by Rivaldi Ihsan, Ethnomusicologist and Lecturer in Music at Sumbawa University of Technology (Instagram: rivaldiihsan, E-mail: ihsanaja361@gmail.com).
An art performance certainly has a structure of parts that build it, so that it becomes a whole unit of art performance. The wholeness is arranged through the interweaving of parts of the pattern that is carried out repetitively by art actors and art supporting communities in everyday life. In this article, I would like to discuss the structure of music performance in Orkes Melayu Pancaran Senja (OMPS) music group of Batu Besar Malay village in Nongsa Batam.
The structure of OMPS music performance is divided into three parts. The first part is preparation, the second part is performance, and the third is aftermath or activities after the performance is over (Schechner in Asril, 2016: 155). The preparation includes the readiness of the musicians to prepare themselves for regular music practice in Kampung Melayu Batu Besar Nongsa. Likewise, the audience prepares themselves to watch the OMPS music performance at Malay Beach. The performance is a moment when the OMPS musicians are performing, while the audience watches and becomes part of the participants while at Batu Besar Malay Beach. Aftermath also includes the resting activities of OMPS musicians after the performance, such as chatting about evaluating music playing and so on.
1. Preparation
OMPS preparation includes regular practice on Tuesday nights and Friday nights, after Isha prayer on the terrace of Rahman's house. Before the music rehearsal, the musicians usually gather together to discuss family life, social life, or their respective work routines. The discussion is a casual question and answer session between one musician and another. The effect of this discussion is to strengthen emotional relationships that are closer, more open, and more understanding. Thus creating an atmosphere of family relationship among OMPS musicians.
OMPS musician rehearsals are carried out in accordance with the respective expertise of each musician. However, sometimes musicians can also take turns playing the Malay music instrument. There are also OMPS musicians, consisting of Zulkarnain as an accordion player, Rahman as a viul player (violin) Rosna as a singer, Anwar as a bebano drum player or tambourine, Adlin as a bass guitar player, and Naim as an acoustic electric guitar player.
When the OMPS musicians have gathered, the musicians have their own awareness to prepare the musical instruments and loudspeakers that have been provided on the terrace of Rahman's house. After all the musical instruments bebano drum, accordion, violin, acoustic guitar, and bass guitar are arranged according to the needs of the OMPS musicians. Then, Rahman in the viul position will give the code to other musicians to play Malay musical nuanced introduction music first as an opening. Usually OMPS practices Malay songs or rhymes that are often performed during musical performances at Malay Beach. Such as; Siti Payung, Pengasuh Cantik, Jangan Harapan, Damak, Sri Mersing, Pulau Kampai, Pucuk Pisang, Serampang Laut, Burung Nuri, Tanjung Katung, and Bujang Telajak.
There is also the flow of OMPS training after one song or rhyme is performed. Then, proceed with the next song according to the agreement of the musicians and a singer what song or rhyme he memorized. The function of this exercise is to know when to enter and when to stop singing. As well as, looking for the singer's basic tone, and discerning the musical taste of OMPS musicians, so that the musical presentation sounds beautiful and enjoyable when heard by the audience. The OMPS music group also realizes that the more often they practice, the more compact, neat, and enjoyable the music will be to hear by the musicians or the audience.
2. Performances
Pancaran Senja music performances are routinely held on Sundays at 10.00 am to 5.00 pm at Malay Beach Batu Besar Nongsa. Usually, preparations are made before the performance, working together with fellow musicians to bring the sound system, as well as musical instrument equipment in Rahman's house to the stage of the music performance at Malay Beach. After that, a sound check is carried out, arranging the musical instruments according to their respective formations.
While checking the sound, Anwar, a host as well as a singer, gave the opening words of welcome to visitors to Malay Beach. When the opening has been completed by Anwar, then the Malay-flavored musical introduction is ready to be played by OMPS as a sign of being ready to make music. This game, usually improvised by Anwar, is a code giver to other OMPS musicians when playing rentak langgam, mak inang, zapin, and joget, and when the rentak game ends. In terms of musical performance, OMPS is open, loose, relaxed, enjoying every musical performance. This can be seen from the audience's response to appreciate and participate in OMPS music performances.
In the early part of the musical performance, OMPS usually plays songs with mak inang or medium-tempo rhythms and occasionally also plays langgam rhythms. The atmosphere of the performance still looks calm, but the musicians' limbs such as the head, body, and legs have begun to move a little. While the audience is still sitting relaxed on the seats in front of the performance stage, while singing a little to themselves following the songs of rentak mak inang that are being played by Pancaran Senja. Likewise, the body of the audience has experienced music by creating small movements such as head, body, hands, feet while sitting listening to the music of rentak inang OMPS.
In the second part, the atmosphere was getting more crowded, the tempo of the game had started to accelerate because OMPS began to play continuous dance rhythms, so that the audience was participatory, excited, and enthusiastic. And not forgetting the laughter from both the musicians and the audience provides its own entertainment, while wanting to dance together in front of the OMPS performance stage. At first the audience sat back and watched the OMPS performance, but soon began to walk slowly to the front of the performance stage. Sometimes the audience without being invited by the singer just danced in pairs happily. Occasionally the singer also called out to the audience to let's dance together on the stage of this performance. Of course, the up-tempo dance rhythms provide life force and enthusiasm that can eliminate social boundaries between musicians and audiences so that they melt into one sublimated experience.
3. Aftermath
Aftermath is an activity carried out after the OMPS music performance is over. In this third part, activities such as returning musical instruments, sound systems or loudspeakers to their original place of storage at Rahman's house. The OMPS musicians' awareness to return the instruments is a form of a sense of belonging to the music group. In addition, a sense of belonging to OMPS musical instruments is also shown in the way they play, are careful, and take care of musical instruments such as cleaning dust or rust on musical instruments. With a sense of belonging among fellow OMPS musicians, a sense of togetherness, a sense of solidarity, a sense of understanding, a sense of family is realized in the OMPS music group.