Fantasia No 1 on the Songs of Willy Cruz and Baby Gil 

Danny Tan's Throwback #241
FANTASIA No.1 on the Songs of Willy Cruz and Baby Gil
Composer: Danny Tan
Kapag Puso'y Sinugatan, Sana'y Maghintay ang Walang Hanggan
Music: Willy Cruz
Lyrics: Baby Gil
As a frustrated concert pianist, I have long yearned to write a piece for solo piano in concerto style. I was enrolled as a Piano Major at the UP College of Music in 1976 before I shifted to Composition upon the prodding of Dr. Lucio San Pedro, my favorite college professor. Finally, I got to sit down and write this composition, inspired by the melodies of my dearest friend, Mr. Willy Cruz!
BACKSTORY: Mr. Monino Duque asked me to do a musical work as my contribution to his Willy Cruz Tribute Series Project. Initially, he wanted established pop singers to sing a Willy Cruz medley. He gave me the freedom to choose any of Willy's popular songs. Since this project was a labor of love, I opted to go the instrumental route. I thought of an orchestral arrangement to suit Willy's soaring melodies. After so much thought and soul searching, I finally decided to do an "intimate conversation" with Willy Cruz through a medium both of us could understand very well - a piano solo of Kapag Puso'y Sinugatan and Sana'y Maghintay Ang Walang Hanggan, two of my favorite Willy Cruz compositions. In the same vein as Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Mr. Aries Caces - currently a faculty member at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna - suggested to name this piano work as Fantasia for Solo Piano, composed by Danny Tan after songs by Willy Cruz. I finally decided to name this musical work as Fantasia No.1 on the Songs of Willy Cruz and Baby Gil.
Here's my personal tribute to you, Mr. WILLY CRUZ - a multi-awarded composer, arranger, musical director, film scorer, musician and a very dear friend!