Customer Reviews

Philippine Treasures Volume 1

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Those familiar with Philippine culture and music will enjoy these very popular tunes. I did.

This CD is definitely representative of Philippine music.

Mr. Nagy wrote that this CD is a "disaster" but I wonder what stereotypes he has of Philippine music that has not been met? Does he know enough about Philippine culture and music to speak and judge like he is an authority? Does he know enough of Southeast Asian music? Does he know that the Philippines was under Spain for 400 years?

The guitar music in this CD has a Spanish flair, which is also reflected in the cuisine, language, religion and rituals of colonized areas. That's a reflection of 400 years of colonization!

Does Mr. Nagy know that there are more than 60 languages and more than 100 dialects? Does he know the various ethnic groups and how the gongs of the northern tribes are different from the gongs of the southern groups? Does he know the folk culture and the various animistic groups?

As a music teacher, what does he expect "Philippine music" to be?

This CD is a wonderful selection of popular, traditional songs of the Philippines.
Las Islas Filipinas is one of the most unusual countries in the world and to form stereotypes of " who " or "what" Filipinos are suppose to be is making a great mistake and injustice to it's unusual culture. It is unfortunate that there some people in positions and in this case a professor that comes to conclusions about the Philippines based on it's geographical location. First, the Philippines is composed of hundreds of islands inhabited by different groups of indigenous peoples with different cultures. Peoples from mainland Asia and Indonesia have also settled in the islands. With the coming of the Spaniards, perhaps the greatest influence on the Filipino culture, they also brought with them traditions from the Aztecs of Mexico. Some dialects containing mostly of Spanish words also contain some Nahuatl ( Aztec dialect ) words. The trade route Manila-Acapulco brought the traditions of Mexico to the islands. The celebrations of fiestas in honor of patron saints, Dia de los Muertos, and many people don't know that La Virgen de Guadalupe is the official patroness of the Philippines. It is not a surprise that the traditional music of the Philippines is influenced by all this other cultures. So to make judgements of the Philippines based on it's location is a big mistake, it is a country very different from it's neighbours.

This CD was my "introduction" to the music of the Philippines. The music is indicative of the many influences that make up the Philippines. Each song is a story, and we are invited to experience the joys and hardships that are a reality in the daily lives of Filipinos. Ultimately however, the romantic soul of the Filipinos emerge in this beautiful CD. Dr. Angelo Favis is a fine classical guitarist, and his performances here are at once, both passionate, and skilled. Each one of these songs are from the transcriptions of the "Maestro" Jose Valdez (a legend amongst Filipino guitarists). If you don't have any idea what Filipino music is, this is a good place to start. If these songs are special to you, then you will hear them in a new setting, but no less lovely and romantic as when they were written. ENJOY!

This is absolutely a fabulous CD that brings a taste of the Philippines to one's home. I have been looking for a long time for a CD like this, as a choreographer I am alway looking for good music. I grew up with my father playing his records of Filipino love songs whenever we had guests,whether Filipino or not... I did not understand what they said, but I surely enjoyed listening to all of them and lately have missed hearing those familiar melodies. Living here in the US, I wanted my kids and friends to hear what Filipino music was like, and to listen to the strong Spanish influence in our music and the exquisite melodies. Each piece is played with superb clarity and musicality. For anyone who is Filipino, this is a must to have and to share with others. Let's keep educating people about the richness in the Filipino culture and arts.

This is a really wonderful recording and performance of traditional Philippine guitar. I bought copies of the CD for every member of my family. This music is perfect for a rainy afternoon, or a small dinner party, or anytime I would like a little peace and nostalgia. For anyone familiar with Filipino music and culture, this is an absolute treasure. And I love the fact that this album has no annoying vocal track, so I get to sing along all by myself!

The Volume 1 and 2 series have and are being played over and over again for our own enjoyment and of course for visitors to our home. This is the music of romance, to anyone's ears! If even for a short period of time it transforms our home to an earlier time.

My review will address the discs across three dimensions. First, listenability/pleasure. Some of the finest and truest representations of meaningful and memorable pieces of folk art music. Played in classical style the music evokes memories of simpler and happier times; of being serenaded on the balcony and of welcomed parental involvement in our daily lives, our maturing process. Second, the quality of the music being played. Angelo Favis renders these tunes with such melodic purity it allows you to safely close your eyes to see him play. Favis truly allows you to hear the voices singing the words in your own way.....without them actually cluttering up the music on the disc. His interpretation is flawless and his emotions flow through his fingers to rest on the strings of his instrument. Third, the recording. High quality listening allows the listener to focus on the music and personal images without interruption.

This is music for both men and women. Based on your personal life history the music allows the listener to customize their own experience and build private, individual mental images. These recordings are for dinner party background where everyone in the room can fulfill their own needs or for sitting in your favorite listening chair and floating away in the sound.

My grandmother's brother was Costancio de Guzman, and I knew my mom would love to have this, so I sent it to her out of the blue! She loves it and plays it for every mahjong party with her friends singing along!

I bought this (and other cd's) for my wedding on July 16 because my father wanted to have filipino music inbetween the klezmer music and my more modern music. This wasn't bad. It's mostly instrumentals and unfortunately the songs that were sung were in another dialect that I didn't understand. But other than that, I would definately recommend this cd.

I ordered this in hopes of using it with my elementary general music classes, but there is nothing on this CD to even remotely suggest that it is from the Philippines! A solo guitar rambles through various tunes that could be from anywhere. Very misleading marketing led me to this worthless purchase.