Julio Nakpil y García (22 May 1867 – 2 November 1960) was a Filipino musician, composer and a General during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. He was a member of the Katipunan, a secret society turned revolutionary government which was formed to overthrow the Spanish government in the Philippines. His Katipunan adoptive name was J. Giliw or simply Giliw. He was commissioned by Andres Bonifacio, President of the Insurgent Tagalog Republic, to compose a hymn which was intended to become the National Anthem of the Tagalog Republic. That hymn was entitled "Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan". Thus, to some, he is remembered as the composer of the first national anthem of the Philippines. He is also a known huge critic of Emilio Aguinaldo.

Julio Nakpil
Born
Julio Nakpil y García

(1867-05-22)22 May 1867
Died2 November 1960(1960-11-02) (aged 93)
Spouse
(m. 1898; died 1943)
ChildrenJuan Nakpil

Early life edit

Julio Nakpil was born on May 22, 1867, as one of the twelve children of a well-off family in Quiapo district of Manila. His parents withdrew him from formal schooling after two years and had him look over the family stable. Julio educated himself at home and eventually learned how to play the piano as customary among the affluent families during that period.

During the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution in August 1896, Julio was appointed as General by the Katipunan Government and was the commander of the revolutionary forces in the northern Philippines under Andrés Bonifacio.

 
Julio Nakpil in 1904

Many of Julio's compositions during this time were inspired directly by the Revolution. Julio composed "Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan" which was intended by Bonifacio to become the national anthem of the Philippines but was ultimately replaced for Lupang Hinirang composed by Julián Felipe. After execution of the Bonifacio brothers, Nakpil claimed to have received threats on his own life as well as that of General Antonio Luna, the which latter ending up being assassinated.

Later life edit

After the Revolution, Nakpil fell in love with and eventually married Bonifacio's widow Gregoria de Jesús. They moved to Manila and raised six children. Their eldest child and the only boy was Juan Nakpil who became a prominent Filipino architect and was recognized as a National Artist for Architecture. Another child married the architect Carlos Santos-Viola. Julio continued to compose until his death in 1960. Before his death he also contributed to a book on his life that was published by his heirs in 1964.

He became a renowned critic of Emilio Aguinaldo, in his memoirs titled Apuntes Sobre la Revolución Filipina (Notes on the Philippine Revolution) I swear before God and before History that everything related in these notes is the truth and I entreat the historian not to publish this until after my death." On page 30 of his memoirs can be found Nakpil's notes on the death of Bonifacio, and on page 130 is his account of the assassination of Antonio Luna where Nakpil wrote "When General A. Luna was dastardly assassinated by Janolino and his men on the stairs of the Convent of Kabanatuan and already fallen on the ground, Trinidad Aguinaldo the mother of Emilio Aguinaldo looked out the window and asked: Ano, humihinga pa ba? (So, is he still breathing?)[1] (according to Nakpil's account)

On pages 157-158, Nakpil wrote of Aguinaldo,

"Emilio Aguinaldo's surrender to the Americans was a cowardly act. There was no doubt that he coveted the presidency. He surrendered for fear that others more competent than he would occupy the post of president of the Republic. Had he fought with his captors, regardless of whether he succumbed so that he might be considered a hero, at least to vindicate his crimes, by this time we would be admiring a monument to the second hero of the Philippines, unlike what he did delivering himself as prisoner and afterward taking an oath of allegiance to the American flag."''[1]

Death edit

He died of heart attack at his home on November 2, 1960, in Quiapo, Manila. He was buried at Manila North Cemetery in Santa Cruz, Manila the next day.[2]

Legacy edit

The house where Nakpil and de Jesús lived, known as Bahay Nakpil-Bautista, still stands in Quiapo and is maintained by his heirs as a museum that also offers walking tours of Quiapo and other special events and doubles as a performance area. Bahay Nakpil-Bautista is one of the two Spanish-style structures left standing in Bautista Street, Quiapo, Manila, the other being Casa Boix.[3]

Compositions edit

The Compositions of Julio Nakpil[1][4]
Date Title Genre Instrumentation Notes
1888 April 27 Cefiro Polka Piano Nakpil's first known composition.
1890 May 17 La Brisa Nocturna Habanera Piano
1890 September 29 Noche Tempestuosca Polka de Salon Piano
1890 Ecos de Visayas Danza Piano
1890 Ecos de Iloco Danza Piano
1890 Ilang-ilang Mazurka Piano
1891 May 28 Recuerdos de Capiz Habanera Carateristica Piano Nakpil's most famous composition. Published in 6 editions. Awarded the Diploma for Honor by the 1st Exposición Regional de Filipina in 1895 and a silver medal at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904.
1891 August 1 Luz Poetica de la Aurora Gavota Piano; Piano 4 hands Awarded the Diploma for Honor in 1895 by the 1st Exposición Regional de Filipina in 1895.
1891 October 21 Danza Campestre Habanera de Concierto Piano
1891 October 21 Teatro Luisa Polka Brillante Piano
1891 November 25 La Brisa Aurora Habanera Piano
1892 May 4 Cleotilde Piano
1892 July 15 Kundiman Kundiman Piano An arrangement of Jose Rizal's favorite Kundiman
1891 Sueño Eterno Mazurka Funebre Piano Dedicated to Nakpil's late father
1893 August 4 Amor Patrio Romanza Soprano, Orchestra; Soprano, Oboe, Piano a setting of Maria Clara's song in Jose Rizal's novel Noli me Tangere.
1895 Exposición Regional de Filipina Pas à quatre Piano Awarded the Diploma for Honor in 1895 by the 1st Exposición Regional de Filipina in 1895.
1896 January 27 Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan National Anthem Voices, Piano Commissioned by Andres Bonifacio as the national anthem of the Tagalog Republic. However, Julian Felipe's Lupang Hinirang eventually became the country's official National Anthem.
1896 August 26 Cry of Balintawak Piano; Band
1896 August 30 Armamento
1897 March 20 Pahimakas Mazurka Funebre Piano; Band; Orchestra A funeral march commemorating Rizal's execution.
1897 June 15 Pamitinan Polka Carateristica Orchestra for the remontados “who went into hiding because of persecution.”
1897 October 12 Pag-Ibig Habanera Voice, Piano Written for his wife Gregoria de Jesus
1898 October 12 Pasig-Pantayanin Paso-doble Militar Piano; Orchestra A military march dedicated to the brave revolutionaries.
1898 November Biyak-na-Bato Paso-doble Militar Band composed for revolutionary general Teodoro Sandiko
1899 Kabanatuan Marcha Funebre Band; Orchestra; Piano Funeral March in memory of the death of Antonio Luna. Premiered 1904.
1903 September Salve Patria Grand March Orchestra Arrangement of Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan as a Grand March, with further additions
1904 Pinching Habanera Piano
1943 August 26 Deus Omnipotens et Misericors Marcha Funebre Band Dedicated to the memory of those who have fallen during the night
1944 September 19 Victory March March Orchestra Dedicated to the armies of the United States and the Philippines and her Guerrilla
Johnny and Little Julia Boston Waltz
Melodia

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Alzona, Encarnacion (1964). Julio Nakpil and the Philippine Revolution. Manila, Philippines: Carmelo and Bauermann, Inc.
  2. ^ Julio Nakpil's Death Certificate
  3. ^ "Heritage at Risk: Boix House". Renacimiento Manila. Renacimiento Manila. 2021-05-15. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  4. ^ Tiongson, Nicanor (Ed.). (2019). CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art (Vol. 7: Music). Manila: Cultural Center of the Philippines.

External links edit