Marzuki was an indie folk rock band from Holland, MI, with a significant fan base in western Michigan in the mid to late 1990s. They were especially popular among Hope College, Calvin College, and Grand Valley State University students. Marzuki's members included Shannon Stephens on vocals and guitar, Jamie Kempkers on cello, Matthew Haseltine (brother of Jars of Clay's Dan Haseltine) on guitar and bass, and Sufjan Stevens on guitar, percussion, and the more exotic instruments (especially the recorder). Their lyrics often explored spiritual or romantic themes.

Marzuki was named after Sufjan Stevens' brother, Marzuki Stevens, a professional long-distance and marathon runner.

Discography[link]

• Marzuki (MS Records, 1996)
• No One Likes a Nervous Wreck (MS Records, 1998)

External links[link]

• Sufjan Stevens interviews Shannon Stephens at Asthmatic Kitty

Ismail Marzuki
Ismail Marzuki, unknown year
Background information
Born	Jakarta
Died	25 May 1958(1958-05-25) (aged 44)
Occupations	Composer, songwriter
Years active	1931–1958

Ismail Marzuki (also known as Bang Ma'ing; 11 May 1914 – 25 May 1958) was an Indonesian composer, songwriter and musician who wrote between 202 and 240 songs between 1931 and 1958, including numerous popular patriotic songs. Among his best known works are "Gugur Bunga" and "Rayuan Pulau Kelapa". In 1968, he was honoured with the creation of the well-known Taman Ismail Marzuki (the Ismail Marzuki Park, often called TIM) which is a cultural centre in Menteng in central Jakarta. In 2004 he was declared one of the National Heroes of Indonesia.

Biography[link]

Marzuki was born in Kwitang, Jakarta to a wealthy Betawi family. His father Marzuki owned an automobile repair shop, and played the rebana; his mother died while giving birth to him.^[1] From a young age Marzuki enjoyed music, listening to songs repeatedly on the family's gramophone and learning to play the rebana, ukelele, and guitar.^[1]

Marzuki studied at an elementary school for Native Indonesians, the Hollandsch-Inlandsche School Idenburg in Menteng; he later attended the Dutch-language middle school Meer Uitgebreid Lager Onderwijs on Menjangan Street in Jakarta.^[2] He became fluent in Indonesian, English, and Dutch.^[3] He also studied religion at Unwanul Wustha Madrasah.^[2] However, he did not study music formally, instead learning by himself.^[4]

In 1931, Marzuki wrote his first song, "O Sarinah", which was about a suffering people. During his career he wrote between 202 and 204 songs. Among his most famous compositions are "Rayuan Pulau Kelapa" (1944, Solace on Coconut Island), "Gugur Bunga di Taman Bakti" (1945, The Fallen Flower in Bakti Garden), and "Selendang Sutera" (1946, A Coil of Silk).^[2]

Marzuki started his music career by joining the Lief Java orchestra, under the direction of Hugo Dumas. In 1934 he became a broadcaster with Nederlandsch-Indische Radio Omroep Maatschappij, the national radio station of the Dutch East Indies, and afterwards led the Jakarta Studio Orchestra, the Bandung Studio Orchestra, and later the Hoso Kanri Kyoku orchestra during Japanese occupation of Indonesia.^[2]

Marzuki's grave in Karet Bivak Cemetery

In 1957 Marzuki wrote his last song, "Inikah Bahagia" (Is This Happiness). He died at 14:00 on 25 May 1958 in his house in Tanah Abang, Jakarta. He is buried in Karet Bivak Cemetery.^[5]

Style[link]

Marzuki's anthems are full of patriotism and love for Indonesia, with a spirit of unity and harmony. They are easy to remember,^[3] with simple lyrics and melodies.^[5] The scales are generally mid-range, making the songs easier to sing.^[3]

Personal life[link]

Marzuki married Eulis Zuraidah, a Sundanese keroncong singer and orchestra leader from Bandung, in 1931. His wife has been considered as the inspiration of his Sundanese language song "Panon Hideung" (black eyes).^[2][6] Later it was known that "Panon Hideung" was Marzuki's Sundanese adaptation of Russian song Ochi Chernye.

Marzuki enjoyed collecting musical instruments. His collection included guitars, mandolins, flutes, clarinets, saxophones, accordions, and a piano.^[6]

He was known for being fiercely nationalistic, once selling gado-gado with his wife instead of cooperating with the Dutch-allied Nederlandsch Indië Civil Administratie during the Indonesian National Revolution.^[5] However, he also had a romantic side, writing songs like "Kalau Anggrek Berbunga" (c. 1942–1945, When the Orchid Blossoms), "Jauh di Mata Di Hati Jangan" (1947, Far from the Eyes (But Not the Heart) and "Siasat Asmara" (1948, Love's Tactics).^[6]

Legacy[link]

Marzuki has been described as "having good instincts for music",^[4] as well as a "genius"^[7] and "legendary".^[8]

A large number of Marzuki's songs have been rerecorded and released in different genres, including pop music and keroncong,^[9] such as"Kr. Pasar Gambir dan Stambul Anak Jampang" (Kroncong of Gambir Market and Stambul of the Cowlicked Child) which was covered by Chrisye on the album Dekade with arrangement by Erwin Gutawa.^[10] Several of his songs, including "Gugur Bunga", "Melati di Tapal Batas", "Selendang Sutra", "Pahlawan Muda", "Rayuan Pulau Kelapa", and "Waktu Malam", are considered compulsory and taught in schools.^[11]

On 17 August 1961 Marzuki received the first Wijaya Kusuma award from President Suharto.^[4] He was honoured posthumously in 1968 with the opening of Taman Ismail Marzuki, a cultural centre and park in central Jakarta.^[12] He was recognized as a National Hero of Indonesia in November 2004 by declaration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.^[13]

Lists of composed songs[link]

• Aryati
• Gugur Bunga
• Melati di Tapal Batas (1947)
• Wanita
• Rayuan Pulau Kelapa
• Sepasang Mata Bola (1946)
• Bandung Selatan di Waktu Malam (1948)
• O Sarinah (1931)
• Panon Hideung (1931)
• Keroncong Serenata
• Kasim Baba
• Bandaneira
• Lenggang Bandung
• Sampul Surat
• Karangan Bunga dari Selatan
• Selamat Datang Pahlawan Muda (1949)
• Juwita Malam
• Sabda Alam
• Roselani
• Rindu Lukisan
• Indonesia Pusaka

References[link]

External links[link]

• (Indonesian) "Komponis" Bio Ismail Marzuki on Ensiklopedi Tokoh Indonesia

Bibliography[link]

• Sw, Hardani (September – December 2006). "Ismail Marzuki: Komponis Lagu-Lagu Perjuangan [Ismail Marzuki: The Composer of Patriotic Songs]" (in Indonesian). Harmonia (Yogyakarta: Institut Seni Yogyakarta) VII (3): 58–66. http://journal.unnes.ac.id/index.php/harmonia/article/viewFile/740/668. Retrieved 12 July 2011. 
• G., William; Yanti, Lay K. (2006) (in Indonesian). Kumpulan Lagu Wajib [A Collection of Compulsory Songs]. Jakarta: Kawan Pustaka. ISBN 979-757-120-3. OCLC 298399164. http://books.google.ca/books?id=E61pKIqf7JsC&pg=PP7&dq=lagu+wajib+%22Gugur+Bunga%22&hl=en&ei=aQUbTpWyK9DIrQfZqNjPAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Gugur%20bunga%22&f=false.