Tanjidor Musical Instruments: History, Types Of Instruments, And How To Play

Tanjidor musical instrument. (Instagram/@riskadewiikhsan)

YOGYAKARTA - Betawi society is one of the people who really preserves its culture, from martial arts to musical arts. One of the highlights to be discussed is the instrument of tanjidor music. The type of art that involves several people in playing it.

Tanjidor musical instruments are typical Betawi musical instruments that are played in groups. This musical instrument is played by blown and added.

Tanjidor is a combination of two words, namely the words Tanji and banger. Tanji means beating / hitting while the door is an onomatope or the sound of a door, bang, bang. The two words are combined into a reservoir. These musical instruments are often used in weddings, circumcisions, and parades.

Quoted from the website of the Ministry of Education and Culture, below is an explanation of the history and instruments of tanjidor music.

According to Ernst Heinz, a musician from the Netherlands who conducted research on people's music on the outskirts of Jakarta in 1974, the tanjidors came from slaves who were tasked with playing music as an offering to their ancestors. Tanjidor was also explained to be a slave orchestra during the match.

Dutch top officials in the past established villas in Cililitan Besar, Pondok Gede, Tanjung Timur, Ciseeng, and Cimanggis. In the villas, there are several slaves and the slaves have skills in playing musical instruments.

The slaves played musical instruments and entertained their followers during parties and banquets. Furthermore, in 1860, slavery began to be abolished. Independent slaves also took the initiative to form a music association and become famous. The music association was named Tanjidor.

Tanjidor became popular in the suburbs of Jakarta, Depok, Cibinong, Citeureup, Cileungsi, Jonggol, Parung, Bogor, Bekasi and Tangerang. In these areas, generally the Tanjidor orchestra will perform songs entitled Battalion, Kramton, Bananas, Delsi, Was Tak-tak, Welmes, Cakranegara. The titles of the song have elements of Dutch diction, even with Betawi words.

Tanjidor's songs then developed with the singing of typical Betawi songs such as Jali-Jali, Sirih Kuning, Kicir-Kicir, Surilang, Cente Manis, Stambul, Persi and Sundanese songs, such as Kang Haji, Sulanjana, Pilus Leaves, and so on. Since starting using Betawi songs, Tanjidor has continued to grow and continues to be popularized to date.

In Tanjidor's music, there are several musical instruments that can be played. These musical instruments include musical instruments that are blown and added.

These inflatable musical instruments include clarinets, pistons, trombols, and trumpets. The musical instruments that are added are drums (membranowon), simbals (percussion), and side drums (tambur).

This orchestra is generally played by 7 to 10 people. A complete Tanjidor orchestra plays a musical instrument in the form of a trompet, MEllphone, Tuba Eufonium, Vibraphone, Sousaphone, Xylophone, Marimba, Quarto, Snare Drum, Drum Bass, Simbal, Cabasa, and Maracas.

However, it is currently quite difficult to find a music group that plays Tanjidor. Usually this orchestra can be found at Betawi community weddings, Cap Gomeh celebrations among Betawi Chinese descendants, and other Betawi traditional events, for example DKI Jakarta birthdays, and others. The Tanjidor orchestra can also be watched at special events for the DKI Jakarta government.

That's a review of tanjidor musical instruments and how to play them. Visit VOI.id to get other interesting information.