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Song in the Sumatran Highlands

The Flexible Structure of Performances

Saluang is a fascinating and complex genre because the performances are extremely flexible in structure. While there are some conventions about which songs are sung at which point in the evening, nothing is planned in advance and the trajectory of an evening is quite unpredictable. Performances are dynamic, interactive, and responsive to contextual issues and audience. Each performance is completely unique, with a series of intersecting factors that play into the way any given evening unfolds. The most important factors in structuring a performance are those related to context (the why, when, and where of performances, along with who is hosting) and the style of saluang chosen by an event’s hosts or organizing committee. These factors guide the selection of specific performers, who bring their own strengths and abilities. In turn, which performers are engaged for an event--especially the padendang--have some influence over who might attend a performance beyond the local community. And the composition of an audience--why pagurau attend and how knowledgeable they are about saluang--affect the repertoire requested and the nature of the interactions between performers and their audience. Another key element affecting a performance is whether a janang (emcee) is involved or not, which depends to some extent on the occasion: janang are typically never present at life cycle events, but are present at fundraisers or contexts where performers are working for a share of the takings. When a janang is present, there is more direct interaction between the padendang and the pagurau. The particular interplay of all these factors structures other elements of performance practice, including how songs are structured (how many pantun) and the types of pantun chosen.

This section spells out the various factors that affect the way performances unfold. It is recommended to explore this section before venturing into an exploration of individual performances, where the structure of each evening is mapped out and the variable factors considered.

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Tracking the Repertoire Performed 1 plain 2021-06-30T16:52:04+00:00
Where possible, I have kept track of all the different song titles I heard when I attended performances or recording sessions. It is one way to track the songs that are activated in performance, including which songs are performed more frequently, which songs are rarely performed, and which were part of the repertoire in 2003-2004 but were not encountered in 2015-2016.

Keep in mind that these lists and comparisons are representative and partial at best--they are representative only of my experiences, not the genre writ large. They are reflective of the performances I attended, the parts of the performance for which I was present (the beginning, the end, the entirety), where those performances happened, and who the performers and their audiences were (which affects which titles were requested and delivered). See more about all the variables in the the Flexible Structure of Performances.

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Chart: Factors Affecting Saluang Performance