MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

 RONDALLA

Rondalla is an instrumental group in Philippines made up of stringed instruments. It is sometimes called "Filipino String Band". It  was brought to the Philippines by the Spaniards when they colonized the island in the 16th century. It is known by the name "Camparza" which is meas a group of musicians playing on stage. Many rondalla pioneers emerged before and after the Second World War. One of them was Juan Silos Jr., a filipino composer and arranger known as the "Father of the Rondalla".

The word "rondalla" is from the Spanish ronda, meaning "serenade" The core instruments of Spanish rondallas are the guitar, the "mandolin"and the "lute". Rondallas usually are accompanied by at least one singer and sometimes by percussionists playing handheld instruments. Though ensembles of stringed instruments have existed in some form in Spain since at least the 16th century, the rondalla dates from the early 19th century. It soon thereafter traveled to the Philippines, which was a Spanish colony at the time. 

  

 CHORDOPHONES

 Are stringed instruments. These consist of a series of stretched strings attached or coupled to some kind of a hollow box that amplifies their vibrations. These are what produce thw sound.

BANDURIA 

   Similar to the role of a clarinet,  trumpet or violin in an orchestra. It has six

 strings with groups of threes and twos, the 

highest  of which is tuned to G (sol), second is D (re), and the third is A (la). Thesehave three strings each. The next is E (mi) and B (ti) have two strings each and the last one F (fa) has only one because of its thick strings. 

 

LAUD

  The instrument plays the contrapuntal part and takes the viola , cello, bassoon, and trombone  part if it were in an orchestra. It shaped like the banduria with long neck. It is tuned an octave lower than the banduria.

PICCOLO

 Similar to the banduria but much smaller. It is tuned an octave higher than the banduria and plays ornamental passages like turns and trills. It is similar to the coloratura soprano in a choir.

 

OCTAVINA

This instrument plays the tenor part. It is shaped like a guitar with a small hole in the middle. It plays the harmony in the composition and tuned like the laud. 

GUITAR

This instrument plays the harmony in the composition and gives the permanent accompaniment to the group. It usually plays chords and arpeggio. The guitar is tuned to mi, la, re, sol, ti, mi.

 

HARP

Is one of the most  ancient of musical instruments. It has over forty strings, each  of which can be altered by foot pedals to play thru tones: the pitch of the open string, the pitch one-half step higher, and the pitch a whole step higher.

BAJO DE UNAS

Plays the bass part in a rondalla. It gives a full sound to the group. It is tuned like the bass in an orchestra.