Quiz 1 - Traditional Filipino Music

• Traditional Filipino Music


  • Reflects the way of Life, Beliefs, and Traditions of the rural folks.
  • Glorifies the beauty of nature and man's strong connection with his environment.
  • Influenced by the styles of famous composers from the Impressionism and Expressionism
• Diatonic

  • is a Greek word that means progressing through tones
• Traditional music may be classified according to cultural and language divisions.
• Traditional music in lowland areas in the Islands of Luzon and Visayas has the Spanish influence.
• The music of the upland people like the Igorot and Ifugao in Luzon, and the Muslims and Lumad in Mindanao have an indigenous flavor.
• Traditional Philippine music has been influenced by other cultures as a result of either intercultural meetings or colonization.
• Ethnic 


  • percussion music using the gong to express a five-tone or a seven tone scale.
• Muslim's Kulintang

  • is an ensemble composed of eight gongs of graduated sizes arranged in a row.
• Gandingan

  • a set of suspended gongs
• Agung

  • a tubular drum
• Babendil

  • a small gong
• Gangsa Ensemble

  • is played according to the traditions of the different tribes (Kalinga, lfugao, Bontoc) of the Cordillera.
  • It is a smooth surfaced gong with a narrow rim.
• Rondalla

  • Originated in Spain but became most popular in Philippine folk music after it was introduced during the 19th century. 
  • It is an ensemble of stringed instruments with the pick such as guitar, laud octavina, piccolo, and bajó de unas.
• Sarsuwela 

  • A combination of melo-drama, songs and dances. 
  • It was introduced by the Spaniards. 
  • Rondalla serves as accompaniment of this
• Kundiman 

  • An art song that speaks about love of a man for a woman. 
  • It is usually written in ¾ time signature.
• Balitao

  • An old Visayan folk song and dance where a man and a woman engage in a debate by means of a song. 
  • The lyrics are usually humorous and spontaneously performed.
• Musikang Bumbong 

  • Also called bamboo music
• Bamboo Music 

  • A band that uses improvised instruments made of bamboo. 
  • The bamboo band includes piccolo, tuba, clarinets, flutes, and saxophones made of bamboo
  • It is played during festivals.
• Korido

  • metrical story sang with a guitar
• Examples of Korido:

  • Biag ni Lam-ang
  • Florante at Laura
• Aerophones

  • bamboos that are blown
• Idiophones

  • bamboos that are struck
• Chordophones

  • bamboos that are plucked
• Kudlung

  • two-stringed made of wood
• Kudyapi

  • two -stringed, boat -shaped lute
• Serongagandi

  • decorated bamboo tube; closed by a node at both ends
• Saludoy

  • tube made of bamboo with five strings cut from the tube
• Afiw

  • brass instrument horizontally held by the tongue in front of the opened mouth
• Balingbing

  • bamboo buzzer