Abelardo, Nicanor
Period: Early 20th Century
Born: Tuesday, February 7, 1893 in Bulacan, Philippines
Died: Wednesday, March 21, 1934 in Manila, Philippines
Nation of Origin: Philippines
Major Works:
He wrote over 150 works for voice, orchestra, chamber and solo instrument. Songs include Nasaan ka irog [Where are you, Beloved?], 1923; Mutya ng Pasig [Muse of Pasig River], 1926; Ang Aking Bayan [My Motherland], 1923. Instrumental works include the Polytonal suite Panoramas and the concert overture Cinderella.
Other Information:
As a child his father taught him the violin. At 8, he wrote his first composition, Ang unang buko (The First Fruit), a waltz. In 1916 he entered the Conservatory of the University of the Philippines and studied under Guy Harrison and Robert Schofield. He pursued postgraduate studies at the same conservatory of music in 1923. In 1932 he completed the Master of Music degree at the Chicago Musical College. His contribution to Philippine music lies not only in his abundant and profound output, but also in his work as a brilliant teacher of theory and composition. He published a number of treatises and scholarly essays.
Essay contributed by:
Fiona de Ocampo
Composer Bibliography:
L. R. Kasilag: ' Abelardo, Nicanor ', Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 27 December 2003),
General Bibliography:
Slonimsky, Nicolas, Music Since 1900, Schirmer Books, July 1994, ISBN: 0028724186
Salzman, Eric, Twentieth Century Music: An Introduction, Pearson, October 2001, ISBN: 0130959413
Slonimsky, Nicolas and Kuhn, Laura; Editors, Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Gale Group, December 2000, ISBN: 0028655257
Sadie, Stanley and Tyrrell, John; Editors, The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Groves Dictionaries, Inc., January 2004, ISBN: 0195170679
Rutherford-Johnson, Tim, Kennedy, Michael, and Kennedy, Joyce The Oxford Dictionary of Music, Oxford University Press, 6th Edition, 2012, ISBN: 0199578109
Links to essays at other sites:
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Biographical essay from Wikipedia
Biography
