KULINTANG

 Kulintang

 Kulintang is a modern term for an ancient instrumental form of music composed on a row of small, horizontally laid gongs that function melodically, accompanied by larger, suspended gongs and drums. By the twentieth century, the term kulintang had a come to denote an entire Maguindanao ensemble of five to six instruments. Traditionally the Maguindanao term for the entire ensemble is basalen or palabunibunyan, the latter term meaning “an ensemble of loud instruments” or “music-making” or in this case “music-making using a kulintang. Kulintang music is considered an ancient tradition that predates the influences of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and the West. In the Philippines, it represents the highest form of gong music attained by Filipinos. Kulintang music likely evolved from this simple signaling tradition, transitioning into a period consisting of one player, one-gong type ensembles (like those found among the Ifugao of Luzon or Tinuary of Mindanao), developing into a multi-gong, multiplayer ensemble with the incorporation of concepts originating from Sunda (Indonesian) and finally transforming into the present day kulintang ensemble, with the addition of the d’bakan, babndir and musical concepts of Islam via Islam traders. Kulintang music generally could be found as the social entertainment at a host of different occasions. It is used during large feasts, festive/harvest gatherings, for entertainment of visiting friends and relatives, and at parades. Kulintang is used interchangeably to refer to the instrumental ensemble of gongs and drums or a solo melody instrument consisting of a minimum of five to eight (standardized for Maguindanaon and Maranao cultures), bronze and brass gongs laid out in a single row (or more depending on the culture or region).