About

The Philippine Revolution, one of the last struggles of the nineteenth century and arguably one of the most original in its time, spun the characters of several figures who would remain in the fabric of the country’s history; the supremo Bonifacio, the favored general Emilio Aguinaldo, and of course, the renaissance man Rizal. 

However, none of these figures have been so obscured by time as Julio Nakpil. The concert pianist turned secretary of the Katipunan documented the revolution in a unique way – through compositions, which ranged from heavily-ornamented salon music to grand orchestral works of great depth and promise. 

Nakpil’s compositions run through the lines of the country’s history lacking the attention they deserve; from Amor Patrio, a eulogy for the convicted Rizal, to Marangal na Dalit, the would-have-been anthem of the independent nation the KKK and all its predecessors had so longed for.

The Julio Nakpil Project, a historical musicological research spearheaded by professors from UST and funded by the CHED-NCCA SALIKHA Creative Grants and the UST Research Center for Culture, Arts and Humanities (RCCAH) in cooperation with Bahay Nakpil-Bautista, is an effort to bring the man and the music that bore witness to the Philippine Revolution out of the dark and into today’s light. 

The works of Nakpil are part of the heritage of the Filipino people; a heritage that is expanded bit by bit with every note. 

This project is a mission to piece together the missing parts of the country’s societal consciousness for its people to fully grasp the concept of nationalism – a concept Nakpil’s music so carefully captured.

Julio Nakpil Collected Works Volume I

Music Edition

The collected works of Julio Nakpil, curated and edited by the team led by Dr. Sandy Chua, in collaboration with professionals such as Dr. David Urrows and Dr. Herminigildo Ranera, is a significant contribution to the preservation and promotion of Filipino classical music. This book provides a comprehensive and scholarly study of the life and works of Julio Nakpil. The book includes a biography of Nakpil, along with edited and digitized versions of his compositions, providing researchers, musicians and enthusiasts with a rich resource for the study and appreciation of Nakpil’s music.

In addition to its academic and research value, the music edition book is also widely accessible to the general public, with its availability on popular online platforms such as Shopee and Lazada. The publication of this book on these platforms demonstrates the team’s commitment to making Filipino classical music more accessible and known to the broader public. By providing an affordable and user-friendly way to access the music of Julio Nakpil, this book is an essential tool for promoting Filipino cultural heritage and inspiring the next generation of musicians to continue the legacy of Nakpil and other Filipino classical composers.

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Discographies

Volume I: Works for Piano

  1. Céfiro (Zephyr): Polka, Ob. 1 (1888)

This is his first composition written when Nakpil was 20 years old. Although composed early in his musical career, it already exhibited musical maturity, particularly in the remarkable treatment of harmony.

  1. La brisa nocturna (The night breeze)): Habanera, Ob. 2 (1890)

The work is the first danza habanera for piano written by Nakpil. This creolized dance music expression, originating from Havana Cuba, made a way to the fabric of Filipino music.

  1. Ecos de Visayas (Echoes from Visayas): Danza, Ob. 3, no. 1 (1890)

The peculiar melodic motives of this danza found inspiration in local tunes considering its names. Representative provincial newspapers such as the El Eco de Visayas and El Eco de Ilocos came out during this period.

  1. Ecos de Iloco (Echoes from Ilocos), Ob. 3, no. 2 (1890)

Nakpil was abreast of the growing secular public sphere that gave voices to the people of the colony. The motives of this quaint danza are a portrayal of the symbolic voices emanating from the regions that Nakpil wanted to communicate.

  1. ¡Noche tempestuosa! (Tempetuous night): Polka de salon, Ob. 4 (1890)

Nakpil was a miniaturist and composed succinct salon piano pieces. But his Noche Tempestuosa, Ob. 4, a Polka de salon, is some of his longer works for piano that exhibits the stile brillante common in nineteenth-century pianism.

  1. Ilang-Ilang: Mazurka de salon, Ob. 5 (1890)

Although a mazurka de salon, the piece exhibits musical gestures that evoke the local melodic writing idiom, particularly in its main theme. The kundiman-like depiction of the native flower is apparent, although the bravura style of the piece conforms to the prevailing European domestic pianism of that time.

  1. Pinching (La brisa (de la) aurora; Estrella matutiana): Habanera, Ob. 6 (1891)

Originally titled La brisa (de la) aurora: Estrella matutiana (The breeze of dawn: Shooting star), Nakpil changed the title to Pinching when it was published. This demonstrates an important move in the Filipinization of transcultural music of the period.

  1. Lulay, Ob. 7 (1891-1895)

A significant development in Nakpil’s compositional style was his adaption of native musical forms into his creative works which demonstrates an early attempt in nationalism. Lulay is Nakpil’s first attempt at adapting into a piano work a native folksong.

  1. Recuerdos de Cápiz (Kapis Souvenirs): Habanera caracteristica, Ob. 8 (1891)

Lighthearted and spirited, this habanera caracteristica para piano depicts the bucolic and merry life in a rural Visayan province in central Philippines where the melodic motive carries a close affinity with Jocelynang Baliuag, the kundiman of the revolution.

  1. Luz Poetica de la Aurora (Poetic light of dawn): Gavota, Ob. 9a, for two-hands (1891)

By 1891, Nakpil’s creative output began to manifest traces of liberal ideas. This particular composition, metaphorically translated as “Dawn of Enlightenment,” commences with his apparent enlightenment motive: a dotted quarter note (or sometimes eighth-note) followed by two repeated sixteenth notes

  1. Luz Poetica de la Aurora (Poetic light of dawn): Gavota, Ob. 9b, for four-hands (1891)*

Nakpil articulates the enlightenment motive at the beginning of the composition that is representative of his call for freedom. This work might have been special for Nakpil as he wrote three different instrumental versions of it. This is the four-hand arrangement of the piece.

Volume II: Works for Piano

  1. Danse campestre (Country dance: Habanera para concierto, Ob. 11a (1891)

Utilizing both Italian and Spanish texts in its title, this habanera for piano was dedicated to the wise Austrian professor, Ferdinand Blumentritt, scholar and most trusted foreign friend of Jose Rizal. It demonstrates that previous to his joining the La Liga Filipina Julio was already abreast with the Enlightenment and liberal ideas espoused by Rizal and other propagandists. It is not known why he titled the musical work “Danse Campestre.” As a city boy who lived in Quiapo in the heart of Manila, the young Nakpil was enamored by the bucolic charm of the rural Visayan province of Capiz. Nakpil links this piece as a contestacion or a direct commentary to his “Recuerdos de Capiz.” Noticeable is that the two compositions evoke simplicity, with the genteel and florid arched melody “grooving” against the habanera rhythm. He also wrote a violin and piano arrangement of this piece.

 

  1. Teatro Luisa (Luisa Theater): Polka brillante, Ob. 12 (1891)

A charming polka, the piece was dedicated to Senorita Doña Clotilde Hernandez. The writing of this work together with Clotilde coincides with the inauguration of the Luisa Theater in 1892. The theater as Felix Roxas describes it is “located in the aristocratic neighborhood of San Miguel. It is a sort of miniature coliseum named after the wife of the Judge Advocate of the Spanish Army in Manila, Don Pablo Cases. The theater was a venue for dramatic production where “amateur artists belonging to prominent families, appeared on stage to add gaiety to the occasion.”

 

  1. Clotilde: Vals, Ob. 13 (1892)

Nakpil also composed quaint and lovely waltzes that were dedicated to beautiful ladies and dear ones such as the Clotilde, Ob. 13. This was his last work for the piano after which he would focus writing compositions for larger ensemble particularly for band and orchestra. Clotilde, Ob. 13 dated 1892 is a delightful waltz dedicated to a certain Senorita Doña Josefina Hernandez.

  1. Kundiman: Lakad-Tagalog, Ob. 15 (1892)

This piece composed in 1892, figures importantly in the history of Philippine music development as the first attempt to conceptualize and represent the folk kundiman as an organic musical work.  It predates Jocelynang Baliuag, which was believed to be the first composed kundiman dated 1896. Kundiman, as we know today, is a Tagalog love song in ¾ time that speaks of intense longing and unrequited love for the country or to a woman. All this run contrary to the kundiman of Nakpil. It is a piano work in 4/4 time with indication stating that it is a ‘Lakad Tagalog.’ Nakpil, no doubt, was familiar with the 19th century kundiman which was danced. His use of the native language to describe the piece as a “Lakad Tagalog” (Tagalog step) makes clear that it is a song-dance genre. This was one of Nakpil’s first attempts in bringing in native music genres in his compositions. Even the main section which is usually a polka, vals or habanera is now identified as “Paglakad” (stepping/walking). The coda as the end section was called in the Tagalog (Katapusan)

  1. Tersicore “Exposicion Regional” (Filipinas 1895): Pas à quatre, Ob. 16a (1894)

In this Tersicore (Spanish of Terpsichore), or sometimes referred to as Exposicion Regional, Ob. 16a, he alludes to one of the Muses in Greek mythology, Terpsichore, who is the goddess of dance and music. The carnivalesque mood in melodic triplets set in 12/8 time signature and in quadruple meter was a most appropriate music for the festive and jubilant atmosphere of that occasion. The Exposition Regional de Filipinas of 1895 was the first World Exposition held in Asia.

  1. Mediodia (Mid-day): Paso-doble, Ob. 17 (1895)

One of his interesting works of this period was the Mediodia, Ob. 17 (Mid-day), his first attempt to compose a paso doble (Spanish for “double step”) dated 1895. Little is known of this musical work of Nakpil. There was even no mention of this in the Alzona account nor in any of the newspaper articles published about Nakpil that came out.[i] The piece is quite unique from all the other works. It commences with the seemingly tolling of the bells during midday. It then brings the listener to different appealing motivic materials that modulates abruptly to quite unrelated keys. The first modulation from the F major key was in E major then A major before going to its dominant in C major then resolving again to A major in just the A section of the piece. The B section provides a more regular harmonic modulation but brings in contrasting melodic materials against the A section. The tolling of the bells in fifths returns in the coda with and motivic materials from A section as it ends. The simplicity of the homophonic texture in Nakpil’s music is made engaging because of this rather complex and abrupt harmonic changes.

  1. ¡Pahimakas! (Last farewell): Marche funébre, Ob. 21a (1897)

A tragic event transpired on December 30, 1896. His hero, Jose Rizal, was executed in Bagumbayan. This deeply affected him and as an outpouring of emotions, he wrote Pahimakas, Ob. 21 (Last Farewell), dedicating the piece to the memory of the wise and great patriot. A marcha funebre, this lugubrious and intensely patriotic piece, depicts the last sorrowful moments of Rizal. He notes in the copy of the manuscripts Deus Omnipotens et misericors (Almighty and gracious God) and Sonitus Planctus (the sound of mourning) that which is a striking musical dissent against the statutes of Western tonal idiom, thus, clearly demonstrating in musical terms strong defiance against the grim and tragic turn of events. Nakpil then brings in a sentimental lyrical melody reminiscent of life gone by in colonial Manila. A quotation of the eight-measure gloomy kundiman melody, a favorite of Dr, Jose Rizal, completes the piece which then ends in the lugubrious quietude of death.

  1. Pasig-Pantayanin: Pas-double, Ob. 22 (1897)

The Pasig- Pantayanin, Op.23 composed in June 1897 was a pasodoble militar. This piano work dedicated to the revolutionary army takes the name of the seat of the revolutionary government in Pasig in the province of Rizal. Intensely patriotic, the music portrayed their moment of pride and bravery as they prepare for the cause of fighting for their freedom.

  1. Polka “Pamitinan”, Ob. (23) (1897)

Another interesting work of this period was the Pamitinan, Ob. 22, a polka written on June 15, 1897 referring to a cave in the mountains of Montalban where the Katipuneros fled to escape social injustice and “live free from Spanish misrule.” The music depicted the refugees in their light moments of gaiety and merrymaking.

  1. Biak na Bato: Pas-double, Ob. 24a (1897)

Nakpil, likewise, memorialized in his music the Pact of Biak na Bato, a truce signed by revolutionary leader Emilio Aguinaldo and the Spanish colonial Governor Governor-General Fernando Primo de Rivera on December 15, 1897 to end the Philippine RevolutionAlthough Aguinaldo was the main personality in this,  the Biak na Bato, Op. 24 , a paso doble was dedicated to Teodoro Sandiko, one of the respected generals that took part in the revolution.

  1. Balintawak (26 Agosto 1896): Paso-doble (Marcha) militar, Ob. 26 (1898)

The musical work was written for the heroes of the “Unang Sigaw” (First Cry) which Nakpil argued in his memoirs as the beginning of the Revolution. He provided a rebuttal of Teodoro Kalaw’s account that the Cry of Balintawak happened on August 24, 1896. Although, Nakpil was not yet with Andres Bonifacio and was not an eyewitness to this event. He was a member of Rizal’s La Liga and was abreast of what was happening with the activities of the secret society. Nakpil firmly attested that the date of this important event as August 26, 1896 which was explicitly written in the music score composed in September of 1898.

  1. Johny and Little Julia: Boston Walzer, Ob. (28) (1904)

This lovely waltz Johny and Little Julia, Ob. (27), was written for his eldest son, Juan and eldest daughter Julia in 1904. This was his last work for the piano after which he would focus writing compositions for larger ensemble particularly for band and orchestra.

 

Volume III: Works for Voices and Chamber Ensemble

  1. ¡Amor Patrio!: Romanza, Ob. 14a for voice, oboe, and piano (1893)

His Amor Patrio, Ob. 14, dedicated to Rizal was composed on August 4, 1893, during La Liga’s second period while Rizal was still in exile in Dapitan. The text was based on the title of Rizal’s first published essay El amor patrio. Considered his first vocal music composition, the work makes quite an unusual instrumentation which was scored for soprano, oboe and piano. The Spanish text of the song was from Rizal’s Canto de Maria Clara culled from his famous novel Noli Me Tangere which speaks of death as sweet if given for one’s own country.

  1. Il rammento (The remembrance), Ob. 18 (1896)

This was erroneously identified in Alzona’s book Julio Nakpil and the Philippine Revolution (1964) as Armamento. Il rammento is an Italian term that means “The remembrance.” The vocal piece is a musical setting of a one-line verse in Italian of a poem culled from the book Il Libro Dell’ Amore: Poesie italiane Raccolte e Straniere  (The Book of Love: Collected Italian and Foreign Poems) collected and translated by Marco Antonio Canini in 1888.

Piange ed ogni sua lagrima e un poema di dolcezza infinita

(She cries and every one of her tears is a poem of infinite sweetness)

 The poem text is actually an Italian translation of the famous poem by 19th century Spanish writer Gustavo Adolfo Becquer taken from his Rimas: Cruza, callada, y son sus movimientos XXXIV (3rd stanza) that reads:

 Llora, y es cada lágrima un poema de ternura infinita

(She cries and every one of her tears is a poem of infinite sweetness)

The 10-measure musical composition in F minor presents a most poignant and melancholic setting of this lovely Italian text translation of a Spanish poem. With very simple harmonic progressions, he brings a touchingly intense and emotionally-laden vocal music. 

  1. Himno (Hymn), Ob. 19 (1896)

This was a celebratory piece dedicated to R.M. Sor Maria de la Cruz, the Director of the Escuela Normal Superior de Maestras. The text hails the contribution of the good and visionary nun to education of that period. The music was written for a choir of women with a soprano solo. He probably knew this important nun and readily composed this for her birthday.

  1. Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan (Himno Nacional), Ob.20 (1896)

During one of the encampments of the revolutionary soldiers in Balara, Katipunan Supremo Andres Bonifacio prompted Julio Nakpil to compose an himno nacional that will symbolize the embodiment of an imagined Filipino nation. Composed in November 1896 at the urging of Katipunan Supremo, Andres Bonifacio, the Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan was formally submitted on the 27th of January 1897. The composed-hymn was even mentioned in the Katipunan letters that were discovered at the Archivo General de Militar de Madrid dated February 13, 1897. In this letter, Bonifacio confirms the receipt of the copy of the hymn which Nakpil sent. The hymn was sung in Tanza, Cavite in May of 1898, in Biñan, Laguna and other towns. With this information, it demonstrates that this was the first anthem to symbolize the inchoate Filipino nation. The hymn creatively took on the Dalit, a native form of sung prayer or supplication and not the usual marcha (march).

  1. Pagibig (Love): Habanera, Ob. 25 (1897)

It was also in Pasig, Rizal in 1897, that Nakpil met again the widow of Andres Bonifacio, Gregoria “Oriang” de Jesus.[1] Nakpil took on to himself to take care and protect Oriang when she reached the revolutionary seat of government in Pasig-Pantayanin. Maria Paz Santos Viola points to a letter written by Oriang for his beloved Andres which was in the hand writing of Julio dated August 1897. Nakpil through this gesture was probably helping Oriang in her mourning and loneliness for her tragic loss.  Nakpil fell in love and pleaded for her love. This was lovingly expressed in this vocal composition titled Pag-ibig, Ob.25, a habanera composed on October 12, 1897. The musical text speaks of love being fortunate if expressed as it will thrive and deepen but when left with reckless abandon will bring death. It then pleads for the woman’s love:

 Akin ang kasayahan kung ikaw kamtan

At kung hindi nama’y laking kalumbayan

Timbangin mo Neneng ang kasasapitan

Puhunan ko’y buhay puri’t kahihiyan.

(It will be joy for me to have you,

and sadness if I will not.

Think Neneng of what will happen

to this proffered life, honor and humiliation.)

Oriang accepts Nakpil’s offer of love. The two were married on December 10, 1898 in Quiapo Church. The couple had eight children but only six grew to adulthood. The eldest and only boy Juan Nakpil would later become one of the first National Artists for Architecture.

  1. Danse Campestre (Country dance): Habanera para concierto, Ob. 11b arr. for violin and piano (1892)

Composed in 1891, this habanera for piano was dedicated to the wise Austrian professor, Ferdinand Blumentritt, the scholar and most trusted foreign friend of Jose Rizal. It demonstrates that previous to his joining the La Liga Filipina Julio was already abreast with the Enlightenment and liberal ideas espoused by Rizal and other propagandists. It is not known why he titled the musical work “Danse Campestre.” As a city boy who lived in Quiapo in the heart of Manila, the young Nakpil was enamored by the bucolic charm of the rural Visayan province of Capiz. Nakpil links this piece as a contestacion or a direct commentary to his “Recuerdos de Capiz.” Noticeable is that the two compositions evoke simplicity, with the genteel and florid arched melody “grooving” against the habanera rhythm. He also wrote a violin and piano arrangement of this piece. 

Volume IV: Works for Band and Orchestra

  1. Sueno Eterno (Eternal dream): Marcha Funebre, Ob. 10a for band (1891)

The Sueño Eterno (Eternal Dream), is a funeral dirge dedicated to his father. Hid first work for band, it was also his first attempt to depict the feeling of pain for the loss of a loved one. The piece opens with the trumpets and the trombones playing in fourths as if a depiction of the Last Judgement summoning souls before the presence of God.

  1. ¡Pahimakas! (Last farewell): Marcha Funebre, Ob. 21b for band (1920)

He dedicated the piece to the memory of the wise and great patriot. A marcha funebre (funeral march), this lugubrious and intensely patriotic piece, depicts the last sorrowful moments of Rizal.

  1. Biyak na Bato: Paso-Doble, Ob. 24b for band (1898)

Dedicated to Teodoro Sandiko, one of the respected generals that took part in the revolution, Nakpil memorialized the Pact of Biak na Bato, a truce signed by revolutionary leader Emilio Aguinaldo and the Spanish colonial Governor -General Fernando Primo de Rivera on December 15, 1897.

  1. ¡Kabanatuan!, Ob. (27) (1899)

It is a lugubrious funeral march dedicated to the slain revolutionary general Antonio Luna. It evoked profound sadness and pathos in an attempt to figuratively represent that fateful day in his music.

  1. ¡Deus Omnipotens Et Miserecors! (Almighty and merciful God): Marcha Funebre, Ob. (30) (1943)

In March 1943, his wife passed on amidst the terror and darkness of WWII in Manila. He wrote this funeral march for band dedicated to his dead comrades who fought with him in the battle for freedom, to which now belongs his most beloved wife.

  1. “Exposicion Regional” (Filipinas 1895): Pas de quatre, Ob. 16b for orchestra (1894)

He participated in the World Expositions, exhibiting his music in the 1895 Exposition Regional de Filipinas. This was considered as the first world’s fair held in Asia. The composition was expressly written for the celebration depicting the merriment and festive mood of the event.

  1. ¡Salve Patria! (Hail! Motherland): Gran marcha, Ob. (29) (1903)

He wrote the Gran March “Salve Patria” in 1904 using the “Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan” as its main musical material. Performed at the Teatro Zorilla with 150 piece orchestra, the piece was written to commemorate Rizal’s 8th death anniversary coinciding with the inauguration of his monument in Luneta.

  1. Victory March, Ob. (31) (1944)

Written on September 17, 1944, he diedicated the piece to the armies of the United States and the Philippines and her Guerilla. This march as an orchestral piece is very short only 32 measures in length, a sort of a not so consummated realization of an ideal expectation.