Do Singaporean Classical Composers Incorporate Elements Of

Do Singaporean classical

composers incorporate elements of

Singaporean culture into their works?

SIM LI KERN, MARK

Originally submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Music LASALLE College of the Arts

School of Contemporary Music Singapore

2018

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTERS

CHAPTER 1:

DEFINITION OF “NATIONAL CULTURE”. FINLANDIA AND MÁ VLAST. 4

CHAPTER 2:

EXAMPLES OF SINGAPOREAN CLASSICAL COMPOSERS INTEGRATING 7 ELEMENTS OF SINGAPOREAN CULTURE INTO THEIR PIECES.

CHAPTER 3:

THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS ON THE RESEARCH PROCESS 26

CONCLUSION 30

WORKS CITED 31

APPENDICES

Interview Questions 36

Introduction

In an interview with TIME magazine on July 10, 2015, Prime Minister of

Singapore Mr. Lee Hsien Loong was asked what he thought is the largest challenge that

Singapore is currently facing. His answer was, taking into consideration a 50-year timeframe, the sense of national identity. Mr. Lee felt that in order for the Singaporean government to implement any policies effectively and get the citizens to make important decisions, the people must feel that they are Singaporeans. Essentially, Singaporeans need to be united and believe that they are unique and have their own special place in the world (Beech et al.).

What, then, comprises the Singaporean identity?

Singlish, Singapore’s distinctive patois which blends English with other local dialects and languages? Common cultural traits such as “choping” (reserving) a table at a food court with a packet of tissue? The nation’s hawker food heritage, which features dishes from different cultures, like Indian rojak, bak ku teh and laksa (Tsang 58)?

Rallying around what is “native” to Singapore and honoring the unique aspects of the country would be an excellent starting point.

Similarly, what makes classical compositions written by resident local composers

“Singaporean”? How do certain works of these composers reflect elements of

Singaporean culture?

Despite Singapore’s short 52-year history the country has a number of classical music composers. The composers whose compositions are featured in this study are

Leong Yoon Pin, Phoon Yew Tien, Zechariah Goh, Ho Chee Kong, Law Wai Lun, Tsao

Chieh, Kam Kee Yong, Eric Watson, John Sharpley and Wang Chenwei. These composers were selected as they often utilise elements of Singaporean culture in their compositions. Although Eric Watson and John Sharpley are not Singaporeans, they have been based in the country for more than 20 years, and can therefore be considered local composers. Regrettably, the study did not include the works of a few well-known classical composers such as Kelly Tang and Tan Chan Boon. This is because Kelly Tang and Tan Chan Boon mainly compose in a Western style without

Asian influences and do not employ elements of Singaporean culture in their pieces.

The collection of “Singaporean themed” compositions is gradually increasing. For instance, Wang Chenwei’s Sisters’ Islands, revised as recently as 2016, depicts the origin of the Sisters’ Islands in Singapore. Eric Watson’s An Independent Note, written in 2015, commemorates Singapore’s independence and draws from quotes by

Singapore’s first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.

As mentioned earlier, a number of these “Singaporean themed” works integrate elements of the nation’s culture into their composition. For example, the two pieces by

Wang Chenwei and Eric Watson mentioned in the previous paragraph are based on a traditional myth and a significant event in the history of Singapore, respectively. Some other compositions feature Singapore national songs and/or popular folk songs. Other pieces even infuse elements of South East Asian music, such as ethnic Malay music and Balinese gamelan, embracing Singapore’s multiracial culture. These “Singaporean themed” compositions will be discussed in more detail in Chapter 2 of this paper.

This study shall attempt to briefly define national culture and describe examples of how composers from other countries incorporated the culture of their homeland into

some of their compositions. This will then lead into the primary objective of the study, which is to demonstrate how selected works by resident local composers reflect various elements of the Singaporean culture. The study will conclude with reflections on the process by the researcher and a discussion of the wider implications of the research findings.

Chapter 1: Definition of “National Culture”. Finlandia and Má vlast

In this chapter, I will be providing a brief definition of the term “national culture”. I will then proceed to give examples of two European composers who integrated the culture of their homeland into their works.

Many definitions of national culture exist – for the purpose of this study, national culture is defined as the set of norms, behaviours, beliefs, customs and values shared by the population of a sovereign nation. National culture also includes perceptions, beliefs and traditions related to significant historical events associated with the country as well as a nation’s historical landmarks and important heritage sites (What is National

Culture).

Classical music has often been closely associated with patriotism and nationalism, especially in the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the

20th century. During this politically turbulent period, many European countries were still aspiring to full nationhood and had yet to achieve independence– with the people still searching for their national identities. Inspired by “nationalistic” pieces such as the

Mazurkas and Polonaises of Frederic Chopin, several composers from some of the non- independent countries were determined to create a unique “national style” of music characteristic of their homeland (Sherrane).

One of these individuals was the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Finland in the late 18th century was still a “Grand Duchy”, under the rule of the Russian Empire. In

1899, Nicholas II, then Emperor of Russia, declared via the February Manifesto that

Russian law was the law of the land, and Finland was to swear allegiance to Russian

law (Bickford et al 198). This had an indelible effect on the young Jean Sibelius, who then proceeded to write an outpouring of patriotic music in defiance of the

“Russification” of his homeland (Burnett-James 60). One of the most significant works from this period was Finlandia, Op. 26. The work was originally the last of a series of seven pieces performed as an accompaniment to a montage portraying episodes from

Finnish history (Finlandia by Jean Sibelius).

Sibelius incorporates elements of the Finnish culture into Finlandia via a vivid depiction of the dark period of history during which the Finnish people fought against their Russian oppressors through skilful orchestration and instrumentation. The deep brass chords played by the horns, trombones and tuba in the opening of the piece could be said to represent the ominous Russian Empire. The entry of the trumpets, accompanied by a continuously rolling timpani playing poco a poco crescendo, issues a rallying call to the Finnish people to act in defiance of the Russian Empire’s attempts to undermine their homeland. What follows is the famous tranquil, hymn-like section which describes the beauty of Finland, its landscape and its people. The coda of the work, with its triumphant chorus and boisterous character, surely symbolizes the freedom of the Finnish people, which would eventually come to pass in 1917 (Lowry).

Another individual whose music became strongly associated with his country’s aspirations to independent statehood was the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. He is widely considered as the “father of Czech music” (Clapham 10). Má vlast (My homeland), a series of six symphonic poems written between 1874 and 1879, is perhaps Smetana’s best known composition. It integrates elements of the Czech culture

by portraying some aspect of the landscape, history or legends of Bohemia in each poem.

The first poem, Vyšehrad, describes the Vyšehrad castle in Prague. The piece also opens with arpeggios played by two harps, representing Lumír, a bard in Czech legend. In the second poem, Vltava, Smetana utilises the technique of tone painting in his portrayal of one of the great rivers of Bohemia. Šárka, the third poem, is based on the ancient Czech legend of The Maidens’ War. The fourth poem, Z českých luhů a hájů, is a depiction of the Czech countryside. Tábor, the fifth poem, is named after the city of Tábor in south Bohemia. The main theme of this piece is derived from the first two lines of the Hussite hymn, “Ye Who Are Warriors of God”. Finally, Blaník, the sixth poem, is named after a Czech mountain. Once again, the Hussite hymn utilised in

Tábor is referenced – the third line of the hymn is used in the march towards the conclusion of the piece (Jacobson 122).

In this chapter, I have discussed how Sibelius and Smetana include elements of the culture of their homeland in their works Finlandia and Má vlast, respectively.

Similarly, there are a number of Singaporean classical composers who compose works which reflect elements of Singaporean culture. I will elaborate on this in the next chapter, drawing from interviews with relevant composers, reliable web sources and hard copy publications as well as performances of the music.

Chapter 2: Examples of Singaporean Classical Composers Integrating Elements of

Singaporean Culture into their Pieces

In this chapter, I will give various examples of how Singaporean classical composers integrate elements of Singaporean culture into their pieces.

Incorporation of Elements of Southeast Asian Music

In an interview published in the Straits Times on May 20, 2017, Singapore Prime

Minister Mr. Lee Hsien Loong said that Singapore is not a “melting pot” – but a society in which each race is encouraged to uphold its distinctive culture and traditions.

Singapore’s multiracial approach has, in fact, created a unique Singaporean identity.

Over the years, each race has not only preserved and developed its own culture and heritage but also allowed itself to be shaped by the customs and traditions of the other races (Singapore’s approach to diversity). Thus, Singapore classical composers were readily able to draw upon music from the various cultures present in Singapore in some of their works. This not only added an interesting touch to the compositions, but also made them uniquely “multiracial”.

The Sisters’ Islands by Wang Chenwei is an example of a work which incorporates music from the various Southeast Asian cultures. Firstly, there is a strong

Indonesian Gamelan presence in this piece of music. Two of the main themes in the composition utilise the notes of the Pelog scale, which is one of the two fundamental scales of Gamelan music. The guzheng, a traditional Chinese zither, is also specially tuned to the Pelog scale for the performance of The Sisters’ Islands. Various sections of

the piece also adopt a heterophonic texture, where two or more instruments play the same melodic line simultaneously. This is reminiscent of the heterophonic texture prevalent in Gamelan music, with different instruments performing variants of a main melody concurrently (Spiller 39). Some parts of The Sisters’ Islands also feature interlocking layers, which is yet another defining characteristic of Gamelan music

(Kangyi).

Secondly, The Sisters’ Islands includes elements of Malay dance music.

Sections E and F of the work are crafted in the styles of the Asli and Zapin Malay folk dances, respectively. Section E is written in 4/4 time, with a slow groove, which is typical of the slow-paced Asli dance. The melody also includes many ornamental figurations, has gentle contours and moves in a mostly stepwise motion. This complements the intricate, graceful and elegant nature of the Asli. Section F opens with the strings playing a highly syncopated passage, ushering in a more fast-paced dance.

Some of the instruments also play arpeggiated figurations during this section of the music. The increase in tempo is appropriate for the exciting Zapin, and the arpeggiated figurations portray how the Zapin dancers move in a jumping manner called the minta tahto (Mark).

Thirdly, although The Sisters’ Islands is written for symphony orchestra, traditional Chinese instruments such as the guzheng and dizi (bamboo flute), the

Indonesian gong ageng (large gong) and the Malay rebana (tambourine) feature in this piece, thus contributing to the characteristic timbres present in Malay dance music and traditional Chinese music (Kangyi).

Confluence, also written by Wang Chenwei, combines different genres of music from the various cultures present in Singapore. This work depicts the harmony and vibrancy of Singapore’s multi-racial society. Indian and Malay-Indonesian musical styles are merged with the Western compositional techniques of counterpoint and fugue, with the composition performed on traditional Chinese instruments (Chenwei).

The piece opens with the entire orchestra playing in unison, utilizing the “Gong

Kebyar” style of Balinese Gamelan music. The first theme of the composition is a flowing melody in Indian style, played by the dizi. The fast and boisterous second theme, which draws from the notes of the Pelog scale, is performed by Chinese plucked string instruments. The middle section of the work features a fugue, in which a new

Indian-style subject played by the pipa (a type of traditional Chinese lute) is juxtaposed with a Gamelan-style countersubject (Chenwei).

There are also works by local composers which even attempt to reproduce the sounds of Gamelan and traditional Chinese instruments using the human voice and the violin respectively. Impressions, written by Zechariah Goh for 4-part choir, represents a stylized depiction of the Gamelan. Dr. Goh utilizes onomatopoeic vocables in the “lyrics” such as “dung” and “deng” to imitate the sounds of the various metal percussion instruments in a Gamelan ensemble. This would then, through the bright, percussive sound produced by the choir, portray the exuberance of youth (Goh).

Dr. Goh employed the same set of onomatopoeic vocables in his composition for wind ensemble and choir entitled Sang Nila. In addition, he also added a further set of vocables such as “tak”, “tek” and “kak” which depict the Malay kompang (drums). The composer also used Gamelan gongs, two sets of marimba (with two players on each

instrument) as well as a whole range of Western percussion instruments to create an even more accurate representation of the distinctive sound world of the Gamelan (Goh).

Huai Ku, a one movement sonata in three sections composed by Kam Kee Yong for solo violin, attempts to reproduce the timbres of various traditional Chinese instruments on the violin. In bar 1, the A note below the stave is played pizzicato, then a glissando is utilized to connect the A to the middle C note. When the middle C note is reached, it is to be sustained via the immediate application of an intensive vibrato.

These techniques simulate the playing of the sanxian (3 stringed Chinese lute). At the beginning of the Andante section, which depicts the dance of a shy Chinese beauty, the composer indicates with curved arrows slides played as slowly and gracefully as possible, thus mimicking the bowing of the erhu (a type of traditional Chinese fiddle)

(Kam).

At the beginning of the Allegro con brio section which portrays a joyful festival and a lion dance, the notes are all played as harmonics. The shrill tones that result represent the sound of the dizi. From bar 116 to 119, the col legno technique is employed simultaneously with left hand pizzicato, imitating the paigu (small drums).

Lastly, from bar 154 to 167, the rapid spiccato cross-string passages represent the pipa

(Kam).

Madam Halimah Yacob said, as she was sworn in as Singapore’s first woman

President, that she was glad that the nation’s founding leaders did not merely “enshrine” multiculturalism and multiracialism in the Singapore National Pledge, but also embedded them in key national policies like education, housing and security (Yacob).

As we have seen in the previous musical examples, multiculturalism and multiracialism are also very much present in the works of our local classical composers as well.

Singaporean Folklore

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognizes that folklore is a vital component of the universal heritage of humanity, and is a powerful means of uniting different social groups and affirming their cultural identity

(UNESCO.org). Thus, folklore is an essential part of Singaporean culture as well.

The Sisters’ Islands was based on the legend of the Sisters’ Islands south of

Singapore (MacDonald 33). The composer himself wrote a detailed synopsis attached to the score of his work, vividly describing how he tells the story of the legend through his composition: The piece opens with a single strike of the gong, introducing the peaceful tropical island of Singapore. A horn solo then introduces the broad and expansive “sea” theme in the pelog pentatonic scale with wave-like elaborations in

Indonesian Gamelan style in the background. The dizi ushers in the “sisters” theme, representing the ill-fated Malay sisters Minah and Linah, in a graceful Asli dance. The music then develops into a lively Zapin dance portraying the wedding festivities in the village.

Suddenly, a horde of pirates attacks the village, depicted by the chilling “pirates” theme played by the bass trombone. The captain, captivated by Linah’s striking beauty, decides to take her as his own bride. A tragic cor anglais solo begs for Linah’s release from captivity but the plea is cruelly denied, and the unfortunate girl is dragged onto the pirate ship.

The “sea” theme is then repeated again, this time played by the bass instruments. The sea is no longer serene and tranquil – a storm rages. The woodwind instruments play a rising and falling octatonic scale, accompanied by rolls in the bass and snare drums, portraying the rise and fall of the huge waves. The “sisters” theme emerges once again through the chaos, as Minah swims after the pirates in an attempt to rescue Linah. Sadly, she is overcome by exhaustion and rapidly disappears beneath the raging sea. Overcome with grief, Linah breaks free from her captors and leaps into the ocean to join her sister in death, depicted by a violin solo. The tragedy of the two sisters incurs the divine wrath of the gods, who summon a powerful orchestral “wave” which engulfs and sinks the pirate ship. A long timpani roll finally restores calm.

The next morning, a pair of islands marks the spot where the two sisters met their untimely demise. A conch (seashell trumpet), symbolizing the sea, cries out in lament for the sisters’ deaths, to which a lonely ocarina (ancient wind musical instrument) responds. The majestic “sea” theme returns once again, followed by the

“sisters” theme, now grand and full of passion. In the coda of the piece, both the “sea” and “sisters” themes are played together in counterpoint, building up to a magnificent climax – finally, the sisters have merged with the sea in their transformation into the

Sisters’ Islands.

Law Wai Lun wrote Prince Sang Nila Utama and Singa for full Chinese orchestra, inspired by the legend of Singapura (Macdonald 56). The piece begins with a proud fanfare, played by the bass section and the suonas (traditional Chinese double reeded horns), which vividly portrays Singa, the majestic lion. The next section of the music heralds the grand fleet of ships led by Prince Sang Nila Utama, played by the guanzi

(traditional Chinese double reeded instrument) and plucked string section of the orchestra. Suddenly, a violent storm erupts, depicted by a fierce orchestral tutti. The crew of Prince Sang Nila Utama’s flagship desperately unloads valuables from the craft in an attempt to keep it from capsizing, but to no avail. As a last resort, Prince Sang Nila

Utama throws his own crown into the sea, and this action immediately calms the storm as the orchestral tutti rapidly dissipates. Thereafter, the fleet lands safely on an unknown island. While hunting on the island, the prince catches sight of a magnificent beast which strongly resembles a lion. He then names the island Singapura, which means Lion City (Law).

Zechariah Goh’s Sang Nila, mentioned in the previous section “Incorporation of

Elements of Southeast Asian Music”, pays tribute to the aforementioned Prince Sang

Nila Utama. In fact, a large proportion of the lyrics in Sang Nila are the words “Sang

Nila” repeated over and over again (Goh). Prelude and Fugue (Temasek) from Tsao

Chieh’s Singapore, Symphonic Suite for Large Orchestra also features the legend of

Singapura as well, with a jaunty fugue representing the intrepid Prince and a climatic clash on the tam-tam symbolizing the treacherous storm that threatens to sink his fleet

(Tsao). Just as Šárka, the third poem from Smetana’s Má vlast drew inspiration from

Czech legends, folklore also proves a source of inspiration for Singaporean classical composers.

Nature

The “garden city” vision was implemented by then Prime Minister Mr. Lee Kuan

Yew on 11 May 1967 to transform Singapore into a city with flourishing greenery and a

clean environment (Tan). 50 years on, vegetation cover in Singapore continues to prosper – a study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the

World Economic Forum revealed that nearly 30 percent of the country’s urban areas are covered in greenery, more than most cities worldwide (Tan). The Singapore Botanic

Gardens was also one of only 3 gardens to be celebrated as a UNESCO World

Heritage Site (Zaccheus). Singapore has also developed its waterways, reservoirs and lakes through the Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters Programme (Othman).

Although the Southeast Asian rainforest is not exclusive to Singapore, the nation takes pride in the remaining primary rainforest and has taken steps to ensure that it is well protected and undisturbed. For example, in 2015, the Singaporean government implemented the Nature Conservation Masterplan, which focuses on conserving

Singapore’s natural heritage (National Parks). This includes safeguarding the nation’s precious nature reserves, home to a wide variety of flora and fauna such as the

Johnson’s freshwater crab which is “uniquely Singaporean” as it is found nowhere else in the world (Tan). Therefore, nature is an integral part of Singapore’s culture.

Unsurprisingly, Mother Nature has also been a source of inspiration for some of the local classical composers. Sea – Source of Life, composed by Eric Watson for full

Chinese orchestra, was first written and performed as part of the “sea segment” of

Singapore’s 2007 National Day Parade Celebrations at the Marina Bay Floating

Platform. The composition highlights the significance of water to the growth and continued survival of Singapore. It also portrays the colourful and vibrant life of the sea and, symbolically, the harmonious multi-racial community in the country (Watson).

The piece commences with a slow, drawn-out introduction, with murmurings of sounds, life, blossoming activity and suppressed energy. This then leads to an exciting section which features a jubilant inclusive dance and celebration. This middle section bubbles with unbridled enthusiasm, with joyous bursts of sound. The melody of this section modulates into a minor mode for a short period, subsequently transforming into an infectious Indian dance. Finally, a full restatement of the melody is heard, and the piece concludes in a shower of orchestral fireworks (Watson).

Stirrings; scenes from a rainforest composed by Dr. John Sharpley also for full

Chinese orchestra, pays tribute to the Southeast Asian rainforest. These rainforests are the oldest rainforests on the planet, dating back almost 70 million years (Benders-

Hyde). In the words of the composer himself: “There is no place on Earth that makes me happier!”

Stirrings is a musical suite of six “scenes” that stems from Dr. Sharpley’s relationship with the Southeast Asian rainforests. Monsoon Storm, the first “scene”, is inspired by the coming together of thunder, lightning, torrential rainfall and wind within the rainforest. Sunrise through the Trees commences with a sense of pre-dawn anticipation. Slowly emerging from the horizon, the rising sun shines forth gloriously, a magnificence unparalleled by man. Song of the Rainforest is wonderfully happy and peaceful, with a feeling of the maternal essence of the rainforest. This “scene” features a soulful melody played by the gaohu (2 stringed Chinese fiddle), which sets the serene tone for the work. Unfortunately, the calm is violently interrupted by the next “scene”,

Fire, which depicts furious bursts of flame. Mankind engages in deforestation utilizing

slash and burn agriculture, resulting in the death of both flora and fauna alike. The smoke from the fire also gives rise to the terrible haze (Sharpley).

In complete contrast with Fire, Dance of Oneness including some Rice Wine portrays man and rainforest in harmony. The piece features a musical tribute from the sanxian to the sapeh (traditional lute which originates from the Orang Ulu tribe). The last

“scene”, Canopy Dreams, is healing music which integrates the composer’s own transcriptions of native bird songs, including that of the hornbill. The bird song is depicted by the wind and percussion instruments (Sharpley).

Garden Veils, written by Ho Chee Kong, is a peaceful evocation of Singapore’s self-professed reputation as a “garden city”. The music in this piece is idyllic in nature, with simple melodies and harmony amongst the instruments. Garden Veils opens with the mellow song of the cello, followed by the erhus accompanied by gentle pizzicatos from the cellos. This demonstrates an example of harmony amongst the instruments, showing how Chinese huqins (collective term for Chinese fiddles) and Western strings happily co-exist within a “musical ecosphere”. The texture of the work is generally light, and invokes the shifting, misty shapes one may sometimes find in our gardens at the break of dawn. Towards the end of the composition, the “mist” lifts, revealing the full splendour of the garden scenery within the “garden city”. A shy and retiring guanzi solo eventually brings the piece to an atmospheric close (Ho).

Truly, in the words of George Santayana, a Spanish philosopher and poet, “The

Earth has music for those who listen.” (PassItOn.com)

Significant Historical Events and People

Many composers have drawn inspiration from significant events and notable figures in their country’s history. For example, Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture was written in commemoration of the Patriotic War of 1812 in Russia (Felsenfeld 54), and

William Walton’s Orb and Sceptre was written in honour of Queen Elizabeth II of the

United Kingdom (Serotsky). Similarly, several local classical composers have also based some of their works on important events and notable figures in Singapore’s history.

Temasekian, written by Mr. Leong Yoon Pin, is a symphonic tribute to

Singapore’s pioneering forefathers. The music is inspired by the pioneers’ memories of sailing on the high seas in junks in the deep of the night, their yearning for land and experiencing the first sweet scent of the tropical rainforest (Leong).

The tone poem begins in a dark and misty mood with the double basses continuously sounding a low F sharp, supported by the double bassoon, the bass clarinet and the flutes. The mood brightens with the entry of the brass, accompanied by the rest of the woodwinds and strings (Leong).

The music rapidly gains momentum in an allegro section. A noisy “conversation” starts among the woodwinds, punctuated by the harp. The lively dialogue is then passed on to the xylophone, cymbals, gong and violins. Soon, everybody joins in a happy Indian dance, which develops into scenes of the romance and splendour of

Chinese street opera, replete with clashing cymbals and soaring strings (Leong).

Gradually, the music calms down, leading to a nostalgic duet between the cor anglais and a solo violin. At the conclusion of the duet, the Indian dance returns, this time followed by musings on the quiet Malay kampong life portrayed by a soulful flute

solo mimicking the seruling, a traditional Malay bamboo flute. This is then followed by scenes of joyous Chinese festivals, with trumpets imitating the suonas, breaking out in jubilant song (Leong).

A fanfare abruptly brings back the somber feeling experienced in the introduction of the piece, this time with slight differences in texture and timbre. Then, a tutti of marked rhythmic vitality introduces the final section of the piece, and the work closes with a sense of vigour and confidence (Leong).

On August 9, 1965, a tearful Mr. Lee Kuan Yew announced on a televised press conference that Singapore was henceforth a sovereign, independent nation. Since then, the National Day of Singapore is celebrated every year on the same day, in commemoration of the country’s independence. Mr. Lee, the first Prime Minister of

Singapore, is also widely regarded as the nation’s founding father (The Economist). Mr.

Lee and Singapore’s independence from Malaysia are both the subject of Mr. Eric

Watson’s composition An Independent Note.

According to Mr. Watson, the work was originally intended to be premiered at

Singapore’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2015 as a tribute to Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.

However, that did not come to pass as Mr. Watson was in the midst of completing the piece when the news of Mr. Lee’s demise was announced in March 2015, 5 months before the celebrations would take place. An Independent Note is written for orchestra and narration, the “soloist” being quotes from the late Mr. Lee. During the compositional process, Mr. Watson was given a book entitled Lee Kuan Yew at 80 which consists entirely of Mr. Lee’s quotes, mostly in chronological order (Watson).

The quotes featured in the piece are all taken from the aforementioned book.

With the exception of a recapitulation section towards the end of the work, Mr. Watson kept the selected quotes in chronological order in the piece. Mr. Watson attempted to describe through his music the prevailing political climate prevailing at that time, so there is, similarly, a “chronological sequence” in the mood of the music as well – the music at the beginning of the piece is dark, menacing and brooding, depicting the political instability plaguing the country in the late 50s and early 60s. However, by the end of the piece, the mood is dramatically brighter, with soaring woodwinds and strings portraying the transition of Singapore from a third world to a first world country

(Watson).

Tsao Chieh’s Singapore, Symphonic Suite for Large Orchestra depicts five significant events in Singapore’s history, from the days of when Singapore was still known as “Temasek” to the emergence of the multi-racial Republic. Although each movement recalls a noteworthy period in the history of the nation, the overall suite is not strictly programmatic. Each movement is modeled after a particular musical model (e.g.

Prelude and Fugue, Scherzo), with accompanying subtitles describing the appropriate period in Singapore’s history (Tsao).

The first movement, Prelude and Fugue (Temasek), commences with a slow introduction, evoking the fishing village of bygone days through melismatic woodwind solos against a backdrop of slowly shifting harmonies in the strings. The musical texture gradually becomes more complex and dissonant, recalling memories of Temasek’s violent past. Suddenly, a coquettish fugue begins, portraying the adventures of Prince

Sang Nila Utama. At the conclusion of the fugue, the music from the introduction

returns. The first movement ends softly in A Lydian mode, reminiscent of sand, sea and coconut trees (Tsao).

The second movement, March (Colonial Days) is a straightforward march, which recalls the time when Singapore was still a British Colony. A strutting, march-like tune in

G Major with occasional “wrong note” harmonies leads into a lyrical and melancholic middle section. The march-like theme returns, and once again leads into the sentimental section. However, this time, the reprise of the lyrical section is in a much more grandiose arrangement, bringing the movement to a stately close (Tsao).

The third movement takes the place of a symphonic Scherzo in the Suite. It depicts the period of the Second World War when Singapore fell to the Japanese. The music was inspired by Stanley Falk’s book entitled “Seventy Days to Singapore”. The cheerful mood carried over from the preceding March is suddenly shattered by a sharply dissonant chord played by the brass section. Strings and woodwinds alternately iterate a curt, jagged motif. They are then joined first by horns, then trumpets. The jagged motif gradually disintegrates into a frantic improvisation for strings which leads to a climax featuring brass fanfares. A section entitled Notturno begins, suggesting the stillness of tropical night interrupted by the sound of nocturnal creatures and distant gunfire.

Ominously, the battle draws nearer. The music of the first section returns, leading to a big climax. At the end of the movement, the final fortissimo hammer blows from the orchestra graphically depict General Yamashita (commander of the invading Japanese forces) slamming his fist on the table demanding Singapore's unconditional surrender as a distraught General Percival (commander of the British forces in Malaya)

capitulates. Percival reluctantly signs the surrender document, as the cor anglais, wistfully recalling the tune of the March, brings the music to a close (Tsao).

An F-sharp pedal introduces the fourth movement, which is a series of variations on a ground bass (Passacaglia) describing the aftermath of the Japanese occupation.

Bleak melodic lines arranged into a strongly dissonant, contrapuntal texture vividly recall the suffering of the people of Singapore. Then, a descending bass clarinet solo gradually plunges the listener into an aural depiction of the darkest moments of

Singapore’s history. An Agitato section commences with syncopated dissonant intervals of seconds in the strings, suggesting political turmoil. The melodic motif from this section is developed and climaxes in fanfares between the horns and trumpets, portraying the Communist threat. Towards the end of the movement, an alto flute plays a despondent solo against the pizzicato ground bass (Tsao).

The fifth movement, Finale (The Republic), is in the sunny key of C Major and is in sonata form. It is a musical portrait of the Republic of Singapore, a multi-racial society living in peace and harmony. The movement opens with a sprightly tune reminiscent of an old army song, which then subsequently appears in counterpoint with the well known

Malay folk song Rasa Sayang (Affection). A short transitory passage leads to a quotation of the Chinese folk song Xiao Bai Chuan. The music continually switches between triple and quadruple time before Rasa Sayang returns once more with aplomb, played by a pair of trumpets. This brings the music to the development section. The momentum of the piece weakens, and the music adopts a more pensive mood (Tsao).

An episode marked Andante religioso begins with a solo, muted horn playing a long, serene melody under a shimmering inverted pedal on the violins. This is the

“peace and harmony” theme, which represents one of the fundamental aspirations of the Republic. The theme is then repeated with fuller harmonization on the strings and woodwinds. The episode concludes with the woodwinds chiming bi-tonal chords over an

A major pedal in the strings. This ushers in a fugato which gives rise to a contrapuntal dialogue between motifs from the exposition. As melodic fragments from the opening of the movement are “tossed about” the brass, the “peace and harmony” theme emerges majestically from within the orchestral fabric for the third and last time, lingering contemplatively at the end in a prolonged farewell (Tsao).

Suddenly, the idyll is tersely interrupted by a forceful brass chord, followed by the

“Communism” motif from the earlier Passacaglia chattering over fortissimo string tremolandos. Fortunately, the spectre of communism is short-lived and fades rapidly, and the recapitulation begins over a dominant pedal. The coda starts off in a hesitant manner, but a modulation to F Major prompts an outpouring of joy, which leads to a triumphant statement of the national anthem in the home key of C Major (Tsao).

Evidently, a country’s history and notable individuals are not only commemorated via written texts, but also through the efforts of some of its local composers in their compositions.

Integration of Traditional Folk Songs and Singaporean National Songs

Historically, folk music has played an important role in defining nations. It is a pattern that often repeats itself – a new nation is formed, giving rise to a unique national sound. For example, before Germany underwent unification, those who were in favour of unified Germany were already working towards unity through music. To become a

single country, the separate German states required more in common than merely a shared language. Creating a mutual folk culture through music was a necessity (The

Artifice).

Traditional folk songs are also an integral part of Singapore’s culture – local folk songs such as “Di Tanjong Katong” (named after Tanjong Katong, an area in

Singapore) and “Munnaeru Vaalibaa (Forward Youth)” are always taught to primary school children as part of the General Music Programme curriculum (SingTeach). Mr.

Leong Yoon Pin, often described as the doyen of Singapore composers (Chang), composed Overture “Dayong Sampan”, which utilizes the famous Malay folk song,

Dayong Sampan (The Small Paddle Boat).

The piece begins with the horns and bassoons, divided into two “teams”, ushering in the quiet dawn. Earth is soon awakened by three bugle calls played by the brass section. Morning promises to be bright and beautiful, with the oboes singing a counter melody against a cheerful tune on the cellos. After several fanfares from the trumpets, the introduction closes on four mellow brass chords (Leong).

In the second section of the music, marked “Allegro”, the aquatic sports on the southern seas begin in full merriment. The first theme announced by the woodwinds is swiftly followed by the second theme on strings. The race is on as the themes “chase” after each other in rapid succession, with the music punctuated by winds and brass.

Suddenly, quick strokes on the timpani finally introduce Dayong Sampan, played by the oboe and clarinet against pizzicato strings and the tambourine (Leong).

The development section evolves from material taken from the introduction and the second section. A four-bar adagio leads into the recapitulation, and the coda ends the piece with great jollity (Leong).

Another famous Malay folk song, Rasa Sayang, is also featured in the works of some local composers. As mentioned in the previous section “Significant Historical

Events and People”, the song is utilised to a great extent in the final movement of Tsao

Chieh’s Singapore, Symphonic Suite for Large Orchestra. Rasa Sayang was also the subject of a theme and variations for solo piano entitled Rasa Sayang Variations.

Written by Zechariah Goh, the piece received its world premiere at the 2007 edition of the Singapore International Piano Festival (Zechariah Music).

Journey Around Singapore, composed by Eric Watson for full Chinese orchestra, features a number of folk songs and national songs. The piece is intended to portray the different parts of Singapore through music. Journey Around Singapore starts in the eastern part of the country, with the orchestra playing the folk song “Di Tanjong

Katong”, celebrating the bustling Tanjong Katong area in the east. This is followed by the national song “Voices from the Heart”, portraying the heartlands in the west. Next, another national song, Sentosa Isle, was chosen to represent southern Singapore due to Sentosa’s southern location. Mr. Watson then decided on the Kranji Racecourse for the northern part of the country. He blended the popular erhu composition Horse Racing and the main theme from Gioachino Rossini’s William Tell Overture together for dramatic effect, alternating rapidly between the two tunes, depicting horses in a neck and neck race. Finally, the piece closed with the calypso rhythm of yet another popular national song, Singapore Town (Watson).

The national anthem of Singapore, written by Zubir Said, is even featured in Tsao

Chieh’s Singapore, Symphonic Suite for Large Orchestra which was described in detail in the previous section “Significant Historical Events and People”. The national anthem is first heard towards the end of the first movement of the Suite, in the form of a quiet, chromatic wind chorale over fugal figures engaging in diatonic interplay. It is then heard again at the conclusion of the final movement, bringing the Suite to a glorious close

(Tsao).

Clearly, Singapore’s traditional folk songs and national songs are not merely heard in the primary school classrooms and during the National Day Celebrations, but have also found their way into some of the compositions of local classical composers.

In this chapter, I have discussed how Singaporean classical composers incorporate elements of Singaporean culture into their pieces. In the following chapter, I will provide my personal reflections on the research process.

Chapter 3: Thoughts and Reflections on the Research Process

In this chapter, I will write about my thoughts and reflections on the research process.

Initially, I was concerned whether I would be able to find sufficient information on the topic I had chosen. Fortunately, my worries were unfounded. Although there are no existing books on this topic, I managed to obtain a significant amount of information from the programme booklets from the many concerts I attended and the highly detailed liner notes of the few available CDs on which a number of the works discussed were recorded. I also acquired some scores of the works, which provided me with information as well as musical excerpts. Eventually, I managed to obtain sufficient information to carry out my study.

There are a few aspects of Singaporean culture that I wish could have been

“musically represented” in the works of local composers. One of these is none other than Singapore cuisine. The National Heritage Board (NHB) of Singapore acknowledges that food is a vital component of Singapore’s cultural heritage. For example, in 2015, NHB put together a travelling exhibition entitled “Deliciously

Singaporean” to showcase Singapore’s distinctive food heritage. More than 480,000 people visited the exhibition, which is a clear indication of the strong interest

Singaporeans have in discovering the country’s food heritage (MCCY). During the process of my research I did come across a work entitled Laksa Cantata by Chen

Zhangyi. Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup dish in Singapore (Westcott). The title is a misnomer, as the work is actually not a cantata but a 20-minute long mini opera. The

opera was about a fiancé having a heated debate with his fiancée whether or not to serve laksa at their wedding dinner (Chang).

The libretto pays obvious homage to the dish, through lines such as “The flawless complexion of the white bee hoon (noodles), wavering in a sea of coconut cream, the tau pok (dried beancurd puff) and hae (prawns) only makes me swoon.”

However, the music was written in Western style, without Asian influences. Hence, I reluctantly decided not to utilize the piece as part of the study. Dr. Chang Tou Liang, who reviewed the performance, seemed to echo my sentiments: “This enjoyable exercise would have been a greater coup had Chen mustered a Peranakan or local idiom to spice up the work” (Chang).

Whether it is through the integration of South East Asian music or utilizing a traditional folk song, all of the composers whose works were featured in the previous chapter include elements of Singaporean culture in their compositions to varying degrees and in different ways. This demonstrates that it is important to them and, by extension, to the Singapore cultural scene. These sentiments are echoed by Wang

Chenwei and John Sharpley in their respective interviews. Wang incorporated the traditional music of the Malay, Indonesian and Indian communities in his compositions as there are few non-local composers who would write classical music adopting the aforementioned styles. Thus, classical musicians outside of Singapore would recognize that Wang composes in a unique “Singaporean” style. This also means that Wang possesses his own distinct personal voice, which Wang states is important to him. Dr.

Sharpley wrote a number of nature-themed pieces such as Singapore Dreams and

Stirrings: Scenes from a rainforest due to his innate passion and fervent love for nature, and firm belief that nature is one of the most vital aspects of a country’s culture.

Perhaps one of the reasons for the relative dearth of compositions featuring elements of Singaporean culture is the sheer difficulty involved in writing such a work, and both Wang Chenwei and John Sharpley concur with this. Wang Chenwei says that it’s easy to mix in ethnic instruments or scales like the Pelog scale into a piece of music, but without a thorough understanding of the instruments and styles, the composition becomes very superficial and unconvincing. While the ethnic instruments engage the audience’s sense of novelty, the music sounds very insincere. In the words of Dr.

Sharpley, every instrument is like a human being, each with different personalities.

Whichever instrument a composer writes for, it is imperative for the composer to understand its capabilities well.

Thus, I was very careful with my choice of compositions to be featured in this study. I believe that the pieces I eventually chose to be included in my discussion successfully integrate elements of Singaporean culture. This can be seen from some of the feedback received by the composers themselves. After a performance of The

Sisters’ Islands, a Malay composer told Chenwei that the Asli and Zapin sections of the music sounded very convincing, and Balinese dancer said that the “Gamelan” sections sounded Sundanese (from a region in Indonesia). Therefore, he feels that his music did enough justice to the musical traditions he was emulating.

Ultimately, both Chenwei and Dr. Sharpley feel that regardless of how they choose to compose, they have to be sincere and “write from the heart” (Mark).

Chenwei’s composition teacher, Tan Chan Boon, writes in a European late Romantic

style without any Asian influences. Although Mr. Tan’s pieces do not integrate elements of Singaporean culture, Chenwei feels that that his own personal voice and there is nothing wrong with that. Dr. Sharpley stresses that composers should not be influenced by politics, not allow themselves to be overly swept up by nationalism, and be true to themselves. His firm belief is that anything artistic has to be intuitive.

I feel highly gratified that my study may help to fill the existing void in the existing literature on this topic, through exploration of the relatively unknown Singaporean classical works. In so doing, I also wish to draw attention to the existence of these compositions.

In fact, one of my goals is to raise the profile of local composers among classical music practitioners and the wide public alike. However, in order to do so, their music needs to be heard on a regular basis. It is not very common for classical music performances in Singapore to include works by local Singaporean composers. In future, whenever I do get the opportunity to perform recitals of classical music, I would strive to include at least one work by a Singaporean classical composer. This would certainly add value to the existing practice.

In this chapter, I have provided my personal reflections on the research process.

In the conclusion, I will recapitulate what has been previously discussed.

Conclusion

In Chapter 1, I provided a brief definition of national culture and described examples of how composers from other countries such as Sibelius and Smetana incorporated the culture of their homeland into some of their compositions. In Chapter 2,

I demonstrated how selected works by resident local composers reflect various elements of the Singaporean culture. I did this by drawing from interviews with relevant composers and looking up reliable web sources. I also analyzed hard copy publications such as programme notes from performances of the music, CD liner notes and scores of the compositions. In chapter 3, I wrote about my reflections on the process.

Through attending many classical concerts in Singapore I realized that there exists a number of good Singaporean composers who deserve to be heard, and I am even more convinced now after conducting my research. I am also proud to be a

Singaporean and it has always been my dream to champion the works of Singaporean music. I believe that the music of a country is an integral part of its culture. If we, as

Singaporean musicians, do not make an effort to uphold our country’s culture, who will do it for us?

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Interview Questions

1. I understand that your compositional output includes quite a wide variety of genres/styles. Do any of your compositions incorporate elements of Singaporean culture? If so, which ones?

2. Do you consider those compositions to be an important part of your compositional work? Why?

3. Which aspect(s) of the Singaporean culture did you choose to include in your work(s)? Are there any particular reasons why you chose those aspects over the others?

4. Which elements of the music, compositional techniques, etc. reflect the aspect(s) of Singaporean culture you have selected?

5. Were there any specific reasons behind you choosing to incorporate elements of Singaporean culture into your compositions? Could you tell me more about them?

6. Did you encounter any difficulties or challenges while working on that/those composition(s) which were specifically related to working with elements of Singaporean culture? What kind of challenges?

7. Have you received any feedback/comments/reviews on those particular work(s)? Which aspects were you asked about most often? Did you find any comments particularly interesting/important/amusing?

8. How important is it, in your opinion, for resident Singaporean composers to include elements of Singapore’s heritage/culture in their works? Why?

9. Are you currently working on any compositions which include elements of Singaporean culture or do you intend to write any works with such features in the future?

10. Would you have any advice for someone who is attempting to write a piece of music with elements of Singaporean culture?

11. Is there anything else you would like to add or tell me with regards to including elements of indigenous cultures in classical (or non-classical) compositions, particularly in the Singapore context?