Marching Echoes: The Legacy of Antonino R. Buenaventura (1904-1996)

In celebration of the 120th birth anniversary of Col. Antonino R. Buenaventura, the University Archives presents an online exhibit illuminating his remarkable life and enduring legacy culled from his personal papers. This features seven decades of contributions exemplifying excellence in the realm of Philippine music, echoing his deep devotion to the country.

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Introduction

Early Filipino artists utilized music to express nationalistic ideals and profound love for the country. They  mastered the techniques of writing classical Western music while at the same time sought ways to assert their cultural identity despite the influence and colonization of foreign countries¹. Musical works created to elevate Filipino pride and reinforce a sense of belongingness have an immense impact on people. A musician who committed his life to fostering nationalism through his artistry is the real treasure of one’s nation.

Antonino R. Buenaventura – band conductor, composer, and educator – not only created highly acclaimed compositions but vastly contributed to invigorating Philippine music through his initiatives in various institutions. An alumnus of the University of the Philippines, he subsequently became a faculty member and later on served in the Armed Forces of the Philippines in which he triumphantly reorganized the pre-war Philippine Constabulary Band. His notable musical style employs “Philippine folk tunes or melodies in contemporary harmony and development” ²which incorporate an innovative approach to create a “new” distinct Filipino sound. Earning a distinction as one of the earliest Filipino composers with major works being acknowledged and performed internationally, he also set a record for spearheading numerous “firsts” in Philippine music. He amassed several recognitions including the prestigious National Artist Award for Music, conferred in 1988 for his professional endeavors and musical compositions. 

The remarkable life and enduring legacy of Col. Buenaventura will be illuminated through this exhibition culled from his personal papers in the University Archives, UP Diliman. His seven decades of contributions exemplify excellence in the realm of Philippine music, echoing his deep devotion to the country.

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Ancestry Profile

Antonino R. Buenaventura, a native of Baliuag, Bulacan was born on May 4, 1904. He is the youngest child of two prominent artists from their respective fields. His father, Lucino Buenaventura, was a well-known band conductor, mentor of town bands, and musico mayor of the famed Banda del Regimiento Peninsular de Artillería. Maestro Lucino later joined the Katipuneros and was the most probable composer of the Katipunan song of Bulacan, Joselynang Baliuag. His family’s contribution to the country’s artistic landscape extended beyond music. His mother, Leocadia Ramirez, was a prominent and prize-winning manufacturer of Habing Baliuag (sutla), buntal hat, and sombrero Baliuag. Following in their father’s footsteps, his brothers also demonstrated exceptional talent in the field of music. His eldest brother Federico Buenaventura was a trumpet soloist and became band leader of the Selangor State Band in Malaysia while his elder brother Feliciano Buenaventura was a pianist, band conductor, and composer and was popularly known as “Maestrong Anong” of Baliuag.  

His wife, Rizalina Exconde, graduated from the UP Conservatory of Music, majoring in Violin. She was a founding member of the UP Ladies String Quartet and a former concertmaster of the National Philharmonic Orchestra. They were blessed with four children, Antonino Buenaventura Jr., Arturo Buenaventura, Lourdes B. Salipsip, and Roberto Buenaventura. 

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Scholastic Accomplishment

During his childhood, Buenaventura received formal lessons in music from Modesto Enrile, a recognized town musician, teacher, and composer of zarzuelas, whom he described as the “best teacher in solfeggio”.

From being a piano student, he shifted to science and composition at the University of the Philippines under Maestro Nicanor Abelardo. He also took up conducting classes under Director Alexander Lippay of the UP Conservatory of Music. In 1929, he graduated with a Teacher’s Diploma in Music, majoring in Science and Composition. He earned his postgraduate degree in Science and Composition in 1933 after taking courses from Professor Jeno Von Tackacs, a well-known German professor.

Aside from his academic achievements, Buenaventura also excelled in extracurricular activities. He became the President of Music Senior Organization, a student representative on the board of management of the Philippine Collegian, and also became a member of the University of the Philippines Student Council. He led the UP ROTC Band, where he organized the first student string quartet and student symphony orchestra in the Philippines. It became the forming basis of the UP Junior Symphony Orchestra.

He received a fellowship grant from UNESCO for further studies in Arts and Music Education at the Institute of International Education in New York City in 1949.

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Musical Career

Buenvantura held various positions as a musician and faculty member from different universities and organizations. He served at the UP Conservatory of Music for 15 years as a faculty member (1930-1935), professor, and college secretary (1935-1939), and a member of the UP President’s Advisory Committee on Folk Songs and Music (1935-1938). He continued his service at the University as a professorial lecturer from 1946 to 1961.

In 1939 he was appointed as a music instructor and band conductor at the Philippine Military Academy, which brought him to his ambition of joining the military to serve the country. He became the director of different schools of music: San Pablo Music Academy (1942-1944),  Conservatory of Music at the University of Santo Tomas (1961-1964), and the School of Music and the Arts at the University of the East (1964-1981), which he founded. 

Major General Basilio Valez, then Secretary of National Defense, designated him to reorganize the pre-war Philippine Constabulary Band in 1945. He also became a co-conductor of the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Manila, which toured the Far East and Hawaii in 1948, and Chief of Bands and Music of the Philippine Army in 1958-1961. In 1959, he founded the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra. He retired from military service in 1961 with the satisfaction of restoring one of the finest military bands in the world, the Philippine Constabulary Band.

He was also an active member of various professional organizations: the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines (1961-1964), Executive Committee in Balikbanda of San Miguel Corporation (1984-1988), and the Asia League of Composers (1970–1988). From 1961 to 1968, he was designated as President of the National Music Council of the Philippines, UNESCO, and Vice President of the League of Filipino Composers from 1958 to 1988.

List of Bands Conducted

1. Six-Piece Band, Baliuag Intermediate School, 1923
2. UP ROTC Band, 1927-1929
3. Banda Kasarinlan, Pasay City, 1931
4. Field Artillery Band, Camp Dau, Pampanga, 1939
5. Philippine Military Academy Band, 1931-1941
6. Philippine Constabulary Band (currently Philippine Army Band) 1945-1961
7. As guest conductor, The United States Maritime Band, Washington D.C., February 1949
8. As guest conductor, Duke University Band, during the annual convention of the American Bandmasters Association held at the Charlotte, North Carolina, March 1949
9. As guest conductor, the United States Military Academy Band, West Point, May 8, 1949
10. As guest conductor, Ohio State University Band, May 1949
11. As guest conductor, Kosei Wind Ensemble, during the annual convention of the Southeast Asia Band Directors’ Association, Tokyo, Japan, 1978 and 1980.

List of Orchestras Conducted

1. Manila Symphony Orchestra (as assistant conductor under Dr. Herbert Zipper) 1945-1948
2. Philippine Constabulary Concert Orchestra, 1945-1961
3. Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Manila (as co-conductor) 1948
4. Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, 1955-1964

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Musical Works

Buenaventura was only in the sixth grade when he wrote his first composition, a Danza, for his father’s band, later known as the Buenaventura Band. He then composed “Only You” when he was eighteen years old. In honor of his professor and favorite composer, Nicanor Abelardo, he wrote “Concert Overture” which he recomposed after graduating from the UP Conservatory of Music.

In 1937, he composed the “Minuet” which utilized Igorot tunes as its thematic material despite the Western influence in the treatment and instrumentation of the piece. “Pandanggo sa Ilaw”, one of his well-known compositions that was frequently misinterpreted as a folk song, inaugurated a series of attempts at producing compositions with a distinct Filipino identity. He then composed “Rhapsodietta” based on the folksongs of the Bogobos in 1938. 

Colonel Walter Loving, the founder of the Philippine Constabulary Band, asked Buenaventura to compose “Echoes from the Philippines,” which premiered at the Golden Gate Exposition in California in 1939 by the pre-war Philippine Constabulary Band. His piece “Symphony in C” utilized Igorot themes for the first movement, Visayan folk song for the second, and Mindanao musical themes for the third and fourth movements; it earned him the Republic Cultural Heritage Award in 1961.

Buenaventura’s musical works include a variety of musical forms such as chamber pieces, two one-act ballets, solo compositions for voice, piano, violin, and other instruments, and hymns and marches for schools and universities. The official songs of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines, the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Marine, Philippine Military Academy (Class ‘41) were Buenavantura’s oeuvre. He also created marches for two UP Presidents (Bocobo and Palma) and three Presidents of the Philippines (Magsaysay, Garcia, and Marcos). The march for President Eisenhower during his visit to the country in 1959 was also composed by Buenaventura.

Selected Works in Orchestral Music

1. Concert Overture (1929)
2. Prelude and Fugue in G Minor (1932)
3. Ode to the Filipino Heroes for mixed chorus and orchestra (1934)
4. Philippines Triumphant (1935)

5. Menuet (based on Igorot theme) for chamber orchestra (1934)
6. Rhapsodietta for piano and orchestra (Manobo theme) (1938)
7. By the Hillside (tone poem) (1941)
8. Pag-asa for mixed chorus and orchestra (1943)
9. Youth – a symphonic poem (1946)
10. Mindanao Sketches (tone poem) (1947)
11. Divertimento for piano and orchestra (Igorot theme) (1959)
12. Symphony in C Major (1961)
13. Mass in C for mixed chorus and chamber orchestra (1962)
14. Farewell to a Warrior for ballet (1968)
15. Kulas na Batugan – a one-act ballet (1973)
16. Variations and Fugue on a Mountain Tune (1972)
17. Impressions – a symphonic suite for full Orchestra (1978)

Selected Works in Chamber Music

1. Children’s String Quartet (1934)
2. Song Cycle for mixed chorus and chamber orchestra (1954)
3. Quintet in C (1963)
4. Four Philippine Folk Songs for piano quintet (1964)
5. Divertimento for 6 soloists and string orchestra (1963)
6. Divertimento for trumpet, french horn, trombone snare drum and string (1964)
7. Buhay – a music allegory for narrator, soprano, tenor, mixed chorus, corps de ballet and chamber orchestra (1965)
8. Sonata for viola and piano (1969)
9. Suite No. 1 for string quartet (1969)
10. Woodwind Quintet (1970)
11. Suite no. 12 for string quartet (1971)
12. Concertino for clarinet, string quartet, piano and percussion (1974)
13. Mountain Sketches (1975)

Selected Works in Zarzuela

1. Bukang Liwayway (in 3-acts) (1966)
2. Anong Tamis ng mga Sandali sa Sariling Bayan (in 3-acts) (1969)

Selected Works in Band Music

1. Echoes from the Philippines (1938)
2. Second symphony in E flat (in 4 movements) (1937)
3. Greetings – a Fantasy (1938)
4. Ode to the Republic (1949)

Ode to the Republic (An Evening of Music Col A. Buenaventura) July 29, 2004

   (2003). Ode to the Republic (Meet the U.P. Composers). UP College of Music. 

Ode to the Republic from Ode to the Filipino People (UP Symphonic Band) July 18, 2013

 (2004). Ode to the Republic (An evening of music Col. A. Buenaventura). UP College of Music.

Ode to the Republic (from Meet the U.P Composers) March 27, 2003

(2013). Ode to the Filipino people (UP Symphonic Band). UP College of Music.

5. Sa Dakong Silangan – one-movement symphony (1979)

Selected Works in Opera

1. Talinghaga ng Pag-ibig one-act opera in Filipino (1979)

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Musical Style

 The influence of Western models can be traced to the early works of Buenaventura. Webner, Wagner, and his foreign teachers, Alexander Lippay and Von Tackacs greatly influenced his musical style. His foundation, taught by his inspiration and professor Nicanor Abelardo also depended on European tradition as music education was based on foreign countries back then.

   The works of Buenaventura may be classified as neoclassical and neo-romantic in style based on native materials in the Philippine socio-historical context. The use of chords in a series of overtones producing a new, fresh, and distinct Filipino sound is his signature style, making his compositions “attuned to the times” as identified by one of his music critics, Vilma Santiago-Felipe³. Buenaventura infused a significant musical innovation in which he incorporated the use of chords built from a series of six overtones instead of the usual plain triad or seventh chord usage in Western music and distributed the chord into two separate chords. He was also credited for setting a modern approach in compositional technique that was never employed before as he wrote a counterpoint in chromatic harmony, vertical and horizontal, against a principal melodic line written in atonal form. He effectively demonstrated the Philippine distinct sound by retaining the folk melody intact and creating accompaniment materials that feature traditional Western music elements⁴.

   Buenaventura’s musical creativity formed a new and distinctly Filipino sound that is pensive, mellow, and subtle, yet expansive and assertive, indicating the triumph of Filipino identity despite foreign influences⁵.

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Awards, Honors, and Citations

In 1988, Buenvantura received the highest distinction given by the Philippine government to Filipino artists, the National Artist Award for Music, in recognition of his efforts in  the development and promotion of national culture. His name was included in the 1974 edition of Who’s Who in the World and the 1975 edition of the Dictionary of International Biographies. 

He also received numerous accolades from various educational institutions and civic organizations, acknowledging his talent and contributions to the country. Among these are:

1. Life-time member of Phi Kappa Phi (International Honor Society), 1942
2. Band Conductor of the Year, Music Lovers Society, 1951
3. Music Leader of the Year, Institute of Public Opinion, 1951
4. Plaque of Recognition for Outstanding Achievement in Music, Bulacan Teachers’ Association, 1961
5. Plaque of Recognition for Outstanding Achievement in Music, UP Vanguard Association, 1961
6. Gold Medallion for Community Service, Baliuag Colleges, 1962
7. Mariano Ponce Medalyong Ginto ng Karangalan, Baliuag Historical Society, 1962
8. Outstanding Alumni, UP Alumni Association Award, 1966
9. Araw ng Maynila Cultural Award, 1971
10. Gawad Plaridel, Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Bulacan, 1974
11. Ginintuan-Luntian Award, San Pablo Colleges, 1974
12. Pro Mundi Benefício Medal and Diploma Award, Academia Brasileira de Ciências Humanas, 1975
13. Testimonial Award, Angeles University, 1978
14. Diploma of Recognition, All-Nippon Band Association, 1978
15. UP Vanguard Oblation Award in the Field of Music, UP Vanguard, 1980
16. Director Emeritus Award, University of the East, 1981
17. Testimonial Award, Municipality of San Juan, Metro Manila, 1985

Award-winning compositions

1. First prize, “Ode to the Filipino Heroes” for mixed chorus and orchestra, National Heroes Day, 1934
2. First prize, “Philippine Triumphant” for chorus and band, became the official hymn of the first anniversary of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, 1936
3. First prize, “By the Hillside” for symphony orchestra, Baguio Summer Music Festival, 1941
4. First prize, “Bagong Pagsilang”, symphonic poem for orchestra, National Music Concour, 1943
5. First prize, “Youth”, symphonic poem for orchestra, inauguration of the Republic of the Philippines, 1946

Image gallery:

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Antonino R. Buenaventura’s Firsts

Buenaventura inscribed Philippine music history with many “firsts”. He was the first Filipino to compose a 4-movement symphony for orchestra (Symphony C, 1961) and for symphonic band (Second Symphony in E flat, 1977). The first Filipino who wrote a 3-movement concerto for piano and symphonic band (Parangal, 1981), a concerto in 3 movements for bassoon and orchestra (1981), a concerto for trumpet and symphony orchestra (1985) and a concerto for French horn and symphony orchestra (1987). He was the first Filipino musician to organize and train an all-student orchestra (1929) and whose orchestral compositions were performed in Russia, Greece, and Israel. The first extensive research on folk songs was also made possible through the collaboration of Buenaventura, Ms. Francisca Reyes-Aquino (who was declared National Artist for Dance in 1973), and her then-husband, Ramon P. Tolentino, Jr. Buenaventura was regarded as one of the first few Filipino classical composers whose major works are still being recognized and performed abroad.

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Speeches

Speech given on April 12, 1966, at the Philamlife Auditorium in Manila during the International Music Symposium with the theme “Music of Asia” by Antonino R. Buenaventura, the then-president of the National Music Council of the Philippines.

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Message to the 1972 graduates of the University of the East, School of Music and the Arts.

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Antonino R. Buenaventura’s response upon his conferment as the National Artist for Music in 1988.

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Narratives from some critics, writers and artists

“If properly introduced abroad it could probably achieve the popularity of the “Enchanted Lake” and the “Afternoon of a Faun”… There is no reason under the tropical sun why the world of music should not acclaim distinguished Filipino composers as they have acclaimed Ravel of France and Sibelius of Finland”

Joseph M. Hopkins
(After hearing “By the Hillside” at the Rex Theater, Chinatown, Manila, 1945)

“Of the lot, Antonino Buenaventura’s “Three Tone-Sketches” seemed to mirror stylistic and compositional devices of the present, i.e., he has grown attuned to the times. The three-movement work for strings and wings delineated the composer’s perception of a realization of the onslaught of changes in our national life in the first sketch: a “reverie” and contemplated second sketch, so characteristic of the Buenaventura pensive style: and a resolute “reaffirmation” of the nation’s strides to overcome all trials. It is so heartwarming to note how today’s eldest living composer is up to his calling.”

Vilma Santiago Felipe
Manila Daily Bulletin
6 December 1986

Excerpts from the two letters to Antonino Buenaventura by Redentor Romero, conductor:

12 January 1971

“Your work, along with that of the American composer Walter Piston, has been chosen as one of the many that I will be interpreting during my guest-conductor tour of the Soviet Union beginning late this month.

This, I believe, is quite a significant milestone in Philippine music history for this will be the first time that a Filipino orchestral composition will be played on Soviet soil as conducted by the first Filipino conductor to lead Russian orchestras.”

27 April 1971

“I am pleased to inform you that the performances of your work “Mindanao Sketches” by Russian and Greek orchestras under my baton were well received.

Under separate cover, I am enclosing a souvenir poster in Russian with your name and composition, as well as souvenir programs and reviews. Movies were also taken while your work was being performed. This will be shown on Thursday, April 29, 6 p.m. at the Thomas Jefferson Cultural Center and you might be interested to see it, so let this serve as an invitation to you and Aling.”

“The Commission of Music in the Liturgy has the honor to possess the 4th Centennial Hymn which you have graciously written for the Archdiocese of Manila.. We are short of words to make you realize how beautifully you have arrived at our envisioned hymn. Very religious and yet very Filipino!”

Letter of Gratitude from Institute of Music in the Liturgy 1976

Periodical clippings:

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