Song in the Sumatran Highlands

Genre: Dendang Solok

Dendang Solok is a regional flute and vocal tradition from the Solok region. The flute used is called the bansi, an end-blown block flute that is just 7.5 inches/ 19cm long. There are 7 finger holes on the front and a thumbhole on the back.

The bansi was used to accompany dendang from the Solok region, like Ratok Solok or Cupak Maambiek Lado.  Philip Yampolsky included two songs played on the bansi on Night Music from West Sumatra (1994).












































The tradition of using this flute to accompany this repertoire has mostly passed out of practice in deference to the saluang darek. Instead, tunes originating in the solok region, the dendang solok, have been incorporated into the more mainstream practice of saluang darek, with aesthetic changes in the process, most noticeable in tuning, range, and timbral differences between the flutes.  

Here is "Cupak Maambiak Lado" on the bansi

You can hear an example of that tune transformed to saluang darek: 

 







 

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