Mak Yong Music of Malaysia: Negotiating Complex Musical Content Within Periodicity Patricia Matusky, Cultural Centre, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur
[email protected] © 2015 University of Malaya. All rights reserved. Malaysian Journal of Performing and Visual Arts, Volume 1, 2015 Abstract Over the past many centuries the dance theater known as the mak yong has been a major form of indigenous Malay theater that relates stories using formal and improvised monologue and dialogue, stylized dance and acting, and vocal as well as instrumental music. While written historical records about any aspect of the musical style prior to the late-19th century do not exist, the musical features of the mak yong since the early to mid-20th century are evident to us today through remembered and live performances by mak yong artists who are still active in the 21st century. This article explores the musical style of the mak yong, dating from the early 20th century to current times, noting the musical features of periodic formal structures, resultant rhythms and a complex melodic content that bind this genre to aspects of an ancient Southeast Asian musical style as well as to influences from Middle Eastern music- culture. Keywords: mak yong, makyung, periodicity, Malay traditional theatre, Malay traditional music, melodic ornamentation, interlocking performance style, rebab, Southeast Asian theatre Introduction In the ancient dance drama known as mak yong, originating among the Malay people in the region of northeast Malaysia (Kelantan) and southern Thailand