that this "Symphony for Full Orchestra was well-received at first and subsequent hearings in Manila."

    E. Arsenio Manuel, in his biography of Zapata, he doesn't mention any symphony. However, he lists a Symphonic Poem named "En el Mar" in 4 movements:

I. Andante y Preludio

II. Allegro Tempesto

III. Largo Plegaria

IV. Barcarola y Gran Finale

If the original name is indeed a Symphony, then this is the 2nd documented symphony written in the Philippines, beating Estella by a few years. However, if E. Arsenio Manuel is correct, then Estella takes the crown as the writer of the 2nd Filipino symphony. As the score's location is currently unknown, this mystery remains unsolved.

Jose Estella: Filipinas Symphony

1930 performance of Estella's Symphony, with the Constabulary Symphony Orchestra conducted by the composer.

    Jose Estella's Filipinas Symphony is the first Filipino Symphony by modern scholarly consensus. Composed in 1928, this symphony attained popularity, as evidenced by articles mentioning the symphony. After Estella's death the work was lost, until it parts of it was discovered in Estella's personal collection, as donated by his granddaughter to the UP College of Music.

    Not much was known about the contents of the work itself; even the number of movements. However, by sources I can find it seems to be based on the Balitaw (or at least a movement of it,) and the Slow Movement, Adagio, was based on the Kumintang. Unless we can find the rest of the parts, or at least program notes of a performance of this work, there is not much known about this symphony.

Nicanor Abelardo: Unfinished Symphony

Abelardo regarding his Symphony. Also mentioned is his other unfinished work Rondino in Double Fugue. Abelardo's letter to Hilarion Rubio.

    This Symphony was sketched by Abelardo in 1932 during his stay at Chicago, USA. He spoke enthusiastically about this work in his letters before he abandoned it. It's unknown why he did it, but he may have intended it as his graduation piece for Masters in Music. Unfortunately he didn't finish his Masters and had to return to Manila prematurely, where he finished the rest of his studies at a local university to get the Masters diploma. 

    The only thing we know about this work is that it's based on folk songs, and is "atonal." The location of the sketches are unknown, and we can only imagine on what it sounds like.

    This is pure speculation, but perhaps the symphony might be related to his Panoramas. They're both based on folk songs, and are "atonal." Perhaps he reused some material to there? Unless we find the sketches, we'll never know.

Sufonias Aguinaldo: Filipinas Symphony in C Minor

Graduation entry of Aguinaldo, 1934.

    Aguinaldo's Symphony was written in 1934 as thesis for his Masters of Music. An accompanying analysis of the work is also on the thesis.

    Today, Sufonias Aguinaldo is a totally unknown composer. Based on the available data that I've collected, Sufonias Ponce Zabala Aguinaldo was born in Ilocos Norte, and he went to study at Washington State University during 1930-1934 where he composed several works such as a Violin Sonata in G Major and the already-mentioned Symphony. He was part of the Filipino Club there before he graduated. in 1936-1938 he went to study Education at University of Santo Tomas. Afterwards not much is known. I've found a grave with the name "Sufonias P. Aguinaldo" with dates Apr. 7, 1910 - Sept. 19, 2002 but I cannot confirm if this is him or not. 

    This symphony still exists at the WSU library. It consists of 170 pages. So far, this is the only pre-war Filipino symphony that survives in its entirety. Perhaps we can finally realize that feat and finally grant Aguinaldo some recognition today?

Francisco Santiago: Taga-Ilog Symphony

Francisco Santiago after a performance of his Symphony, 1942

(more detailed description here)

    The Taga-ilog Symphony was Santiago in his most experimental and also his masterpiece, according to Molina and E. Arsenio Manuel. The four movement work includes 'native' percussive instruments such as the gangsa and sulibaw and a blend of multiple folk songs from different regions. First named "Luvizmin," it was later changed to "Taga-ilog." The work is estimated to have a run time of about 40-50 minutes. It has four movements:

I. [Adagio -] Moderato Tropical

II. Allegretto Scherzando

III. Andante Sentimental

IV. [Rondo:] Allegro Grotesco

    It was played several times, until the original score and parts were destroyed during a bombing in February 1945. 

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    It is very saddening that, even with our orchestras today, symphonies (or orchestral works in general) even by later composers are rarely heard. I think the last time a full Filipino symphony was heard was Antonino Buenaventura's Symphony in C in 2016. What hope do we even have to at least hear Aguinaldo's Symphony once again? We just gotta continue hoping for a miracle to happen...