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Day 1
Ramadhan 2016
ABSTRUSE
|  DONDANG SAYANG9.20.2016, Tuesday, September 20, 2016 ♥
NAME : NORJIHAN
ID STUDENT : 2016658746
GROUP : 1C
COURSE CODE : MUF105
Traditional Music of Malaysia consist of many type genres such as zapin, dondang sayang, ghazal and many more. Traditional music has been classified to two types, Classical and syncretic. Classical consists of Nobat and mak Yong while Syncretic consists of Ghazal and dondang sayang.
The meaning of syncretic is developed during the post-Portuguese period (16th century) and contains elements from both local music and foreign elements of Arabian, Persian, Indian, Chinese and Western musical and theatrical sources. The most popular syncretic music ensemble in Malaysia is dondang sayang.
Dondang sayang or literally 'love ballad' is a traditional musical song and originated in Malacca in the 15th century This music categorized as syncretic because it is actually derived from combination local peranakan people and portugese. The meaning of Dondang is similar to Dendang, which means to entertain one’s heart while Sayang means tender passion.Therefore, Dondang sayang is defined as ‘Lagu Kasih’ or ‘Nyanyian Kasih’. Nowadays dondang sayang is prominently performed in cultural ceremonies in order to ensure the continuation of this unique cultural heritage especially by Malay and Peranakan community in Melaka.
History
It is difficult to ascertain the exact presence of dondang sayang, but it is believed to have been performed since the reigh of the Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century.
Dondang sayang is also associated with the Peranakans or Straits Chinese. The main difference between the Peranakan and Malay versions of dondang sayang is the language used. The Peranakans used their own Baba Malay (a form of patois) and cultural references, rather than solely the Malay language. This point is significant because Peranakan lifestyle and culture is different from those of the Malays due to differences in religion, cultural practices and life experiences.
Prominent members
Prominent members of the Association include Koh Hoon Teck, a well-known dondang sayang singer and a founding member of the Association. As a pantun expert, it had been one of Koh's wishes that dondang sayang should be sung at his funeral. Upon his death in 1956, his family members and close friends accordingly arranged for a “pantun party” at his gravesite in Bukit Brown cemetery.
Koh was credited for introducing the bangsawan to Malaya, a Malay opera troupe originating from Dutch-occupied Indonesia. The bangsawan later was adapted by the Peranakans into their own wayang Peranakan. However, it is his passion for the classic art of dondang sayang for which he is most remembered for. The poetic repartee of songs demands a strong understanding of Baba Malay and its lyrical innuendos. He was one of the founding members of the Gunong Sayang Association which was formed in 1910. Every weekend, Peranakans would gather at the Association to practice and perform dondang sayang with Koh often accompanying them on the violin. His home at 105 Chin Swee Road was often the venue of musical activities including visits of groups such as the Cornwell Minstrels. In his older years, Koh was seen as a mentor and guide to the next generation of dondang sayang singers. His publication, Panton dondang sayang
Gwee Peng Kwee, Koh’s nephew, was a famous female impersonator who was instrumental in reviving the Association through active fund-raising after its dormancy during the Japanese Occupation. A pantun master like his uncle, Gwee passed away in 1986.
G. T. Lye, Gwee’s son, has directed and acted in many Association stage productions over the years. Following the family tradition, he is a veteran female impersonator who has played the role of the Peranakan matriarch numerous times.
William Tan, a popular female impersonator of the 1950s and 1960s, and his cousin Henry Tan were responsible for writing a number of the annual wayang Peranakan productions.
Actress Sally Gan, a veteran of the Association who passed away in 2006, was well loved for her role as a domestic maid in numerous Gunong Sayang stage productions.
Instrumentation
In its early days, dondang sayang performance was accompanied by musical instruments such as gendang and tabut, but without any specific musical arrangement. Portuguese colonization in the 16th century later introduced violin into dondang sayang’s ensemble. A dondang sayang’s ensemble is usually consisted of rebana, gong/tetawak and violin. Violin is the most important instrument, as it plays primary role in dondang sayang.
There are 4 to 5 musicians in a dondang sayang performance. Musicians may switch instruments in between performances, but the violinist seldom does, although this is permitted. If there are musicians to spare, more to 5 rebana may be used. Sometimes, the rebana may be substitued by the tambourine and barrel drum or even the kompang. The music is slow, and a song usually consists of 32 bars, beginning with a violin introduction, with the rebana and then the gong entering, and the voice finally entering in bar 5. Its style is somewhat informal and its lyrics usually consist of love poems. The musical instruments may also be augmented with an accordian.
Pantun is used as the lyrics by the singer. The pantuns sang are united in a theme such as love, sacrifices and appreciation, animals, wiity puns and others. The singers were regularly invited to Malay community centres to perform. All of them is using classical version
Kompang
Rebana
Tambourine
Tetawak
Violin
Function
The early function of dondang sayang is to release someone’s stress and that is why the music used was really random and spontaneous. So, we can see how informal this music are but still among classical music.
However, at the sultan’s courts dondang sayang took special place whenever the royal families or the noble held festivities. And thus, this special type of Malay traditional music with its songs based on the classical pantuns which verses peculiar to the Malays with four Lines, two containing meanings and the other two either providing hints or are merely in the form of jingles began to be looked upon as a form of entertainment.
It was only natural that from the sultan’s courts the dondang sayang would spread to the common people- at first in traditional festivals and later in minor celebrations and ceremonies as well.
Also, GunongSayang Association (mountain of love) was established in February 1910 and helped to bring the originally domestic art of Peranakan poetry singing, dondang sayang, into the public arena. Membership in the Association was initially only for men. The members would meet on Sundays for dondang sayang sessions.
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