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Composition Method of Pipa Quartet “Tok Panjang”Application and Interpretation of The Peranakan Culture Elements

國立臺北藝術大學 / 傳統音樂學系碩士班 / Author:CHEAH, WEN PING

The British Settlements in Malaya were the most significant port of the ocean trade on 19th century. During the year 1957, Malaya was eventually independent from the British colonial and succeeded as a multi racial country that full of resources. The Peranakans or Baba and Nyonyas, were descendants of the original Malay and the migrant Chinese in Malaya, evidences can be traced back from the 16th century until 20th century. The Peranakan families embraced the core culture from the Chinese traditional religion and the aesthetics from the Malay, Indian and the European, which apparently shown on their food, costumes, architectures etc. The Peranakans typically presenting three main races of Malaysia: the Malay, Chinese and the Indian.

Nowadays, the Pipa (four-string Chinese lute) quartet is one of the most important musical form for the modern Chinese Orchestra, and related compositions can be considered as spring up like mushrooms. The Pipa quartet can be seen a lot in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, besides of the Pipa classical warrior and poetry pieces, there are a lot of contemporary music composers creating new and diverse music pieces with the methods from the western music, to conceive more Pipa music with extraordinary hearing effect and music aesthetics. The idea of the composition Tok Panjang came from food and culinary culture of the Peranakans, the piece including three movements: Blend, Chinese Porcelain and Asam Ikan(Spicy sour fish) to describe the diversity of the Peranakans.

The Interpretation of the Tok Panjang is to explore the beauty of the long table, forming three movements with traditional music elements, in order to reveal the tradition of Peranakans, and create more music pieces for the Pipa with aspects from the South East Asia.