Category Archives: Harana Music

Everything pertaining to harana as a musical form and/or harana as a custom.

Top 10 Misconceptions About the Custom of Harana (Filipino Serenade)

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Administrator

By Florante Aguilar and Fides Enriquez Harana is the vanished tradition of serenading prevalent in old Philippines. While most Filipinos are still familiar with this custom, it is mostly that – only a passing familiarity exists. We can hardly be blamed because there truly was no in-depth study ever done of this once-important part of Philippine … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured Articles, Harana Music | 3 Comments

HARANA the Movie Synopsis

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Administrator

HARANA – The Search for the Lost Art of Serenade Upon his father’s death, Florante, a classically trained musician returns to the Philippines after 12 years of absence. During his stay he rediscovers the music of Harana – a long-forgotten tradition of Filipino serenading when men sang under the window at night to fearlessly declare their … Continue reading →

Posted in Harana Music | 2 Comments

Harana the Movie Production is Completed

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Administrator

Hello everyone. I know I have not blogged for almost a year. But the answer will be obvious as the fruit of my labor on various projects slowly unfold one by one this year. The most significant among them is the completion of Harana the movie which I co-produced with Fides Enriquez. Six years in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Harana Music | 5 Comments

Harana and the Latin Rhythms

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Administrator

Pandangguhan/Lawiswis Lawayan – Florante Aguilar EnsembleI was once chastised for using a distinctly Latin rhythm on a popular Filipino harana song ‘Sa Gitna Ng Dilim’ on the opening scene of the Harana The Movie trailer. “Travesty!” they say, a bastardization of the noble harana rhythm. “This guy should be shot”, etc. One person even said that … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured Articles, Harana Music | 2 Comments

Why do Filipinos Love Sad Pensive Songs?

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Administrator

Admit it. If you’re Filipino, you are a sucker for corny ballads. You go teary-eyed on some of the sappiest American pop songs. Even boxer Manny Pacquiao belts out an old tune from the 70s (Sometimes When We Touch by Dan Hill) on late Night with Conan. When I was growing up in Cavite in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured Articles, Harana Music, Kundiman | 2 Comments

The Difference Between Harana and Kundiman

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Administrator

If you are one of the Filipinos having a hard time distinguishing between harana and kundiman music, don’t be ashamed – you are not alone! It is very easy to confuse the two. It is common to hear people refer to ANY old Tagalog love song as kundiman or harana. Though I cringe every time, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured Articles, Harana Music, Kundiman | 13 Comments

The Different Stages of Harana (Serenading)

Posted on October 28, 2010 by Administrator

During the filming of Harana the movie in late 2008, I had the opportunity to travel to remote provinces of the Philippines in search of master haranistas – the vanishing breed of expert singers skilled in the art of serenading. Serenading was particularly popular in the Philippine provinces from early to mid 1900s, even as late … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured Articles, Harana Music | 6 Comments