“DEO GRATIAS!”: Lucrecia Kasilag’s Contribution to Philippine Sacred Music
Lucrecia Kasilag's "De Profundis"
When we, Filipinos, talk about sacred music in the vernacular, we normally associate this heritage from Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros SJ. His Mass settings, as well as songs like “Pananagutan”, “Hesus na Aking Kapatid”, or “Sa Dapit-Hapon” have been sung in majority of Masses and prayer services. Other known composers in the said field were National Artist Lucio San Pedro, Eduardo Parungao, and Dom Benildus Maramba OSB. Likewise, there are those who create orchestral settings for the sacred liturgy, like Marcelo Adonay.
However, in light of her tenth anniversary since her death, we recognize another important composer who has also delved in sacred music: Lucrecia Kasilag. Among her compositions under this category is De Profundis, which we’ll delve on.
Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros SJ (Above)
Lucio San Pedro (Left),
Dom Benildus Maramba (Center),
Marcelo Adonay (Right)
Kasilag in Sacred Music
Perhaps, let us look at how “Filipinized” sacred music is received by the people. The works of Kasilag fall under the descriptions given by Pope Pius XII on his documents on sacred music. He mentions that the like of Kasilag’s pieces are of “modern sacred music”, those works of art that have progressed from the Gregorian chant and other Western polyphonic music.
To these, the Pope mentions, “To these works not only the human voice, but also the organ and other musical instruments, add dignity, majesty, and a prodigious richness.” (Pius XII, Encyclical Musicae Sacrae Disciplina, 1955).
These creations show how sincerely the Church has desired to render divine worship ever more splendid and more pleasing to the Christian people. It likewise shows why the Church must insist that this art remain within its proper limits and must prevent anything profane and foreign to divine worship from entering into sacred music along with genuine progress, and perverting it. (Pius XII, Encyclical Musicae Sacrae Disciplina, 1955).
Although Kasilag’s De Profundis might not count as a song fit for liturgies, it nonetheless is considered “religious music”, for it allows religious sentiments to flow from the people. Pius XII again clearly reminds that these works are not to be performed in churches dedicated to God, but may be performed in concert halls (De musica sacra et sacra liturgia, 1958).
And it was true. The De Profundis, after it was completed on January 2, 1977, was performed for the first time at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Theater on February 5-6, 1977 by Choral Philippines with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under the batons of Luis Valencia and David Yap.
A New Requiem
Unlike traditional Requiem music, that is, those that are sung in the liturgies that follow the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, Kasilag’s De Profundis is an unconventional kind of requiem, making no place for the traditional texts such as “Pie Jesu”, “Libera Me”, and “In Paradisum”. Instead, it picks up texts from the Bible and are made into music by her. The De Profundis may be considered as a holistic piece since it utilizes not only an orchestra, but also individual voice solos (i.e. Soprano Solo, Alto Solo, etc.), quartets and double choruses.
Kasilag really employed her musical style in the creation of this Requiem. Take for example, Part IV of the Requiem named, “Out of the Depths: De Profundis”. One will find in the middle system that from time signature 4/4, it changes to 3/4, and back to 4/4 again. This is one of the favorite styles of Kasilag, using multi-meters, or changing rhythms.
A portion of Part IV: “Out of the Depths”. Kasilag tends to use triplets in her composition as seen in the figure.
The entire piece was truly a Kasilag obra maestro, knowing that it was a synthesis of Classic and Romantic Styles, and also of her experimental styles. Observable also in this segment as well in other parts of the is the beat of the piece, using a lot of eight notes, some dotted, and sixteenth notes, adding a “jumpiness” to the beat. If one hears the actual piece, the hearer is reminded of a tempo indigenous, Kasilag deriving an Igorot tempo in such. All the parts have such tempo.
Deo Gratias!
But perhaps the most interesting part of Kasilag’s life with respect to De Profundis was her religiosity. For her, she was deeply amazed by the experiences of Western composers and their discipline. She says, “For I firmly believe that man must look not only straight ahead… For the object of all music should be the glory of God!” For every piece she accomplishes, she writes “Deo Gratias!”
Well enough, she has produced a lot of works in choral sacred music. Some of these are as follows:
Missa Brevis 31 Oct. 1963 Misang Pilipino 29 Mar. 1965 Requiem Mass in Pilipino Aug. 1965 Awit ng mga Awit Apr. 1966 Bagong Misa sa Libing 22 Sept. 1971 Misang Pilipino # 2 Aug. 1974 Tayo’y Mangagsiawit Sept. 1974 Pinupuri Ka Namin (Te Deum) June 1975 Salmo 1: Purihin si Yahweh 02 Nov. 1981 Salmo 2: Panalanging Pang-umaga 02 Nov. 1981
Given that the Catholics in the Philippines celebrate the golden anniversary of the promulgation of Musicam Sacram, it would aslo be fitting to look at the works not only of Hontiveros, San Pedro, and Adonay, but of Kasilag as well. After all, she has created wonderful sacred music in and with the Philippine setting.
Lucrecia Kasilag definitely should have her spot in that roster of composer being one of the only female composers in the field of composition and arrangement of Philippine sacred music. Although not all are liturgical, it is best that her works be performed in concerts and other events related to her.
Bibliography Kasilag, Lucrecia. De Profundis. Quezon City: National Media Production Center, 1978.
Pius XII. Encyclical Musicae Sacrae Disciplinae. 25 December 1955. The Holy See. http://w2.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p- xii_enc_25121955_musicae-sacrae.html (accessed 12 April 2018).
Sacred Congregation for Rites. Instruction De musica sacra et sacra liturgia. 03 September 1958. Corpus Christi Watershed. http://www.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/13/04/11/01-33-58_0.pdf (accessed 12 April 2018).
Salido, Caroline. “The Piano Compositional Style of Lucrecia Roces Kasilag.” D.M.A. Document. Ohio State University, 2007.
Photo of "De Profundis" score taken from: https://web.facebook.com/pg/Kasilag100/photos/?ref=page_internal
Photo of Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros SJ. taken from: https://jescom.ph/jesuit-music-ministry/jesuit-composers/
Photo of Lucio San Pedro taken from: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/govph/29005071113/
Photo of Dom Benildus Maramba taken from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sanjose/29358606080
Photo of Marcelo Adonay taken from: http://www.himig.com.ph/features/49-marcelo-adonay
Photo of Pope Pius XII taken from: Creative Commons, uploaded by Michael Pitcarin.
Photo of a portion of Part IV: “Out of the Depths” score taken from: https://web.facebook.com/pg/Kasilag100/photos/?ref=page_internal