Julio Nakpil
Encyclopedia
Julio Nakpil was a Philippine
composer
who also fought in the Philippine Revolution
.
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 was proper for traditional families during the time. His skill at the piano earned him an audience with the affluent, and later inspired him to compose his first piece - a polka
- in 1888. Julio later became a piano teacher and composed regularly.
.
Many of Julio's compositions during this time were inspired directly by the Revolution. Julio also composed a candidate for the Philippine national anthem preferred by Bonifacio but was ultimately rejected for Lupang Hinirang
. After Emilio Aguinaldo
allegedly ordered Bonifacio executed, Nakpil claimed to have received threats on his own life as well as that of General Antonio Luna
, the latter ending up betrayed and executed by Aguinaldo's men.
. They moved to Manila and raised six children, one of whom 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.
In his memoirs titled 'Apuntes Sobre la Revolución Filipina (Notes on the Philippine Revolution), Nakpil wrote "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 Nakpil's notes on the death of Bonifacio, and on page 130 is his account of the assassination of Antonio Luna where Nakpil wrote "When General A. Luna was dastardly assassinated on the stairs of the Convent of Kabanatuan and already fallen on the ground, the mother of Emilio Aguinaldo looked out the window and asked: 'Ano, humihinga pa ba?'" On pages 157-158, Nakpil 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.
The crimes he committed against Andrés Bonifacio and Antonio Luna, and his attempt to assassinate the undersigned [Julio Nakpil] should be condemned by history, and Universal Freemasonry ought to expel him and declare him a spurious son. The coward finds many dangers where none exist!"
The house where Nakpil and de Jesús lived, known as "Bahay Nakpil", 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 Nakpil" is the only Spanish-style building left standing in Quiapo.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
who also fought in the Philippine Revolution
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
.
Early life
Julio Nakpil was born as one of twelve children to a well-off family in QuiapoQuiapo, Manila
Quiapo is a district and city square of Manila. Referred as the "Old Downtown", Quiapo in known for where cheap buys or goods are being sold at rock-bottom prices and was the home of the Quiapo Church, where the feast for the Black Nazarene is held, with over millions of people attending...
district of Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. 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 was proper for traditional families during the time. His skill at the piano earned him an audience with the affluent, and later inspired him to compose his first piece - a polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
- in 1888. Julio later became a piano teacher and composed regularly.
Philippine Revolution
During the Philippine Revolution, Julio served as a commander for revolutionary troops in the northern Philippines under Andrés BonifacioAndres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
.
Many of Julio's compositions during this time were inspired directly by the Revolution. Julio also composed a candidate for the Philippine national anthem preferred by Bonifacio but was ultimately rejected for Lupang Hinirang
Lupang Hinirang
Lupang Hinirang is the national anthem of the Philippines. Its music was composed in 1898 by Julián Felipe, with lyrics in Spanish adapted from the poem Filipinas, written by José Palma in 1899....
. After Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation...
allegedly ordered Bonifacio executed, Nakpil claimed to have received threats on his own life as well as that of General Antonio Luna
Antonio Luna
Antonio Luna y Novicio was a Filipino pharmacist and general who fought in the Philippine-American War. He was also the founder of the Philippines's first military academy.- Family background :...
, the latter ending up betrayed and executed by Aguinaldo's men.
Later life
After the Revolution, Nakpil fell in love with and eventually married Bonifacio's widow Gregoria de JesúsGregoria de Jesus
Gregoria de Jesús , also known as Aling Oriang, was the founder and vice-president of the women's chapter of the Katipunan of the Philippines. She was also the custodian of the documents and seal of the Katipunan. She married Andrés Bonifacio, the supremo of the Katipunan, and played a major role...
. They moved to Manila and raised six children, one of whom married the architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Carlos Santos-Viola
Carlos A. Santos-Viola
Carlos Antonio Santos-Viola was an architect in the Philippines. He is best known for designing and building churches for the Iglesia ni Cristo religious group....
. 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.
In his memoirs titled 'Apuntes Sobre la Revolución Filipina (Notes on the Philippine Revolution), Nakpil wrote "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 Nakpil's notes on the death of Bonifacio, and on page 130 is his account of the assassination of Antonio Luna where Nakpil wrote "When General A. Luna was dastardly assassinated on the stairs of the Convent of Kabanatuan and already fallen on the ground, the mother of Emilio Aguinaldo looked out the window and asked: 'Ano, humihinga pa ba?'" On pages 157-158, Nakpil 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.
The crimes he committed against Andrés Bonifacio and Antonio Luna, and his attempt to assassinate the undersigned [Julio Nakpil] should be condemned by history, and Universal Freemasonry ought to expel him and declare him a spurious son. The coward finds many dangers where none exist!"
The house where Nakpil and de Jesús lived, known as "Bahay Nakpil", 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 Nakpil" is the only Spanish-style building left standing in Quiapo.