Examining The History Of Jazz Musicians For The Song Indonesia Raya, WR Soepratman

WR Soepratman, songwriter of Indonesia Raya (Doc. Ist)

JAKARTA - This year, 2024, the song Indonesia Raya has turned 100 years old since it was first written by Wage Rudolf Supratman, or WR Soepratman. The work was born in 1924 before finally being inaugurated as the national anthem on October 28, 1928 on Youth Pledge Day.

WR Soepratman wrote the song Indonesia Raya three stanza with lyrics that inspired the spirit of patriotism and nationalism. This work is proof of how music can be a medium of change, which is also inevitable to be hit by the times.

Who would have thought that the songwriter who became Indonesia's identity was a jazz musician. From a teenager, he was familiar with the violin and trained himself with musical theories, including reading notes.

His closeness to his brother-in-law, van Eldik, also played a role in submerging him into the world of music. Soepratman was then involved in a jazz music group called Black White Jazz Band as a violin, as written in Bambang Sularto's 2012 book Wage Rudolf Supratman, reported by Nationalgeographic Indonesia.

Several historical sources have recorded WR Soepratman born in Purworejo, 19 March 1903. The statement is said to have come from the narrative of Oerip Supardjo to the biography author WR Soepratman, Matumona.

A different statement came from Soerachman who is WR Soepratman's nephew a few years ago. He believes the composer was born at Messter Cornelis, or who is now known as Jatinegara, Jakarta on March 9, 1903, where both dates show Wage day according to the Javanese calendar.

A similar claim also came from the latest narrative by the family of WR Soepratman at a press conference in Jakarta, August 14, 2024 yesterday. Indra Hutabarat and his family descendants confirmed that the national hero was born on March 9, 1903, in Jatinegara, Jakarta based on Roekiyem Soepratijah's narrative, the older brother of WR Soepratman.

WR Soepratman will always be remembered as one of the most influential musicians in Indonesia, with works that last forever. Apart from Indonesia Raya, several of the songs he wrote included Mother Kita Kartini, East of the Sun, Indonesia Tjantik to the Free Heroes.