Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Music Alone Shall Live.......Keroncong!!

What a wonderful evening when good friends got together and sharing the same interest! You can never ask for more! My husband and I along with Nora and three more couples went to KLCC Phillharmonic Hall to experience a life show of Keroncong Kasih Menyusur Zaman. It was our first..I mean with the Keroncong!

What is Keroncong? Keroncong originated and developed in Java with great Portuguese influence using the ukelele and other stringed instruments. It was brought to Malaysia from Java in the 15th century. In its original form, it consisted of songs sung with the accompaniment of the Indian sitar, the rebab or bowed chordaphone, the suling or bamboo flute, the gendang, kenong and saron of the gamelan ensemble, and a gong. Today, these instruments are sometimes replaced by the guitar (for sitar), violin (for rebab), modern flute, cello (which takes on the role of the gamelan instruments) and the bass (which substitutes the gong). Modern keroncong groups may even include the accordian and the vibraphone to add extra colour. The vocals however still remain traditional, based mainly on the Javanese pelog or slendro scales. Keroncong style music is also found among the repertoire of nationalistic Malaysian songs, as well as modern day pop-influenced tunes. (www.musicmall_asia.com/malaysia/syncretic.html).

The singers played an important role in Keroncong. We were entertained by the evergreen singer Dato Yusni Hamid, Adila, Bob Yusof and Jamilah Abu Bakar. Their voice ...shall I say ..like the stream flowing......just Superb! They were accompanied by the Petronas Performing Arts Group. Well done!!

I was surprised to see that all seats were taken. Tickets were sold out! But majority, those who came to the show were people who grew up with the songs...know what I mean? No doubt young people, youngsters and children were there too. It's good actually...so we know that in future, Keroncong will still be sung and enjoyed.

All things shall parish from under the sky.
Music alone shall live....
Music alone shall live.......
Music alone shall live.....

Never shall die.....

This is the wording from a Girl Guide collection of songs which I learnt when I was a training teacher and I hope Keroncong will never ever die for the next generation to enjoy,Let's sing along with Dato Yusni Hamid.....Di Wajahmu Kulihat bulan.......
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