THE ROMANTIC PINOY

Filipinos are indeed romantic!

One great testimony to the Romantic Pinoy is our music. Not only are the lyrics written with love flowing through the lines, but the melody and the orchestration of our music are reflections of our passions.

It was therefore a great treat when Ayala Corporation celebrated its 170th year yesterday with a concert dubbed as “Hindi kita Malimot: The Filipino as Romantic” featuring the country’s premiere (and accordingly the most expensive!) San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra (SMPO) with Prof. Ryan Cayabyab leading SMPO in playing classic Filipino Love Songs.

The concert was for free which was staged at the lobby of Ayala Tower One in Ayala Triangle (for that evening, portion of Ayala Avenue from Makati Ave. to Paseo de Roxas was closed).


The Lobby of Tower One

Love songs like “Hindi Kita Malimot”, “Kataka-taka”, “Dahil Sa’yo, “Maalaala Mo Kaya” serenaded Manila’s well-heeled society and Makati’s ordinary employees. All of the music were Cayabyab’s arrangement and were played in public for the first time last night.

Filipinos penchant for drama is evident in Cayabyab’s arrangements and seeing how the ordinary folks reacted to the music is truly a manifestation that Cayabyab was able to capture the hearts of Filipinos. The soaring melody of the strings rising into a crescendo, followed by the rolls of the timpani and the clashing of the cymbals, then a soft violin solo is mesmerizing. I don’t know, but probably realizing how good our music is that I had goose bumps all throughout the evening. Or probably it is just because I am really a hopelessly romantic fool.

As an encore, SMPO played what Cayabyab called as “something pedestrian”. They played the full orchestra version of Parokya ni Edgar’s “Mr. Suave". And guess where it received most of the applause? At the back portion where most of the ordinary folks were standing. SMPO put class on “Mr. Suave” with Cayabyab gamely urging the crowd to shout “hoi! hoi! hoi! hoi! hoi! hoi!.” The economic disparity, however, among the crowd last night was very evident with those seated in front just keeping mum, while those at the back standing were clapping their hands and doing the “hoi! hoi! hoi!”.

But that was only part one of the show.

After the intermission, Eugene F. Castillo, who already made his mark in the US, took the baton for the SMPO and led the orchestra in playing fairy tale suits. The greatest treat for the night, however, was when Cecille Licad went onstage and performed Ravel’s Concerto in G with the SMPO.


Cecille Licad

I know, some of us here had bad experience in dealing with Licad’s behavior when she visited Silliman in 1998. But Cecille Licad is Cecille Licad. She is one hell of a performer! You don’t have just to listen to Licad’s music, you also have to see her perform.

There is only one word I can say about Licad’s performance (and I know Ryan would love this! hehehehehe), it’s “orgasmic”. Bless me Ryan for I know I’ve sinned but I just can’t help but think that when Licad performs, it is as if she is making love (or having sex to be blatant) with the piano. Watching her expression (since her face was focused by the camera and projected on the two wide screen) it is as if you are also carried with whatever emotion she brings and as the music rise into a climax, it is as if I am having my climax too.

The people of course did not let the chance pass by, after performing the concerto, they made Licad performed another piece from Ravel.

Obviously I had a great evening last night even if I was standing for almost two hours. Ayala Corporation, of course, wouldn’t present something mediocre. Even the lobby of Tower One was filled with flowers and floral artworks of Jaime Augusto Zobel Ayala was projected at the ceiling of the lobby for the whole evening.

It, however, leaves me a sense of panghihinayang. Having to stand at the back, I’ve realized how most of us are really “culturally illiterate”. I don’t claim to be culturally informed though, but I know how to appreciate classics. Sadly, you would hear comments (that is what you gert when you are standing at back with them) like “sana may ocho-ocho”. Or probably from a Makati Office Girl who speaks the “coñotic” language and looks like any yuppies and would exclaim, “ang jologs naman!” if something was said out of their taste, only to be heard (by me, of course!) uttering the silliest comment I heard that night. Reacting when the voice over announced that there will be a ten-minute intermission, she exclaimed “saan na ang intermission?” She was of course expecting that when it was announced that there will be a ten-minute intermission, there would be an “intermission number.” And I thought she was the only one, when her lady companion arrived (from the rest room) and seeing the people standing, she asked, “anong nangyari?” To which her friend answered, “ten minute intermission daw.” Then she replied, “asan na ang intermission.” You could imagine how the contour of my face changed upon hearing that.

Well, what can I do? This is a free show and everyone, as in everyone!, were invited to watch.