Lupang Hinirang (Chosen Land) is the title of the Philippine National Anthem. The melody was composed by Julián Felipe and was originally called “Marcha Filipina Magdalo” before it was renamed “Marcha Nacional Filipina” and adopted as the national anthem of the newly proclaimed República Filipina (also known as the “República de Malolos”). The lyrics were then written by José Palma, a poet and revolutionary soldier, and were originally in Spanish.
The Hymn of the Filipino People
Julián Felipe, a piano teacher, was ordered by Emilio Aguinaldo, the first Filipino president, to compose a melody merely days before declaring independence from Spain, then ruled by King Alfonso XIII. The president wanted the piece to be serious and majestic, one that would replace the Marcha Real Española, which was the anthem used in the Philippine archipelago at that time.
During an interview with Hispanidad in 1941, Julián Felipe said that he was guided by the president’s order to “replace the Marcha Real” as he composed the melody; thus, the first bars of Lupang Hinirang vaguely resemble the Marcha Real in some parts. This piqued my curiosity, and so I listened carefully to both anthems and yes - I found a similarity in the two melodies.
As Julián Felipe himself put it, Lupang Hinirang expresses “the blessed influence of our beloved Mother Spain”, a fitting homage to the shared culture and history between the Philippines and Spain.
The Song of the Filipinos
Just as the Marcha Real did not and still does not have any lyrics, Lupang Hinirang did not have any during the first year of Philippine independence.
The soldier-poet José Palma, in the midst of the Filipino-American War (which claimed the lives of up to 1,000,000 Filipinos), wrote “Filipinas”, a poem in elegant Spanish, to laud the patriotism and fighting spirit of his people. This poem was then adopted as the lyrics of the Lupang Hinirang (which was still called Marcha Nacional Filipina back then).
The lyrics and the title were finally translated into the official Filipino version by Felipe de Leon.
Amateur Filipino violinist plays Lupang Hinirang in Spain
This is my very amateur rendition of the Philippine National Anthem, which I would rate as below average, given the number of years that have passed since I first picked up the violin. There are a lot of issues with intonation, bowing, tone quality, and, most especially, rhythmic accuracy. Nonetheless, I do think that I make up for it somehow with musicality.