Tertulia sa Abelardo Hall An evening of Filipino Salon Music from 1860 to the present Last September 13, pianists Augusto Espino and Jourdann Petalver were featured in the “Tertulia sa Abelardo Hall”. The piano concert was put in a Tertulia scene, where there is acting and staging. Tertulia is the term used in 1860’s that marks social class. It was elite fare, an intimate gathering or evening reunion at held at the spacious salon or dining hall of a wealthy Spaniard or mestizo. In a tertulia, the owner of the house welcomes his guest by asking people to play the piano or sing for them.
This was the scene used in concert. To fit the “tertulia” theme, they played pieces written by famous Filipino composers and writers from 1860s to 1900s. Compositions of Jose Rizal and of Julio Nakpil were featured that night. There was also a piano duet entitled Luz Poetica de la Aurora (Gavota para Piano a 4 Manos) played by Sir Petalver and Sir Espino. It was a very playful piece and it seems that the both of them enjoy playing it well. The young Lorenzo Medel also performed. He played a Francisco Buencamino entitled La Bella Filipina. Two pieces of Marcelo Adonay and three pieces of Jose Estella were performed.
Some dancers from the Dance Company also danced in some of the pieces to fill in the theme. And singers Roxanne Abuel and Charlene Magalit also performed. My favorite piece for that night was the composition of Sir Augusto Espino entitled “Kundiman ng Langit”. It was so pleasing in the ears that it made a mark in our minds. The chords used were rather modern and it was just composed so good that I admire Sir Espino now. All in all, with the acting and performing of pieces, I enjoyed the concert, with a special dinnert treat at the AHA lobby. =)
