Angel M. Peña - his music and his life

Photo from Angel Peña Facebook page

Angel Matias Peña was born on the 22nd of April, 1921 in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. He is a composer and bass player.  He received a certificate of merit in double-bass playing under a grant (with Gary Hickling as his mentor) and a Licentiate from the Royal Schools of Music, London.

He has arranged various jazz concerts for the Upsilon Sigma Phi at the University of the Philippines. He worked as the dance band leader at the Hong Kong Hilton for a time and conducted lecture-demonstrations, among others at the Thomas Jefferson Library in Manila in 1968, and at the University of Hawaii in 1975.

Among his compositions for orchestral music are Igorot Rhapsody (1958), Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra (1969), Concerto for Jazz Quartet and Orchestra (1981) and Symphonic Variations on Two Manobo Themes (1983). He has also composed chamber music works.  His most popular kundiman is "Iyo Kailan Pa Man" with words by Levi Celerio.

Angel Peña won two first prizes at the Philippine National Compositions Contests. He also received a plaque from the Order of Knights of Rizal for his composition, Homage to Rizal. He has three long playing records of original compositions released in Manila, the United States and Germany.

Angel Peña is affiliated with the Performing Rights Society Ltd of London, the United Kingdom Song Writers Guild of Great Britain, the American String Teachers' Association, the Musicians Association of Hawaii, and the Audition Committee of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra.

Rodolfo S. Comejo - his music and his life

Rodolfo S. Cornejo, a composer, pianist and conductor, was born on the 15th of May, 1909, in Manila. His parents are Miguel Cornejo, Sr. and Crisanta Soldevilla. In 1949, he married Nieves Guerrero, a lyric soprano. The couple had five children. 

Rodolfo Cornejo started piano lessons with Gelacio Reyes at age six. At age eight, he had his first recital, and he became the organist of the Pasay Catholic Church. He wrote his first composition, Glissando Waltz, at age 10. He also wrote and published a military march, Salute, at age 13. At 16, twenty-six of his works had been listed by the United Publishing Co.. While he was finishing his high school, he was already enrolled at the University of the Philippines (UP) Conservatory of Music. 

At the UP Conservatory, he studied under Dr. Francisco Santiago, Nicanor Abelardo and Alexander Lippay. Barely three years after completing his high school, he obtained his teacher's diplomas in piano, science and composition. He taught for a year at UP, then left for the United States. He acquired a bachelor's degree in piano and theory at the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University in 1932. He won the Wesley Le Violette scholarship in composition, went on to complete his master's degree in 1933. He studied with Rudolf Ganz and Glenn Dillard Gunn. 

In 1934, he returned to the Philippines, founded and directed the Manila Conservatory of Music. He again left for the US in 1939 to pursue doctorate studies in composition. He earned his doctorate degree in 1947 at the Neotarian College in Kansas City, USA. In his US sojourns, Cornejo was a soloist with various orchestras, such as the New York City Symphony Orchestra, National Orchestra Association, and many others. During World War II, he played at concerts for the Allied Armed Forces. In 1941, he became researcher and official composer of the Philippine government-in-exile. In 1945, the Chicago Musical College awarded him an honorary doctorate in music. 

In the Philippines, he became director of the Cosmopolitan Colleges Conservatory of Music from 1948 to 1949. He also concertized. He wrote scores for twenty-seven films during his 10 years as musical director of Sampaguita Pictures. He is founding member of the League of Filipino Composers.

He wrote over 300 compositions. These ranged from classical to pop. His major works include The Season - Song Cycle (1932), A La Juventud Filipina (1935), Philippine Symphony No. 1 (1939), No.2 (1942),  and No. 3 (1947) all for piano solo; Oriental Fantasy (1944) and Philippine Fantasy with Marimba Solo (1962). He wrote music for the ballets Ibong Adarna (1970) and Baile de Ayer (1974). His cantata Christ the Redeemer for soloists, narrator, mixed chorus and orchestra, premiered at the Philamlife Auditorium in 1977. He also wrote a musical A Glimpse of Philippine Life and Culture, which premiered at the Seattle Opera House in 1978. He is listed in the International Who's Who in Music. 

Rodolfo Cornejo died in Manila on the 11th of August, 1991.

AUDIO JUNKIE: Classical kick, Julio Nakpil style

by Manila Bulletin Entertainment

The music of Julio Nakpil, a Pinoy renaissance man, is the subject of an ongoing retrospective series titled “The Music of Julio Nakpil.”

The series has already released two robust collections namely “The Music of Julio Nakpil (1867-1960) Volume 1 & 2: Works for Piano.”

 

But as music masters go, two albums just won’t cover the works of a prime artist. Hence volumes III and IV: “Works for Voice and Chamber Ensemble” and “Works for Band and Orchestra” respectively.

But who is Julio Nakpil? And why do we care? Well, Nakpil is a composer out of the past. He was a revolutionary, a Katipunero—and a general at that—who fought against the Spanish in the Philippine Revolution of 1896 and has seen firsthand the tumult of the succeeding occupations of the Americans and the Japanese in the first half of the 20th century. But throughout, Nakpil managed to carve a body of work that is still celebrated today, more than a century and a half after his birth. And these collections are standing proof to his massive contribution to Philippine classical music.

Each record focuses on a different aspect of Nakpil’s works. “Volume III” in particular spotlights Nakpil’s “Works for Voice and Chamber Ensemble.”   And “Amor Patrio! Romanza” for voice, oboe and piano” is just the ticket for those who lean toward vocal classical music. This moody piece demonstrates Nakpil’s flair for the dramatic and this century-plus old composition (written in 1893) is brought to life again by soprano Jasmin Salvo, with Mari Angeli Nicholas’ oboe and on piano, Dingdong Fiel.

And while the album opener and the segue piece “Il Ramento (The remembrance)” seem to be serious sonic excursions, the mood eventually lightens starting with the celebratory “Himno (Hymn).” The latter’s intro seems to be a nod to Mozart, but nonetheless stands on its own.

This and hymnals such as “Marangal Dalit bg Katagalugan (Hymno Nacional)” and the kundiman-like “Pag ibig (Love) Habanera” are sonic calling cards for sopranos Jasmin Salvo, tenor Radnel Ofalsa, and the UST choir Coro Tomasino. As the joyful “Luz Poetica de la Aurora” is for Reynato Resurreccion Jr.’s oboe. Volume III hotspot? “Danse Campestre: Habanera para concierto” with its classical romanticism and joyful cadence implied by Dingdong Fiel’s excellent piano work, as Christian Tan’s violin sings on top, easily takes the cake.  

“The Music of Julio Nakpil Volume IV:  Works for Band and Orchestra” meanwhile injects new vigor into the orchestral works of this Filipino music master. With the UST Symphonic Band and the UST Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Herminigildo Ranera breathing life into pieces (ironically) to the funereal “Sueño Eterno, Marcha Funebre” and “Pahimakas! (Last Farewell) Marcha Funebre.” The latter is dedicated to the memory (and last moments) of Rizal.

“Volume IV” is also festive and jovial as heard on “Biak Na Bato: Paso-Doble,” “Expocision Regional” and “Salve Patria! (Hail Motherland) Gran Marcha.” The last one was written by Nakpil to commemorate Rizal’s 8th death anniversary that coincided with the inauguration of the Rizal monument.  

A project of the University of Santo Tomas Research Center for Culture, Arts and Humanities, and produced by Maria Alexandra Iñigo Chua, “The music of Julio Nakpil” is a definitive compendium of the works of a true Filipino music master.

Having said all that, It’s highly recommended to go back to Volumes I & II “Works For Piano” compositions written specially for the keyboard. Master pianist Raul Sunico performs all of Nakpil’s work and it is akin to hearing masters of two different era’s collaborating across time.

Truly world class all of them.  

KAHIT ISANG SAGLIT - Louie Ocampo (arr. Jose Valdez)

FAMOUS KADANGYAN TRIBAL MUSIC VIDEO, CEBU, PHILIPPINES

Eddie Mesa on Philippine Cinema Now & Then

Cadena De Amor - L. Silos (arr. Jose Valdez)