Songs with Interesting Features
Songs with Variable Form
Most of the songs within the saluang repertoire are strophic in form. That simply means every verse--in this case every pantun--is set to the same melodic and rhythmic content. There are a few songs, however, that are markedly not. They have sections, labeled locally as "induak" (mother) and "anak" (child). In some cases, like "Pariaman Panjang," there might even be two different anak. When these songs are delivered in performance there is no standardized form, including how many lines of verse in a pantun. There are assumptions about typical structures, but those assumptions do not always manifest in reality. I like to think of it as "mix and match" with building blocks. Part of the diversity happens because singers trade off verses after one pantun, rather than induak and anak. Sometimes the tukang saluang structures the possibilities.Some songs with sectional structure include:
- "Pariaman Panjang"
- "Pariaman Tangguang"
- "Pariaman Lamo"
- "Banda Sapuluah"
- "Palaiaran"
- "Kambang Aia Aji"
- "Pariaman Panjang"
- "Kambang Aia Aji"
- "Ratok Bonjo"
As I put these lists together, it strikes me that all of these songs with variable structure, whether using sections or in pantun length, are from the rantau, inspired by musical practices there and/or imported into the saluang darek repertoire from the genre of origin. Almost all are from the pasisia (coastal) regions, whether that be Padang Pariaman or Pasisia Salatan.