Bengawan Solo (song)

Last updated
"Bengawan Solo"
Song by Gesang Martohartono
Written1940
Genre kroncong
Songwriter(s) Gesang Martohartono

"Bengawan Solo" (lit. "Solo River") is an Indonesian song written by Gesang Martohartono in 1940. The song is a description of the longest river in Java, Solo River. The song became popular in Indonesia during the Second World War and was one of the songs promoted nationally in the newly-independent country after the war.

Contents

The song is the first song written in Bahasa Indonesia by an Indonesian to achieve widespread popularity in Indonesia. It also became popular in Japan, other Far East and Southeast Asian countries, and many versions of the song in different languages exist.

Background

Gesang Martohartono, composer of "Bengawan Solo", honoured in a postage stamp Gesang Martohartono 2020 stamp of Indonesia.jpg
Gesang Martohartono, composer of "Bengawan Solo", honoured in a postage stamp

The song was written in 1940 by Gesang Martohartono when he was 23. Gesang was an untrained musician from Surakarta when he composed "Bengawan Solo". [1] He started the composition by singing the tune, amending it for a few weeks until he was satisfied with it, then wrote the melody down in sol-fa number script. Even though Gesang was Javanese, he decided off the surging nationalist political climate of the day to write the song's lyrics in a form of literary Malay proposed to be the national language "Bahasa Indonesia". It was composed in the local kroncong style, a popular folk style with Portuguese influences. [2] He initially performed the song locally at weddings and social functions, and it then started to gain popularity in Indonesia after two local radio stations began broadcasting the song. [1]

The song is the first song in Bahasa Indonesia by a local composer to gain wide popularity in Indonesia and around the world. [3] It was widely broadcast as a propaganda song in Indonesia during Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies that started in 1942 during World War II, and it was also one of the songs promoted nationally by Sukarno after the Second World War and independence in 1945. [3] It gained wider international attention after the Second World War – the song was popular with the Japanese who occupied Indonesia and the popularity of the song then spread to Japan. [1] The singer Ichirō Fujiyama, who was in Indonesia and taken prisoner in East Java at the end the war, brought the song's melody and lyrics to Japan on his return home. [4] There, Japanese singers recorded the song which proved highly popular. It also spread to other parts of Asia. Its popularity in Japan led many to believe that it was a Japanese song, but in 1990 a court ruled that Gesang wrote the song. [3] A special body was established to manage intellectual property rights in Indonesia after the case and Japan now pays copyright royalty for the song. [5]

In 1991, a group of appreciative Japanese war veterans arranged for a statue of Martohartono to be erected in a park in Surakarta. [6] Gesang, who became a nationally renowned figure for the song, died in 2010.

Lyrics

19th century painting of Solo River COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM De rivier de Solo TMnr 3728-417.jpg
19th century painting of Solo River

The song is a poetic description of Java's longest river, Solo River, which flows through central and eastern Java, Indonesia. It describes how its water changes in the dry and rainy seasons, and that it flows from the city of Surakarta (known locally as Solo) surrounded by mountains, eventually into the sea. It ends with the observation that it has always been used by merchants with boats.

Cover versions

During the Japanese occupation of Indonesia, its melodies appealed to the occupying Japanese soldiers as well as the non-Indonesian prisoners (mainly Dutch civilians) in the internment camps.[ citation needed ] A Japanese colonel, Takahashi Kōryō, wrote new lyrics in Indonesian to the tune of "Bengsawan Solo" in a song called "Negeri Sekutu" in an attempt to popularize anti-Allies sentiment among Indonesians. [7] Ichirō Fujiyama, a Japanese singer who was taken prisoner in East Java when Japan surrendered and spent some time in a prison in the Solo River area, took "Bengawan Solo" to Japan (with the lyrics translated to Japanese). It gained great popularity when Toshi Matsuda  [ ja ] recorded a version in 1947, which became a best-seller. Other singers such as Hibari Misora, Akira Kobayashi and Harumi Miyako also recorded the song. [1]

The tune became a big hit among Chinese communities after Malaysian singer Poon Sow Keng sang it with Mandarin lyrics for Hong Kong Pathe in 1956. Its popularity was further boosted by Koo Mei, who made her rendition for Philips Records shortly thereafter. (Pathe and Philips were major competitors at that time.) Since then, many Chinese language singers have written their own lyrics for the tune.[ citation needed ] The song has also been recorded in Burmese, Dutch, Khmer, English, Korean, Swedish, Polish, Russian, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese. [3]

An English version, titled "By the River of Love", was recorded by Rebecca Pan in early 1960s in Hong Kong. The lyrics describe a romantic evening beneath twinkling stars and swaying palms. The period recording by Rebecca Pan was used in the soundtrack of the 2000 movie In the Mood for Love by director Wong Kar-wai. Pan also has a role in the movie, playing Mrs. Suen. [8]

Many artists have recorded "Bengawan Solo" in the modern Indonesian and Malaysian languages, including Oslan Husein & Teruna Ria, Waljinah, Anneke Grönloh, Chan Yung Yung (陳蓉蓉), Frances Yip, P. Ramlee and Saloma in their guest appearance for the 1961 Hong Kong film Love Parade (花團錦簇), [9] and Siti Nurhaliza with Noh Salleh. [10] The recording by Oslan Hussein & Teruna Ria was ranked 11th in the list of 150 Best Indonesian Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone Indonesia in 2009. [11]

Usage and cultural references

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gamelan</span> Traditional ensemble music of Indonesia

Gamelan is the traditional ensemble music of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. The most common instruments used are metallophones and a set of hand-drums called kendang, which keep the beat. The kemanak, a banana-shaped idiophone, and the gangsa, another metallophone, are also commonly used gamelan instruments on Bali. Other notable instruments include xylophones, bamboo flutes, a bowed string instrument called a rebab, and a zither-like instrument called a siter, used in Javanese gamelan. Additionally, vocalists may be featured, being referred to as sindhen for females or gerong for males.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Indonesia</span>

Indonesia is a country with many different tribes and ethnic groups, and its music is also very diverse, coming in hundreds of different forms and styles. Every region has its own culture and art, and as a result traditional music from area to area also uniquely differs from one another. For example, each traditional type of music is often accompanied by its very own dance and theatre. Contemporary music scene have also been heavily shaped by various foreign influences, such as America, Britain, Japan, Korea, and India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javanese language</span> Austronesian language

Javanese is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken by the Javanese people from the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, Indonesia. There are also pockets of Javanese speakers on the northern coast of western Java. It is the native language of more than 68 million people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Java</span> Province of Indonesia

Central Java is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in the south, East Java in the east, and the Java Sea in the north. It has a total area of 33,750.37 km2, with a population of 36,516,035 at the 2020 Census making it the third-most populous province in both Java and Indonesia after West Java and East Java. The official population estimate in mid-2023 was 37,608,336 The province also includes a number of offshore islands, including the island of Nusakambangan in the south, and the Karimun Jawa Islands in the Java Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surakarta</span> City in Java, Indonesia

Surakarta, known colloquially as Solo, is a major city in Central Java, Indonesia. The 46.72 km2 (18.04 sq mi) city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency to the east and west, and Sukoharjo Regency to the south. On the eastern side of Solo lies Solo River. Its metropolitan area, consisting of Surakarta City and the surrounding six regencies, was home to 6,837,753 inhabitants according to the official estimates for mid 2023, 526,870 of whom reside in the city proper.

"Terang Bulan" is a traditional Indonesian song. This song is an adaptation based on the song named "La Rosalie" by Pierre Jean de Béranger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gendèr</span> Indonesian musical instrument used in Gamelan

A gendèr is a type of metallophone used in Balinese and Javanese gamelan music. It consists of 10 to 14 tuned metal bars suspended over a tuned resonator of bamboo or metal, which are tapped with a mallet made of wooden disks (Bali) or a padded wooden disk (Java). Each key is a note of a different pitch, often extending a little more than two octaves. There are five notes per octave, so in the seven-note pélog scale, some pitches are left out according to the pathet. Most gamelans include three gendèr, one for sléndro, one for pelog pathet nem and lima, and one for pelog pathet barang.

Bengawan Solo may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solo River</span> Longest river in Java

The Solo River is the longest river in the Indonesian island of Java. It is approximately 600 km (370 mi) in length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gesang Martohartono</span> Indonesian singer-songwriter (1917–2010)

Gesang Martohartono was an Indonesian singer-songwriter from central Java. He is the composer of the "Bengawan Solo," famous song throughout Indonesia, Japan, part of Asia, and some other countries. The song is almost synonymous with the kroncong style of Javanese music. Martohartono was most commonly known simply as Gesang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kroncong</span> Genre of Indonesian folk and traditional popular music

Kroncong is the name of a ukulele-like instrument and an Indonesian musical style that typically makes use of the kroncong. A kroncong orchestra or ensemble traditionally consists of a flute, a violin, at least one, but usually a pair of kroncongs, a cello in Pizzicato style, string bass in pizzicato style, and a vocalist. Kroncong originated as an adaptation of a Portuguese musical tradition, brought by sailors to Indonesian port cities in the 16th century. By the late 19th century, kroncong reached popular music status throughout the Indonesian archipelago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waldjinah</span> Indonesian traditional singer

Waldjinah is an Indonesian traditional singer. She is most known for the song "Walang Kekek", which made Javanese keroncong music known throughout Indonesia. She has also worked with other Indonesian artists, including Gesang Martohartono and Ismail Marzuki.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grobogan Regency</span> Regency of Indonesia

Grobogan Regency is a regency located in northeastern part of the Central Java province in Indonesia. Created on 4 March 1726, the Grobogan Regency has an area of 2,023.84 km2, and is the second largest regency in the Central Java Province. It had a population of 1,308,696 at the 2010 census and 1,453,526 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 1,514,301. Its capital is the town of Purwodadi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sragen Regency</span> Regency in Java, Indonesia

Sragen Regency is a regency in the eastern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. It covers an area of 994.57 km2 and had a population of 858,266 at the 2010 Census and 976,951 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 997,485. Its capital is the town of Sragen, located about 30 km to the northeast of Surakarta. Sragen is bordered by East Java Province to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banyumasan dialect</span> Language mainly spoken on the island of Java

Banyumasan, also known as the autoglottonymNgapak, is a dialect of Javanese spoken mainly in three areas of Java that is the Banyumasan, located in westernmost Central Java province and surrounding the Slamet mountain and Serayu River; a neighboring area inside West Java province; and northern region of Banten province. This area includes Cilacap, Kebumen, Banjarnegara, Purbalingga, Banyumas, Pemalang, Tegal, and Brebes regencies, together with independent cities within that region. Banyumasan is considered as one of the most conservative Javanese dialects, retaining the phonology and some aspects of Old Javanese grammar in the modern language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surakarta Sunanate</span> Javanese monarchy

Surakarta Sunanate is a Javanese monarchy centred in the city of Surakarta, in the province of Central Java, Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lokananta</span> Indonesian record label

Lokananta is the first record label of Indonesia, Based in Surakarta, Central Java, it was owned by the state-owned printing agency Percetakan Negara Republik Indonesia.

<i>Bengawan Solo</i> (1949 film) 1949 film

Bengawan Solo is a now-lost 1949 film from what is now Indonesia. Directed by Jo An Djan, it starred Sofia WD, Rd Mochtar, and Mohamad Mochtar.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Bengawan Solo: immortal melody of Javanese river". Asian Economic News. 6 September 1999.
  2. ↑ Kartomi, Margaret (1998). "The Pan-East/Southeast Asian and National Indonesian Song Bengawan Solo and Its Javanese Composer". Yearbook for Traditional Music. 30: 89–90. doi:10.2307/768555.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kartomi, Margaret (2009). The Encyclopedia of Indonesia in the Pacific War. Brill. pp. 395–396. ISBN   978-90-04-19017-7 – via Google Books.
  4. 1 2 3 Syamsu, Bondan (28 January 2020). "Bengawan Solo: How an Indonesian folk song became the post-WWII Asian zeitgeist". Broadly Specific.
  5. ↑ "Japan Pays Royalty for Bengawan Solo Song". Tempo.co. 21 December 2014.
  6. ↑ Christopher Torchia; Lely Djuhari (27 November 2012). Indonesian Slang: Colloquial Indonesian at Work. ISBN   978-1-4629-1057-1.
  7. ↑ Erkelens, Jaap (2009). The Encyclopedia of Indonesia in the Pacific War. Brill. pp. 396–397. ISBN   978-90-04-19017-7 – via Google Books.
  8. 1 2 Berry, Chris (2019). Chinese Films in Focus II. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   978-1-83871-497-0 – via Google Books.
  9. ↑ Adil Johan (2018). Cosmopolitan intimacies: Malay film music of the independence era. Singapore: NUS Press. p. xxii. ISBN   9789814722636.
  10. ↑ Stylistika Siti (in Malay). 11 September 2010. Event occurs at after 1700 hrs. TV3.
  11. ↑ "150 Lagu Indonesia Terbaik Sepanjang Masa". Rolling Stone Indonesia (in Indonesian). 26 November 2009. Archived from the original on 19 February 2010.
  12. ↑ Taufik Abdullah; Misbach Yusa Biran; S. M. Ardan (1993). Film Indonesia bagian I: 1900-1950. Dewan Film Nasional. p. 320. ISBN   9789004190177 – via Google Books.
  13. ↑ Ontario, Cinematheque (2009). Kon Ichikawa. p. 42. ISBN   978-0-9682969-3-6 – via Google Books.
  14. ↑ John, Alan (30 June 2019). "Behind the scenes with Anastasia Liew at Singapore's Bengawan Solo". South China Morning Post.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.