Despite what is printed on the insert, the music on this cass. in what sounds like laras pelog and sorog (I can't read the titles on the insert - the res. is too low) is actually 'kacapi suling', an all-instrumental genre derived from tembang sunda performances. I'm not sure who the musicians are, though the pitch is uncharacteristically low, equivalent to a 64 cm suling.
It appears (most of?) the compositions, originally songs in the Cianjuran tradition, were composed by Nyi Saodah Harnadi Natakusumah (again, can't read the text on the insert). She was among the leading 20th c. Cianjuran singers, composers, and teachers of singers such as Euis Komariah.
An example of her mamaos singing late in her career when her voice had lowered considerably in pitch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF7dDN1nO5A Too bad this recording ends before the panambih, which lends a feeling of incompleteness to the selection. I believe the juru suling here is Pa Burhan Sukarma, one of my guru suling, in early prime of his career. During a lesson in the early 90s, Pa Burhan referred to Saodah Harnadi Natakusumah tellingly as "Ibu tembang" (mother of song).
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ReplyDeleteDespite what is printed on the insert, the music on this cass. in what sounds like laras pelog and sorog (I can't read the titles on the insert - the res. is too low) is actually 'kacapi suling', an all-instrumental genre derived from tembang sunda performances. I'm not sure who the musicians are, though the pitch is uncharacteristically low, equivalent to a 64 cm suling.
ReplyDeleteIt appears (most of?) the compositions, originally songs in the Cianjuran tradition, were composed by Nyi Saodah Harnadi Natakusumah (again, can't read the text on the insert). She was among the leading 20th c. Cianjuran singers, composers, and teachers of singers such as Euis Komariah.
An example of her mamaos singing late in her career when her voice had lowered considerably in pitch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF7dDN1nO5A Too bad this recording ends before the panambih, which lends a feeling of incompleteness to the selection. I believe the juru suling here is Pa Burhan Sukarma, one of my guru suling, in early prime of his career. During a lesson in the early 90s, Pa Burhan referred to Saodah Harnadi Natakusumah tellingly as "Ibu tembang" (mother of song).
wow, thanks for the info Andrew! I'm pretty green when it comes to the cianjuran tradition so any info is welcome, still A LOT to learn:)
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