Philippine Constabulary Band
Philippine Constabulary Band | |
---|---|
Active | 1901–1942; 1946-1991 |
Country | Insular Government of the Philippine Islands Commonwealth of the Philippines Republic of the Philippines |
Allegiance | United States of America Republic of the Philippines |
Branch | Philippine Constabulary |
Type | Military band |
Role | Public duties |
Size | 85 personnel (1909),[1] 100 personnel (1937)[2] |
Nickname(s) | "Taft's Own" |
Patron | William Howard Taft |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Walter Loving |
The Philippine Constabulary Band was the principal military band of the Philippine Constabulary, and later, as the Philippine Army Orchestra, of the Army of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. Between its establishment in 1901 and dissolution during World War II, it registered a reputation for musical excellence both in the Philippines and the United States, and is credited with being the first band other than the United States Marine Band to provide the musical escort to the president of the United States during a U.S. presidential inauguration. The Philippine National Police Band from Camp Crame,considers the successor to the Philippine Constabulary Band. The Philippine Army Band considers itself as a successor too.
History
Formation and early years
The Philippine Constabulary Band was formed on the orders of
As the constabulary's only band, it was a fixture of ceremonial and social engagements at Malacañang Palace where it met with the appreciation of Governor-General of the Philippines William Howard Taft.[4] Taft responded favorably to virtually all of Loving's appropriations requests for the band; his support of the group led to the unofficial moniker "Taft's Own."[2]
St. Louis World's Fair
The band's first overseas performance came just three years after its formation when it accompanied the
1909 U.S. presidential inauguration
The Philippine Constabulary Band was the lead unit in the United States presidential inaugural parade of 1909, which saw its former patron William Howard Taft inaugurated as president of the United States. It was the first time a band other than the United States Marine Band served as the musical escort to the president of the United States. (The Band of the Philippine Scouts appeared at the 1905 inaugural of Theodore Roosevelt, but did not lead the procession.)[7][8] The 1909 inaugural parade occurred in a record-setting snowstorm, and was the first time most of the bandsmen had seen snow. Afterwards, The New York Times wrote of the band's appearance:[1]
President Taft to them is still 'the big Governor,' and as an officer who is traveling with the organization expressed it last night, "the President is the only man on earth these little fellows would have tramped through that blizzard for." After their hard day's work as the musical escort for President Taft, the medical officers who have them in charge were apprehensive less some of them might develop pneumonia or other pulmonary trouble from exposure to weather so foreign to their native land.
The day after the inauguration the band was invited to perform for the president and Mrs. Taft at the
After its inaugural engagement, the band remained in the mainland United States for several months, performing at other public events. A concert at the
Panama Pacific International Exposition
The band's third major overseas performance came in 1915 when it was engaged to appear at the
Changing directors
In 1915 Walter Loving sought, and was granted, a medical disability due to worsening
Reorganization as Philippine Army Orchestra
With the establishment of the
In 1939, the Philippine government sent the band to represent the commonwealth at the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco.[14] Loving retired for the third time the following year; he remained in Manila and would occasionally take up the baton as guest conductor.[2]
Dissolution and legacy
The band ceased to exist following the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in 1942.[2] During the course of hostilities, most of its members were killed.[15]
After the war, which neither Loving nor Fresnido survived, the Philippine Army organized a new group, the "Philippine Army Band", as its premier musical ensemble under the direction of Lieutenant (later, Colonel) Antonino Buenaventura.[16][17]
The modern Philippine Army Band considers itself the successor to the Philippine Constabulary Band. According to it, "the PA Band is the fulfilment of the first American civil governor William Howard Taft’s promise of forming a Filipino military band that would be a counterpart of the famous US Marine Band."[3] It wears the green uniforms of the army in formal occasions, as well as a historical uniform which debuted in the 1990s - rayadillo dress blue, which is worn with the straw hat for bandsmen and the pilt helmet by the drum major and bandmaster, carrying on an additional tradition, that of the bandsmen of military bands and civil marching bands that played alongside men of the Philippine Revolutionary Army during much of the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War.
The PC Band itself was reconstituted postwar in 1946 under new leadership, and produced a number of LPs promoting Filipino music in the 1970s. The revived band's first bandmaster was then Captain Jose M. Campaña who led the band until 1966 when he retired from the service as full-fledged Colonel. He was honored posthumously as the father of the modern PC Band by then Chief of the Philippine Constabulary, Gen. Fidel V. Ramos. By the 70s its full dress uniforms were by then in the scarlet and gold mirroring that of the United States Marine Band but with AFP insignia and PC patches, it was also worn by guards of honour which the service provided. In 1974 the Integrated National Police Metropolitan Police Force Command Band was raised as part of the nationalization of the police departments as the official police band for Metro Manila, with its 5 divisions sporting its own bands. Today, the Philippine National Police Band, the official senior police band under the current Philippine National Police, also continues the heritage of the old band.
List of commanders
Name | Dates of command |
---|---|
Walter Loving | 1902 to 1915 |
Pedro Navarro | 1915 to 1917 |
José Silos | 1917 to 1920 |
Walter Loving | 1920 to 1923 |
Alfonso Fresnido | 1923 to 1937 |
Walter Loving | 1937 to 1940 |
Alfonso Fresnido | 1940 to 1941 |
Reputation and reception
The U.S. military periodical Army and Navy Life described the band as "one of the finest of all military bands in the world", and the Pacific Coast Musical Review considered the band "in a class by itself."[9][18][19]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Hearty Cheers for Philippine Band" (PDF). The New York Times. 8 March 1909. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
- ^ ISBN 978-9715382595.
- ^ a b "When Army goes 'do, re, mi'". army.mil.ph. Philippine Army. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
- Ayala Foundation. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
- ISBN 9780762787463.
- ISBN 978-0803210981.
- ISBN 0810834197.
- ^ Hila, Antonio (11 March 2013). "Believe it or not, a Philippine band had taken part in a US presidential inaugural". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
- ^ a b c d Johnson, Michael. "Reports of Research in Music Education Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Texas Music Educators Association San Antonio, Texas, February, 2004" (PDF). tmea.org. Texas Music Educators Association. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
- ^ "First Lady Helen Taft's Luneta". whitehousehistory.org. White House Historical Association. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
- ^ Cunningham, Roger (Summer 2007). "The Loving Touch" (PDF). Army History. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
- ISBN 978-0520268913.
- ^ Talusan, Mary. 2013. "Music, Race, and Imperialism: The Philippine Constabulary Band at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair," Chapter 5 in Mixed Blessing: The Impact of the American Colonial Experience on Politics and Society in the Philippines edited by Hazel M. McFerson. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.
- Philippine Star. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
- ^ "PHILIPPINE MUSIC: Artist and Organization". CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
- Ayala Foundation. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
- ^ "2014 CCP ORCHESTRA AND BA ND FESTIVAL : PART I CIPANTS" (PDF). culturalcenter.gov.ph. Government of the Philippines. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
- ^ Walker, David (20 March 1915). "Philippine Constabulary Band Concert". Pacific Coast Musical Review. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
- ^ Army and Navy Life, vol. 14. 1909. p. 286. Retrieved 9 September 2015.