Patriotism and musicality proven not mutually exclusive

Patriotism and musicality proven not mutually exclusive

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

From its title -- Concert to Commemorate Independence Day --
the event promised little more than a generous rendition of
rousing compositions served up -- as Wagner's were during the
1930s -- to glorify the sanctified motherland.

In reality, though, it was worth checking out what the concert
had to offer, especially as the brains behind it were Peter F.
Gontha and Paul Dankmeyer, the pair that successfully brought
Java Jazz to the capital earlier this year.

It was also worth a visit because the prime mover of the show
was Minister of National Education Bambang Soedibyo, a professor
in economics, who is also known to be an avid music buff.

And, it turned out that the concert delivered more than anyone
could have hoped for -- especially those ordered to attend
Wednesday's concert at Balai Sarbini, The Plaza Semanggi, by
their superiors.

The title of the show and list of songs that appeared on the
program were indeed somewhat off-putting.

For many concertgoers, mostly Indonesian nationals, patriotic
songs such as Bangun Pemuda Pemudi (Time To Rise Up), Bagimu
Negeri (For You, My Country), Indonesia Pusaka (Sacred Indonesia)
may no longer brim with patriotic appeal, as these were drummed
into them from early childhood.

But in the hands of selected performers and a surprise guest,
as well as two of the country's finest orchestras, the Nusantara
Chamber Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra of the Yogyakarta Art
Institute (ISI) that accompanied them, the songs turned into gems
that produced a captivating show.

If the objective was to reinvigorate long-lost love for the
motherland, the performers served their country well, as every
song gave the audience goosebumps and a steady rush of new
affection for the land of their birth.

Opened with a children's choir belting out Aku Anak Indonesia
(I Am An Indonesian Child), it seemed as though the audience's
greatest fear of another dull show would indeed materialize.

Martial drums drowned out the singing; when the choir was
finally audible, what the concertgoers got harked back to their
schooldays when they were required to sing patriotic songs every
Monday at a pledge-of-allegiance ritual.

After a grinding start, the concert began to unveil its true
identity when young "lite"-jazz singer Andien took the stage to
perform a mesmerizing rendition of Ambilkan Bulan (Get Me the
Moon), a children song penned by composer A.T. Mahmud.

Although Andien's smooth vocals suggested that the song was a
children's lullaby, conductor Purwatjaraka led his orchestra to
provide a lush soundscape that gave full reign to the
composition's grandeur.

Purwatjaraka, who also acted as concert director, was smart
enough not to disappoint the crowd early on with a steady flow of
patriotic songs; he decided to give a crowd-pleaser only 15
minutes into the concert.

People may have been bored to death with the ubiquitous Ada
Apa Denganmu (What's Up With You), a power-pop ballad by local
band Peterpan, but turning it into a symphonic piece complete
with a lengthy violin solo was a stroke of genius.

The piece was a revelation in Purwatjaraka's hand.

After a solo violin coda from Ada Apa faded from the sound
system, there was an eerie feeling that the song had a uniquely
indigenous character to it.

In what could be considered her best performance of the
evening, Andien turned up after Ada Apa to sing a faithful
rendition of Bagimu Negeri.

Giving our utmost devotion to the motherland, as the lyrics in
the song suggest, may not be a good idea these days, but,
listening to Andien's version, it was right.

The show's finest moment, however, came after a 15-minute
intermission, when world jazz violinist Doug Cameron upstaged all
that had gone before.

Cameron was, without doubt, the main event, turning a
supposedly stately concert into a jazzy affair.

His performance may have clocked in at less than 20 minutes,
but he managed to elide from jazz to classical to flamenco with
great finesse.

Two of his four compositions, flamenco-ish Maggia Espanola and
ode to actor Michael Landon Letter to A Friend were indicative of
his consummate musicianship.

Two other numbers struck a chord with the Indonesians present.

In Minuit Bach, it was heartening to see a world-class maestro
join a troupe of 50 Indonesian kids who played their violins in
his support.

No less inspiring was his take on Indonesia Pusaka.

Played in its unadulterated form the venerable, patriotic tune
has a divine character: Cameron managed to capture the
quintessence of the song.

Ultimately, Cameron and other performers in the concert gave a
very convincing demonstration that patriotic songs need not
necessarily be about noisy flag-waving.