Kundiman: SA GITNA NG DILIM - Ruben Tagalog (Rare Vinyl Copy)

"Sa Gitna Ng Dilim" is composed by Constancio de Guzman. Interpreted by Ruben Tagalog, the "King of Kundiman". Audio from a vinyl phonograph LP record ("Harana ni Ruben Tagalog", Villar Records MLP 5027 S, Mareco Inc. Undated)

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RUBEN TAGALOG
(1922-1984)

Ruben was a famous recording, radio, TV and movie personality of the Philippines. He excelled in soulful love song with simple lyrics that narrated to courtship called 'Harana" or serenade.

His unique plaintive troubadour, smooth and relaxed singing style earned him the title 'King of Kundiman".

He performed in several concert tours all over the country like a missionary going about to preach the gospel of genuine patriotism through music.

Two years before his death, Ruben Tagalog was awarded the prestigious recognition in the Hall of Fame and the Cecil Awards gave him the "Gintong Gawad" for his achievements in Philippine music. He died at the age of 62

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• Harana
• Sa Gitna ng Dilim
• Ruben Tagalog
• Constancio de Guzman

[sylvius1]

Kundiman is 3/4. Harana is in 2/4 or 4/4. This album as the title suggests, are all harana. There is not a single song in this album that is kundiman. Kundiman is altogether stylistically different.

For more on this, please go to:

florante.org/blog/2010/11/09/h­arana_kundiman_difference

[philclassic]

@sylvius1 : So Abelardo's "Bituing Marikit" is not a Kundiman? Its tempo is not in 3/4. How about Rizal's "En El Bello Oriente" and "Alin Mang Lahi" which is in 2/4 and 4/4 tempo? Are they not Kundiman? Canto de Maria Clara by Hernandez is also in habanera/danza tempo. Your ignorance does not justify your errors. Please do more research on Philippine music. By the way who gave you the permission to change tempo of Maestro Constancio de Guzman's "Sa Gitna Ng Dilim"?

[toiletholder]

Is this "harana" in contrast to Kundiman? Is it both? I'm listening to this song and I instantly think Kundiman. From what I understand Kundimans generally start in a minor key, then switch to major, have the same rhythm as this song and are generally a patriotic song disguised as a love song. Visayan Kundimans or harana seem to stay in minor key and also seem more dark and painful, with high highs and low lows. So I don't think those songs are disguising patriotism.

[philclassic]

@toiletholder :  In Ruben's "Harana" album you can find samples of harana that starts in the minor key which then switch to the major key. These are:

Mutya Niyaring Puso, Natutulog Ka Na Ba Sinta, Dungawin Mo Hirang, Umaga na Pala, Ang Awit Ko Irog, Paraluman, Di Ka Na Naawa. Not all "Kundiman" are patriotic songs. One of the oldest reported kundiman is "CONDIMAN" and its non patriotic lyrics were contained in a book "Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novarra" (1857-59)

[philclassic]

@toiletholder: (continuation...)The book "Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara in the Years 1857, 1858 & 1859." by Karl von Scherzer, published in Vienna in 1864, described the CONDIMAN as

"Originating from San Miguel, Bulacan, this folksong was a popular music of its time, describing life during the dry season, sang almost every evening by cheerful and happy youths, accompanied by a guitar."

Therefore, the earliest Kundiman are CHEERFUL and NOT melancholic songs.

[philclassic]

@devadiplimon: His version is "more up tempo" not the way the original composer of this Harana intends it to be. Who gave him permission to do this? If you know how to honor and respect the memory of the original composer of a song, you will interpret his music the way he intended it to be interpreted. The Harana was never intended to be played in a "past paced" or "more up tempo". That's all I can say.

[philclassic]

@toiletholder: A very few musician who follows Felipe M. de Leon Jr. will disagree that Harana is synonymous with the Kundiman. For them the only "true kundiman" are those songs composed by Santiago, Abdon, Abelardo, Molina, FJuan Buencamino, San Pedro etc. This is erroneous because before Santiago's kundiman "Anak Dalita" and Bonifacio's kundiman "Magandang Diwata" the Filipinos of central Luzon already have their "Kundiman 1800" and "Kundiman 1850" and these kundiman are in the major keys.

[philclassic]

@DrChefPayatas: Unfortunately we do not know what year Maestro Constancio de Guzman was born nor when he died either (there is no such information over the net! Isn't that amazing for a great and prolific Filipino composer? Onli in da Pilipins!) He composed "Bayan Ko" in 1939 or 71 years ago. If he was 20 years old in 1939 then he is 91 years old this year or he might probably be dead by now. So who gave that young guitarist approval to render "Sa Gitna ng Dilim" in CHA-CHA???

[DrChefPayatas]

@philclassic well yeah right, thats disappointing hearing this song accompaniment in more past paced as you said Cha-cha whereas it more interesting like hearing this one here!kaya wag ka basta basta naniniwala sa mga link link na yan hehehe!teka baka naman yun ang approved rendition pero sabi mu nga nawala yung essence ng Harana naging Cha-cha ba ikamo?