Alfredo Buenaventura

An Opera Legend

Alfredo Santos Buenaventura was born in Santa Maria, Bulacan in 1929 and studied music at the University of Santo Tomas, the Centro Escolar University and the Gregorian Institute. His career brought him teaching appointments at the Philippine Women’s University, St. Scholastica’s College and at the Centro Escolar University, where he became Dean of Music at the conservatory. He was formerly organist at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Manila and, among many other honours, received the Republican Cultural Heritage Awards in 1964 and 1972 and the Bonifacio Centennial Awards. 

Source: https://www.naxos.com/Bio/Person/Alfredo_Buenaventura/32279

All of Alfred Buenaventura's Compositions:

Diego Silang • (1966) • Operas

Hinilawod • (1971) • Operas

Legende de l'Ananas • (1967) • Operas

Mariang Makiling • (1961) • Operas

Prinsesa Urduja • (1969) • Operas

Legende d'Amour d'une Deesse des Montagnes • Operettas

Loup d'Onyx (Le): ballet • Ballets

A las Flores de Heidelberg • (1962) • Cantates profanes : soli-chœur-orchestre

Bataan: poème symphonique • (1965) • Symphonic poems

Manik Buangsi: poème symphonique • (1972) • Symphonic poems

Panorama Philippin • Suites

Symphonie "Race brune" • (1971) • Symphony

Quintet: brass • (1962) • Chamber music winds 

Choirs • Choral pieces isolated

Mélodies • Mélodies isolées

Reminiscence: Mez.-flute-bandoure-guitar-xyl.-perc.-viola-double bass • (1973) • Mélodies isolées : voix-instruments

Choirs • Choral pieces isolated

Mélodies • Mélodies isolées

Reminiscence: Mez.-flute-bandoure-guitar-xyl.-perc.-viola-double bass • (1973) • Mélodies isolées : voix-instruments


Source: https://musicalics.com/en/node/82940


I've never been a fan of opera or orchestras, but hearing some of Alfredo Buenaventura's compositions gives me 70s movie vibes. Like an ending song for Indiana Jones, like his Lakambini Concerto 1st Movement. It's simply remarkable and astonishing that a person of his caliber and talent is born from the Phillipines, and I'm sure it makes our motherland proud. Coming back to that "Indiana Jones" comment I made, theres several types of vibes I've been getting from his songs. Some are heroic, as if someone performed a huge deed or saved the world. Some are making me melancholic, slowly bringing up sad memories from the past. While some are just calming, like my mother back in the day, when she used to sing lullabies for me to sleep.  All in all I've learned to appreciate this genre of music, thanks to Alfredo Buenaventura.