Agripino Diestro, true Filipino artist
DID you know that composer, arranger and conductor Agripino “Nonoy” Diestro is related to two National Artists namely Maestro Lucio San Pedro (Music) and Carlos “Botong” Francisco (Visual Arts)?
In celebration of Maestro San Pedro’s centennial year back in 2013, I interviewed Diestro, for my classical radio program, Culture Carousel aired in DZFE-fm, the Master’s Touch, before the centennial concert held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in April 2013.
Could you describe to us what was it like growing up with Maestro San Pedro in Angono, Rizal? What was a typical day for him?
Well, he would be in his trousers and he would just drink coffee with you or have breakfast with you. Just tell him why you are visiting him, or if some artist will perform his music, and if you are borrowing his composition for that artist. He will look for the specific composition that you need. It is so easy to talk to him, he is not “madamot.” “Sabihin mo lang, Maestro maganda ang work ninyo and gusto ko lang tugtugin.” For him, just hearing you say that is enough, he is not materialistic.
How do you call Maestro San Pedro? I call him Daddy Lucio — even my brothers call him that. We do not call him Lolo Lucio because by blood, he is my grand uncle.
What memorable experience concerning the music of Maestro San Pedro that you cannot forget?
I have many experiences with him, not only with his music. When I was going to study in University of the Philippines (UP), he was the one who accompanied me to the College of Music. He also told me what course to take, and that would be Composition. I took the entrance exam and I passed. Maestro did not endorse me. When I was in 1st year, there was a rehearsal of his work “Lupang Mahal ng Araw,” commissioned by the First Lady Imelda Marcos. The piece is about Ulot, Leyte in the Visayas.
I think, the First Lady brought him there to have a feel of the community and then after that, he composed “Lupang Mahal ng Araw” which was for soprano and full orchestra. I did it in 2010 in the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Concert Series. He gave me a copy of the piano vocal score. But he had notations like what instrument is playing like oboe, strings.
So, you conducted the orchestra for that piece and you were still in high school?
No, it was a band. I was a member of the band. I used to play the saxophone, then the clarinet. When I entered UP, I joined the Philippine Youth Orchestra and I played the oboe because there was no oboe player. Even Mam Andrea Veneracion, founder of the Philippine Madrigal Singers or MADZ, asked me to become their member because I had a composition which the MADZ were going to perform.
However, I already told her that I was a member of the Philippine Youth Orchestra. Before the last piece was played — it was a German march — Maestro Lucio called me and said that I will conduct the last piece. I did not have any rehearsal, it was impromptu. I knew I could do it, but of course I was surprised!
What advise did Maestro San Pedro give you that you still practice?
Actually, he told theoretical things for musicians like moving from dominant to tonic, he explained that to me. Also, how to modulate from diminish seven four’s, and he said there were eight ways in doing it. Theories like that. If you are a composition major, you would understand.
Another thing he showed me is when he is conducting the band, everybody is alert. There is discipline. He gets upset, while he is rehearsing with the band or orchestra if there is a mistake. One time, there was a boy from a San Mateo band who attended and rehearsed with our Angono Band. Then someone played the wrong note in the trumpet section. As I said earlier, this boy was not an Angono band member, he was just attending to get the feel of it. And Maestro was very mad, stopped and look angrily at the new boy. The then boy didn’t know that you never answer back when the Maestro was angry. And the boy pointed to his seatmate and said “siya po ang ng kamali. Hindi po ako, siya po.” And everybody was laughing, because we all knew that it is best to keep quiet when the Maestro is upset.
There was another incident which involved his cousin, Nicolas Diestro. He was playing the euphonium. It is only Nicolas who could joke with him. If Nicolas would make a mistake, Daddy Lucio would say “Eto ang pamasahe, mali ang tugtug mo, umuwi ka na.”And Nicolas would answer him “Pare ko hindi tumatama ang kumpas mo.”
Another is when we were rehearsing and there was a lot of gamu-gamo flying around, resulting to Nicolas making a mistake. Maestro said “here is some transportation money go home because you are not hitting the right note.” Nicolas then replied, “Brod, the moth covered the note so I played another note!” And everybody in the band laughed.
Nonoy, can you discuss the symphonic band music that Maestro plays?
Actually, he tries to make the sound of the band like a symphonic orchestra. The clarinet very much sustained, like the strings in an orchestra. Because when you play the violin and other string instruments, you practically do not breathe. I mean, of course you need to breathe. There is a technique called circular breathing used by winged players.
It works this way, you breathe through your nose and inhale through your mouth. That is circular breathing. In most of the cities we perform in, the people would say that the Angono band sounds different and that was during the Maestro’s time in the ‘60s and ‘70s. The Maestro really wants his Angono Band to sound like symphonic orchestra. He rehearses long hours, not like in the orchestra, it takes a regular orchestra to rehearse for only three hours. But when we have engagements, the band rehearses morning and afternoon. There are also good bands in Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal.
What is the legacy that Maestro San Pedro left with the Angono band which they still use?
Of course his compositions. He has a lot of marches. His “Lahing Kayumangi” was really composed for the band. That composition won him the Cultural Heritage Award in 1962. He has a lot of arrangements for the band. Sometimes other band members would have a copy of one of his compositions, and the Maestro would not have a copy of it becasue as I said earlier, Maestro was very generous. If you borrow one of his compositions and say that you like it so much and that it will be played by another band, he will lend it to you and will not ask for compensation.
Sometimes, he would joke and say “Ang lagay eh...” but he would not insist. He will not not also ask for royalty for his composition. He is really very generous.
Among all of his compositions which is your favorite and why?
Difficult question. For me as a composer, I should be able to surpass his music. But it is difficult for me, because his compositions are very good. But as a conductor, my favorite is “Lahing Kayumangi” because it is about the Filipino. It is like the “Bahay Kubo,” simple, which is the symbol of the common people. I love conducting the piece. There is a portion where the french horns and clarinets play, it is majestic and it gives me goose bumps when I hear it and when I conduct the orchestra. “Lahing Kayumangi” is really about the Filipino people.