Traditional malaysian music

Traditional malaysian medicationINTRODUCTION A BRIEF HISTORY OF TRADITIONAL MALAYSIAN harmony The business relationship of Malayanananan medicinal drug needs to be viewed from the perspective of the obsolescent Malay world which c all(prenominal)whereed Malaysia, Ind matchlesssia, the Philippines and Cambodia, along with neighborhoods of Tailand. Within this heathenceish entity, one can find numerous correspondentities of melodious putzs and melodyal structures which ar the result of a common pagan heritage moulded by musical elements from the tungsten Asia, India and chinaIn addition to the Indian and Islamic factors, Malayan art changes view as in addition been influenced by the countrys neighbours, particularly Indonesia and Tailand. Indonesia immigrants, especi every last(predicate)y Javan and Bugis, along with Minangkabau, Achinese and other Sumaterans who ar tralatitiously concentrated in the south- westerlyern part of the Malay Peninsula (ex Joho re, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor) brought with them several of the performing humanistic discipline which be flat considered Malaysian (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). Among them are the Javan wayang purwa, a form of iniquity hightail it which is contrary from those of Kelantan and Kedah the ketoprak, a spring drama kuda kepang, a nonher tralatitious terpsichore and the angklung, a musical corps de ballet consisting of bamboo chime promoters. In addition, the Bugis brought to Terengganu the joget gamelan from the Riau Archipelago, and likewise the rodat from Acheh in Sumatera via Sambas in Borneo.The Malaysian performing arts in the northern part of the Peninsula earn been greatly affected by Thais cultural influences. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) In the wake of the decline in choice of Majapahit during the course of the 14th century, the Thais deviateed their move southwards and tried to assert their allege to over lordship of all the Malay Peninsula and forcing Malay Rulers to send tri juste to Ayuthia, and then subsequently to Bangkok. Nevertheless, the rise of Malacca checked this southward expansion, and plane after(prenominal) the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511, Thai influence was successfully confined to the triplet northern Peninsular Malay states of Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu. The British helped in containing Thai influence to theses states as their own power and influence grew in the Peninsula. Finally in 1909 sovereignty over these four northern states (which now included Perlis) was formally handed over to the British by the treaty of Bangkok. Nevertheless, for over 500 years these for northern states of the Peninsula Malaysia had been periodically subjected to Thai governmental and cultural influences. It is, therefore, not surprising to find elements of the Thai performing arts such(prenominal) as the Wayang Kulit Siam of Kelantan, the Wayang KulitGedek of Kedah and Perlis, and the menora dance drama within these states. ). (Terry E, Miller, Sean W 2008)The more than recent major influence on the performing arts of Malaysia, was completed by the Portuguese are credited with the introduction of the violin and the guitar, temporary hookup British cultural influence in Malaysia has been much more generalized. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). In addition to everydayizing western music, dance, and drawing field, the Europeans train as well as directly influenced the development of semi- new-fangled syncretistical musical forms such as the asli, keroncong, ghazal and bangsawan, which comply both western and traditional musical elements.As a consequence of these influences, traditional Malaysian music exhibits multi-faceted musical paths which combine regional as well western and West Asian elements. For example, the musical styles and instruments of northern Peninsula Malaysia resemble those of the Thais, while those in the southerly part of the Peninsula fool incorporated Indonesian musical elements. Furthermore, all over Malaysia western musical influences are glaringly evident.Shadow creature do importantThe specter shaft bestow (wayang kulit) is an ancient form of traditional field of operation in Malaysia. The stories are t octogenarian by a animal master (dalang) who manipulates the puppets (called wayang) which are seen in merelyts projected on a screen. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). In this very old form of theatre a meek ensemble vivifys the music to ensue the movement of puppets and events in the stories. In Malaysia there are four sheaths of empennage puppet play, each with a specific name and distinctive style. These are Wayang Kulit Jawa (Javanese shade puppet play), the Wayang Kulit Gedek (mixture of Thai and Malay category styles of derriere puppet play), the Wayang Kulit Melayu (Malay romance form of vestige puppet play) and Wayang Kulit Kelantan (Kelantanese suggestion puppet play)The figurehead of foreign influences in puppets , repertoire or music does not in itself prove that the technique originates from the same source as these influences. Wayang Kulit JawaThe Wayang Kulit Jawa, Javanese influenced and originated in Indonesia and is performed today by the descendants of Javanese immigrants who settled in the southern state of Johor many decades ago. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). In Malaysia, this form of tail end play so far maintains the basic features of the Wayang Kulit Purwa of Indonesia, including the use of the stories, consultations from the Mahabharata epic and the musical accompaniment of the Javanese Gamelan. The gamelan in this bum play includes singers as well as xylophones, metallophones, and knobbed buzzers honourable as in Indonesia. Malaysia maintains the basic feature of Wayang Kulit Purwa which consist the characteristic of Mahabharata epics and gamelan ensemble accompaniment. Wayang Kulit JawaWayang Kulit GedekThis Wayang Kulit Gedek, performed in the northern peninsular states of Perlis, Kedah and Kelantan, is called Nang Talung in Thailand. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). This fount of shadow puppet play originated in Southern Thailand and features small-sized, flat leather puppets. In Malaysia Wayang Kulit Gedek is performed by Thai and Malay peoples using a mixture of Thai and Malay language or just the southern Thai dialect, depending upon the audience. The stories feature topical anaesthetic tales and episodes from the Ramayana epic (called the Ramakien in Thailand). The style of executing, music and puppet design head a distinct mixture of southern Thai and Malay traits including the small orchestra of drums, knobbed tolls, cymbals and bowed stringed instruments. In former clock ms the wind instrument called pi or pi Jawa (a quadruple reed shawm) was included in this ensemble, and it is still often featured in the Wayang Kulit Gedek orchestra in Malaysia. However, today in southern Thailand the bow lutes called saw oo and saw duang (originating from the huqin family of Chinese bowed flutes) are preferred in place of the pi. The drums in this ensemble include klong khat, thon and klong khaek, alike(p) to the Malay geduk, gedumbak and gendang,(Figure 1-3), respectively, a small rival of finger cymbals and the gong-chime called mong (2 knobbed gongs placed horizontally in a wooden box) are in addition used. WAYANG KULIT GEDEKWayang Kulit MelayuWayang Kulit Melayu, also named as Wayang Kulit Jawa, is brawnyly influenced by the Wayang Kulit Purwa of Indonesia. In the 19th and 20th centuries, this type of shadow play developed under the patronage of the sultan and existed as fun mainly for the aristocrats connected to the palaces of Kelantan and Kedah. In earlier times it was also performed in the Malay Sultanate of Patani. Today this Sultanate is no longer exists, but the lieu of the former kingdom is still located at southern Thailand.The stories of the Wayang Kulit Melayu counsel on episodes of the Mahabharata epic, and th e form and design of the puppets are nearly identical to the style of puppets from Java and Indonesia. During World War II this type of shadow puppet theatre was not performed after the war years it was bring around as entertainment for villagers without the patronage of the sultans. By the 1980s experienced puppet master were difficult to find ant the Wayang Kulit Melayu. Today in Malaysia, this shadow play is rarely performed. The orchestra consists of several bronze gongs including a equalize of large, hanging gongs called tetawak(Plate 1), a single knobbed horizontal gong called the mong, and a set of six-spot or more small horizontal gongs called the canang(Plate 2). In addition, a couple on of kesi cymbals (Plate 3), a pair of elongated barrel, double-headed drums called gendang (Plate 6) and one 2-stringed rebab is used. The rebab exhibits a mixture of Malay and Javanese features using only devil strings in Javanese form, but with the body construction of the Malay rebab . A specific musical repertory existed for this type of shadow play, but today only a few pieces are still know.Wayang Kulit MelayuWAYANG KULIT KELANTANThe Wayang Kulit Kelantan is a folk theatre and is to be referred as Wayang Kulit Siam. This shadow puppets originally from and play around states in Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu and one time in Perak and Pahang. This is the most famous traditional puppet theatre among all in Malaysia. The former time, this achievement is for rite purpose, but today it been revived and to be performed as an entertainment. The Ramayana epic is the main focus for the trunk and stories for Kelantanese shadow play. The shadow play is one of the oldest histrionics art-forms in Asia and is found as far north as China and as far west as India and Turkey. Each country has its own form and style of shadow play, and there are variations within each of these forms.The home of the shadow play still has not been identified with certainty, as an evident from th e controversies regarding its origin. According to Otto Spies, Sabri tocopherol Siyavusgil and William Ridgeway, it originated in India. Berthold Laufer, citing China as its home, tells of a legend closely the later Han Emperor Kuang Wu Ti (25-57 A.D.) who instructed the court shaman to soak up shadows on a screen in an effort to recall the centre of his departed wife. Hazeu, on the other hand, credits Java as its place of origin because of the Javanese terminology in the Wayang Kulit Purwa. There are scholars who support the India origin of the shadow theatre because of the repertoire of the South-East Asian shadow plays which mainly represent episodes from the two Hindu epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata. just now as mention by Alessio Bombaci, the shadow play could take on emerged on its own in all these places India, China and West Asia, and from these separate areas spread to other countries through economic, political and cultural interaction. However whatever its ge nesis, the shadow play doubt began as an animist ritual.Even since its inception, the shadow play has been influenced by the religious beliefs prevalent in those countries where it has be seed completed, to the extent that each variety reflects in microsm the religious hi degree of its land of domicile. This is particularly true of the Malaysian shadow play whose rituals combine elements of animism, Hinduism and Islam.As we have al fast seen, through the ages Malaysia has been influenced by heavy Indian, Chinese, Thai and Javanese cultural influences, with the result that her shadow plays bear link resemblances to the Thai nang talung, the Khmer nang trolung, and the Javanese Wayang Kulit Purwa.The four types of Malaysia shadow play adapted from Javanese Wayang Kulit purwa, Wayang Kulit Melayu and Wayang Kulit Melayu both display similarities in structure, technique and mathematical operation with their Javanese counterpart. What differentiate is the one from the other of the con figuration of the puppets and the nature of their musical ensembles. According to Patricia A, Sooi Beng T, the puppets of the Wayang KulitMelayu, which are extremely stylized, have two moveable arms, while those of the less stylized Wayang Kulit Melayu have only one moveable arm. While a gamelan ensemble accompanies the Wayang KulitMelayu, the Wayang Kulit Melayu uses an natural musical ensemble. The repertoire of both the shadow plays consist of episodes from the Javanese and Malay versions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, tales from the Panji cycles, the Islamic tales of Amir Hamzah, and topical anaesthetic lore and legend. (Endon S 1999)Wayang Kulit Kelantanuses the technique of the Javanese Wayang Kulit Jawa to perform the Thai version of the Ramayana, as well as containing elements of local lore and legend. It differs from the Wayang Kulit Gedek, in the configuration of its puppets and in the nature of the accompanying musical ensemble. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) The puppets o f Wayang Kulit Kelantan are only seen in profile, puppets of Wayang Kulit Gedek uses combination of full-faced and profiled. Furthermore, the Wayang Kulit Kelantan musical ensemble is large than that of Wayang Kulit Gedek. Wayang Kulit KelantanShadow Play MusicThere are seventeen repertoires in Kelantan shadow theatre and to be divided into four categories Ritualistic, emotional, designate idiosyncratic character, and variety of occasions and designate action. Two examples are show beneath Bertabuh and Tuk Maha SikuMak Yong pieces are included in some of the repertoire in shadow play, for instance Lagu Yong Bertabuh, Sang Gendang, Pakyung Muda, and Lagu Barat. Younger troupe insert several modern pieces such as Lagu Joget Kelantan and Lagu Berlari Yong Muda, This is pattern of shadow play but was not appreciate by the older troupes to adulterate the music of shadow play they only stick to their principle by performing traditionally pieces. For my opinion, innovation of shadow p lay is a real issue for the sake of entertainment effect and also self satisfaction to absorb an improvement of music element aspect. Lagu Perang (war music) is the most common piece to be play Kelantan shadow theatre. It is show in the orifice continuation as Lagu Bertabuh, combat in among two Dewa Panah (mystical warriors) the whole repertoire is all around fighting and battle in the play. A few pieces were often to be vie in the shadow play are Lagu Hulubalang which indicates all warriors it accompanies Sri Rama when he is ready for war, Hanuman, lesser princes, and all warriors. On my opinion, within the play proper of the shadow play performance, striking action is essential to be contend in the music piece, but the structural format is remain a expressed ritualistic theory of the actual play performance. Before the proper performance start, Dalang Tua (elder Dalang) will manipulate the puppets, sing and speaks every characters part and conduct the orchestra. The buk a ponggang( opening ceremony) emerged in Mak Yong repertoire to portrayed his acts of connecting the real and nether worlds. Lagu Bertabuh is a start of informing the villagers that the play is to begin in another way is also a conclusion of the ritualistic ceremony. Shadow play ensembles or orchestras and instrumentsThe musical ensembles of the shadow play are percussion-dominated with either a solitary aerophone (wind) or a chordophone (string) instrument. An example for Wayang Kulit Kelantan ensemble has the interest instrumentsIdiophonic (Brass)Orotund material is to make to Idiophones instruments. Tetawak, kesi and canang occurs as a pairs in idiophone structure. The pair of tetawak (Plate 1) are knobbed gongs which hung amid wooden racks, and padded ditherer is to hit the knob. The larger tetawak compete lower stagger which calledtawak ibu ( acquire tawak), tawak anak (child tawak) compete the high pitch. Major third or perfect fifth is the tune up in between one set t o another. The standardization of the tuning of tetawak so as canang is not the main important issue in music. Canang(Plate 2) is do of iron or metal, and it consists of two knobbed gongs, which hung horizontally on the wooden rack. The two gongs are hit by a pair of peddar goer, both gongs (anak canang and ibu canang ) played in different pitches( high and low pitch). twain gongs tuning interval may range from majors second to sixth. Kesi Cymbals (Plate 3) have a cup-like protruding with a small hole to enable to two cymbals to be connected. It is made of booze or iron. Resonant, ringing sound occurs when striking by player on the pair of cymbals. Unison are played in two pieces of timbres with canang, canang anak (high pitch) played ringing timbre whilst canang ibu (low pitch) played damped timbre. Kesi is similar to the western cymbal. Aerophonic (Wind)The serunai(Plate 4) is a double reed instrument which falls into the shawm category, variable in length from 12 to 18 inches and constructed from variation of woods such as batang lada, lebam and nangka. It is divided into three sections, namely kepala (head), batang (stem) and pipit (mouth-piece) .Daun lunta, a type of fern leaf, is used for the reed. Altogether there are eight sound holes on the serunai, seven on top and one below. It is adorned with intricate carvings and particoloured with various shades of colour.Membranophone (Percussion) Three types of drum constitute the tympan category. The jump is a pair of mother and son cylindrical-shaped geduk (Plate 7), with the mother universe the larger of the two. Its dimension varies from 12 to 20 inches in length, with a bird-scarer lap between 30 to 37 inches and a back tour of between 27 to 33 inches. The body of the geduk is mostly made from kayu nangka, but kayu sena or kayu merbau is sometimes used. Both sides are cover with cow or buffalo hide. The two legs located at one end of the geduk service of process to tilt it towards the drummer to facilitate his playing, which is done with a pair of drum sticks.The pair of gendang (Plate 6), mother and son, are both barrel-shaped, with the mother being the larger of the two. The mother drum measures from 20 to 22 inches in length, and has a present racing circuit which varies between 24 to 33 inches and a back circumference of between 24 to 29 inches. The length of the gendang anak (son drum) varies from 19 to 22 inches with a front circumference of between 22 to 25 inches and a back circumference of between 19 to 22 inches. More often than not, the body of the gendang is made from kayu nangka rather than from kayu merbau. Both the front and back faces of the drum are covered with animal skins, cow hide for the mother drum and goatskin for the son drum. rattan palm strands are coiled around one end of the body as an anchor to stretch the skin and vary the tension of its surface. The drums are played with both hands, one for striking each face.Texture and FormThe food grain of shadow theatre can be categories into melodic line played by serunai, variety of drum rhythmic pattern and bronze instruments play the element of gong. The form and structure in each piece of shadow play is determined and defined by colotomic structure or gong building block in the music. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) .The gong unit is a time unit marked at its end by lowest pitches gong is the tetawak ibu, which is stuck at the last beat of gong unit. Gong unit is to be served as a basis element to be play in shadow plays and Mak Yong, multiples of two beats are based on the total good turn of colotomic structure. (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004). Hence, in the gong unit, there are no 2- beat but continuously with 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, 64- and so on. The gong unit is to be identifying by particular gong tone to played specific beat, as a result binary form is occurs in gong unit as the subdivision of internal gong to be played. Division of half occurs in first gong unit, for examp le gong tones occurs in beat 8 and 16 in a 16- beats gong unit. Another significant trait in 2-beat focussing in the gong unit, firstly it( neural impulse saplessly on the first beat and continue with a strong stress on the second beat. Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004) Repetition of the weak and strong stress in the repertoire is to gain the appropriate number of beat at variety gong unit. Canang gong chime play the 2-beat stress gong unit in shadow play, sometime ding-dong vocalized course will be use as ding to be the first weak beat by canang anak (high pitch) whereas dong is to be played on the second strong beat by canang ibu ( low pitch). At the meantime, kesi cymbals are played to mark a resounding timbre in the weak beat and damped timbre in the strong beat. In the piece of Pak Dogol, the gedumbak and gendang anak realize specific 4-beat rhythmic patterns that combine to give a complete consequent rhythmic pattern for piece. Because the piece Pak Dogol based on 8-beat un it gong unit, the 4-beat resultant drum pattern is played twice in the time one complete gong unit. (Example 1)ScalePentatonic, hexatonic and heptatonic are the main three scales in shadow play pieces. These three scales type are established in the repertory, hexatonic and heptatonic scales accent on five specific pitches which may ponder a pentatonic core within the larger scale system. semitone or whole tone are contains at all aim of intervals. For example, third interval include in some scales. Sampling to be shown below (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004)DALANG Dalang can be found at padi harvest, the wayang assuage thus beginning of the rainy season. A favourite dalang may expect to receive invitation to perform which will keep him occupied throughout the season, extending from about March to October. Dalang incomes (Amin.S 1972) entirely from the wayang and those that attempt to do so have a meager existence during the rainy season when they are forced to give-up the ghost o n what has been saved during the wayang season which is seldom much. The dalang have a collateral occupation, and where the dalang does not enjoy much success, the wayang will be his secondary occupation. The performance definitely entertainment for humans not odours. These rituals are performed for various purposes, expiation of olfactory propertys, releasing a person from a vow, and initiating a pupil, but their form is basically the same and consists of a synthesis of Javanesse wayang ritual and local spirit medium ship. The importance of these rituals is that performed to ward off the threat of cholera by placating the local spirits. The dalang learn their art from a teacher, the few exceptions to this nevertheless imitating the performances of others. The teacher is rarely the dalangs father and the art is not hereditary. (Amin.S 1972). Comparison of the repertoire, performance and ritual of a dalang with those of his teacher reveals, almost without exception, considerable differences. There are several reasons for this It is rare that a dalang learns everything from one source and it is not unsual to have had more than one teacher, though this may not be admitted.A dalang may further learn pieces of repertoire from persons who are not even dalang and information are also gleaned by observing the performances of other dalang. It is clear, therefore, that every dalangs knowledge is to a greater or lesser extent a pot pourri gathered from several sources. (Amin.S 1972)Several reasons for becoming a dalang but the primary motive is nearly always that he experiences intense joyousness from observing the wayang and that he has the urge and desire to perform himself. Dance field of force Mak YongHuman characters but not puppet play performed the traditional theatres cognize as Mak Yong. Mak Yong is forms by three integral- dance, dialogue and music with the legend story from local place. While there are common denominators in dramatic, musical, and dan ce structure, there are, however, marked difference among them in dance and music styles. The Mak Yong has been noted as an ancient Malay form of theatre as witnessed in legends, myths and by its close ties to the traditional healing ceremony called the main puteri. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) anyhow that, Common feature are shared in these various traditional theatres. The performances are usually to anticipated and down mainly from stories and legend cognise to the community. Generally, plots are episode and long enough to allow audience members to campaign in and out during the performance. Mak Yong is a traditional form of dance originated in Southern Thailand, it appears in Kelantan since last two hundred years, and is one of the popular traditional dances in Terengganu and spread to Kedah. In the early 20th century, Mak Yong was addicted royal patronage by the court of Kelantan which established a theatrical village known as the Kampung Temenggung in the town of Kota Bahru. (Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992) This form of theatre was supported and patronized by His Highness Temengung Ghaffar from the Kelantan palace at that time. But the patronage did not last long until the death of Sultan Mohamad IV at 1920, although Mak Yong was originally about rural regions as a folk tradition, through its years of royal patronage the music, dance, costumes and other theatrical aspects were splendid because of the constant opportunities for practice and performance in Kampung Temengung. In between the changes Mak Yong became popular as an entertainment in the habitual and lost its artistic quality which is normally connected with a court oriented performance. When time goes by, the court dance eventually turn to a normal performance to the public and created new audience, portraying the folk life. Mak Yong performs at many occasions, but underline specifically on padi harvest, that is a thanksgiving ceremony for bounteous crop. Wedding, kings birthday and national holida y were the occasions Mak Yong to be performed. According to Patricia A, Sooi Beng T, Mak Yong traditional performances have a connection with ritual and the world of spirits. Mak Yong served as healing rituals. chief(prenominal) Puteri is the healing person and the healing section involves soporific dance and spirit possession. In some traditional cities, the healing rituals are still prosecute but they are mainly frowned nowadays. It reflects the inner, the significant and mysterious of stories. High ritual performance sometimes occurs in Mak Yong. A good example sembah guru (paying allegiance to ones teacher) ceremony and performance in which a student, who is ready to go on stage as a hotshot, performs certain rites within connection of a performance itself. The main puteri healing ceremony for the intention of healing a sick people will sometime found in the main structure element of Mak Yong. Shaman (bomoh) take the lead to communicate with the spirit world to discover the r oot of an illness and the main actress (the Pak Yong character), although main puteri ceremony elements become dominant in the performance, the music used is still that of the Mak Yong. troupe of women performed the main role whilst men played the goof roles. This form of dance was established as a court form (C.1875) that became well known to villages. The women sing, dance and perform improvise dialogue especially in the clown and contemporary section. The action takes place in the round, with all nonnative cast members sitting casually around the outside of the circle. (Anonymous n.d) Performers are considered to be off-stage or members of the chorus when not in the central acting space. Performers work towards the creation and identification character types, stylized motion, poetic language and rhythmic language. on with dialogue and notated passage, music, song and dance is also incorporated into traditional performance. grave or tragic events are intermingling with comedy . The original story in the Mak Yong dramatic repertory is called the Dewa Muda, which is a Malay folk tale. The stories Dewa Muda come along with about twelve other tales consist the dramatic repertory. (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004) Several of these stories are also performed in other local theater forms such as the wayang kulit, menorah and the bangsawan. The stories focus on folk heroes, heroines, their fantastic adventures, and are told using dialogue, recounting and dance by the characters along with the accompaniment of vocal and instrumental music. around of the especially important roles are the Pakyung and Pakyung Muda (the king and prince), the queen or Makyung and the princess or Puteri Makyung, the old and young clown-servants known respectively, as the Peran Tua and Peran Muda, and the astrologer or near of some kind called Tok Wak. In the 20th century, and still today, all principal roles are taken by women who dress according to the role played. However, in advan ce the 1020s men played the roles of the Pakyung and Pakyung Muda and not women.Performance practiceThe Makyung performance begins with an opening ceremony called the Buka Panggung (opening of the stage) with prayers, offerings of food and the consecration of the musical instruments and other items. (Patricia A, Sooi Beng T 2004). Immediately following the official opening is the performance of several pieces before the story itself in reality begins. These pieces each have a special function and serve to move into the characters or carry out some other special purpose. For example, the actors and actresses come onto the stage with the accompaniment of the piece called Pakyung Turun (The king descends), an instrumental piece. This piece is followed by a ritual song and dance called the Menghadap Rebab (paying homage to the rebab), which salutes the musical instrument called the rebab. The opening section of the performance continues with the pieces entitled Sedayung Mak yong and S edayung Pak yong. These two pieces are performed to demo the Mak Yong and Pak Yong characters. Another piece entitled Ela is performed by the Pak Yong character to introduce the character he will play in the story for the evening. All of these pieces (except the Pak Yong Turun) also involved specific dances, which are performed by the main singer along with the members of the chorus (the jong dondang). This group of sung and danced pieces comprises a fixed opening, which is performed each time a Mak Yong performance takes place. A given story takes several nights to complete and, before its continuation from night to night, the fixed opening of sung and d