Mak yong Music of Malaysia: Negotiating Complex Musical Content within Periodicity

Abstract

Over the past many centuries the dance theater known as the mak yong has been a major form of indigenous Malay theater that relates stories using formal and improvised monologue and dialogue, stylized dance and acting, and vocal as well as instrumental music.  While written historical records about any aspect of the musical style prior to the late-19^th century do not exist, the musical features of the mak yong since the early to mid-20^th century are evident to us today through remembered and live performances by mak yong artists who are still active in the 21st century. This article explores the musical style of the mak yong, dating from the early 20^th century to current times, noting the musical features of periodic formal structures, resultant rhythms and a complex melodic content that bind this genre to aspects of an ancient Southeast Asian musical style as well as to influences from Middle Eastern music-culture.