Enjoying Royalty Indonesia Raya: When WR Soepratman Gets Intellectual Property Rights In The Dutch East Indies Era

JAKARTA - Wage Rudolf (WR) Soepratman is a genius musician. His composition of the Indonesia Raya song was able to shake the stage of the Youth Congress. Indonesia Raya was transformed into an important lubricant in the struggle for independence.

The narrative was realized because Soepratman continued to popularize his work. The goal is that the natives in remote parts of the country can hear. Soepratman acted to print pamphlets. He also allowed Indonesia Raya to be made a version of a black plate. Something that invites royalties.

Traces of the Second Youth Congress have a big influence on the history of the journey of the Indonesian nation. The events that occurred on October 28, 1928, did not only give birth to the pledge of the Youth Pledge - covered in blood, nation, and language one: Indonesia.

The Youth Congress is also the debut of Soepratman's Indonesia Raya song to be played in public. The song of struggle amazed young people. Indonesia Raya then received the honor of being the burning song of the spirit of independence.

The song Indonesia Raya began to be played from the mouth to the podium to the podium throughout the Dutch East Indies (now: Indonesia). The song opened many meetings of freedom fighters initiating Indonesia's independence.

Problems arise. Not all natives know about the appearance of the song Indonesia Raya. The game of the tone until the notation is not widely understood. Especially about the lyrics. Soepratman immediately moved so that the spirit song from Indonesia Raya could spread throughout the country.

He began to initiated the making of pamphlets containing notations and complete text of the song Indonesia Raya. The Pamflet was given the title: INDONESIA RAJA (old certificate). He immediately negotiated his idea with the leader of the place where he worked as a journalist, Sin Po. The Pamflet was then issued by the printing company, Sin Po.

The result was that thousands of pamphlets were printed and sold. The price is only 20 cents. The presence of pamphlets was greeted with great fanfare. Thousands of pamphlets were invaded by the bumiputras. Soepratman was able to get a profit or royalties of up to 350 guilders.

A large amount in his time. His savings became a burden. This profit made Soepratman able to issue his novel Pewan Desa (1928) which was later banned from being issued by the colonial government of the Dutch East Indies. He also used his royalty money to buy a house.

"The savings collected every month from 1929 to the end of 1931, turned out to reach several hundred guilders. Not quite a few of them were taken to buy a writing machine for tens of guilders. Seeing the savings he had determined to fulfill his desire to be able to buy a private house."

"It doesn't matter for him if he is only able to buy a simple house with board walls or gedek, the important thing is that the house is privately owned. Because as the saying of the English home sweet home, no matter how small and simple a private house will be, it will be worth a palace if the owner who inhabits it lives in a harmonious atmosphere. happy," said Bambang Sularto in the book Wage Rudolf Soepratman (2012).

Soepratman doesn't just think about spreading the song Indonesia Raya through pamphlets. He also has other studies. Offers from the record company from Batavia, Tio Tek Hong, to compose the song Indonesia Raya, a black plate (plat or vinyl) version, were tried by Soepratman.

The permit will be granted immediately. The narrative made Indonesia Raya for the first time recorded and circulated in a 78 RPM-formed black plate in 1929. The song Indonesia Raya then featured the voice of a man speaking a tenor with the accompaniment of the orchestra there is no information about who sang it.

The black plate was then circulated with a label: Made by Tio Tek Hong. His fate is not much different from the pamphlet. Soepratman's black plate sells like fried beans. Even if those who buy it are limited to the upper class -- an expensive gramofon music player becomes the estuary.

The success of the sale made Soepratman's savings fatter. He received a reward for his copyright to the song Indonesia Raya. Another advantage is Soepratman's mission to introduce the song Indonesia Raya to remote areas of the country to become a reality. While carrying an independence message.

Problems arose. The Dutch began to feel that the song Indonesia Raya was like a threat. The song Indonesia Raya is considered to be able to make the natives aware of independence. Several discs that have not been sold have been confiscated by the security forces.

The Netherlands prohibits the circulation of the anthem Indonesia Raya. The song may be published on the condition that the origin of the word independence is replaced with glory.

Indonesia Raya Soepratman juga menderita. Seperti (lagu) Ivan Susanin karya Glinka hanya boleh dibarkan jika namanya digantikan jadi Pujaan kepada Tsar. Indonesia Raya ketika itu hanya boleh dibarkan jika perkatan kemerdekaan diganti dengan mulia. Sebagai-olehan bukan kemerdekaan, ujar Njoto sebagaimana ditulis Fadrik Aziz Firdausi dalam bukuNjoto: Biography Pimbangan 1951-1965(2017).