Music of the Magindanao in the Philippines, Vol. 1 & 2

Kulintang is a gong-chime ensemble tradition from Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago of the southern Philippines, with closely related practices in Sabah (kulintangan) and North Sulawesi (kolintang). It centers on a row of small, tuned, bossed gongs (the kulintang) that play the lead, supported by a large pair of hanging gongs (agung), a set of four gongs used for signaling and melodic cues (gandingan), a small timekeeping gong (babendil), and a single-headed goblet drum (dabakan). Rather than harmony in the Western sense, kulintang music is built on cyclical rhythmic modes and heterophonic textures. The kulintang player improvises within established rhythmic/structural frameworks while the other instruments maintain interlocking ostinati. The result is a shimmering, danceable sound used for weddings, feasts, rites of passage, and community celebrations.

Philippine music is a broad umbrella that spans indigenous Austronesian traditions, centuries of Hispanic and church-influenced forms, and a modern spectrum of pop, rock, hip hop, and R&B known collectively as OPM (Original Pilipino Music). At one end are precolonial and Islamic-court musics such as kulintang gong-chime ensembles in Mindanao and Sulu, bamboo and nose-flute repertories, and epic-chant traditions—relying on cyclical rhythms, interlocking patterns, and modal scales. From the Spanish era came guitar-centered serenades (harana), art song (kundiman), and the rondalla string orchestra, blending Iberian harmony with Filipino melodic sensibility. In the 20th century, American and global influences catalyzed jazz bands, Manila Sound, Pinoy rock, and contemporary P-pop, while Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Kapampangan, and other languages remained central to lyrical identity. Across all eras, Philippine music emphasizes memorable melody, lyrical directness, danceable and flexible rhythms, and a penchant for romantic and nostalgic expression that coexists with socially conscious songwriting.