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| Original publication of the National Anthem |
An often overlooked factor when discussing history is the importance of music. During wars, the military would have bands play marches and other pieces to boost morale to their soldiers. Even before the Revolution, there were already the Spanish Regimental Bands organized in the Philippines, as well as town bands such as the Peñaranda and Zabat Bands of Nueva Ecija.
The Philippine Revolution and the later Philippine-American War sure has no deficiency in having these works for band. Although there are songs such as local kundiman sung among the soldiers, this article focuses on band music such as paso-dobles and hymns composed during and shortly after the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American war, including our current National Anthem and the two lesser-known anthems that came before it (as well as other patriotic works produced by composers of the Revolution)
Julio Nakpil
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| Nakpil in 1904 |
Julio Nakpil (May 22, 1867 - November 2 1960) was an important figure during the Revolution. He was the personal secretary of Andres Bonifacio, and later became his successor as Supremo of the Katipunan.
Even before joining Katipunan, he was already a member of Rizal's La Liga Filipina and was also a freemason. When Rizal was exiled to Dapitan, Nakpil wrote Amor Patrio, a musical setting of Rizal's Maria Clara's Song, in 1892. It was one of the earliest music settings of that poem.
Nakpil joined the Katipunan in November 2, 1896. Andres Bonifacio trusted him and elevated him as his personal secretary. When Bonifacio was executed under Aguinaldo's orders, Nakpil said that death threats were sent to him and Antonio Luna (which was executed a year later.) He became a staunch critic of Emilio Aguinaldo. After Bonifacio was killed, he consoled and eventually fell in love with Bonifacio's widow Gregoria de Jesus. They were married in 1899.
After the Philippine-American War, the Nakpil family settled in Quiapo. In 1904 he would cease to compose and he started working at the tobacco company Germinal. He would only go back to composing in 1943 and 1945 when we made a Funeral March for his wife and a Victory March for the US Miliary respectively.
He died in 1960 leaving behind 6 children. One of the children, Juan Nakpil, became a National Artist for Architecture.
Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan (Bonifacio's National Anthem)
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| Original Manuscript of Marangal, as reconstructed by the composer in 1953 |
Nakpil joined the Katipunan in November 1896. Andres Bonifacio appointed Nakpil to be his secretary, and commissioned him to write a National Anthem for the new government. The result was the Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan. Bonifacio adapted the commissioned work as the Anthem of the new Revolutionary Government and sent copies of the music to towns and regiments. There were already reports that as late as 1898 the Marangal was being sung in areas controlled by the Revolution.
Nakpil reported that Emilio Aguinaldo himself heard the Marangal, but because of the internal conflict between him and Bonifacio, he didn't adapt the Marangal as the anthem when he proclaimed Independence on June 12, 1898.
As a result, Nakpil's anthem fell into disuse as Aguinaldo's government adapted Julian Felipe's Himno Nacional Filipino as the national anthem. After the war, in 1904, Nakpil extensively reworked the Marangal into a big Grand March for orchestra named Salve Patria.
During the closing days of World War II, the National Library was bombed and most of its contents destroyed. Among them were the only copies of Nakpil's Marangal. In 1953, Nakpil reconstructed the hymn from memory, using the surviving Salve Patria as basis for his reconstruction.
Nakpil's Other Patriotic Works
Beginning with Marangal, Nakpil composed several works inspired by events of the revolution. Nakpil was the most prolific among the composers I mentioned in producing musical compositions during the Revolution, even though he is not the most popular composer during that time (Especially after Aguinaldo became leader of the government.)
The works he wrote during the revolution are as follows:
- Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan (National Anthem) [1896]
- Armamento (paso-doble) [1896]
- Pahimakas (Marcha Funebre) [1897]- Written in memory of Jose Rizal.
- Pamitinan (Polka) [1897] - for the remontados “who went into hiding because of persecution.”
- Pasig-Pantayanin [1897] (paso-doble) - dedicated to the brave revolutionaries.
- Balintawak (paso-doble) [1898] - Written in commemoration of the Cry of Balintawak
- Kabanatuan (Marcha Funebre) [1899] - Written in memory of Antonio Luna.
- Alzona, E.(1964). Julio Nakpil and the Philippine Revolution. Manila: Carmelo and Bauermann, Inc.
Antonio Escamilla
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| Escamilla in 1937 |
Although unknown today, Antonio G. Escamilla (c.1870s - Sept. 15, 1943) was one of the most known composers and officials of the Revolution. He held a high position in the Revolutionary government - as Emilio Aguinaldo's private secretary and interpreter. He also became the secretary of Pablo Ocampo. After the revolution he held positions in several organizations such as being the director of the Asocacion de los Veteranos de la Revolucion and Representative of Nueva Viscaya in the 1920s. He was also a writer and a businessman.
Some of his works include:
- Aguinaldo March (c.1898, rev. 1899) Published
- Himno de Balintawak, National Anthem (1898)
- Potpourri of Filipino Airs (1900s) (for band)
- Vida y Amor - Canzonetta (for voice duet; lyrics by Fernando Ma. Guerrero) Published
- Midnight in the Philippines (1890s)
- Vamouse Poco Teimpo Calabouse (1890s)
- President Schurman Two-step (1900) Published
- Meditation, for piano
Himno de Balintawak (Rejected National Anthem)
Antonio Escamilla wrote this work in Hong Kong as requested by Emilio Aguinaldo in 1898. However when Aguinaldo heard the work he didn't like it for being "too elaborate."
When Aguinaldo went back to the Philippines he instructed Julian Felipe to write an Anthem instead to replace Escamilla's work. That resulted in the Marcha Filipina Magdalo, and later, Marcha Nacional Filipina that would ultimately become our National Anthem.
Only the lyrics of the hymn survived to this day. It was recorded by Carlos V. Ronquillo on an article named "Mga Kantahing Bayan" published in the magazine Renacimiento Filipino on August 28, 1910. While he didn't say the name of the work, he did say that it was a Hymn and that the lyrics was written by Mariano Ponce and the music by Antonio Escamilla in 1897. He also said that it was popular among the Revolutionaries who went to Hong Kong. With this, we can assume that the lyrics he gave are from the Himno de Balintawak.
The lyrics are as follows:
So far, no known sheet music of this work survived to the present day. There might be copies hidden at ancestral houses or libraries, but more research and awareness is required in order for this piece to hopefully resurface to the public.
Aguinaldo March
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| 1904 publication of the March |
Escamilla's Aguinaldo March was perhaps one of the most played Patriotic March during the revolution after Julian Felipe's Marcha Nacional. Some reports suggest that it was played alongside Julian Felipe's Marcha Nacional. It is probably like the Stars and Stripes Forever of the Philippines in terms of spirit and usage.
Escamilla wrote the March sometime in 1898-1899, and it was published in Manila as "General E. Aguinaldo in 1899. In 1900, a score was published in the American Magazine The Woman's Home Companion after a copy of the piece was seized in a captured official at Arayat. It was republished in 1904 in the magazine Farm & Fireside. These publications say that "Every Filipino on the island knows the music, and is affected by it" indicating that it was already a very popular march among Filipinos.
After the war this piece eventually disappeared in the repertoire of Filipino bands, especially after the Flag Law of 1907 prohibiting the use of anything relating to "insurgency."
"Aguinaldo's March" by Felipe or Escamilla?
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| R. Sheridan's "The Filipino Martyrs" (1900) p. 151 |
During the course of this research, I have found many instances confusingly referring "Aguinaldo March" to both Felipe's anthem and Escamilla's march. Given that both works were popular during the Philippine-American War, it is quite indistinguishable at first on which work the sources are referring to. To solve this issue, I provide my insights:
Most of my sources are American sources. Most of these American sources undoubtedly refers to the Anthem when they talk about "Aguinaldo March" because they refer to it as a "national air."
- An example of this is on Riggs's "The Filipino Drama" where, during the only performance of Aurelio Tolentino's Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas the "Aguinaldo March" was played at a scene. Riggs noted that in the audience was Pascual Poblete busying himself at the audience, making sure that they "pay proper respect to the national air."
- There were also reports of Churches playing the "Aguinaldo March" during services. Churches at that time (especially the Iglesia Filipina Independente) were known to play Felipe's Anthem during services, particularly near the end of the service.
- As early as 1903 there was a 'law' saying that bands can only play "Aguinaldo March" if they immediately follow it with Star-Spangled Banner. The march they are referring to here is Felipe's anthem, as there were reports that people payed respect to the flag when "Aguinaldo March" was played, but not on the Star-Spangled Banner.
- Lastly, in Emanuel Maja's 1928 book "Philippine National Flag and Anthem" he talks about "Aguinaldo March" being a nickname to Felipe's anthem. He also quotes George A. Malcolm referring Felipe's anthem as "Aguinaldo March."
The only instances I've identified where people refer the "Aguinaldo March" to Escamilla's work are in 3 occasions: The 1900 Magazine publication of the score, in Sheridan's "The Filipino Martyrs" and in Gannett's "Imprint of a publisher." In Sheridan's account he mentioned both the National Anthem and Aguinaldo March being played by a band, and in Gannett's account he mentioned Escamilla himself giving 3 compositions to Jacob Schurman, among them a "revised" Aguinaldo March.
Potpourri of Filipino Airs
The Potpourri was one of the most popular band works during early 20th century Philippines, and perhaps it might be Escamilla's most popular work. As mentioned before, it was on the repertoire of numerous bands in the Philippines, and it was played by American bands on several occasions as well. It was re-orchestrated by several different musicians such as Daniel Fajardo and Lucio San Pedro under names such as "Medley of Philippine Airs" for use by their respective bands.
The almost all material from the Potpourri came from Diego Perez's piano work Recuerdos de Filipino y sus Cantares, an earlier 1885 potpourri of Filipino folk songs, with the exception of Lulay and some transitional material. The Folk Songs are as follows:
Pandangguhan (Zapateado) - Virgoire - Balinta - Comintang - Palimos - Lulay
- Escamilla, A. (1904, August 15). The Aguinaldo March. Farm and Fireside, 27(22).
- Escamilla, A. (1900, November). The Aguinaldo March. The Woman's Home Companion.
- Gannett, F. (1948). Imprint of a publisher; the story of Frank Gannett and his independent newspapers. New York: R.M. McBride.
Julian Felipe
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| Julian Felipe |
Julian Felipe (January 28, 1861 – October 2, 1944) was known to all Filipinos as the composer of the Philippine National Anthem. He was born in Cavite. Before the revolution, he was primarily a piano teacher in Cavite, and he occasionally composed music, such as the 1892 song Reina de Cavite, written for Cavite's Our Lady of Porta Vaga.
During the outbreak of the Revolution, he was imprisoned in Fort Santiago together with thirteen other prisoners. Those thirteen would later be executed, and remembered as the "Trece Martires" while Julian Felipe was freed.
When Emilio Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines in 1898 he commissioned Felipe to write an anthem for the new Republic. This would result to the Himno Nacional Filipino.
After the revolution and war, he resumed his music activities such as being a piano teacher. He died in 1944 in Sampaloc.
Some of his compositions include:
- Reina de Cavite [1892]
- Aurorita (Danza) [1895] - dedicated to his daughter; awarded a diploma of honor at the Exposicion Regional de Filipinas in 1895
- Motete al Santisimo [1895] - Awarded a diploma of honor at the Exposicion Regional de Filipinas in 1895
- Cintas y Flores
- Himno Nacional Filipino (National Anthem) [1898]
- Viva la Independencia (paso-doble) [1899]
- Olivia (Waltz) [1910] - dedicated to the physician Olivia Salamanca
- Hail to the Chief
- Philippines, my Philippines
- Un Recuerdo - dedicated to the Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite
- MacArthur March [1944] - his final composition.
Himno Nacional Filipino (Aguinaldo's National Anthem)
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| Original manuscript of Felipe's Anthem |
Emilio Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines in 1898. Dissatisfied with Escamilla's Himno de Balintawak, he invited the pianist Julian Felipe to his place to play the discarded hymn. After Felipe played it several times, Aguinaldo commissioned Felipe to write a new National Anthem that is "very different from the one just played. It has to be more serious, more majestic, as a substitute for the Marcha Real Española"
Within short notice, Julian Felipe went home and started composing the new anthem. Despite claims of inspiration from other pieces, Felipe claimed that his inspiration was nothing but "Aguinaldo's orders" and the spirit of Marcha Real.
On June 11, Felipe went back to Emilio Aguinaldo and played his new work, the Marcha Filipino Magdalo in front of Aguinaldo and other officials. After playing it several times, the officials unanimously agreed it to be the National Anthem of the Republic. And on the next day, Aguinaldo proclaimed Independence, with the band playing Felipe's Marcha Filipino Magdalo.
The anthem was first without words, until one year later in 1899 when poet Jose Palma published his Spanish poem "Filipinas" in the newspaper La Independencia. Palma's poem was based on an earlier Kapampangan poem by Mariano Pabalan.
The words was officially encorporated into Felipe's anthem. The anthem was now called Himno Nacional Filipino if it is played with they lyrics, and Marcha Nacional Filipino if it is purely instrumental.
Viva la Independencia
Lesser known now, his Viva La Independencia is a paso-doble written on May 5, 1899. It was dedicated to General Antonio Luna, who would be assassinated exactly 1 month later. This work is often known as "General Luna March" because of its dedicatee.
It is an uplifting work that is still in the repertoire of some bands today.
Other Patriotic Marches and Band works
Besides the ones already mentioned, there are still a number of patriotic pieces and marches written during or were inspired by the revolution and war. Here are some of them:
Alerta Katipunan
The Alerta Katipunan was one of the early and popular marches of the Revolution. It is not known who composed it, but it was originally a march of one of the Spanish Regimental Bands. It was adapted with Tagalog lyrics that depict life in the mountains.
Works dedicated to Pepita Tiongson
Josefina "Pepita" Tiongson of Bulacan was a darling for Revolucionarios. At least 4 works were written for her during that time, and they were arranged for band. One of them was the kundiman "Jocelynang Baliwag." We know this work was arranged for band during that time because, when asked for the composer of the kundiman, the bandmaster Lucino Buenaventura testified that he merely arranged it for band, and that it was already a popular folk song during that time.
The most popular set of lyrics for the Jocelynang Baliwag was actually written in 1905 by Isabelo de los Reyes. However, there are other recorded lyrics for the song.
Daniel Fajardo: Veteranos de la Revolucion - Marcha Patriotica
Daniel Fajardo was a prominent musician during his time. He was assistant conductor to the famed Philippine Constabulary Band for many decades and he also organized bands such as in his hometown the Las Piñas Band. He wrote this march in around 1898-1899 to commemorate the Veterans of the Revolution, and it is dedicated to Emilio Aguinaldo.
Amando Buencamino: Veteranos de la Revolucion Overture
Amando Buencamino was a musician and priest of the Iglesia Filipina Independente. This was composed around the same time as Fajardo's and it was written for Musikong Bumbong - A "Brass Band" made entirely of bamboo. It has since been transcribed into other ensembles such as rondalla and band.
This work is a 10-minute overture with 5 different parts. There was a slow introduction, a paso-doble, a waltz, a danza, and another paso-doble ending the work.
Ignacio Wytangcoy: KKK Overture
It starts with a dark, slow introduction, featuring a long Euphonium solo. Then followed a trumpet call to give way to the fast section, depicting battles during the Revolution.
Manuel Ruiz: Aires Filipinas
This was another Filipino Medley popular during the Philippine-American War and the early part of the American Occupation. Just like Escamilla's Potpurri, it was also standard repertoire among bands of that time. It was published in America in 1900 as "Popular Airs of the Philippines."
The work is in 3 movements, all full arrangements of Paterno's Sampaguita, the folk song Inday sa Balitaw, and Felipe's Marcha Nacional (labelled as Aguinaldo's March in the American publication)
Dear author, thank you for this informative and comprehensive article. I have a question regarding a particular research interest of mine. I am doing research on women scientists of the American colonial period and found amusing the reference to a piece Julian Felipe wrote for Dr. Olivia Salamanca. However, I have been unable to find other references to this work. There is this newspaper piece which does not cite sources (and in fact misspelled Felipe's name): https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/allure/2010/04/04/562919/hail-first-female-pinoy-doctors. Aside from this, I could not find the work mentioned in other biographies of Felipe, such as the CCP Encyclopedia of Arts. May I please ask if you could refer to any sources mentioning this work? Thank you in advance and thanks again for writing this great post.
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