The Swiss symbolist painter, Arnold Böcklin (1827-1901) took the world of mythology as his source of inspiration. His most famous painting, Die Toteninsel (The Isle of the Dead), painted in multiple versions between 1880 and 1886, was the inspiration for a work of the same name by Rachmaninov and also inspired a movement in a set of tone poems by Max Reger.
Max Reger’s 4 Tondichtungen nach Arnold Böcklin (4 Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin), written in 1913, bases each movement of the work on a different painting by Böcklin. Although now only known for the Isle of the Dead, in the early 20th century, reproductions of Böcklin’s landscapes could be found in the front parlours of homes throughout Germany.
Reger’s first movement, Der geigende Eremit (The Fiddling Hermit), divides the strings into two groups, one playing with muted strings and the other without. The hermit is represented by the solo violin part that sounds above the two groups. The woodwinds and brass create the background. To reflect the religious character of the image, Reger uses the church modes, rather than the usual major/minor tonalities.
The second movement, a lively scherzo, is based on a vision of naiads, mermaids, and mermen playing in the waves. The scherzo scurries along, building to wild climaxes, interrupted by the contrasting trios, and is a perfect rendition of Böcklin’s magical world.
The sombre third movement has strange harmonies in the wind section and violent changes in dynamics, ranging from excessive to shadowy in feel. The clarinet delivers a quiet final word after this visit to the dead’s final resting place.
The last movement returns us to the bright sunlight. A Bacchanal refers to any sort of uninhibited or drunken revelry, often including satyrs and perhaps Bacchus or Silenus, usually in a landscape setting. There’s no specific work by Böcklin with this name, but many of his landscapes use satyrs and other mythological creatures and could have been the inspiration for Reger.
In addition his work Die Toteninsel, Rachmaninov was also inspired by another painting by Böcklin, Die Heimkehr (The Homecoming) when he wrote his Prelude in B minor, Op. 32, No. 10.
Of the works in the Op.32 Preludes, this Prelude in B minor is felt to be the greatest of the Preludes. It opens with a sombre tone and becomes ever increasingly intense.
In creating his symbolist world of mythological creatures and scenes, Böcklin, in turn, inspired late 19th-century and early 20th-century composers to look to their own dark and mystical sides while at the same time reading intensely into Böcklin’s detailed masterpieces.
They are able to demonstrate the ability to benefit from IS Manila’s academic program, as determined by interviews, tests and past records.
They reside with their parent(s) in the Philippines. Any exception must be approved by the School prior to commencing the admission process.
The age cut-off date is September 1st as per our Age Placement Policy. High School students should graduate no later than the age of 20.
Students who complete a particular grade level after the start of the IS Manila first semester will be placed in that same grade level for the remainder of the school year.
Students who are admitted after the middle of a given quarter may not receive grades for that semester. In the High School, 80% attendance is required for credit purposes. Attendance at a previous school can be applied towards the 80% attendance rule.
New students may be admitted to IS Manila and enrolled at any time during the school year if a space in the child’s grade/program is available and all admission requirements have been met. Realistically however, it is best to enroll within the first 15 days of the semester but definitely not in the last month of the semester. This is especially true for High School students who need to have credits earned for graduation each semester. Students should be in attendance, at minimum, 80% of the academic calendar to receive credit.
Unless transferring from a very similar academic program, High School students should only plan on entering at the beginning of a semester. The first semester at ISM generally starts in the first or second week in August and ends mid-December; the second semester begins in the second week in January and ends in the first week in June.
In addition to the academic records/official transcripts of previous school years (click here for a sample) submitted along with the application and teacher recommendations, it is very important that transferring students also bring an official transfer document from their current school which, minimally, indicates the following information:
A clear explanation of the grading or marking system used by the school and the lowest acceptable passing mark or grade
For candidate’s that are eligible for our Learning Support Services we require parent(s) to send us information prior to submitting a formal application. Our Admissions Team and Learning Support Resource Team will provide feedback once we have reviewed the required documentation. Without such information the School cannot make the right educational choices for your child or provide the kind of environment in which your child will flourish. ISM's goal is to provide a program that is an optimal match between your child's individual educational needs and the support services available at the school and within the wider community.
Report Cards/Grade Reports/Transcripts: For the previous two to three years, including current school year reports once issued. If entering Grade 12, we require records for the three previous years and any report issued to date upon application. If necessary, school records must be translated into English and then authenticated.
We will need ONE Teacher Recommendation Form for students in Preschool to Grade 5. Students in Grade 6-12 will need to submit Two Teacher Recommendation Forms. One recommendation form should be from a MATH teacher and one from an ENGLISH Teacher. The teacher recommendation should be completed by your child's current teacher(s) for the present school year upon submission of the application.
Learning Support Recommendation Form from the Resource/Special Education Teacher. Please note that not all parts of this recommendation form may apply to your child but as much information as possible is needed for an admission consideration. This includes any diagnostic reports, Psychological Education Evaluation(s), Behavioral Plans, IEP or any medical history that the School should be aware of.
Resource/Special Education Teacher Recommendation Form and any special learning/educational support evaluations or assessments, including but not limited to:
IS Manila offers the two year IB Diploma Program for Grade 11 and 12. For students that may be transferring to IS Manila whilst enrolled in the IB Diploma Program or as a Grade 12 student, it is imperative that we review the candidate’s selected courses, previous academic history alongside the required Teacher Recommendation Forms to offer your family feedback regarding a transfer. Below is the check-list for feedback. Should the School be able to support your child’s transfer we will require a complete Application File.
We will need TWO Teacher Recommendation Forms per student. One recommendation form should be from a MATH teacher and one from an ENGLISH Teacher. The teacher recommendation should be completed by your child's current teacher(s) for the present school year upon submission of the application.