Kundiman is a genre of traditional Filipino love songs. The lyrics of the Kundiman are written in Tagalog. The melody is characterized by a smooth, flowing and gentle rhythm with dramatic intervals. Kundiman was the traditional means of serenade in the Philippines.
The Kundiman came around to be an art song at the end of the nineteenth century and by the early part of the twentieth century, its musical structure was formalised by Filipino composers such as Francisco Santiago and Nicanor Abelardo (February 7, 1893-March 21, 1934); they sought poetry for their lyrics, blending verse and music in equal parts.
Scholars and historians believed that the Kundiman originated from the Visayas . Dr. Francisco Santiago(1889–1947), the "Father of the Kundiman Art Song", briefly explains in his scholarly work "The Development of Music in the Philippines" the reason why this Tagalog song is called Kundiman is because the first stanza of this song begun thus:
In 1872, the illustrious Franciscan Tagalist and poet, Joaquín de Coria wrote the "Nueva Gramática Tagalog Teorica-Práctica" which, besides treating grammar, also enumerates the characteristics of Tagalog language, and discusses Tagalog poetry. In this book, Coria also listed the names of the most important songs of the Tagalogs. They are:
Kundiman is a nonprofit organization which offers writing retreats, a reading series, and a poetry prize, and is dedicated to providing "a safe yet rigorous space where Asian American poets can explore, through art, the unique challenges that face the new and ever changing diaspora." Kundiman was co-founded in 2002 by Asian American poets Sarah Gambito and Joseph O. Legaspi, and has received support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, University of Virginia, Asian American Arts Alliance’s (SOAR) Program, Philippine American Writers, PAWA, and individuals.
Recently, Kundiman and Fordham University announced that they have formed an affiliation: Kundiman will "enhance the outreach of Fordham’s English Department," and Fordham will host the annual Kundiman Poetry Retreat on Fordham’s Rose Hill campus beginning in 2010, and host Kundiman-sponsored readings and events at the Lincoln Center Campus. Fordham will also provide a total of $60,000 over three years in financial support for Kundiman’s programs.
Kundiman is Hale's fourth studio album released on July 27, 2009, with singles "Bahay Kubo", "Kalesa", "Harinawa" and "Magkaibang Mundo".
The concept of Kundiman is Filipiniana as all songs of the album were written through cultural observation of the band's country of origin, and that the songs were also composed in humane context.
Paraiso
Akitin mo ako
Sa anino
Ng gabing nakayuko
Sa kalsadang dinaanan
Natin minsan
Paraiso...
Paraiso...
Kailan kaya ako magbabalik
Sa piling ng iyong mundo?
Muli bang bubulagin ng
Isang Nanunukso?
Ang tinig mo sa hangin ay
Kalibre ng gabo.
Pigilan ako...
Tigilan mo ako!
Kailan kaya ako magbabalik
Sa piling ng iyong mundo?
Kailan kaya ako magbabalik?
Hindi na siguro
asa ka pa!
Ayy... huwag sanang isiping
Ako ang siyang nagkulang.
Ayy... kundiman ba ito?
Ayy... huwag sanang isiping
Ako ang siyang lumisan.