The Anthem Philatelist

Levi Celerio was a Filipino composer and lyricist, born on April 30, 1910 in Tondo, Manila, Philippines. He received a free education to the Academy of Music in Manila and became the youngest affiliate of the Manila Symphony Orchestra . He was a creative songwriter, with more than 4,000 songs to his acclaim including Filipino folk, Christmas, and love songs that are popular pieces, which many consider to be immortal. Famous for being a lyricist, his songs treasure life; express nationalistic sentiments and complete grand philosophies. At one instance or another, no Filipino can miss the song or lyrics of Levi's Christmas songs namely Pasko na Naman , Ang Pasko ay Sumapit , and Misa de Gallo . He is probably best recognized for being a leaf-player, an achievement where he was place into the Guinness Book of World Records .  The stamp above features the composer Levi Celerio playing the violin. The stamp is one in a set of 4 honoring Filipino National Artists issued on November ...

The Philippine National Anthem lyrics has three versions- "Filipinas", the Spanish (original) version, written by Jose Palma , "Lupang Hinirang" the Tagalog version, written by Felipe Padilla de Leon and "Philippine Hymn", the English version, written by Camilo Osias . Presently, only the Tagalog or Filipino version is used. José Palma (3 June 1876 - 12 February 1903) was a Philippine poet and soldier. He was on the staff of La Independencia at the time he wrote his "Filipinas," a patriotic poem in Spanish. It was published for the first time in the issue of the first anniversary of La Independencia on 3 September 1899. The poem fit the tune of the music of the Marcha Nacional Filipina, and since then became the national anthem of the country. Palma was born in Tondo, Manila, on 3 June 1876, the youngest child of Don Hermogenes Palma, a clerk at the Intendencia Office, and Hilaria Velasquez. His older brother was Rafael Palma. After finishin...

Kulintang is a modern term for an ancient instrumental form of music composed on a row of small, horizontally-laid gongs that function melodically, accompanied by larger, suspended gongs and drums. As part of the larger gong-chime culture of Southeast Asia , kulintang music ensembles have been playing for many centuries in regions of the Eastern Malay Archipelago — the Southern Philippines, Eastern Indonesia, Eastern Malaysia, Brunei and Timor, although this article has a focus on the Philippine Kulintang traditions of the Maranao and Maguindanao peoples in particular. Kulintang evolved from a simple native signaling tradition, and developed into its present form with the incorporation of knobbed gongs from Sunda . Its importance stems from its association with the indigenous cultures that inhabited these islands prior to the influences of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity or the West, making Kulintang the most developed tradition of Southeast Asian archaic gong-chime ensemble...

A postage stamp design error is a mistake made during the design phase of the postage stamp production process. Design errors most commonly occur as minor mistakes, such as a missing letter in the binomial name of an organism depicted on the stamp, but some have been major gaffes, such as a map appearing to lay claim to another country's territory, or the depiction of the wrong person on the stamp. A design error caught during the production process may disappear quietly, with copie s of the error only getting into the public's hands via unscrupulous employees (these are therefore not considered "real" stamps). Design errors are often caught during the distribution process, when large numbers of postal workers are scrutinizing the new stamp; although officials may elect to withdraw all the stamps at that point, it is very difficult to retrieve every one of them, and in these instances a few may end up being sold and used. The exact circumstance are important, because...

Pedro Alejandro Paterno (February 27, 1858 - March 11, 1911) was a Filipino statesman as well as a poet, composer,novelist, historian and negotiator. His intervention on behalf of the Spanish led to the signing of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato on December 14, 1897, an account of which he published in 1910. Among his other works include the very first novel written by a native Filipino, Ninay (1885), and the first Filipino collection of poems in Spanish, Sampaguitas y poesias (Jasmines and Poems), published in Madrid in 1880. Paterno had the luxury of in private schools in the Philippines and abroad. He studied law at the Central University in Madrid. The stamp above was issued on October 25, 1975.

Christmas in the Philippines, one of two predominantly Catholic countries in Asia (the other one being East Timor), is one of the biggest holidays on calendar. The country has earned the distinction of celebrating the world's longest Christmas season, with Christmas carols are heard as early as September and the season lasting up until Epiphany. In the Philippines, children in small groups go from house to house singing Christmas carols, which they called pangangaroling. Makeshift instruments include tambourines made with tansans (aluminum bottle caps) strung on a piece of wire. With the traditional chant of "Namamasko po!", these carolers wait expectantly for the homeowners to reward them with coins. Afterward, the carolers thank the generous homeowners by singing "Thank you, thank you, ang babait ninyo (you are so kind), thank you!" But sometimes the homeowners won't give rewards, so the carolers sing, "Thank you, thank you, ang dadamot ninyo (you ar...

Instruments that produce sound from the substance of the instrument itself (wood or metal) are classified as idiophones . They are further divided into those that are struck, scraped, plucked, shaken, or rubbed. In the Philippines, there are metal and wooden (principally bamboo) idiophones. Metal idiophones are of two categories: flat gongs and bossed gongs,. Flat gongs made of bronze, brass, or iron are found principally in the north among the Isneg , Tingguian , Kalinga , Bontok , Ibaloi , Gaddang , Ifugao , and Ilonggot . They are commonly referred to as gangsa . The gongs vary in size, the average are struck with wooden sticks, padded wooden sticks, or slapped with the palm of the hand. Gong playing among the Cordillera highlanders is an integral part of peace pact gatherings, marriages, prestige ceremonies, feasts or rituals. In Southern Philippines, gongs have a central profusion or knot, hence the term bossed gongs . They are of three types: 1) sets of graduated gongs ...

Single and double headed drums (membranophones) are found throughout the Philippines. The are variously shaped- conical, cylindrical, goblet-shaped, barrel-shaped. Animal skins (snake, deer or goat) are used as drum heads. They maybe beaten with sticks or by the palm portion of bare hands. Drums are seldom used alone except to announce tidings over long distances. Usually they are played with other instruments particularly gongs, to form different kinds of ensemble.   The Ifugao libbit , ludag (the stamp above) , is a conical drum with a deer or goat skin drum head. It is played with a gong during harvest time under the rice granary.   The sulibao and kimbal of the Bontok and Ibaloi are longitudinal slightly barrel-shaped hallowed outlogs with deer skin on one end. The taller drum(80 cm) is called the kimbal, the shorter(75 cm) is called the sulibao. The drumhead is small measuring about 6 cm in diameter. They are played with palms of two hands.    The ...

Philippine culture is a combination of Eastern and Western cultures. The Philippines exhibits aspects found in other Asian countries with a Malay heritage, yet its culture also displays a significant amount of Spanish and American influences. Traditional festivities known as barrio fiestas (district festivals) to commemorate the feast days of patron saints are common. The Moriones Festival and Sinulog Festival are a couple of the most well-known. These community celebrations are times for feasting, music, and dancing. Some traditions, however, are changing or gradually being forgotten due to modernization.   The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company has been lauded for preserving many of the various traditional folk dances found throughout the Philippines. They are famed for their iconic performances of Philippine dances such as the tinikling and singkil that both feature the use of clashing bamboo poles. In these fiestas and festivals various bands and ensemb...

Rodolfo S. Cornejo is the first Filipino composer who received an honory degree from a government recognized music school in the United States . He is also remarkable for his pianistic and compositional know-how by improvising a piano composition at the spur of the moment.   He was born on 15 May 1909 in Singalong , Manila . At the age of six, he had his formal piano lessons. After 2 years, he played fourteen pieces and six encores for his recital. In that same year, he became the organist of the Pasay Catholic Church when they moved in. When he was ten, he composed a piano piece entitled, " Glissando Waltz ". He became so keen and inspired about music by his mother's genuine support.    At 13, he composed the "Salute", a military march that was also published. He also composed the Philippine Suite: Paalam sa Pagakadalaga , Okaka Variations , Paalam na Sinta , Oriental Fantasy , Nocturne in G, Piano Concerto no. 1 , and the Moro Wedding Dance . At 14, tw...

Honorata “Atang” de la Rama (January 11, 1902 – July 11, 1991) was a singer and bodabil performer who became the first Filipina film actress.   Atang de la Rama was born in Tondo, Manila on January 11, 1905. By the age of 7, she was already starring in Spanish zarzuelas such as Mascota, Sueño de un Vals, and Marina. At the age of 15, she starred in the sarsuela Dalagang Bukid, where she became known for the singing the song, Nabasag na Banga .   During the American occupation of the Philippines , Atang de la Rama fought for the dominance of the kundiman , an important Philippine folk song, and the sarsuela , which is a musical play that focused on contemporary Filipino issues such as usury, cockfighting, and colonial mentality.   Generations of Filipino artists and audiences consider Atang de la Rama's vocal and acting talents as responsible for much of the success of original Filipino sarsuelas like Dalagang Bukid , and dramas like Veronidia .    She has...

Francisco S. Santiago was a renowned pianist, composer and teacher. He earned his masters degree and doctorate in music from the Conservatory of Chicago in 1924. He became the Director of the University of the Philippines College of Music from 1930-1946. He was born in Santa Maria, Bulacan in January 29, 1889. Poverty didn’t stop him from pursuing his studies in piano, supporting him through school. In 1916, he became a piano instructor when the UP Conservatory of Music was established during the same year. The following year, his composition Kundiman, Anak Dalita , the first art song kundiman , was sung Royal Court of Spain upon the request of King Alfonso II. His masterpiece “ Concerto in B flat minor ” for pianoforte and orchestra was presented at the Chicago Music School, where he received his doctorate degree in 1924. Upon returning to the Philippines, he became director of the UP Conservatory of Music from 1930 to 1946. He also directed the music for such films as Manileña...

Antonio J. Molina was called the "Dean of Filipino Composers". He was a prominent violoncellist, conductor and teacher. He wrote 500 compositions in his lifetime.   He was the last of the musical triumvirate, two of whom were Nicanor Abelardo and Francisco Santiago , who elevated music beyond the realm of folk music. At an early age, he took to playing the violoncello and played it so well it did not take long before he was playing as orchestra soloist for the Manila Grand Opera House . Molina is credited for introducing such innovations as the whole tone scale, pentatonic scale, exuberance of dominant ninths and eleventh cords, and linear counterpoints. As a member of the faculty of the UP Conservatory, he had taught many of the country's leading musical personalities and educators like Lucresia Kasilag and Felipe de Leon .   Born into a musically inclined family, he raised his own family as music lovers as well, as three of his children pursued careers in music, ...

A composer, pianist and teacher, Nicanor Abelardo was best known for his compositions. His most popular works include the official song of the University of the Philippines,"U.P. Beloved","Mutya ng Pasig",and "Magbalik Ka Hirang". Born in San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan in February 7, 1893, Nicanor Sta. Ana Abelardo was introduced to music when he was five years old, when his father taught him the solfeggio and the banduria. At the age of 8, he was able to compose his first work, a waltz entitled "Ang Unang Buko," which was dedicated to his grandmother. At the age of 13, he was already playing at saloons and cabarets in Manila. At age 15, he was already teaching in barrio schools in San Ildefonso and San Miguel Bulacan. All of these happened even before young Abelardo finally took up courses under Guy F. Harrison and Robert Schofield at the UP Conservatory of Music in 1916. By 1924, following a teacher’s certificate in science and composition rec...

Jovita Fuentes was the founder of the Asociacion Musical de Filipinas, Bach Society of the Philippines and the Artists Guild of the Philippines. She received numerous awards for her talents as vocalist and dedication as a leader. She was named National Artist in Music 1976. Jovita Fuentes was born in Capiz on February 15, 1895. At the age of 5, she already learned how to sing the habanseras and the danzas. She took formal lessons from Italian singer Salvina Fornari, who was the residing in Manila. For 5 years until 1924, she taught voice culture at the UP Conservatory of Music. She furthered her skills in opera and acting abroad in Italy under the guidance of Arturo Cadore, Luigi Kucenti, and Maestro Villani. Her performance as Cio Cio San in Puccini's Madame Butterfly in the spring of 1925 in Italy, earned for her international recognition. After that, she traveled to North America, the Philippines, Europe to perform such plum roles as Mimi in La Boheme; Liu Yu in Turandot; P...

Antipolo Pilgrimage is a month-long celebration that brings devotees and pilgrims to venerate the " Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage " which is enshrined in Antipolo Church in Antipolo City . This is annually celebrated every month of May.   It is during the month of May when Filipino devotees to the Blessed Virgin Mary from different parts of the country throng on the hills of Antipolo to make a pilgrimage at the shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buenviaje (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage).   The folk song “ Tayo na sa Antipolo ” vividly captures the festive air of this season in this rural town some decades ago. 'Tayo na sa Antipolo' 'at doo'y maligo tayo' 'sa batis na kung tawagin' 'ay Hi-hi-hinulugang Taktak' 'at doo'y kumain' 'ng mangga' 'kasuy at balimbing' 'kaya't magmadali ka at' 'tayo ay sumama sa Antipolo.'   The pilgrimage is a month-long celebration that sees ...

The Manila Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest orchestras in Asia. Founded by Dr. Alexander Lippay in 1926, the orchestra has played a major role in Philippine history. Through the years it has hosted artists Montserrat Caballé, Yehudi Menuhin, Igor Oistrakh, Eugene Istomin, Fou Ts'ong, Barry Tuckwell, Paul Badura-Skoda and Rony Rogoff, as well as conductors Andre Kostelanetz, Arthur Fiedler, Mendi Rodan, Robert Feist, Gareth Nair and Helen Quach.   MSO has instituted two main programs intended to develop Filipino musical artistry and showcase Filipino musical talent, the "Young Artists’ Competitions" and the Luneta Concerts (known as “Concert in the Park”).    The Manila Symphony Orchestra today has young musicians who are trained by the Philippine Research for Developing International Soloists (PREDIS), which was founded by Basilio Manalo and Sister Mary Placid Abejo at St. Scholastica’s College. Filipino conductors have taken the helm of the MSO, including Franci...

The kutiyapi or kudyapi, is a Philippine two-stringed, fretted boat-lute. It is the only stringed instrument among the Maguindanao people, and one of several among other groups such as the Maranao and Manobo . It is four to six feet long with nine frets made of hardened beeswax . The instrument is carved out of solid soft wood such as from the jackfruit tree.   Common to all kutiyapi instruments, a constant drone is played with one string while the other, an octave above the drone, plays the melody with a kebit or rattan pluck (commonly made from plastic nowadays). This feature, which is also common to other related Southeast Asian "boat lutes", which were influenced by varying degrees by Indian concepts of melody and scale via the Malay archipelago .   Among the T'Boli , Manobo and other Lumad groups, the instrument (known as Hegelung, Kudyapi or Fedlung) is tuned to a major pentatonic scale . Among groups like the Bagobo , the Kutiyapi (Kudlung) is also used as...

The Las Piñas Bamboo Organ , in the Parish Church of St Joseph in Las Piñas City, Philippines, is a nineteenth-century church organ made almost entirely from bamboo; only the trumpet stops are made from metal. The organ, the church and the surrounding buildings have been restored to their 19th century state by Architect Francisco "Bobby" Mañosa and partner Ludwig Alvarez, making a trip to the site a popular excursion for Filipinos and foreign visitors alike. The builder of both the church and its organ was Fr. Diego Cera de la Virgen del Carmen, a priest under the Augustinian Recollects. A native of Spain, he served as parish priest in Las Piñas through many endeavors. Historians portray him as a gifted man-natural scientist, chemist, architect, community leader, organist and organ builder. Having previously built organs in Manila area with some organ stops made of bamboo he chose bamboo for most of this organ, and only the trumpet stops are made of metal. The choice of bambo...

The Island Territory of Bonaire is one of five island territories (Eilandgebieden) of the Netherlands Antilles, consisting of the main island of Bonaire and, nestled in its western crescent, the uninhabited islet of Klein Bonaire. Together with Aruba and Curaçao it forms a group referred to as the ABC islands of the Leeward Antilles, the southern island chain of the Lesser Antilles. As part of the Netherlands Antilles, Bonaire is also a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The structure of the relationship between Bonaire, the Netherlands Antilles and the Kingdom is planned for change under proposed legislation. The Netherlands Antilles is scheduled to be dissolved as a unified political entity on 10 October 2010, so that the five constituent islands would attain new constitutional statuses: Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius will become special municipalities of the Netherlands, while the islands of Curaçao and Sint Maarten will become independent states within the Kingdom of the Ne...