The prodigious Peña/Israeli, German artists

The friends of Angel M. Peña presented at the Philamlife auditorium a concert featuring a mere segment of his entire output — some of which have won him awards in England and America. But along with a complete listing of his pieces the works readily suggested a prolific, prodigious and protean composer.

The powerful, massive “Philippine Festival Overture” demonstrated eloquently effective instrumentation, with the percussions receiving major attention as projected by the Manila Symphony Orchestra directed with vigor by Arturo Molina.

Peña claims, and rightly according to his peers, that his forte is writing for stringed instruments. The claim is made valid by the “Divertimento for String Orchestra” consisting of Introduction, Elegy, Romance, Finale rendered by the MSO under Jeffrey Solares. One appreciated the varied harmonies, tempi, melodic forms and tone clusters creating diverse moods.

The same mastery of the strings — Peña plays the double bass — was conveyed by “EDSA, A Novelty for Strings”, with Solares conducting “Peace Beyond for Jazz Quartet and String Quartet” proved Peña’s protean talent in effortless shifting from classic to jazz, as he did likewise in “Petite Suite for Alto Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra”, with Molina admirably wielding the baton. In both works, alto sax player Michael Mark Guevara shone brilliantly.

The “Petite Suite” premiered that night, and composed for distinguished jazz musician Lito Molina, showed furthermore Peña’s seamlessly shifting from tonal to atonal. Other players in “Peace” were Jane Banta, piano; Romel Cruz, double bass; Gian Vergel, drums; Joseph Cimafranca, Violin I; Sara Gonzales, Violin II; Rey Concepcion, viola; Gerry Graham Gonzales, cello.

Peña describes “Trinity: A Symphonic Cycle” as a “western representation of the Hindu Trinity: creation, preservation, dissolution”. He avers that if spectacularly performed with exotic, colorful costumes, choreography and lighting effects, this overture would result in a truly theatrical symphonic cycle — a ballet piece evoking an aura of East Indian culture. However, Peña adds that the composition is a universal expression, and not an expression of any specific religious or secular statement.

Vocal interludes were offered by tenor Pablo Molina in Iyo Kailan Pa Man (with lyrics by Levi Celerio) by soprano Camille Lopez — she of the tremendously powerful voice — in Langit ang Ligaya (with lyrics by Tomas Hernandez), and a duet Sa Batis ng Ligaya (lyrics by Peña). Typical of kundimans, the songs were characterized by beautiful, flowing, languid melodies.

The composer’s own program notes on Sarong Bangui shed light on his “varied rhythms and other modifications in the melodic line” which disguise the folksong Bahay Kubo, thus presenting Filipino music in its universal form. Indeed, this device is what makes Filipino compositions increasingly accepted and appreciated abroad.

The finale, “Igorot Rhapsody for Symphony Orchestra” enriched the indigenous with thunderous ensemble sounds complemented by ethnic instruments like the gansa, bunkaka and sulibaw. The composition, stylized in a highly imaginative, creative and modern manner, retained the intrinsic and indigenous substance or essence and, therefore, was still very recognizably Igorot.

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Israel Ambassador Zvi Vapni will present saxophone player Amir Gwirtzman in a concert on Feb. 24, 5:30 p.m. at the Taipan Dining Room, Tower Club, as part of the Philippine International Jazz and Arts Festival.

On March 13, 8 p.m., the Goethe Institut will present at the CCP main theater “Pillars of German Music” with Oscar Yatco conducting the Philippine Philharmonic.

The soloist, German violinist Annette von Hehn, studied under the great Dorothy Delay and virtuoso Itzhak Perlman in Juilliard, NY, and took master classes in Berlin under Haendel and Igor Oistrach, becoming a scholar of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Academy.

Winner in several prestigious international tilts, Von Hehn has concertized in Europe and the US. In Manila, she will play two Mendelssohn pieces.