‘Thomasian Tribute’ / Binay presents concert

In Tribute to the Thomasian at the CCP main theater, Fr. Manuel Maramba astonished listeners with his brilliant playing of Liszt’s Concerto No. 1 in E Flat Major. The opening Allegro maestro was majestic; the Adagio, exquisitely lyrical. The Allegretto vivace, dovetailing into the Allegro marziale animato was characterized by panache, the chords powerful, the runs lightning swift.

Herminigildo Ranera wielded the baton over the UST Symphony Orchestra for Fr. Maramba, with both pianist and conductor establishing the closest unity in thythm and beat. The UST Orchestra must be the best student ensemble playing actively. Under Ranera’s authoritative baton, it delineated a wide range of dynamics in both the Russian and Ludmilla Overture by Glinka and the Symphony No. 2 in B Minor by Borodin.

In the first movement of the latter, Allegro, the strings predominated, their tones lush and homogeneous. In the second movement, Scherzo, the woodwinds and brasses, firm and assured, rendered the major part. The Andante, with its solo horn, led to a climactic, blazing finale.

Pianist Emilio del Rosario gave a gratifying rendition of Beethoven’s Concerte No. 5 in E Flat Major – the composer’s last one – infusing it with an air of grandeur suggestive of battle in the first movement. The Adagio was profoundly reflective; the Rondo, animated. However, Del Rosario’s tones did not always have total clarity, and on three occasions in the opening movement, pianist and conductor did not quite end on the same beat.

But the pianist’s over-all performance conveyed technical skill and cognizance of stylistic matters for the large, masterfully structured work.

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Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay assumed a vastly different role when he presented the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under Ruggiero Barbieri, and the Fernandez sisters – marimba player Dena and violinist Donnie – at the F. Santiago Hall.

The first part of the program, obviously a tribute to the native composer, proved that there is a distinct lyrical quality to native music. To the Filipino, there is nothing that quite matches the sentiment, nostalgia and gentle romanticism such as are found in Abelardo’s Bituing Marikit and Mutya ng Pasig, this latter arranged by A. Peña for orchestra. Romero’s Philippine Portraits depicts ethnic music (Muslim and Igorot) – both untouched by Western influence – then abruptly delineates Philippine folk songs and kundimans.

G.B. Green’s Overture of Filipino Songs is an engaging medley, with the songs dovetailing smoothly and harmoniously, one into the other.

In Saint-Saens’s Introduzione e Rondo Cappricioso, violinist Donnie Fernandez conveyed ease, discipline and keen musicianship as the PPO under Barbieri assisted her assertively. Donnie’s vigorous thrusts produced crisp, clear unwavering tones which showed sensitivity and refinement. She played Ernesto Vallejo’s Cavatina as encore in response to the clamor.

There are few active marimba players in this country. One of them is Johnny Yu who has performed in NY’s Carnegie Hall. Another is Dena who made P. Creaton’s daunting piece look easy with her uncommon dexterity and polish. She was highly impressive, particularly whenever she used four mallets Audience acclaim was rewarded with an encore.

Barbieri’s magnificent interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s overture-fantasia (or tone poem) Romeo and Juliet brought to throbbing life various scenes from the Bard’s tragedy – the street fights between the Montagues and the Capulets, the poignant encounters between the young lovers, Romeo finding Juliet’s body in the dark, cavernous tomb – all these evoked through the quickly changing thythms, the rich harmonies, the spontaneous melodic themes in rapturous outbursts, the thunderous climaxes.

Resounding applause brought back Barbieri and the tall, attractive Fernandez sisters onstage to acknowlege it, with Mrs. Elenita Binay congratulating them. Immensely gratified, Barbieri generously struck up the Radetzky March, with the audience clapping in the portions specified by him.

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Owing to space limitation, a third of my review of the concert honoring Carmen D. Padilla was omitted. Hereunder is the missing part.

The UP Singing Ambassadors sang cohesively and danced spiritedly to fascinating choreography, finishing with the richly talented Minette Padilla, Carmen’s daughter, as soloist in Canseco’s Ikaw.

Hereon, the pianists took over. Fr. Manuel Maramba’s Widmung (Dedication) by Schumann had élan, power, light and shade. Raul Sunico and Fr. Maramba then charmingly rendered Philippine Airs on two pianos, after which Sunico dazzled the audience with the medley from My Fair Lady in true virtuoso fashion.

Nena Villanueva displayed her devastating technique in Ginastera’s challenging complex Danzas de Argentina, subsequently leading Carmen, Erlinda Velasco and Amelita D. Guevara in a robust interpretation of Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody’s No. 2 on two pianos.

The sisters Dayrit, Carrion and Amelita, beautifully concluded the long concert with Cuenco’s Sarung Banggi and Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal on two pianos, their "singing" tones a legacy of Sr. Baptista Battig, pioneer of formal music education in the Philippines.

Listening with pride to the sisters was their mother, Imelda Katigbak Dayrit, a piano graduate of Sr. Battig. Heading the audience were Sr. Prioress Josefina Nepomuceno and Sr. Mary Placid, SSC Music Department dean.

Incidentally, honoree Carmen D. Padilla has just been elected chairman of the Culture Committee of the UNESCO National Commission – which fact gives her musician friends all the more reason to have paid her the richly-deserved tribute on her birthday.