Abstract
Utilizing the contemporary daily, Spanish-language newspapers surviving from the final three decades of 19th–century Manila, this study investigates the extensive activities of the eight regimental bands stationed in Manila, the Philippines. Even though these dailies served as powerful tools for the imposition of colonial subjugation and disenfranchisement on the indigenous Filipino population, they also reveal that the regimental bands were the most active musical ensembles during that era. This review of the papers began by chronicling the frequency of the many free, weekly, outdoor concerts that total more than 2,700 performances. A related goal was to identify as many of the musical pieces presented in band arrangements during these performances. The newspapers also published additional valuable articles that discuss a variety of unique or unusual events involving the regimental band’s contributions to major military maneuvers, special occasions of state in honor of the Royal Family, and a set of seven concerts performed on consecutive days by one band during a major, religious feast.The dailies also permit us to follow the work of the bands during a period of crisis and some danger. From August 1896 to December 1897, the Spanish Military was engaged in a war with Filipino insurrectionists fighting for independence. The Military command responded to this threat in two ways that affected the bands. The first was the creation of a new regiment of indigenous-heritage soldiers to protect the capital from invasion by their countrymen. That new regiment, The Loyal Volunteers, also had a new band attached to it. Like all the bands, this new one was made up entirely of Filipino men. A second response affecting all of the bands was the order for the Band Masters to include in their public concerts a steady stream of newly composed works promoting the Spanish propaganda opposing the war. Though the revolt was ended with a peace treaty in late December 1897, just four months later, on 1 May, the fate of the Spanish colony was sealed when the U.S. armed forces invaded the Philippines. As the Spanish Military regiments exited the country, the work of the bands ended. A new period of brutal colonial subjugation of the Filipino people had commenced.
Highlights
The dailies permit us to follow the work of the bands during a period of crisis and some danger
Spanish-language newspapers surviving from the final three decades of 19th–century Manila, this study investigates the extensive activities of the eight regimental bands stationed in Manila, the Philippines
Even though these dailies served as powerful tools for the imposition of colonial subjugation and disenfranchisement on the indigenous Filipino population, they reveal that the regimental bands were the most active musical ensembles during that era
Summary
Another regular feature of the reporting on the bands in El Comercio involved the printing of announcements for the forthcoming, local religious festivities of the larger parish churches scattered throughout the walled city and the expansive suburbs. Perhaps because this unprecedented performance by foreign performers was the first documented in the press to employ members of the regimental bands within a Manila theater, most especially in such a significantly large number, the advertisement perhaps can be forgiven for pointing to this feature and the unique instrument that Soualle would perform on, the Turcophono, instead of listing the individual titles of the pieces. Soualle’s two mixed concert programs featured European opera excerpts by Mr Valere, originally criticized but subsequently praised, and additional instrumental works conducted by AliBen Soualle, though we never learn which were accompanied by the massed bands. The first work played by the massed bands, the overture to the La gran marcha de las Antorchas by Giacomo Meyerbeer, was so enthusiastically applauded that the response forced Remenyi to promise the audience a repeat performance later in the program. El Comercio’s Spanish music critic, Oscar Camps y Soler, who compiled the inventory, could not step quite far enough over the racist divide maintained in his paper to identify the regimental band players, even though the vast majority of the named orchestral players and chorus singers were known Filipino musicians
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
