A brief insight on where the Zarzuela has ended by the onset of the Sarswela in the Philippines

With references from The Zarzuela: The content and form of the musical comedy stage shift with the needs of the times by Helen F. Samson, Filipino Heritage Series, Volume 6

The Zarzuela is one of the few theater art forms one can clearly say conveys an old Filipino sentiment. In spite of it being inherited from Spanish colonizers, the zarzuela was utilized, enjoyed and later transformed by the Filipinos into its now more popular type the Filipinized Sarswela. This article attempts to see how far the Filipino sarswela evolved from its roots in the zarzuelas of Spain and how it provided jobs and creative venues for Filipino composers, musicians and theater artists during the time of its inception.

The Zarzuela’s humble beginnings started in the Castillan outskirts of Spain. From the word “zarza” or bramble, it is a genre of musical theater characterized by a mixture of sung and spoken dialogue. Covarrubias’s Tesoro de la lenguazarza as ‘a spiny mat… a thing that s all linked together and intertwined in itself” (Sadie and Tyrell, 759).  Zarzuela is also used generally to describe a mixture of rustic dances, spoken dialogues and songs. This was what transpired in the Palacio Real de la Zarzuela, when Gaspar de Haro, Marquis of Heliche organized short musical plays of lightly burlesque nature to entertain the king and his guests.

Zarzuela, the Spanish light opera: it has one foot in the palace and the other in the street. The genre takes its name from the Palacio de la Zarzuela north of Madrid, in an area surrounded by zarzas (brambles); the Spanish royal family now resides in the palace. The origins of zarzuela were courtly but its subject matter, staging, dance and music all feature signs of popular culture. The genre has been compared to operetta, Singspiel or Broadway musical, but is really unique to Spain. It is theater that alternates music and spoken dialogue (Stanton, 2002: 158).

Because of what seemed to be a shallow assortment of songs and dances with speaking lines, the early Spanish zarzuelas was snubbed by those who were already awed by the grand opera tradition of its neighboring countries.

When nationalism sipped in the consciousness of people around the world, European nations started creating their own music. Amidst the prevailing Italian and German styles, smaller nations started to look around in their own backyard and began creating their own musical forms. Same goes for Spain. In pursuit to have its own identity recognized in the world of music, Spain revived and develop the zarzuela to rival the prevailing Italian Opera.

Designed to compete with the opera imported from Italy, these carried the subtitles “zarzuela comedia” and “zarzuela nueva” respectively. The Term “zarzuela” was last used more than a century earlier (Samson: 1642).

Incorporating nationalistic identities went through processes of adapting and eventually revamping known forms into more suitable structures. Early zarzuela works still has the reminiscent comedia which is a clever combination of poetic and prose dialogue in four to six acts. Travelling actors usually produce and perform comedias in public squares or in the courtyards of city buildings but unlike the comedia, zarzuelas now enjoy a legitimate venue for a more decent performance on stage and was at a time referred to as “zarzuela comedia,”

A goldsmith from Seville, Lope de Rueda (fl. Ca. 1540-67), and his group of travelling actors produced comedias, a clever combination of poetic and prose dialogue in four to six acts, in public squares or in the courtyards of city buildings known as corrales.⁸ Many of Rueda’s comedias featured musical numbers, frequently titled as romances. Romances were based on dances and popular songs of the era. (Sturman, 2000: 14)

As it did in the comedia, music served structural goals in zarzuelas. It was based on popular tunes and text, sometimes rearranged in polyphonic settings. It was especially important in contributing a sense of realism in rustic scenes and provided the medium for mystical, supernatural and anonymous voices and dialogue. (Sturman, 2000: 16 – 17)

Unfortunately the association of the zarzuela with the comedia did not do well for the former. Singers do not find the zarzuela a good vehicle for success if they aspire to go up the ladder in their careers and often turn to the more challenging operatic repertoire to showcase their vocal acrobatics and technical proficiencies. Music in this form holds the backseat and highlights the dialogues more than the songs. This attitude explains why the zarzuela remained inferior compared to the Italian opera for a while.

The Spanish zarzuela reached a more polished and cohesive form in terms of content and structure in 1880. It even flourished in various types and was given other names such as jugete, revista, sainete, paradia, humorada, aproposito, ecloga, pasatiempo, depending on the liking of the its composer. Efforts of noted Spanish composers such as Manuel Breton de los Herreros, Basilio Basili and R. dela Vega to name a few, resulted in the creation of La Verbena de la Paloma. This work is one of the oldest zarzuela still in circulation not only in Spain but also in Latin American communities in the United States of America, marking the emergence of zarzuela behind the shadows of the Italian opera.

Two centuries later, the zarzuela reached the Philippines through the efforts of Spanish dramatist Dario Cespedes and his zarzuela company in 1878 and Alejandro Cubero with Spanish actress Elisea Raguer in 1880. Cespedes’ company presented Jugar con Guego as the first Spanish zarzuela performed in the Philippines with music by Francisco Asenjo Barbieri and libretto by D. Ventura dela Vega while Cubero was given the title of “Father of Spanish Theater in the Philippines” due to his efforts of bringing each zarzuela performances to a level of perfection (Samson, 1642). Ateneo de Manila had their production of zarzuelas in 1880. Entitled Junto al Pasig, this work is written in verse by Jose Rizal presented by Ateneo de Manila with music by Blas Echegoyen. This is just one of the early amateur zarzuelas making clear its fast growing popularity in Filipino societies. Trainees and protégés of Cubero and other zarzuelistas started staging zarzuelas in the provinces. People in all walks of life had the chance to witness this form of entertainment whether they speak Spanish or not. As a result of these introductions of zarzuela in the countryside, the inevitable emergence of zarzuelas in the native languages began.

The new troupes ventured out in the provinces, as far as Iloilo, Bacolod and the Bicol region – areas with enough Spanish –speaking inhabitants. In a few years with the change of regime zarzuelas in the native languages began to appear (Samson 1642).

This commences the evolution of the zarzuela to fit the Filipino society. Since zarzuelas in Spain usually depicts the rustic life of Spanish society and its common folk, it is not surprising the same will happen in the Philippines if the Filipinos are expected to patronize this art form. People need a way to connect with it and it should mirror their lives if this goal is to be achieved. Incorporating existing theater forms that are more familiar such as the moro-moro in the zarzuela did it for starters. Moro-moro is believed to be an offshoot of a chivalric-heroic poem called the awit and a legendary religious poem called the corridor that had swept the country as early as 1610 up to the beginning of the twentieth century. It tells of the loves and brilliant deeds and adventures of king and queens, of princes and princesses, of counts and dukes.  It also relates of giants, tigers, lions, bears, serpents, dragons, angels, saints, and devils.  Often tinged with supernatural and miraculous forces, it may present poisons, magic rings, birds that drop messages, people who get enchanted in the forest.  The hero is expected to emerge victorious despite all obstacles and to risk his life for the hand of his lady love (Carpio 2001).

At the end of the three and a half centuries of Spanish rule the Americans took over and the political needs of the moment gave rise to a unique theater form in which the central ideas of the moro-moro intermingled with the gaiety, humor, frolic and abandon of the Spanish zarzuela. This new form was the Filipino zarzuela (Samson 1642).

Eventually main characters in the zarzuelas became Filipinos in conflict with Spaniards or Americans with the Filipinos emerging as the victorious ones in the end of course. This conclusion of having the native hero winning in the end echoes the moro-moro theme.

Back in Spain, the Spanish zarzuela is still in the process of reinventing itself. It flourished into several forms and styles under one umbrella term zarzuela. As it reached its golden age, zarzuelas in Spain have now placed great importance to music in contrast to its earlier form where all the theatric elements stood on equal footing.  One very distinct characteristic Spanish zarzuelas in terms of vocal styles is the use of gorgoritos or the vocal trills very common to Spanish art songs. The style of using the natural voice and other regional vocal ornamentations and incorporate it with operatic styles gave zarzuelas a very rustic Spanish flavor. As for Filipino sarswela, it has completely abandoned the zarzuela and had a transformation of its own.

Early sarswela does not seem to possess great music. Even the text does not contain any great literary value. A possible reason for this lack of artistic vibrancy is because the early sarswela only serves as a form of entertainment that aimed to stir the Filipino audience to rise up against the prevailing foreign domination in the land.

Literary and dramatic values were also hardly present in those early vernacular works. They were perhaps merely propaganda vehicles rather than literary or artistic types. After all, they were revolutionary plays without any immediate esthetic purpose. What they did was strengthen and stimulate the nationalistic spirit of the Filipinos (Samson 1642).

These types of sarswelas with political overtones prevailed in the American era and soon enough American authorities find it dangerous for them and started the arrest of librettists and sarswela producers that they consider subversive.

One of the zarzuelas presented during this period was Pag-ibig sa Lupang Tinubuan, with Libretto by Pascual Poblete and music by Severino Kimpin Bautista. It was premiered early in 1900 and in its third performance, in March of that year, saw the arrest of librettist and owner of the Oriental Theater, where the work was being staged. Raids like this continued and they discouraged works with political overtones (Samson 1642).

Incidents like this forced sarswelistas to change their tone a bit so as not to let the authorities disrupt the thriving art form. This change of mood for the meantime paved way for a grander sarswela that demanded more composers, writers, theater artists and musicians.  The names of composers Bonifacio

Soon Filipino zarzuela found itself evolving into a kind of comedy of manners. Elaborate theatrical and musical displays were deemed a necessity. In no time at all, musician found themselves much in demand as composers, conductors or members of orchestras (Samson 1642).

Abdon and Jose Estrella with musician Remigio Agustin and Leon Ignacio surfaced and started creating sarswelas “Ang Maya” is one example of a with much needed musical and theatrical values. Estrella’s “ with much needed musical and theatrical values. Estrella’s “

Among Estrella’s many waltzes, the now famous “Ang Maya” is what he is remembered for. It was originally composed for Severino Reyes and his zarzuela Filipinas para los Filipinos in 1905 (Samson 1644).

refreshing music style in song found in sarswelas where he provided the music. It displays clearer forms and sections and displays just enough vocal artistry from the singer that does not overshadow the rest of the performance and performers.

Although the Filipino sarswela strayed away from the original Spanish zarzuela style, it seemed that it did the sarswela and the Filipinos more good than bad. It enabled them to develop their own artistry that somehow gave that distinctive flavor that can be claimed truly Filipino. The works of Severino Reyes, and his collaboration with several other Filipino composers such as Fulgencio Tolentino for Walang Sugat, Juan de Sahagun Hernandez for Minda Mora, are just a few of several great works that emerged during this period of prolific production and creation of sarswela materials. Other works include Leon Ignacio’s “Dalagang Bukid.” This also launched the career of the well known sarswela performer Honorata “Atang” dela Rama who later became the “Queen of Kundiman.” Famous Kundiman composers such as Nicanor Abelardo and Francisco Santiago also had their share of sarswelas. Abelardo’s “Ang Dakilang Punglo” featured the immortal “Bituing Marikit” that has become a favorite in the long list of Kundiman back then until this day of videoke and magic sing. The list will go on and sadly for some works that were destroyed during the Second World War, it only remained in the memories of those who were lucky enough to witness such great works. Even the existing libretto and music of Severino Reyes’ Walang Sugat are just fragments of what the war has left behind. Its reconstruction and inclusion of newer songs were a collaboration of several other composers to fill up the ones lost from the original works of Fulgencio Tolentino.

Conclusion

Enumerating just a few of the much known sarswelas only proved how much it evolved from the rustic Spanish zarzuela based on the comedia of the olden days. As the sarswela completely deserted the zarzuela traditions and styles of Spain, the Filipinos were able to put their mark in the art form’s Filipinized version. It seemed to have undergone a three hundred sixty degree turn by changing the Spanish text using the vernacular and other regional dialects around the Islands, using ways and culture unique to Filipino society and the distinctive nationalistic fervor which is ever present in the sarswelas of

The first step in the indigenization of the zarzuela, therefore, was the language. The subject matter followed naturally, being the experience the language could encapsulate, the reality coming from its own cultural matrix.

Although their models for the form, the Spanish zarzuelas, dealt with mythology, royalty, nobility, Dons and Donas and other character of Spanish life, the native sarswelistas focused on Filipino situations, domestic and social: marriage, family, vices, elections, feasts. Stage drama in the Philippines, which had before then been mainly religious or drawn from European metrical romances, has finally found the form in which it was possible to present native day-to-day life on stage (Fernández, 1996: 81).

the 1900s. It has been revived and restaged through the years and still possesses these very qualities that the audiences loved. Although one cannot avoid comparing the sarswela with the theater forms of today with the likes of the west end and Broadway musicals, sarswelas echoes the old Filipino culture which started as an offspring of how the Filipinos back then dealt with and processed the influence of foreign culture to make something better for Filipinos by Filipinos.

Situations and circumstances were different back then and most of the things created or developed during that time are just products of the era and not of their chosen personalities. Filipino artistry is faced with a challenge to survive foreign domination and a way coming up with something worthwhile out of something that is not good resulted to the sarswela. The sarswela cannot be compared to the modern western musicals of today which are commonly staged in the country following strict adherence from its original performance abroad. If one will look at how these modern musicals came to being is because of totally different set of circumstances. Meanwhile, original Filipino musicals of today still look back to the sarswela traditions of their forefathers for inspiration so as not to lose the Filipino flavor in their modern Filipino works.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Carpio, Rustica C., The Moro-Moro in Perspective. http://www.panitikan.com.ph/criticism/themoromoroinperspective.htm

Fernández, Doreen.  Palabas: Essays on Philippine theater history. Ateneo de Manila, University Press, 1996.

Sadie, Stanley and Tyrell, John Tyrell (Editors).  The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Second Edition. Volume 27. Oxford University Press. 2004.

Samson, Helen F.  The Zarzuela: The content and form of the musical comedy stage shift with the needs of the times. Filipino Heritage. Volume 6: The Spanish Colonial Period (18th/19th centuries) Roots of National Identity.

Stanton, Edward F.  Culture and customs of Spain. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002.

Sturman, Janet Lynn.  Zarzuela: Spanish operetta, American stage. University of Illinois Press, 2000.

Asian nations have a very distinct and remarkable sound when it comes to the music of their people. When somebody hears Chinese or Indian music, one can easily tell which is which. Indonesia and Malaysia may utilize similar materials for their traditional musical instruments but each has its own distinctive qualities that clearly differentiate one from the other. The Philippines which belongs to the Southeast Asian region is not quite akin to its Asian neighbors when it comes to music. Its “western” sound brought about by the colonization it experienced in the past 500 years has become more prominent.

With the country being where it is located, one will wonder there must be some sort of music practices indigenous to the country’s early inhabitants before colonization of Spain. This paper will attempt to look into this assumption through careful browse at some documents from several volumes of Helen Blair’s and James Alexander Robertson’s The Philippine Islands. This notable work translated Spanish documents written by some members of the Spanish expedition regarding their observations and opinions of the early Filipinos’ way of life, beliefs and customs in the 1600s.

Music plays a different role in the early Filipino society. It is not merely to entertain but functions as an important ingredient in their everyday activities. One very common practice not just in Asia but perhaps in the other parts of the world is Shamanism. Christian European countries  have a very dark and negative view of this in olden days. In their understanding or at least what they wanted to believe is that shamanism is an activity fueled by satanic veneration and demonic worship. This has always been the last resort to explain the unexplainable and this was their mind set when they came to islands and encountered these practices from the natives.

(In Taguima) When they are about to perform the sacrifice, they prepare the place with many green branches from

Photo from http://www.univie.ac.at/voelkerkunde/apsis/aufi/yakan/yakan.htm

the trees, and pieces of cloth painted as handsomely as possible. The bailan plays on a heavy reed pipe about one braza in length, such as are common to that land, in the manner of a trumpet; and, while thus engaged, the people say that he talks to their gods. Then he gives a lance-thrust to the hog. Meanwhile, and even for a long time before commencing the rite, the women ring a certain kind of bell, play on small drums, and beat on *porcelain vases with small sticks—thus producing a sort of music which makes it very difficult for them to hear one another. After the hog is killed, they dress it, and all eat of the flesh (Artieda 177).

Babaylans of the Visayas are priestesses or shamans that were also called Catalonans in the Luzon area. Most rituals and methods employed by these women (or sometimes men) seemed to have a lot of similarities may it be in from the southern or northern part of the pre-Hispanic Philippines. Shamanism is a well respected profession in these societies and their work involved the use of some sort or musical instruments as described by Diego de Artieda in his article. Only in the names of the musical instruments used the Babaylans and Catalonans may differ.

Several ethnic groups resided in Taguima which is known today as Basilan. Artieda did not identify which of these he was referring to in his letter. The instruments mentioned can be any of the ones used by the Yakans, Tausugs and other ethnolinguistic groups existing within Taguima or from the neighboring islands of Mindano and even the Visayas during that time.

In some sources, the following instruments are specifically referred to as the instruments used by Babaylans in their curing rituals in the Visayas. The heavy reed pipe could be a Bodyong (Scott 1994: 109) which is a section of bamboo played against the lips like a bugle as part of the Babaylan’s paraphernalia during a paganito or a curing ritual. A conch shell can also be utilized to make a Bodyong and is also used to signal in times of war.  Drums may either be a Gimbal or Gadang which were made of hallow tree trunks with a deerskin head and are common all over the south. The Yakans who are the main resident of Taguima have the Jabujabu (djabu-djabu) which is a type of drum that summons the people to prayer (Nicolas 1977: 100-108). Common bells were also employed by the Babaylans. In the Visayas these little jingle bells are referred to as Golong-Golong. There are other bells used although these were attached on a tambourine and is called Kalatong is also used to keep time during rituals.

It is only in case of sickness, and in times of seed-sowing or of war, that sacrifices are offered. These sacrifices are called baylanes, and the priestesses, or the men who perform this office, are also called baylanes. The priestesses dress very gaily, with garlands on their heads, and are resplendent with gold. They bring to the place of sacrifice some pitarrillas (a kind of earthen jar) full of rice-wine, besides a live hog and a quantity of prepared food. Then the priestess chants her songs and invokes the demon, who appears to her all glistening in gold. Then he enters her body and hurls her to the ground, foaming at the mouth as one possessed. In this state she declares whether the sick person is to recover or not. In regard to other matters, she foretells the future. All this takes place to the sound of bells and kettle-drums (Loarca 1582: 122).

The article above still describes Babaylan activities from the point of view of Miguel de Loarca. Although Loarca’s description speaks of shamanism in general, he also mentioned the use of bells and kettle drums.

Aside from the rituals of the Babaylans and Catalonans, there were other customs of the natives where music is utilized regularly. It is common for almost all of the ethnolinguistic groups in the country to have some ritual in observance of the life cycle. Birth, rite of passage from being a child towards adulthood, marriage, childbirth and death are just some of the events in their lives that hold a special kind of gathering which of course will involve music making.

Their manner of burying the dead was as follows: The deceased was buried beside his house… and for many days the relatives of the dead man bewailed him, singing dirges, and praises of his good qualities, until finally they wearied of it. This grief was also accompanied by eating and drinking. This was a custom of the Tagalos (Plasencia 1589: 184).

The writings of Spanish friar Juan de Plasencia attest to the fact that there must be an existing music culture in the islands even before Spain reached our very soil. If bewailing and singing dirges is a common practice it is possible that there existed a repertoire pertaining to this custom. The said bewailing of the Tagalogs as they mourn their dead is called Sambitan which is an extemporaneous dirge that takes place with Tibaw or heavy drinking during funerals (Scott 1994: 238). In the Visayas, a Handum was to recall somebody departed with affectionate praise and bat-ar was a dirge or eulogy addresses to the deceased at a wake. Dirges in Leyte and Samar were called haya and female parahaya or those hired to sing mournful tunes which evoked shrieks from the widowed and relatives present. Haya were also called anogon or kanogon (“Alas! Woe is me!”), and since they not only praised the dead but petitioned them directly for supernatural favor (Scott 1994: 110) Although dirges Sambitan and Handum are not any more practiced by the Tagalogs or Visayans living in Manila and other modern cities of today, it is possible that such is still in practice in the inner rural areas of some provinces that were not able to catch up with the fast changing time.

Another custom common to the ethnolinguistic groups is the long epic narratives of their tribe.  Loarca also mentioned this in his chronicles and thus follows;

….Also, during their revelries, the singers who have good voices recite the exploits of olden times; thus they always possess a knowledge of past events. The people of the coast, who are called the Yligueynes, believe that heaven and earth had no beginning, and that there were two gods, one called Captan and the other Maguayen (Loarca 1582: 116).

Most indigenous vocal music has epic songs in their varied repertoire. In the Visayas, the kandu is a lengthy song performance of the elders. Singing maybe in parts where in the Biyaw was to sing solo. There are also the mamaratbat whose role is to present and set the tune and beat by singing a couplet. Others will respond in chorus (mananabat),  batbat meaning to beat metal flat. The narrative content of these songs was called biriyawan—tales or fables –or karanduun if it was of epic length. Other tribes have their own epic

songs that tell of the creation of the world. This subject seemed to have different versions all over the country depending on which group is narrating the story.

All their government and religion is founded on tradition, and on custom introduced by the Devil himself, who spoke to them through their idols and the ministers of these. They preserve it in songs, which they know by heart and learn when children, by hearing these sung when they are sailing or tilling their fields, when they are rejoicing and holding feasts, and especially, when they are mourning their dead. In these barbarous songs they relate the fabulous genealogies and vain deeds of their gods–among whom they set up one as the chief and superior of them all. This deity the Tagalos call _Bathala Mei capal_, which means “God the creator or maker;” the Bissayans call him _Laon_, which denotes antiquity. These songs relate the creation of the world, the origin of the human race, the deluge, paradise, punishment, and other invisible things, relating a thousand absurdities, and varying much the form, some telling it in one way, others in another (Chirino 1604: 169).

An example of specific form that conveys the said topic is the katakata which is a long traditional song narrating the lives, loves, and historical backgrounds of people who lived during early times.  Jamiluddin, and nahana may also narrate the history of the Yakan people.  The Yakan believed that such stories originated from people who lived in another world.

Even before the proliferation of Spanish culture in the Philippine Islands, the country already has an established trade relationship with its neighbors in the Asian region. Inevitably some of these Asian foreigners were also enticed to migrate to the islands either to seek greener pasture or to escape the strict traditional regulations of their country of origin. Asian settlers such as the Chinese were also baptized by the Spanish friars together with the native Filipinos and in Father Pedro Chirino’s article; he mentioned one Christianized Asian of Japanese origin whom in spite of being converted assimilated his culture with his newly found faith.

The Japanese who came to Manila also repaired to our church; and I once saw them perform a very decorous and devout dance in a feast of the most holy sacrament. Their mode of dress is decorous, and they sing, to a slow and solemn music, marking the pauses by strokes with a small fan grasped in the palm of the left hand; they move in time with this, only stamping their feet, inclining their bodies somewhat. The effect is most striking, and invites devotion, especially in those who understand what they sing, which are all things pertaining to the divine (Chirino 1604: 169).

It is possible that this is a form of Gagaku presentation common in Japanese culture that reflects grace and elegance of those earlier times. Gagaku can be an umbrella term referring to various types of presentation such as chamber music and dances in the imperial court of Japan. Music used in Gagaku performances are slow and drawn out and such slow pace requires grace and control of movements for the dance which can also be viewed as pantomime-like but with more elaborate costumes.

During the civil in Japan (1467-1477), the Gagaku performances came into a halt and only families maintained its performances in their own home. It is possible that these Japanese converts of the Spanish missionary in the Philippines brought their culture in the country and continued practicing them with a different spiritual perspective.

On playing their own musical instruments, there were some of it mentioned in the article of Father Pedro Chirino about the skilled Filipino musicians in the Tagalog and Visayan region.

The Filipinos are not so ceremonious in their actions as are the Chinese and Japonese; yet they have their politeness

A Tagalog couple of the Maharlika nobility caste of the 16th Century (photo from of wikipedia.org).

and good breeding, especially the Tagalos, who are very civil and courteous in word and action….As a result of this, they are much given to musical practice; and although the guitar that they use, called _cutyapi_, is not very ingenious or rich in tone, it is by no means disagreeable, and to them is most pleasing. They play it with such vivacity and skill that they seem to make human voices issue from its four metallic cords. We also have it on good authority that by merely playing these instruments they can, without opening their lips, communicate with one another, and make themselves perfectly understood–a thing unknown of any other nation. The Bisayans are more rustic and less civil in manners, just as their language is harsher and less polished (Chirino 1604: 169).

The musical instrument referred to here by Father Chirino can be the Kudyapi defined as a kind of small lute carved out of a single piece of wood with a belly of half a coconut shell added for resonance, with two or three wire strings plucked with a quill plectrum, and three or four frets, often of metal (Scott 1994: 108). Although in the article, the Kudyapi being talked about has four strings proved that there are a variety of this type of instrument that existed in the country. The Kudyapi was only played by men, mainly to accompany their own love songs

Conclusion

Several articles mentioned various indigenous customs of various ethnolinguistic groups in the country that utilized music. In the descriptions above, the important role of the observance of life cycles and other momentous event in their lives necessitate the creation of their own music. As a result, there is music in their daily activities and in almost all of the life stages such as birth, baptism, rite of passage, marriage and death.

Indigenous Kulingtang ensemble from southern Philippines (Photos from http://www.ri.net/schools/East_Greenwich/Cole/philippinesarts.html).

If one has to base their definition of music on western music system and tonality he or she will definitely be disappointed but if one will have an open mind and will look at things without the Eurocentric perspective he or she will be amazed on the ingenuity of the early Filipinos. It is just sad that these early achievements were put into halt when western influences flooded the country as commenced by the Christianization acts of the Spain.

The Philippines has a rich and thriving music tradition even before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers in 1521. Its purpose and role in their cultural and ordinary life may not be the same as of the Westerner’s but it will still give a definition of who they are.

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Ting, Gwendalene Visayan Performing Arts Retrieved February 10, 2009 from http://www.

geocities. com/icasocot/visayan music.htm

Tenyong is being comforted by Julia after the latter’s father died while being tortured by Spanish authorities.

A Feast for the eyes, not much for the ears
Performed by the Barasoain Kalinangan Foudation
February 13, 2009 performance, UP Theater

When the word Zarzuela is mentioned one prominent work comes to mind and with it the name of its creator. Walang Sugat by Severino Reyes is probably one of the well known examples of Zarzuelas to date. Although Severino Reyes have written several other works, Walang Sugat gained a considerable sucess during the zarzuela’s golden era in 1930s. It rose again to prominence after the Second World War and won over the younger generations of zarzuela aficionados during its revivals in 1979 and 1992. Even if it has gone through several ordeals through the years it does not seem to lose its appeal to its loyal audience.

Recently, this wonderful zarzuela took the stage once more in celebration of the Zarzuela Festival at the University of the Philippines with performances by the Barasoain Kalinangan Foundation, Inc. The program commenced with a dance as the overture plays on. Combination of movements showing various emotions depict the bad and good elements in the story. It also served as a fore warning of things to come as old photographs were flashed in the back ground with the aid of an LCD projector. It seems like the dance was also to interpret what was being flashed on the screen. These were pictures showing the hardships and atrocities the Spanish colonizers had brought upon the natives that eventually led to the founding of the Katipunan by Andres Bonifacio and the writing of the Dr. Jose Rizal’s Noli me Tanghere and El Filibusterismo.

The first part of the zarzuela introduced the main characters Tenyong and Julia. Tenyong was enjoying sweet time with his sweetheart Julia when news came that his father was arrested by the Spanish officers due to suspicion of  his seditious activities against the government. The cruelty of his captors led to his death forcing the young Tenyong to avenge his father’s death by joining the rebels and taking on what his father had started. But this decision meant leaving his family and his beloved Julia behind. The ever hopeful and faithful Julia can only do nothing but support the decision of  Tenyong and prayed to the high heavens that time will come that all these things that disturbed their love will come to pass.

Julia singing the first verse of the song “Bayan Ko” as she bids farewell to Tenyong who will soon join the rebel forces to fight for his countrymen against abusive Spanish authorities.

As if separation was not enough. News came for Julia that she was to be engaged to Miguel in the second act. The rich yet witless son of Don Tadeo, a family friend of

Tenyong upon learning the bad news of Julia’s engagement to Miguel swore to come back and save the woman he loves as he prayed to God singing “Wag mo sanang Dulutan.”

Julia’s, won the favor of Julia’s mother Juana. His being dense and “shy” on so many things eased her nerves that he will never be involved in any undoing against the government that will bring peril to their lives unlike the rebellious Tenyong. This unwelcome news came to Tenyong through an emissary sent by Julia along with it is also the news of the passing of  Tenyong’s mother. Luckily for both of them, the revolution was coming to an end just in time for Tenyong to rescue his love from being married to somebody else.

In the final act, Tenyong arrived on the day of Miguel and Julia’s wedding date being carried by his soldiers and appeared to be wounded and was about to die. He had requested for Julia’s hand in marriage and would not mind so much for Julia and Miguel to carry on with their matrimony upon his death. Everybody agreed as an act of goodwill for someone who is close to death thus Tenyong and Julia wed. Tenyong of course did not die. Instead he revealed himself to be in good health for everybody to exclaim “Walang Sugat!” ending the story on a happy note that all good things will come in the end.

The two lovers served as a breather against the dark and harsh realities of the revolution. The hopeful Julia and the ideal hero Tenyong relied on their love and loyalty for each other to guide them towards these turbulent times as what was said in their love duet “Sa Hirap at Ginhawa.” This song was not part of the original Fulgencio Tolentino score. Instead it was composed by Mike Velarde who was just one of the several composers who came up with the reconstruction of the material after it was destroyed during the Second World War. This overflowing love soon metamorphosed into love of country and its emancipation from foreign domination as what was expressed by the final song in the first act “Bayan Ko” immediately following “Sa Hirap at Ginhawa.” This moving number was composed by another great Filipino, Constancio De Guzman. This song managed to survive up to this date for it has become the anthem of the Filipinos whenever rights of the people are being oppressed. Several other songs written to reconstruct the zarzuela were “Paalam” and “Huwag Mong Dulutan,” also by de Guzman; “Walang Sugat,” “Makikiliti Kang Totoo,” and “Ako’y Lubayan” were also Velarde’s and “Battle Song” by Herminio Velardo. The rest of the music remained Fulgencio Tolentino’s.

Tenyong has returned home and appeared to be wounded in battle and is now about to die. As a last request from a dying man, he asked Julia to be married to him before he dies.

The Barasoain Kalinangan Foundation Inc.’s production of Walang Sugat remained faithful to the traditions of Zarzuela form after all. Except for the use of multimedia devices such as the LCD projector and lapel microphones, one can say that it is still the zarzuela our grandparents had enjoyed during their time. Unfortunately, one cannot help to be distracted when lapel microphones become visible on stage for it totally disrupt the illusion of bringing the audience back to the time and place of the zarzuela where these gadgets were never heard of. Costumes are a delight to the eyes and one can feel a little envy because of the fact that the fashion then can only remain to be worn and seen on stage. The additional frame constructed on the stage and outside of the enormous UP Theater is reminiscent of the old Zorilla theaters where swirling flowers and banana leaves were engraved giving it that rustic feel and differentiating it from a more polished and classical opera sets or the modern and clean lines of the UP Theater architecture.

Appreciation for the music of Fulgencio Tolentino and the other composers was easy for zarzuela aficionados. But if one is a regular supporter of modern day music such as the prevalent pop culture of today, he or she might need to spend a little more time not just the music but almost everything to sink in to be able to appreciate it. Most comments from the young people present during the program stated that they were bored by the long and unexciting overtures. They were irked by the “corny” dialogues and the customs of men and women in their interactions during that time as presented in the zarzuela. It appears to be that these old customs of men and women’s interaction were alien to them and gave them a hard time understanding why it is so. As for the music, it brought back the memories of the usual background music common to the old black and white movies of the 1930s but once the familiar melodies of the individual songs were heard it started to have an identity of its own. The some of the song types were similar to the Kundiman genre in terms of content and sentiment while others were based on the Danza and the Habanera tempo prevalent of the Spanish era. Marches were common since the story included scenes from a nation on the verge of revolt making its presence inevitable. These types of old Filipino music was sentimental and carried a lot of emotion and aspirations. It expresses the bittersweet effects of letting go, the ecstasy of victory over dark forces threatening separation from a loved one and the spirit of nationalism. During those days, these emotions were conveyed in music and songs based on the parameters dictated by that era may it be the availability of musical instruments used, ideals and philosophies practiced, vocal and acting techniques employed and the conditions where such music were to be performed. It cannot be better than how it already is and for it to go beyond that will entail this form to be called something else other than zarzuela music and arias. The dialogues only showed how customary conversations were handled by women towards men, a daughter towards her mother and a son to his father. If one compares these things to what are happening to today’s society, he or she can only shake his or her head for such Filipino refinement and courtesies had already vanished in people’s daily interactions.

Final scene of Act 1 of the zarzuela Walang Sugat where the song Bayan Ko was sung.

As for the Barasoain Kalinangan Foundation Inc.’s actors, although the performance is a zarzuela, it is evident that singing is not one of their strong features for there is a great need for improvement with regards to vocal performance. Zarzuela singing does not necessarily require strong operatic techniques but substantial knowledge and skills in execution will do. The use of lapel microphones can be a great help for vocal timbre that lack volume specially if pitted against the gargantuan stage like the UP Theater but it also amplify undesirable and destructing sounds. Singing is poorly supported and exemplified a lack in singing techniques. When the singing aspect in a Filipino production is taken for granted it always take away the recognition the written music it truly deserves. Walang Sugat possesses many wonderfully written songs which could have been more uplifting for the people listening if given a just performance by the singer. It seems like it has become customary to Philippine theater to take the acting part seriously and never mind if singing part does not match the quality of acting. One has to remember that singing does not only mean to execute the right notes with the proper rhythm. The singing itself should impart comfort that will put the listener at ease to be able to savor the song without the uncomfortable anticipation for a crack in the voice of the performer or the obvious lack of breath. Audiences tend to breathe with the performer so whatever discomfort the singer is experiencing is also  felt by his or her audience. Sadly, this botched their efforts to mount a what could have been a one hundred percent wonderful musical performance.

Photographs borrowed from http://pananaw.multiply.com/photos/album/282/walang_sugat