Philippine Liturgical Music
Manuel P. Maramba, OSB
When the first Spanish missionaries came to the Philippines in the 16th
century, the Catholic faith they preached to the natives was
expressed in a liturgy that was in Latin and the music that went with it
was Western. They celebrated the liturgy using Gregorian chant,
polyphonic Masses and motets, and hymns, all in Latin. Gradually they
instructed the natives not only in singing but also in playing various
instruments like guitar, violin, flute, harp and later on, the organ. In
1857 a boys choir was formed in the Dominican convent of Sto. Domingo
which evolved into a music school. Later a fine organ was installed in
the church. The first orchestra was formed in the Augustinian Convent of
Guadalupe in 1601. In 1643, Fray Juan de Torres established the Manila
Orchestra. In 1742, the Colegio de Niņos Tiples de la Iglesia Cathedral
was founded. Between 1816-1824, Fr. Diego de Cerra built a unique
instrument, the famous Las Piņas Bamboo Organ which is still being used
for liturgical services in the Parish Church of St. Joseph. It contains
950 bamboo pipes with 22 stops, 43 pipes for each register and 12
pedals. In 1870 the Augustinian Fray Toribio organized an orchestra at
the San Agustin Church in Intramuros. The orchestra was led by Marcelo
Adonay, the first native Filipino to compose a Mass. Other Filipino
musicians were Pantaleon Lopez and Ladislao Bonus.
The Christianized
natives did not find the Latin liturgical celebrations in church
adequate enough to express their faith. so there evolved extra
liturgical services in which they could perform music that was more to
their taste: they sang songs in Spanish and gradually included songs in
their own vernacular language. Thus, during the Advent-Christmas season,
aside from the
Simbang Gabi (or Misa de Aguinaldo)
they held the Panunuluyan and the
Pamamasko where Spanish, Mexican and local
villancicos were sung. During the
Lenten season, in their homes they held the
Pabasa, or public chanting of the
Pasyon. On Easter Sunday, the Salubong
was held early in the morning in the plaza before the dawn Mass. For the
celebrations of All Saints' Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls' Day (Nov. 2),
aside from going to Mass and to the cemetery to give honor to the
departed, singing groups called
pangangaluluwa pretending to be the wandering souls of the dead,
would go from house to house begging for prayers and alms. In the month
of May, devotion to Mary took the form of the "Flores de Mayo". Also in
May, to commemorate the finding of the Cross by Empress Helena, the
mother of Emperor Constantine, there is the
Santacruzan. In all these extra-liturgical celebrations Spanish and
vernacular hymns were sung with music which was not like the Gregorian
chant or classical polyphony or Latin hymns that were sang in the
Church. In October, the Rosary with the litany of the Blessed Virgin
Mary were chanted or sung in the vernacular. During Novenas especially
to patron saints, Spanish and vernacular songs as well as prayers were
the rule. Gradually, non-Latin songs entered into the
Simbang Gabi celebrations (with
castanets and tambourine and even bird whistles). other extra-liturgical
celebrations were more theatrical, like the
Senakulo and the
Moriones (Marinduque) during Holy
Week. Others were dances in honor of the local patron saints like the
Ati-atihan (Aklan) in honor of Santo
Niņo and the dancing during the procession in honor of Santa Clara (Obando)
and other celebrations in honor of Santo Niņo in Cebu, Pandacan, Tondo,
etc. Up to the end of the Spanish rule, the Christianized Filipinos
attended the religious services in church mostly as audience while
music was sung by trained choirs in the Parish Churches accompanied by
the organ and some instruments, even an orchestra. After these
celebrations, they had their own extra-liturgical celebrations with
their own sacred and religious songs and dances.
At the beginning
of the 20th century the situation begun to change. On
November 22, 1903 Pope Pius X issued his motu propio, "Tra le
Sollicitudine" to reform the liturgy. He encouraged the participation of
the congregation in the liturgical celebrations. The liturgy was still
in Latin but bishops and pastors were instructed to teach the faithful
to sing the ordinary of the Mass at least in Gregorian chant. As the
faithful were taught to sing the Latin Mass, gradually vernacular songs
were introduced side by side. Several German & French dioceses had
special concessions to sing parts of the ordinary of the Mass in the
vernacular (the German singmesse). In other places, especially in the
missions, where such concessions were not given, vernacular songs with
religious texts (though not,liturgical texts) were introduced.
At the start of
the American rule in the Philippines, the new missionaries, this time
coming from the United States of America, introduced English hymns and
songs in English. Missionaries from Europe taught English translations
of their own vernacular hymns, such as the German hymns:
Grosser Got Wir Loben Dich (Holy
God, We Praise thy Name), Lobe den Herren
(Praise to the Lord) & Stille Nacht
(Silent Night); the French Lourdes hymn (Immaculate Mother),
Cantique de Noel (O Holy Night);
even the Latin hymn: Veni Veni Emmanuel
(O Come, O Come Emmanuel). A four-hymn pattern for Mass started to
evolve. The liturgy was still in Latin but the faithful would sing at
the entrance, offertory, communion, and after the Mass using vernacular
songs.
Although some
Protestant missionaries like the Methodists started to arrive toward the
end of the Spanish rule (last half of the 19th century), the
advent of American rule signaled an influx of Protestant missionaries,
mainly American. They brought with them a liturgy that emphasized the
participation of the congregation in singing hymns not in Latin but in
their vernacular (English). The Protestant liturgy was alive with
congregational participation and in a language the congregation could
understand. The Aglipayan Church which was also founded at this time
separated itself from the main Catholic body and introduced the use of
the vernacular in their liturgy. Local sects (like Iglesia ni Cristo)
were being formed and the services were in the vernacular.
Catholic composers
followed the example of Marcelo Adonay who composed
Liberamus (1869),
Benedictus (1895),
Hosanna (1899), and
Te Deum and a grand mass.
Ave Marias were composed by Nicanor
Abelardo, Francisco Santiago, Francisco Buencamino, Sr., and Manuel
Veluz. The songs were usually sung by a soloist during the offertory or
communion on Sundays, as well as during weddings and funerals. Masses
were written by Antonio J. Molina, Juan Hernandez & Antonio
Buenaventura, all in Latin. A few non-Latin hymns were written during
the period (first half of the 20th century):
Nomas Amor que el tuyo by Simeon
Resurrecion and Gloria a Jesus en el
Cielo which was composed for the International Eucharistic Congress
in 1937. The Benedictine Jaime Bofill, OSB composed
O Nino Dios in honor of the Sto.
Niņo de Prada enshrined in the Benedictine la Virgen in honor of the La
Naval statue which had been venerated at the Dominican Convent of Santo
Domingo since the 17th century.
On December 25,
1955, Pope Pius XII issued his encyclical letter "Musicae Sacrae
Disciplina" on Sacred Music and on September 3, 1958, the Sacred
Congregation of Rites issued an Instruction, "De Musica Sacra" which
detailed new norms on sacred music. Among the norms was a universal
concession to sing sacred vernacular songs during the Latin liturgy.
When the
preparatory Commissions were preparing for the Vatican Council II after
the announcement made by Pope John XXIII in 1958 that he will convene a
General Council, there was a strong lobby to change the Tridentine
decree that required Latin to be used in the liturgy. The Council
convened in 1962 and on December 4, 1963 approved its first document,
the Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, "Sacrosanctum Concilium". The
document permitted the translation of parts of the liturgy (especially
the Mass) into the vernacular. Subsequent documents would eventually
allow more parts to be translated until the whole liturgy was in the
vernacular.
On January 1964,
the bishops of the Philippines met in Cebu City and immediately approved
the use of Philippine languages for the liturgy in addition to English
and Spanish. The approved languages were: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano,
Pangasinan, Pampango, Bicolano, Hiligaynon, & Waray. Ibanag and
Chavacano were later approved and all were confirmed by Rome.
Filipino composers
were at first in a quandary as to what music to use in the liturgy since
there was no Filipino liturgical tradition to speak of. The Spanish
colonial music that evolved during the more than three centuries of
Spanish rule and which spilled over to the 20th century after
the coming of the American rule was mostly secular in character, and at
best used in extra-liturgical services. Some masses and other hymns and
prayers like Ave Maria, Stabat Mater,
Tantum Ergo, O Salutaris have been set to music in this style.
The first attempt
was to translate the English text of hymns into the vernacular which
proved to be a disaster for the most part. The Benedictine Abbey of Our
lady of Monserrat in Manila introduced the Pilipino chant adopted from
indigenous ethnic chants from the north: (Kalinga), from Mindoro
(Mangyan) and from Mindanao (taken from the collection of Dr. Jose
Maceda of UP). This was presented to the bishops in their meeting in
Baguio City in January 1965. This chant was flexible enough to be sung
in different languages and was published in English, Cebuano, & Bicol.
One bishop commented: "Why use these pre-Hispanic chants when the
Filipino Christians are more familiar with Spanish colonial music
developed during the three centuries of Spanish rule?" Another approach
was to adopt foreign songs especially American songs and music composed
and compiled by the Taize Community in France.
At the forefront
of the liturgical reform in the Archdiocese of Manila was a Belgian
missionary, Fr. John Vanders Sten CICM, who was the director of the
Manila Cathedral Choir as well as the San Carlos Major Seminary choir.
With Sr. Graciana Raymundo, DC, dean of the College of Music of La
Concordia and the Benedictine monks, Fr. Van de Steen, CICM organized
concerts of Sacred Music in the Abbey Church of Our Lady of Monserrat
and the Manila Cathedral and other venues. Seminars on Sacred Music, the
forerunner of the Manila Archdiocesan Institute of Music in the Liturgy
(now based in Sta. Isabel College).
In the 1970's the
Jesuits spearheaded the introduction of Spanish colonial music into the
liturgy. Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros, SJ was at the head of this movement
with his confreres Fr. Nemy S. Que, SJ, Fr. Fruto Ramirez, SJ and later
joined by the young Fr. Manuel Francisco, SJ. Most of the songs they
composed were in Tagalog liturgy. In Davao City in Mindanao, Narcisa
Fernandez, a music graduate wrote for the Cebuano liturgy. In Cebu, a
musician educated in the USA, Msgr. Rudy Villanueva, enriched the music
for the Cebuano liturgy. Lucio San Pedro & Edgardo Parungao made their
own contributions in a more classical but traditional style. Ernani
Cuenco used a more popular style; Lucresia Kasilag composed a mass with
ethnic influences and Ryan Cayabyab, in his own personal idiom, rhythmic
and melodious, composed a mass which was even choreographed and
performed at the Manila Cathedral.
The Benedictine
Missionary Sisters of Tutzing (St. Scholastica's College) helped in the
reform, not only by composing new songs but, in addition, through a
collection of hymns and songs for the liturgy: "PAX". They also
conducted Summer Sessions on Liturgical Music with students coming from
all over the country. Foremost among them is Sr. Mary Placid Abejo, OSB,
the dean of the College of Music. Under her direction, the sisters put
together music for the Liturgy of the Hours (the Roman Office) which is
used widely among religious communities.
The Benedictine
monks of the Abbey of Our Lady of Monserrat (San Beda College) set their
monastic Liturgy of the Hours to music by composing new chant formulae.
Pasyon chants were adapted for use
in the Holy Week liturgical celebrations. Music for the All Soul's Day
Mangangaluluwa were adapted for the
funeral liturgical rites. Christmas carols and mass songs were composed
for the Simbang Gabi liturgies
including the midnight mass. Plain chant is still sung by the monks in
their daily compline office, in the office of vigils,especially of
Christmas, and on special occasions.
In the 1980's, the
Benedictine monks conducted Seminars on Liturgy during Easter week.
These later evolved into the Paul VI Institute of Liturgy when the
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) requested the
Philippine Benedictines who belong to the Subiaco Congregation to
establish a liturgical institute not only for the Philippines, but also
for Asia. Fr. Anscar Chupungco, OSB, a Filipino Benedictine who had been
elected president of the Pontifical Institute of Liturgy in Rome for
four consecutive terms, was appointed the first director of Paul VI
Institute of Liturgy. The Institute is located on the grounds of the
Monastery of the Transfiguration in Malaybalay City, in Bukidnon,
Mindanao. Among the liturgical subjects offered is liturgical music. The
Institute also offers one week seminars for composers of liturgical
music. The Institute attracts students from all over Asia and even some
missionaries from the United States of America and Europe. The Institute
is preparing for the publication of Misa
ng Bayang Pilipino, the Roman Mass for the dioceses in the
Philippines with music by Dom Benildus Ma. Maramba, OSB. The
Misa was prepared under the
direction of Dom Chupungco, OSB, an expert in liturgical inculturation,
after extensive research, studies, and consultations on Filipino culture
and values as well as language. The Misa
has been approved by the CBCP and has been submitted to Rome for
confirmation. Music for the new ICEL translation of the Liturgy of the
Hours has also been composed.
The Conservatory
of Music of the University of Sto Tomas offers a course towards a
diploma in Sacred Music. The conservatory has two choirs in residence:
the Coro Tomasino under Professor Ricardo Mazo and the Liturgikon under
Dom Maramba, OSB and Fr. Nilo Mangusad. These choirs sing at important
liturgical services at the university chapel with the UST symphony
orchestra. Dom Maramba, OSB has composed several masses for these
occasions: mass in honor of St. Lorenzo Ruiz on the occasion of his
canonization, for two choirs, soloist, organ and orchestra; mass in
honor of St. Joseph for choir, soloist, and orchestra; and mass for the
novena in honor of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (La Naval) for
choir, congregation and orchestra.
The UST Symphony
Orchestra, conducted by Professor Herminigildo Ranera with musicians
from St. Scholastica's College and other schools, performed at the Papal
Mass during the World Youth Day in Manila on January 15, 1995. The choir
consisted of more than 700 members organized and rehearsed under the
leadership of Sr. Mary Placid Abejo, OSB. It was a Filipino liturgy with
the Mass mainly in Filipino composed by Dom. Maramba, OSB. Pope John
Paul II celebrated the Eucharistic liturgy with more than five million
people.
The Asian
Institute of Liturgy and Music (1977) admits students from different
Christian communions from all over Asia and the Pacific even from
Africa. It emphasizes inculturation of music in the liturgy and
encourages the use of indigenous instruments in the liturgical
celebrations. The head of the Institute is Dr. Francisco Feliciano.
Catholics
seminaries and houses of formation (Immaculate Conception Seminary,
Malolos; Our Lady of the Angels Seminary, Franciscans; Holy Rosary Major
Seminary, Naga; John Paul I Biblical Institute, Vigan; St. Francis
Regional Seminary, Davao; etc.) as well as Protestant Institutions
(Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music, Quezon City; Adventists
University of the Philippines, Silang; etc.) are active in producing and
compiling new music. Other composers in the different regions are also
contributing their talents: Damaso Panganiban, Lipa; Nilo Mangusad,
Manila; Crispin Cadiang, San Fernando, Pampanga; Floro Bautista, Bangued;
Lorenzo Jarcia, Naga; Nestor Alagbate, Daet; Ronaldo "Gboi" Samonte, Malolos; Nathaniel Cabanero, Kidapawan; Pablito Maghari, Antique; and
Vicencio Neniel, Davao.
Liturgical Music
in the Philippines is now in ferment trying to find its identity amidst
so much diversity. Composers from different linguistic and subcultural
groups have composed music for the liturgy in the vernacular. The music
has become ecumenical. It is not surprising that Lutheran, Anglican and
Methodist hymns and even Baptist gospel songs as well as charismatic
songs find their way into Catholic liturgical celebrations. It is not
also unusual to hear music by Hontiveros, Francisco or other Filipino
Catholic composers in the liturgical celebrations of other Christian
communions. Today, Sunday liturgies, Catholic or Protestant, are alive
with active participation of the assembly in a liturgy that is gradually
being inculturated and acquiring Filipino features. Filipino Christians
of various communions can now pray and sing together with songs whose
provenance really does not matter provided that it proclaims their same
faith in Christ, their common Redeemer and Saving Lord.