Origin of the Rondalla
There are several versions of the origin of the rondalla.
The first version says in the beginning it was a group of
young men who went around regularly to play and sing in
front of the houses. The second version says it was a group
of musicians begging for alms. The group it says was called
murza or murga and there were also groups like it in Spain
and Mexico. The third version says it was a musicians group
playing on the stage and that it was called comparza.
And a fourth version saying that it was a typical music
group popular among universities in Spain as the
estudiantina -- tuna for short. The members of the group
played mandolins, violins, guitars, flutes, cellos, basses,
tambourines, castanets, and triangles and the students
donned pirate costumes.
The terms comparza and rondalla seemed popular in the higher
strata of musical society. They have the same connotation.
In the Philippines, the term comparza was popularly applied
to the group only during the Spanish regime and up to the
early years of the American domination, and later on, the
rondalla took over. Today any group of stringed instruments
played with the plectrum is called a rondalla.
The rondalla instruments are:
The guitar brought into the Philippines by the Spaniards
have inspired the development of the rondalla in the country.
Filipino ingenuity produced several other instruments modeled
after it and these instruments joined the guitar in the group
that was to develop into the rondalla.
Besides the native talent that produced the instruments,
the Filipino's natural inclination toward music encouraged
the Spanish friars to give free instruction in music and to
recruit the musically-talented for training in the playing
of the various musical instruments. Many musicians later
flocked voluntarily to the convents to study not only the
playing of musical instruments but the theory of music as
well. Those who took lessons from the friars studied the
instruments of their choice. Among the instruments to choose
from were the piano, the organ, the violin, the flute, and
the guitar. Those who chose the guitar as their major study
had also to learn allied instruments, such as the bandurria,
and the laud, which were already being manufactured by
Filipinos. Some Filipinos not only played the instruments
but also went into business of manufacturing them.
With the proliferation of amateur players of stringed
instruments, groups were organized and were called comparzas
or rondallas. The rondallas were very much in demand at
the beginning of the 20th century. There are periods
when the interest in the rondalla fades, but there are
times when it enjoys great popularity for years.
Rondalla festivals and contests began to be sponsored
by government offices and private entities.
The ultimate goal behind the sponsorship was to raise
the standard of the rondalla organizations and to
develop further the talents of the performers.
The Filipino rondalla has a wide repertoire ranging
from the simple folk songs to the modern and contemporary
tunes as well as Filipino and foreign classics. The most
commonly played are folk tunes like the balitaw, kundiman,
balse, danza, marches and lullabies. Modern rondalla
repertoire includes ragtime, love songs, and
Broadway music. The classical rondalla repertoire
includes the composition of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms.
The rondalla also plays dance crazes like the mambo,
the cha-cha, the rock-n-roll, the calypso and the jerk.
It provides music for radio plays. It plays during
baptisms, mass celebration, weddings, funerals and fiestas.
It also renders accompaniment to vocal, violin, and
other instrumental solos and to choral ensembles.
Rondalla music brings cheer to everyone, Filipinos
and non-Filipinos.
The rondalla has become an institution. It is a distinct
contribution to the musical culture of the nation.
Source: FILIPINO HERITAGE- The Making of a Nation -
(Volume 9) Copyright 1978