Ananda’s Symphony for Indonesia

Ananda Sukarlan adapts the genius works of Indonesian poets in melodies.

The sound of piano played by
Ananda Sukarlan breaks the
silence in Graha Bakti Budaya
stage last Sunday (3/01). Together
with flute player Elizabeth Ashford
and 15 years old violinist Inez Hardjanto,
he played Bibirku Bersujud di Bibirmu.

While the music played, 5 dancers emerged
one by one on the stage. Three lengthy
pieces of cloths were extended from one
side of the stage to the other. Each of the
blue colored cloths has different color
shade, illustrating the ocean while at
storm. The three male dancers acted as
if they are fighting for their lives. One of
them gets rolled in the wave. Not long after,
the angry wave ceases, but the man was
already down, lifeless.

Bibirku Bersujud di Bibirmu is the art done
by poet Hasan Asphani which was then
adapted by Ananda into a symphony masterpiece.
The inspiration for the symphony
was the 2004 tsunami in Aceh, whilst the
dramatic choreography was done by the
reliable choregrapger, Chandra Panatan.

Bibirku Bersujud di Bibirmu, is one of
Ananda’s whole series of composed works
which were performed in his most recent
concert, “Libertas”.

“Sweet Sorrow” was the second play performed
that night, combining the violin
play by Inez Hardjanto and piano by
Ananda. The piano part of the piece was
arranged to be played by only two fingers.
This particular work of art, inspired by
one of the dialogues from Romeo and Juliet
by Shakespeare, was composed solely by Ananda to be playable by people with
physical disabilities.

Ananda is one of the founders of Indonesian
Music Literature Foundation. This
foundation, which was initiated on 10
February 2009, has the mission to provide
musical access for less fortunate and physically
disabled children.

Sweet Sorrow is a manifestation of Ananda’s
care towards the less fortunate children.
“In Spain there is a similar foundation,
namely the World Music Foundation.
That foundation accommodates musical
interests of the physically disabled children
by composing piano repertoires which are
playable by the left hand only, and also developing
notations in Braille”. In the near
future, according to Ananda, the same
thing shall be done by the Indonesian Literature
Music Foundation.

As the climax of the show, “Libertas” was
performed. The contemporary masterpiece
of the 41 year old maestro was meant
to serve as the “foreword of freedom and
human civil rights”. Verses from eight renowned
poets became part of the 28 minutes
masterwork. The masterpieces of WS
Rendra, Chairil Anwar, Sapardi Djoko Damono,
Walt Whitman and Federico Garcia
Lorca are to name a few of them.

In Libertas also, Chairil Anwar’s “Karawang
Bekasi” was encountered with the
verses by Archibald Macleish, “Dead Soldiers
Do Not Speak”. For both poetries,
he made similar melody configurations,
which however, becomes very much different
as it was performed.