Harana! - Philippine Music - The Fear of Singing Breakthrough Program (2024)

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Harana! – Philippine Music

Hello Friends! ❤️

If you’ve attended my online Sing-Alongs, chances are you’ve have had the joy of meeting my assistant Lorens. He’s a delightful person and helps me so much with all the moving parts of running my business, so I can have the pleasure of working with YOU!

(We really get a kick out of each other… scroll down for some photos of us having fun on Zoom.)

I asked Lorens about his experience with Philippine music and singing and he shared the story below. We hope you enjoy it!

By Lorens Geralde

My grandmother always sang me a lullaby for me to sleep when I was in grade school, or told me stories about their experiences during the war and colonization of Spaniards in our country. This is why I developed a loved for the history and the stories behind the cultures of my country and fellowmen.

One of the best stories, and somewhat funny, my grandma told me is about when she was in teenager and a young man is trying to court her. This young man sang outside their house in the middle of the night and made everyone in the house wake up – and her father was angry and kicked out this man and told him that my grandma is not ready for any relationships and he should never come back again to serenade her. And he never did.

Back then, young men who show interest in a young lady will serenade them using a guitar and a song they have written or a song that is about their love and admiration for someone.

The setting will be on a cold and serene peaceful night in the front yard of the house of the young lady, when everyone in the house is ready for bed. The young man will suddenly be singing outside the house with a guitar, and all of the family members will get their attention. The young lady will then go to the balcony or window to see the brave young man outside.

This culture of serenading at night of a young man showing love and admiration to a young lady is called Harana. It is a genre of traditional Filipino love songs. The melody is characterized by a smooth, flowing, gentle rhythm with dramatic intervals. Harana songs place the singer in the act of serenading such as when he implores “Dungawin mo hirang” (Look out the window, my beloved), “Natutulog ka na ba, sinta” (Are you asleep, my love) or “O Ilaw, sa gabing madilim” (Oh light, in a night so dark).

Nowadays, I can no longer see this tradition in the young generation. Teenagers now see it as an ‘old-fashioned’ way of showing love. Everyone now has their own way of showing love and respect to their loved ones. Though we cannot fight modernization, I am still fascinated by how creative people were in the past and how they created their own songs to win the hand of their loved ones. Harana art songs reflect a distinctly Filipino style and are a reflection of Filipino creativity during a time of adversity.

My grandma passed away many years ago but the stories of how people in her generation embraced the beauty of music will never die in my heart and in my mind. I will keep telling the young generation to give it a chance and discover the beauty of Harana.– Lorens

Harana! - Philippine Music - The Fear of Singing Breakthrough Program (3)

We both love our ukuleles!!

Harana! - Philippine Music - The Fear of Singing Breakthrough Program (4)

Look! We have the same plant!

By Nancy Salwen|2023-04-21T09:33:57-04:00February 17th, 2023|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

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About the Author: Nancy Salwen

Harana! - Philippine Music - The Fear of Singing Breakthrough Program (5)

Nancy Salwen is a singing teacher and the founder of The Fear of Singing Breakthrough Program, and the author of the book by the same name. She teaches singing to "non-singers," beginning singers, and anyone who wants to be more confident and expressive with their voice. She leads workshops in New England, New York City and California and teaches private lessons over Skype. In addition she is a Music for People certified workshop leader and leads music-based team building workshops for businesses and organizations, and an early childhood music educator and Music Together teacher and center director.

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Harana! - Philippine Music - The Fear of Singing Breakthrough Program (2024)

FAQs

What is the harana music in the Philippines? ›

It is a traditional form of courtship music in which a man woos a woman by singing underneath her window at night. It is widely practiced in many parts of the Philippines with a set of protocols, a code of conduct, and a specific style of music.

What is the summary of harana by Philippine Opera Company? ›

HARANA aims to showcase the evolution of Philippine music through song, movement and drama. The repertoire is composed of 6 suites, each theatrically presented with authenticity, originality and visual excitement.

Why does harana commonly performed only at night? ›

Harana was an exclusively nocturnal practice. Due to the daytime tropical weather, the evening offers respite from the heat, a time when everybody comes alive, full of romantic ideas, and as is typical of Filipino nature, always ready to enjoy the company of friends and loved ones.

What is the Filipino serenade tradition? ›

Harana, the Filipino serenade, is a dating tradition practiced in Filipino culture (originally influenced by the Spanish). In this tradition, a man will get a group of his friends together to go to the window of the woman he admires. His musician friends accompany him as he sings to the woman.

What are examples of harana songs? ›

Harana is an unstructured, anything-goes event

Songs like Dungawin Mo Sana (Wishing You'd Look Out the Window), Dungawin Mo Hirang (Look Out the Window, My Beloved), Sa Gitna Ng Dilim (In the Midst of Darkness), etc.

What style of music is harana? ›

The Filipino harana is a lyrical courtship style based on Mexican-Spanish traditions and kundiman is a passionate form of Tagalog romantic song based on Spanish melodies and song structures. Musically, as we can sense from this video, the genre is based on the Spanish/Cuban habanera rhythm (BOOM…

Who sang harana in the Philippines? ›

One dreamy, heart-tugging love song that endeared many of us to the Pinoy rock band Parokya ni Edgar is “Harana.” The message of this now classic '90s ballad, about a guy who wouldn't mind looking funny, or old-fashioned, while professing his romantic feelings, remains fresh and youthful despite the decades.

Who is the original artist of Harana? ›

For the record, “Harana” was originally composed by a guy named Eric "Yappy" Yaptangco, who is reportedly a senior of the PnE band members when they attended Ateneo De Manila University.

What is the first truly Filipino opera? ›

Thus by the early 20th century, the Philippines was able to produce its first opera. Sangdugong Panaguinip is the first Philippine opera in the Tagalog language.

What is the difference between kundiman and harana? ›

The term 'harana' is often used interchangeably with 'kundiman. ' The difference between these two terms is subtle, but its importance speaks volumes about our past. The harana, unlike the kundiman, could only be expressed in Tagalog - the inclusion of Spanish words would immediately identify the song as a kundiman.

What are the four stages of harana? ›

stages of harana
  • Panawagan (Calling out or Announcement)
  • Pagtatapat (Proposal)
  • Panagutan (Response)
  • Pamaalam (Farewell)

Is harana sacred vocal music? ›

Harana is a secular music used by young men to express their feelings, sentiments, love and appreciation to young women by serenading them in their houses.

Why do Filipinos love singing so much? ›

Undeniably, singing brings joy and beauty into the Filipinos' life. Music carries history and traditions because people are able to revisit the past and preserve a language through the lyrics and melody of a song. Songs — broadly, music — bring a sense of togetherness among family and friends.

Why do Filipinos love to sing? ›

Singing is a source of enjoyment and cultural expression in Filipino society. Filipinos love to sing as karaoke serves as a homeland-directed "high holiday," prompting emotional connections to their Filipino identity, especially during moments of merriment and celebration.

Why is singing important in Filipino culture? ›

Beyond the melodies of everyday life, singing was also the way to celebrate, to mourn, and, through the hymns and anthems, to express love. Music also figured in the healing traditions; the babaylan used chants and songs to cure.

What is harana from the Philippines? ›

Harana was a traditional form of courtship in the Philippines wherein men introduced themselves and/or wooed women by singing underneath her window at night. It was widely practiced in old Philippines with a set of protocols, a code of conduct and a specific style of music.

Is harana a sacred music? ›

Harana is a secular music used by young men to express their feelings, sentiments, love and appreciation to young women by serenading them in their houses.

What is the difference between harana and kundiman songs? ›

See how easy it is to get confused? But make no mistake, harana and kundiman are stylistically different. Whereas harana is in 2/4/ time, kundiman is in 3/4. The formula is verse 1 on minor key (e.g. C Minor) followed by verse 2 on parallel major key (C Major) midway through.

What is the difference between harana and kundiman? ›

The term 'harana' is often used interchangeably with 'kundiman. ' The difference between these two terms is subtle, but its importance speaks volumes about our past. The harana, unlike the kundiman, could only be expressed in Tagalog - the inclusion of Spanish words would immediately identify the song as a kundiman.

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