Himig ng Bayan: a refresher course on National Artists for Music

As part of the celebrations for the National Heritage Month, a Gala tribute for National Artists for Music was held earlier this month at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The show, billed as Himig ng Bayan, paid tribute to the fourteen National Artists for Music with performances that satisfactorily covered everyone namely Antonio Molina, Jovita Fuentes, Honorata "Atang" dela Rama, Antonino R. Buenaventura, Lucrecia Kasilag, Lucio D. San Pedro, Levi Celerio, Felipe Padilla de Leon, Jose Maceda, Ernani Joson Cuenco, Andrea O. Veneracion, Francisco Feliciano, Ramon P. Santos, and Raymundo Cipriano "Ryan" Cayabyab.

Of the fourteen, only two, Santos and Cayabyab still survive. And it was only fitting that they were in attendance that night.

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra led by Herminigildo Ranera opened the tribute with Buenaventura's Mindanao Sketches. Soprano Rachelle Gerodias performed Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal (by Cuenco and Celerio) and Kay Tamis ng Buhay (Padilla de Leon).

Violinist Coke Bolipata performed a movement from Lucrecia Kasilag's Violin Concerto No. 2 and Antonio Molina's Hatinggabi. Cayabyab's Pepe en Pilar performed by the PPO was an interesting choice considering the vast number of works that were available.

Tenor Cristiani Rebada then gave tribute to Fuentes through his performance of Ay, Kalisud before wrapping up the first half with Cuenco and Celerio's Kalesa wherein he was joined by dancers from Danspace Ballet School.

The second half began with Himig Sanghaya Chorale performing Maceda's Udlot-udlot, the only unfamiliar piece for me that night. The Philippine Madrigal Singers paid tribute to their founder Veneracion and composers Francisco Feliciano, Ramon Santos, and Lucio San Pedro with performances of Pokpok Alimpako and Pamugon (Feliciano), Tuksuhan (Santos), and Sa Mahal Kong Bayan (San Pedro).

Rebada returned onstage for a tribute to dela Rama and Abelardo with a rendition of the latter's Bituing Marikit. The popular Sa Ugoy ng Duyan (San Pedro/Celerio) was then performed by Gerodias with Danspace Ballet School dancers. The gala was capped by all the performers with Cayabyab's patriotic O Bayan Ko.

The show, directed by Dennis Marasigan, indeed covered a lot of ground although it just skimmed the surface regarding the enormous combined catalogue of the National Artists. What left me a bit wanting was that there were no recordings nor clips (if ever they exist at all) of Jovita Fuentes and Atang dela Rama. While the composers' respective legacies could go on indefinitely through performances of their works (especially those with existing scores), the vocalists like Fuentes and dela Rama do not enjoy this and their greatness could only be gathered through what were written about them. This made me appreciate more of the videos of Celerio making music with leaves.

The gala tribute served as a refresher course for me with some works coming back to me upon hearing them again after what seemed like ages. But there is still a lot of work to be done regarding making these works known to the general public. Prior to the show at the cocktails, I found myself conversing with two teenage girls who couldn't even name a single National Artist, not even Ryan Cayabyab.

I am all for tributes such as this but the real work is out of the theater and into the classrooms primarily. Exposing the young to these National Artists (not just limited to music) and their works do not only instill Pinoy Pride but they serve to encourage the creation of new works that take into major consideration Philippine sensibilities and aesthetics.