Zubir Said: Across Time and Space Dr Eleanor A
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Zubir Said: Across Time and Space Dr Eleanor A. L. Tan At break of dawn, listeners of 92.4 FM (and other radio and TV channels) will be well attuned to the stirring Majulah Singapura (Onward Singapore), an acute reminder of Singapore’s monumental ascent from Third to First World nation. One particular morning, as I listened half-awake to the radio, my experience of this familiar anthem was transformed by an unexpected, but highly fitting musical juxtaposition. The Majulah was, as it were, ‘birthed’ from the gentle pastoral tones of The Lark Ascending—a contemplative work for violin and orchestra written in the early twentieth century by the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. The rousing timpani roll and crash cymbal of Singapore’s pride sent fireworks into the fading English sky—the solitary lark, a songbird captured in the soaring tones of the violin grew but a distant memory. No doubt it was a programming coincidence that Vaughan Williams’s poetic Lark should precede Singapore’s national anthem on that particular morning, but the suggested metaphor of birthing is appropriate in two ways. Firstly, the Majulah ideologically signifies the birth of a nation state during the transitional period of decolonization from the British Empire, and secondly, the Majulah suggests Singapore’s rebirth from an ancient Sea Town (Temasek) in the 14th century into a modern metropolis—its transfiguration from a bucolic country into the gleaming sky-scrapers of commerce. Growing up in West Sumatra, Zubir Said (1907–87) was aware of cultural and political divisions in his youth. Indonesia was then a Dutch colony, and his classmates were either of Dutch, Indonesian, or of mixed parentage. However, in adulthood, his musical activities and involvement in a Keroncong band (and later a Bangsawan in Singapore) provided an opportunity to rise above these divisions, and to make music for anyone keen to listen, even for the Japanese soldiers who were nostalgic for their homeland during the Second World War. Yet, the economic hardship and political circumstances faced during the war were sufficiently acute to arouse a nationalistic fervor for his adopted country. It is in this vein that Zubir composed the patriotic Majulah Singapura for the City Council of Singapore in 1958, grafting his imagination of a progressive nation onto the framework and dictates of western compositional style. The Majulah may thus be viewed as reflective of the interaction between different cultures as well as political ideologies, be they local, national, or global, but for Zubir, the Majulah meant dignity, destiny, and gratitude, ‘you should hold up the sky of the land where you live’ (Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung).1 It would appear farfetched that Zubir’s Majulah would uphold its significance 62 years on, particularly for a majority of the population that had yet to witness strife or a war. And it would not, but for the insidious onslaught of Covid-19 which presented a national (and global) health crisis that compelled the country to draw upon its reserves, not just financial, but emotional and psychological. Against the backdrop of fear and anxiety, and a looming recession, the tenor of Zubir’s lyrics is poignantly prescient, as evidenced in the latest 2020 music video of the anthem—set against the dead silence of night, in lifeless scenes animated by fleeting images cast against concrete and metal façades. Midway through (Come, let us unite), the dynamics and tempo rev up to awaken the nation at break of dawn, urging its Copyright © 2020 Eleanor A. L. Tan 1 people to unite in their onward march out of this darkness. Beyond doubt, Zubir’s prayer which stirred the nation six decades ago will continue to shore up its spirit for generations to come.2 Majulah Singapura Onward Singapore Mari kita rakyat Singapura Come, fellow Singaporeans Sama-sama menuju bahagia Let us progress towards happiness together Cita-cita kita yang mulia May our noble aspiration bring Berjaya Singapura Singapore success Marilah kita bersatu Come, let us unite Dengan semangat yang baru In a new spirit Semua kita berseru Let our voices soar as one Majulah Singapura Onward Singapore Majulah Singapura Onward Singapore Majulah Singapura as anthem In 1959, Dr Toh Chin Chye—pre-independence political leader and Chairman of the People’s Action Party (PAP)—was first introduced to Zubir Said through Ong Eng Guan, then Mayor of the City Council. Ong had earlier commissioned the music and lyrics for the Grand Finale based on the theme ‘Majulah Singapura’ for the opening of the Victoria Memorial Hall on 6th September 1958. The new government of Singapore recognized the opportunity for an anthem to serve as a ‘political instrument to unite the different races of Singapore’, and to instill in the largely migrant population a sense of belonging. Toh affirmed that the use of Malay as the choice language would appeal to all races as it would ‘strike no discordant note’ and could be easily understood and remembered.3 In an interview with the National Archives, Paul Abisheganaden revealed that ‘the PAP government at that time was very, very hot hearted about pushing the Malay language as being the national language of Singapore’ as it was their intention to ‘become part of the larger nation of Malaysia’, and to Malayanise its civil service. Reflecting on why Zubir’s Majulah Singapura was selected as the national anthem, Abisheganaden was to aver: Zubir Said’s song had two or three suitable elements. First, the music was martial enough to be considered an anthem, a national anthem. Secondly, the words were very suitable and after some modification, Mr Zubir Said made the words even more suitable for national purposes. And thirdly of course the lyrics were all in Malay, in the national language which was being promoted very, very strongly by the government at that time.4 Zubir’s patriotic Majulah, first written for the City Council in 1958, had to undergo a few revisions before it met with the minister’s approval for use as an anthem in September 1959 when Singapore attained self-governance. Toh also requested two different versions, one for Copyright © 2020 Eleanor A. L. Tan 2 ordinary occasions and another longer version for ceremonial purpose. There was no discussion on remuneration at this stage; yet Zubir attested with deep humility and patriotism: ‘where you put your foot on the soil and then you must give your charity, your goodwill to that place. So that is in my mind’.5 In an interview for The Straits Times on 31 July 1979, he would affirm: ‘It’s all a question of loyalty. A man may be a citizen in name only, giving nothing to his country. Or a man may be a non-citizen and yet give everything’. Zubir became a Singapore citizen only in 1967.6 Majulah Singapura as Composition Publicity photos frequently show Zubir Said composing at the piano. Though not his favorite instrument (the violin is preferred for its timbral possibilities), he nevertheless valued the piano for its practical utility to test out harmonic progressions and improvise. It is perhaps surprising to learn that Zubir did not receive any formal music training. His music education was entirely experiential. He listened to the world around him and absorbed influences and teachings when they came his way. His natural musical inclination and good aural skills were honed during his days as an itinerant musician, as was his ‘can-do’ spirit. Zubir forged a successful career as a music supervisor at HMV (His Master’s Voice), performer, and composer in the developing music scene in pre- and post-war Singapore, but at this time would surely never have predicted his eventual acclaim as composer of Singapore’s national anthem. The lyrics of Majulah Singapura could not be further removed from Zubir’s description of a land of glittering lights, ‘mentega’ (butter) and ‘kopi susu’ (coffee with milk), his picturesque imagination of Singapore in 1928 while waiting to disembark from a cargo boat off the Singapore Strait. The lighted port of Tanjong Pagar enthralled him just as surely as lights in the dark abyss of night.7 When Zubir wrote the Majulah three decades later, he was well into middle age and could better appreciate Singapore’s political desire for self-governance, having been a subject of the Dutch and Japanese earlier in Indonesia. Zubir’s biggest challenges, however, were the crafting of simple lyrics to embody the spirit of a young nation: ‘it is not a film song. It is not a romantic song . It is a special kind of song’. Continuing, But the difficulty is in such a short melody. I have to put in all the words in very simple . understandable for all the races in Singapore. So that takes long. Not the music but the words take long. I’ve got to be very careful . in proper Malay language but not too deep and not too difficult.8 Clearly, his identification with patriotic music is deeper than the mere expressions of a particular aesthetic style. Zubir did not intend for the Majulah to be perceived as romantic nostalgia, but as the aspiration of its people and a nation on the cusp of independence. Although he stressed the need for simplicity in the anthem’s text, his desire for an informed encounter with the principle of nationhood is evident. He studied the policy of the government and sought to understand its sociological and political causes as he recognized the transformative potential of his adopted country. Fortunately, with the help of Malay Copyright © 2020 Eleanor A. L. Tan 3 language expert Muhammad Ariff Ahmad and musician Paul Abisheganaden, he was able to complete the work within two weeks.