Julio Nákpil y García (22 May 1867 – 2 November 1960) was a Filipino musician, composer and a General during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. He was a member of the Katipunan, a secret society turned revolutionary government which was formed to overthrow the Spanish government in the Philippines. His Katipunan adoptive name was J. Giliw or simply Giliw. He was commissioned by Andres Bonifacio, President of the Insurgent Tagalog Republic, to compose a hymn which was intended to become the National Anthem of the Tagalog Republic. That hymn was entitled "Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan". Thus, to some, he is remembered as the composer of the first national anthem of the Philippines. He is also a known huge critic of Emilio Aguinaldo.
Early life Julio Nákpil was born on May 22, 1867, as one of the twelve children of a well-off indio family in Quiapo district of Manila. His parents withdrew him from formal schooling after two years and had him look over the family stable. Julio educated himself at home and eventually learned how to play the piano as customary among the affluent families during that period.
During the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution in August 1896, Julio Nákpil was appointed as General by the Katipunan Government and was the commander of the revolutionary forces in the northern Philippines under Andrés Bonifacio.
Many of Julio's compositions during this time were inspired directly by the Revolution. Julio composed "Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan" which was intended by Bonifacio to become the national anthem of the Philippines but was ultimately replaced for Lupang Hinirang composed by Julián Felipe. After execution of the Bonifacio brothers, Nákpil claimed to have received threats on his own life as well as that of General Antonio Luna, the which latter ending up being assassinated.
Later life After the Revolution, Nákpil fell in love with and eventually married Bonifacio's widow Gregoria de Jesús. They moved to Manila and raised six children. Their eldest child and the only boy was Juan Nákpil who became a prominent Filipino architect and was recognized as a National Artist for Architecture. Another child married the architect Carlos Santos-Viola. Julio continued to compose until his death in 1960. Before his death he also contributed to a book on his life that was published by his heirs in 1964.
He became a renowned critic of Emilio Aguinaldo, in his memoirs titled Apuntes Sobre la Revolución Filipina (Notes on the Philippine Revolution) I swear before God and before History that everything related in these notes is the truth and I entreat the historian not to publish this until after my death." On page 30 of his memoirs can be found Nákpil's notes on the death of Bonifacio, and on page 130 is his account of the assassination of Antonio Luna where Nákpil wrote "When General A. Luna was dastardly assassinated by Janolino and his men on the stairs of the Convent of Kabanatuan and already fallen on the ground, Trinidad Aguinaldo the mother of Emilio Aguinaldo looked out the window and asked: Ano, humihinga pa ba? (So, is he still breathing?) (according to Nákpil's account)
On pages 157-158, Nákpil wrote of Aguinaldo,
"Emilio Aguinaldo's surrender to the Americans was a cowardly act. There was no doubt that he coveted the presidency. He surrendered for fear that others more competent than he would occupy the post of president of the Republic. Had he fought with his captors, regardless of whether he succumbed so that he might be considered a hero, at least to vindicate his crimes, by this time we would be admiring a monument to the second hero of the Philippines, unlike what he did delivering himself as prisoner and afterward taking an oath of allegiance to the American flag."
Death
Nákpil died of heart attack at his home on November 2, 1960, in Quiapo, Manila. He was buried at Manila North Cemetery in Santa Cruz, Manila the next day.Julio Nakpil's Death Certificate
Legacy The house where Nákpil and de Jesús lived, known as Bahay Nákpil-Bautista, still stands in Quiapo and is maintained by his heirs as a museum that also offers walking tours of Quiapo and other special events and doubles as a performance area.
Bahay Nákpil-Bautista is one of the two Spanish-style structures left standing in Bautista Street, Quiapo, Manila, the other being Casa Boix.
Compositions +The Compositions of Julio NakpilTiongson, Nicanor (Ed.). (2019). CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art (Vol. 7: Music). Manila: Cultural Center of the Philippines.DateTitleGenreInstrumentationNotes1888 April 27CefiroPolkaPianoNákpil's first known composition.1890 May 17La Brisa NocturnaHabaneraPiano1890 September 29Noche TempestuoscaPolka de SalonPiano1890Ecos de VisayasDanzaPiano1890Ecos de IlocoDanzaPiano1890Ilang-ilangMazurkaPiano1891 May 28Recuerdos de CápizHabanera CarateristicaPianoNákpil's most famous composition. Published in 6 editions. Awarded the Diploma for Honor by the 1st Exposición Regional de Filipina in 1895 and a silver medal at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904.1891 August 1Luz Poetica de la AuroraGavotaPiano; Piano 4 handsAwarded the Diploma for Honor in 1895 by the 1st Exposición Regional de Filipina in 1895.1891 October 21Danza CampestreHabanera de ConciertoPiano1891 October 21Teatro LuisaPolka BrillantePiano1891 November 25La Brisa AuroraHabaneraPiano1892 May 4CleotildePiano1892 July 15KundimanKundimanPianoAn arrangement of Jose Rizal's favorite Kundiman1891Sueño EternoMazurka FunebrePianoDedicated to Nákpil's late father1893 August 4Amor PatrioRomanzaSoprano, Orchestra; Soprano, Oboe, Pianoa scope of Maria Clara's song in Jose Rizal's novel Noli me Tangere.1895Exposición Regional de FilipinaPas à quatrePianoAwarded the Diploma for Honor in 1895 by the 1st Exposición Regional de Filipina in 1895.1896 January 27Marangal na Dalit ng KatagaluganNational AnthemVoices, PianoCommissioned by Andres Bonifacio as the national anthem of the Tagalog Republic. However, Julian Felipe's Lupang Hinirang eventually became the country's official National Anthem.1896 August 26Cry of BalintawakPiano; Band1896 August 30Armamento1897 March 20PahimakasMazurka FunebrePiano; Band; OrchestraA funeral march commemorating Rizal's execution.1897 June 15PamitinanPolka CarateristicaOrchestrafor the remontados “who went into hiding because of persecution.”1897 October 12Pag-IbigHabaneraVoice, PianoWritten for his wife Gregoria de Jesus1898 October 12Pasig-PantayaninPaso-doble MilitarPiano; OrchestraA military march dedicated to the brave revolutionaries.1898 NovemberBiyak-na-BatoPaso-doble MilitarBandcomposed for revolutionary general Teodoro Sandiko1899KabanatuanMarcha FunebreBand; Orchestra; PianoFuneral March in memory of the death of Antonio Luna. Premiered 1904.1903 SeptemberSalve PatriaGrand MarchOrchestraArrangement of Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan as a Grand March, with further additions1904PinchingHabaneraPiano1943 August 26Deus Omnipotens et MisericorsMarcha FunebreBandDedicated to the memory of those who have fallen during the night1944 September 19Victory MarchMarchOrchestraDedicated to the armies of the United States and the Philippines and her GuerrillaJohnny and Little JuliaBoston WaltzMelodia
References
External links Biographical Website