Contribution–Classicizing Popular Songs of P. Ramlee for the Flute and Guitar

Abstract

A well-known Malay pop composer, musician, and singer, P. Ramlee, has a significant impact on the Malay music and film industries as well as Asian cultures. P. Ramlee has composed and produced more than 300 songs during his musical journey. The purpose of this research is to explore the possibilities of a modern popular Malay music performed by a duo group, which consists of a flute and a guitar. Secondly, it examines the two closely related musical instruments: flute and guitar, in performing a new arrangement of music of “Bekorban Apa Saja” (To Sacrifice Everything) and “Menceceh Bujang Lapok” (Chatter of the Old Bachelor). The music was originally composed by P. Ramlee for solo vocal, a band consisting of guitar, bass, and drum. It will specify the techniques and methods to depict the melodies and accompaniment for both instruments. By using practice-led research as a conceptual framework, this study generates detectable output from the creative work. Most commonly, a practice-led research project consists of two components: a creative output and a text component, commonly referred to as an “exegesis”. The work itself provides the outcome of the research flow and answers all the research questions (Candy in Practice based research: a guide. Creativity and cognition studios report 1, 2006). The deliberations for musical arrangement incorporate the following research questions: i) what are the specific music elements and methods of the flute and guitar that can be portrayed for the selected song? ii) what are the structures of the new arrangement for the songs? The primary source of “lead-sheet” of the selected repertoires was gathered from a music score published by Perkamus in Singapore. The new arrangement of music for flute and guitar then had been reproduced and recorded. The selection of these two instruments features significant impact of P. Ramlee’s music on instrumental performances.