| This dissertation is a historical and stylistic analysis of music arranging in pop Sunda. Pop Sunda is modern commercial popular music in the Sundanese language accompanied by primarily Western instruments. The music blends traditional Sundanese and Western musical elements. I use pop Sunda as a case study to show that the role of the arranger is paramount in the production of pop Sunda, and that the arranger performs functions that are quite different from arrangers in other kinds of music. In pop Sunda, the arranger is also a composer who chooses the instruments and electronic sound timbres; composes melodic and rhythmic parts; determines the tempo; and sets the harmonic foundation of a piece. The arranger is a producer who coordinates the recording session and helps the composer, singers, and musicians understand the tastes of the audience. The arranger may also be a musician and studio engineer in the process of production. However, arrangers rarely receive credit as significant actors in the creation of pop Sunda.;In order to demonstrate the central role of the arranger, I investigate the role of five prominent arrangers of pop Sunda: Mohammad Jassin, Tan Deseng, Yan Ahimsa, Doel Sumbang, and Ari Prigara. I use musical analysis to show points of interest and significant sonic devices to distinguish styles of arranging, from the 1960s to 2012. By tracing the history of pop Sunda through the lens of arranging, my dissertation aims to provide a new way of understanding the production of modern Sundanese music. |
