Introduction
To start with, I will tell you the story how music became part of my life. When I graduated in elementary, the graduation gift of my parents to me is keyboard. That time, I have no knowledge in operating it. I just pressed what I wanted to press. During that time also, my parents decided to send me here in the seminary for my high school studies. When I entered the seminary, there were seniors assigned to us, the freshmen to be our protector and someone responsible for us. They are called “Buddy”. I was amazed seeing my buddy playing the organ in the mass. And so, I was inspired to study musical instruments especially the organ. Every time the higher years and the college musicians would play instruments at the back, I look at them. I visualized myself playing the organ. It was a sign that I love music. Starting the end of the S.Y. 2005-2006, I practiced playing the organ and keyboard with the help of a college organist. I practiced always. During the summer vacation, I enrolled at Yamaha School of Music for one month. When we returned here in the seminary, I started playing organ in the mass. At first, I always commit mistakes and many would look at me and criticize me. I never gave up. Because of their criticisms, I improved and improved and now I can play the organ and keyboard well. I can also play other instruments like guitar. I am never contented and I still want to improve because I know I have many more to be learned and I can be greater someday. This is my story and this is how music became part of my life. I hope, my story as a musician can inspire you to study any of the musical instruments.
Music is already part of our lives since we were born. All that we hear since birth, if not noise, is music. The sound of animals and nature that blends together is already music. Music moves one’s soul. We can feel it. It is composed of lyrics, melody, tones, tunes, rhythm, chords and the synergy of different voices which is the harmony. It catches one’s attention. Music can calm us down and it can also make us wild. Music can make us feel “love”. It can affect how we think and feel.
Music itself brings emotion to us. They always go together. Music without any emotion has no message at all. And so it is not music. It’s only noise. If music does not have any lyrics, we can still feel something in it. It is because of the emotion it brings along with it. Its tones and other elements when combined together bring emotions. The emotions that are brought by music (even without lyrics) can already summarize what the composer wants to express---his/her feelings. Personally, what I love about music is that it awakens emotions --- most especially love. Who are in love here? Does music intensify your feeling of love?
How does music touched you? How does music became part of your life? At this moment, I will run down to you different musical genres. And so sit well, enjoy and relax. Please focus on the emotions that these different genres will bring you. (Run down various kinds of genres)
To refresh you after hearing some of the different musical genres, the core of the talk I will give you is how music became part of Rizal’s life. As we all know, Rizal is a versatile person. He is a good doctor, engineer, painter, sculptor, magician, the first Filipino philosopher, a good poet and writer, knows a lot of foreign languages and what amazed me most is that he is even a musician and composer. Yes! Rizal is a composer. Music is already part of Rizal’s life. It has been mentioned by Rizal many times in his writings: there were about 90 references in “Noli Me Tangere” and 50 references “El Filibusterismo” revealing Rizal’s ideas of music those times. And now, we will know how music became part of Rizal’s life.
I.) Rizal as a Musician
A.) Rizal as a Pianist
As we all know, The Rizal family is one of the richest families in Calamba during the Spanish era. Their family was the first to build a large stone house in Calamba. They had a carriage. They had a home library with 1000 volumes and they were all educated in Manila. In short, their family was rich.
Because Jose belongs to an elite family, they can afford to have piano. The equivalent of the piano those times were like the gadgets now. Those who have piano in their houses were only rich families. Most people who belong to rich families in the past really know how to play piano. When one knows how to play piano, it is as if he/she is a genius because he/she can interpret the piece which most people cannot do. That kind of talent brings an image that one belongs to a respected and elite family. He knew it maybe because he had a mentor, a family member or not.
B.) Rizal as a Composer
In my own analysis, Rizal has no mentor or tutor in music composition. He learned it on his own. As a pianist, it is his part to explore music on his own without others help sometimes. In my own experience, time will come that as a musician; you will really experiment on the chords and make tunes. It is just that you want to mix and make music the way you want it, the way you want it to sound and the feelings you want the music to evoke. I believe that Rizal is an “explorer” of all possibilities. Of course all of us become curious sometimes and we test on things to work in different ways. All I can say is that Rizal learned composing on his own and developed his own style in making music.
II.) Rizal’s Compositions
Rizal’s composition, Leonor is a Kundiman of music. It sounds sweet but the content or its lyrics contains his being “heartbroken” with Leonor.
Leonor- Leonor was one of the most important women in the life of Jose Rizal. She was the second to win Rizal’s heart. Leonor Rivera first met Rizal when she was only twelve years old and Jose was eighteen years old. Her parents were distant relatives of Rizal whom he addressed “Tia Betang” and “Tio Antonio.” The management of their boarding house which they called “Casa Tomasina” was Tia Betang’s responsibility. Their next meeting was when Leonor was already fourteen and Rizal was twenty. In fact they were cousins but distant. They had affairs and they kept them to Leonor’s parents. They were surprise to know that her parents were no objection to their relationship. And so they were no longer afraid to be seen together. Time came that Rizal went to Europe to have further studies in medicine with the purpose of curing her mother’s eye sight and to pursue his vision of unity for his countrymen. Both of them wrote letters to each other but they did not receive even one. With Leonor’s mother decision, Leonor married Henry Kipping. She received Rizal’s letter days before her wedding when her mother went to Manila. She knew that her mother was intercepting the letters. It was too late at all.
Rizal struggled to finish his manuscript in Noli Me Tangere. Leonor was Maria Clara in “Noli Me Tangere.” That is why in the story; Maria Clara was forced engaged on Linares. Rizal knew that Leonor had fallen ill. (Puerperal Fever- a fever that results from an infection of the womb following child birth or abortion after delivering a second son.) To make the story short, Leonor Rivera-Kipping died on August 28 1893.
Leonor
Recuerdo triste tan solo me anhelo ay Leonor. De a que lla feliz hora en que me diste tu amor. que me diste tu amor. Suspiros mil. que en mi pecho exhala
E son consuelos que en mi pecho siento el dolor. Por haber perd ido ay! Lucar ido y amor lucar ino y amor. Adios Leonor ay! adios adios ay!
English Translation:
I just thought I remember longing oh Leonor,
that happy moment that you gave me your love.
You gave me your love. My chest breaths a thousand sigh… They are a comfort for my suffering heart.
For having lost your love.
Goodbye O. Leonor, goodbye a Leonor…
Rizal also composed a song for Christmas Play. It was entitled Pastores a Belen. And so, sit well, enjoy and relax while I will bring you to his composition.
Pastores a Belen
Pastores a belen, Vamos con alas ya, A ver a nuestro bien, El hijo de maria. Pastores a belen, vamos con alegria, a ver a nuestro bien al hijo de maria. Alli, alli, alli, nos espera jesus, . Alli, alli, alli, con vida nos da.
Llevemos pues flores y miel. Para rezar al Niño Emmanuel. Puede tocar al tambor la musica y la danza, iremus al portal, iremus sin tardanza.
English Translation:
Let’s go shepherds to Bethlehem, Come now with wings to see our good, the son of Mary. Let’s go Shepherds to Bethlehem, Let’s go with joy, to see our good the son of Mary. There, there, there Jesus awaits us. There, there, there, he gives us life.
Let us bring flowers and honey, to pray to the Child Emmanuel.
Play the drums and the music for dance. We will go to the manger. We will go without delay.
III.) Music as Part of Filipino’s Lives
Music has always been part of our lives. Imagine what life is without music. For sure life would be boring without it. When we talk, sound is produced. For me it is already music. That music, which is the sound that we produced when we talk, is the music that is so spontaneous in us, which had been part of our lives since the first time we can hear and speak. It is the music wherein we express what we feel every day.
Music is the language of our souls. Here in the Philippines, majority of the songs Filipino musicians compose are love songs. Most Kundiman songs like “Ang Tangi Kung Pag-Ibig” and pop songs like “Harana” are love songs. Filipinos are fond of listening to love songs. It is because in listening to love songs, we feel the “love” that the music brings. For most composers, they can compose good love songs once they are “in love” too. Once a person is in love, he or she is inspired; he/she is always motivated to express it creatively and whole-heartedly and with passion. It shows that we, Filipinos are lovable persons. When we give love and we want love in return.
Call to Action:
Music has been and will always be part of our lives, Filipinos. It has been part of our culture here in the seminary and we should not loss it. We are known for it in the past and we should continue the legacy of the “Angkan ni Vicente.” I know that we have a lot of opportunities when it comes to music. We have a lot of musical instruments e.g. organ, keyboard, guitars, flute, saxophone and many more. We can excel in music given that the seminary provides them for us to use. As one person in the past said, and I forgot the name, “Success is when talent meets opportunity.” And so, we have to develop our talent in music because the seminary gives us a lot of opportunity.
It is good if each seminarian is required to study and master at least one instrument so that we will not only be familiar in serving in the masses but also we can play musical instruments in the mass. I also wanted to return the study of “Solfeggio” in the high school department starting from 1st yr high school. In that way, at least our high school seminarians will know the basics in music such as reading notes and sing them and they know how to beat. If they know the basics in music, it will be easier for them to learn any of the musical instruments. I also want to have community music practice at least once a month. In this way, the community continues to know new liturgical or religious music, be it old or new.
Conclusion:
Music is one of the arts God had given us humans. Animals and nature can create sounds and music but only us humans can play, interpret, and use it as means of expressing our thoughts and feelings. We can make and produce music intentionally if we feel to while other creatures cannot. Grateful are we humans for we can appreciate music. We are free to use it for good or bad.
We Filipinos proved our capacity in music, be it in any genre or musical style. Here in the Philippines, we have a lot of big names in the field of music like Ryan Cayabyab, Charice Pimpengco, Jed Madela, Manoling Francisco and many more. Here in the seminary, we are grateful to have Fr. Bong, Fr. Doming, Fr. Andy, Sir Pogi and the seminarian-instrumentalists and choir. With this, I can say that we Filipinos will never stop excelling in the field of music. To end this talk of mine, what I want to say more about music is that, music is not only the sound one produces through instrument or singing. It also refers to the one who is producing it, the composer, for his/her feelings is what makes music a music and not only a noise. “Leonor” will not be music if Rizal had no feelings of being “heartbroken." His feelings immortalized Leonor for even until now, even he is dead, we can still feel the “heartbrokenness” of Rizal when he composed that song. The person dies but the feelings in the song and music remains. I believe that we Filipinos are good composers. WE FILIPINOS ARE THE MUSIC. Once again, thank you and good morning.
To start with, I will tell you the story how music became part of my life. When I graduated in elementary, the graduation gift of my parents to me is keyboard. That time, I have no knowledge in operating it. I just pressed what I wanted to press. During that time also, my parents decided to send me here in the seminary for my high school studies. When I entered the seminary, there were seniors assigned to us, the freshmen to be our protector and someone responsible for us. They are called “Buddy”. I was amazed seeing my buddy playing the organ in the mass. And so, I was inspired to study musical instruments especially the organ. Every time the higher years and the college musicians would play instruments at the back, I look at them. I visualized myself playing the organ. It was a sign that I love music. Starting the end of the S.Y. 2005-2006, I practiced playing the organ and keyboard with the help of a college organist. I practiced always. During the summer vacation, I enrolled at Yamaha School of Music for one month. When we returned here in the seminary, I started playing organ in the mass. At first, I always commit mistakes and many would look at me and criticize me. I never gave up. Because of their criticisms, I improved and improved and now I can play the organ and keyboard well. I can also play other instruments like guitar. I am never contented and I still want to improve because I know I have many more to be learned and I can be greater someday. This is my story and this is how music became part of my life. I hope, my story as a musician can inspire you to study any of the musical instruments.
Music is already part of our lives since we were born. All that we hear since birth, if not noise, is music. The sound of animals and nature that blends together is already music. Music moves one’s soul. We can feel it. It is composed of lyrics, melody, tones, tunes, rhythm, chords and the synergy of different voices which is the harmony. It catches one’s attention. Music can calm us down and it can also make us wild. Music can make us feel “love”. It can affect how we think and feel.
Music itself brings emotion to us. They always go together. Music without any emotion has no message at all. And so it is not music. It’s only noise. If music does not have any lyrics, we can still feel something in it. It is because of the emotion it brings along with it. Its tones and other elements when combined together bring emotions. The emotions that are brought by music (even without lyrics) can already summarize what the composer wants to express---his/her feelings. Personally, what I love about music is that it awakens emotions --- most especially love. Who are in love here? Does music intensify your feeling of love?
How does music touched you? How does music became part of your life? At this moment, I will run down to you different musical genres. And so sit well, enjoy and relax. Please focus on the emotions that these different genres will bring you. (Run down various kinds of genres)
To refresh you after hearing some of the different musical genres, the core of the talk I will give you is how music became part of Rizal’s life. As we all know, Rizal is a versatile person. He is a good doctor, engineer, painter, sculptor, magician, the first Filipino philosopher, a good poet and writer, knows a lot of foreign languages and what amazed me most is that he is even a musician and composer. Yes! Rizal is a composer. Music is already part of Rizal’s life. It has been mentioned by Rizal many times in his writings: there were about 90 references in “Noli Me Tangere” and 50 references “El Filibusterismo” revealing Rizal’s ideas of music those times. And now, we will know how music became part of Rizal’s life.
I.) Rizal as a Musician
A.) Rizal as a Pianist
As we all know, The Rizal family is one of the richest families in Calamba during the Spanish era. Their family was the first to build a large stone house in Calamba. They had a carriage. They had a home library with 1000 volumes and they were all educated in Manila. In short, their family was rich.
Because Jose belongs to an elite family, they can afford to have piano. The equivalent of the piano those times were like the gadgets now. Those who have piano in their houses were only rich families. Most people who belong to rich families in the past really know how to play piano. When one knows how to play piano, it is as if he/she is a genius because he/she can interpret the piece which most people cannot do. That kind of talent brings an image that one belongs to a respected and elite family. He knew it maybe because he had a mentor, a family member or not.
B.) Rizal as a Composer
In my own analysis, Rizal has no mentor or tutor in music composition. He learned it on his own. As a pianist, it is his part to explore music on his own without others help sometimes. In my own experience, time will come that as a musician; you will really experiment on the chords and make tunes. It is just that you want to mix and make music the way you want it, the way you want it to sound and the feelings you want the music to evoke. I believe that Rizal is an “explorer” of all possibilities. Of course all of us become curious sometimes and we test on things to work in different ways. All I can say is that Rizal learned composing on his own and developed his own style in making music.
II.) Rizal’s Compositions
Rizal’s composition, Leonor is a Kundiman of music. It sounds sweet but the content or its lyrics contains his being “heartbroken” with Leonor.
Leonor- Leonor was one of the most important women in the life of Jose Rizal. She was the second to win Rizal’s heart. Leonor Rivera first met Rizal when she was only twelve years old and Jose was eighteen years old. Her parents were distant relatives of Rizal whom he addressed “Tia Betang” and “Tio Antonio.” The management of their boarding house which they called “Casa Tomasina” was Tia Betang’s responsibility. Their next meeting was when Leonor was already fourteen and Rizal was twenty. In fact they were cousins but distant. They had affairs and they kept them to Leonor’s parents. They were surprise to know that her parents were no objection to their relationship. And so they were no longer afraid to be seen together. Time came that Rizal went to Europe to have further studies in medicine with the purpose of curing her mother’s eye sight and to pursue his vision of unity for his countrymen. Both of them wrote letters to each other but they did not receive even one. With Leonor’s mother decision, Leonor married Henry Kipping. She received Rizal’s letter days before her wedding when her mother went to Manila. She knew that her mother was intercepting the letters. It was too late at all.
Rizal struggled to finish his manuscript in Noli Me Tangere. Leonor was Maria Clara in “Noli Me Tangere.” That is why in the story; Maria Clara was forced engaged on Linares. Rizal knew that Leonor had fallen ill. (Puerperal Fever- a fever that results from an infection of the womb following child birth or abortion after delivering a second son.) To make the story short, Leonor Rivera-Kipping died on August 28 1893.
Leonor
Recuerdo triste tan solo me anhelo ay Leonor. De a que lla feliz hora en que me diste tu amor. que me diste tu amor. Suspiros mil. que en mi pecho exhala
E son consuelos que en mi pecho siento el dolor. Por haber perd ido ay! Lucar ido y amor lucar ino y amor. Adios Leonor ay! adios adios ay!
English Translation:
I just thought I remember longing oh Leonor,
that happy moment that you gave me your love.
You gave me your love. My chest breaths a thousand sigh… They are a comfort for my suffering heart.
For having lost your love.
Goodbye O. Leonor, goodbye a Leonor…
Rizal also composed a song for Christmas Play. It was entitled Pastores a Belen. And so, sit well, enjoy and relax while I will bring you to his composition.
Pastores a Belen
Pastores a belen, Vamos con alas ya, A ver a nuestro bien, El hijo de maria. Pastores a belen, vamos con alegria, a ver a nuestro bien al hijo de maria. Alli, alli, alli, nos espera jesus, . Alli, alli, alli, con vida nos da.
Llevemos pues flores y miel. Para rezar al Niño Emmanuel. Puede tocar al tambor la musica y la danza, iremus al portal, iremus sin tardanza.
English Translation:
Let’s go shepherds to Bethlehem, Come now with wings to see our good, the son of Mary. Let’s go Shepherds to Bethlehem, Let’s go with joy, to see our good the son of Mary. There, there, there Jesus awaits us. There, there, there, he gives us life.
Let us bring flowers and honey, to pray to the Child Emmanuel.
Play the drums and the music for dance. We will go to the manger. We will go without delay.
III.) Music as Part of Filipino’s Lives
Music has always been part of our lives. Imagine what life is without music. For sure life would be boring without it. When we talk, sound is produced. For me it is already music. That music, which is the sound that we produced when we talk, is the music that is so spontaneous in us, which had been part of our lives since the first time we can hear and speak. It is the music wherein we express what we feel every day.
Music is the language of our souls. Here in the Philippines, majority of the songs Filipino musicians compose are love songs. Most Kundiman songs like “Ang Tangi Kung Pag-Ibig” and pop songs like “Harana” are love songs. Filipinos are fond of listening to love songs. It is because in listening to love songs, we feel the “love” that the music brings. For most composers, they can compose good love songs once they are “in love” too. Once a person is in love, he or she is inspired; he/she is always motivated to express it creatively and whole-heartedly and with passion. It shows that we, Filipinos are lovable persons. When we give love and we want love in return.
Call to Action:
Music has been and will always be part of our lives, Filipinos. It has been part of our culture here in the seminary and we should not loss it. We are known for it in the past and we should continue the legacy of the “Angkan ni Vicente.” I know that we have a lot of opportunities when it comes to music. We have a lot of musical instruments e.g. organ, keyboard, guitars, flute, saxophone and many more. We can excel in music given that the seminary provides them for us to use. As one person in the past said, and I forgot the name, “Success is when talent meets opportunity.” And so, we have to develop our talent in music because the seminary gives us a lot of opportunity.
It is good if each seminarian is required to study and master at least one instrument so that we will not only be familiar in serving in the masses but also we can play musical instruments in the mass. I also wanted to return the study of “Solfeggio” in the high school department starting from 1st yr high school. In that way, at least our high school seminarians will know the basics in music such as reading notes and sing them and they know how to beat. If they know the basics in music, it will be easier for them to learn any of the musical instruments. I also want to have community music practice at least once a month. In this way, the community continues to know new liturgical or religious music, be it old or new.
Conclusion:
Music is one of the arts God had given us humans. Animals and nature can create sounds and music but only us humans can play, interpret, and use it as means of expressing our thoughts and feelings. We can make and produce music intentionally if we feel to while other creatures cannot. Grateful are we humans for we can appreciate music. We are free to use it for good or bad.
We Filipinos proved our capacity in music, be it in any genre or musical style. Here in the Philippines, we have a lot of big names in the field of music like Ryan Cayabyab, Charice Pimpengco, Jed Madela, Manoling Francisco and many more. Here in the seminary, we are grateful to have Fr. Bong, Fr. Doming, Fr. Andy, Sir Pogi and the seminarian-instrumentalists and choir. With this, I can say that we Filipinos will never stop excelling in the field of music. To end this talk of mine, what I want to say more about music is that, music is not only the sound one produces through instrument or singing. It also refers to the one who is producing it, the composer, for his/her feelings is what makes music a music and not only a noise. “Leonor” will not be music if Rizal had no feelings of being “heartbroken." His feelings immortalized Leonor for even until now, even he is dead, we can still feel the “heartbrokenness” of Rizal when he composed that song. The person dies but the feelings in the song and music remains. I believe that we Filipinos are good composers. WE FILIPINOS ARE THE MUSIC. Once again, thank you and good morning.
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