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rasa [If notation is too specific] it makes you stupid. [ . . . ] You don’t have to write in all of the ornaments; there are many possible interpretations. If [it’s all written down], it boxes you in [lit., “wraps around you”], it’s not good. Old notation was much plainer; now they write everything out. (Suhartå, April 15, 1991) Now you have to use a book [of notation]—for new compositions [kréasi], you have no choice but to read. But if all you ever do is read, in the end it’s the book that’s pandai [clever], not the person. It used to be, it was the person who was pandai— without a book [we] could still function—reliably and well! Now, without a book they’re lost. [They say,] “I haven’t memorized it yet.” (Sastro Tugiyo, May 6, 1992) When you play while reading notation, it really decreases the power of [your heart’s? your råså’s?] vibrations. The reason is that your attention is divided between the notation and the details of playing. It’s different if you’ve memorized the piece—then, the expression can truly come out. (Sukanto, June 4, 1990) If you’re doing work [with your various faculties], your attention is divided, and so the rasa’s going to be different. For example, if you’re singing and reading, it’s not going to reach here [your heart]. It’s your eyes that are doing all the work. Your rasa [faculty of feeling] is not doing any work. But the bedhåyå singers [in the Kraton] don’t read— it comes from their rasa. Melody, lyrics, rasa—you can tell the difference. Compare singing with the notation in front of you to singing from memory—[when you sing from memory] it has soaked into your very bones and marrow. The rasa’s going to be a whole lot different. (Wignyosaputro, June 24, 1992) So I concentrate on what I’m playing. [ . . . ] If my thoughts wander, it goes awry, it falls apart. So when I play, I’m in a state of meditation. That’s how I’m able to attract [“pull”] those who are listening. [ . . . ] But if not, if you use notation, then it doesn’t work. ‘Cause your attention has been dragged away by the notation. (Mloyowidodo, May 2, 1992) MLB: Do you think the old-timers would have liked present-day gérong if they were alive to hear it? SUTARMAN (TARMAN): I think so. Very few of them could even read notation. [ . . . ] When I first taught sindhèn [the solo female vocal part] with notation, everyone was incredulous. [ . . . ] MLB: Can a singer be good if she studies with notation? T: Sure, she can be good. Look at Padmi, Darmi.17 MLB: Pak Mloyo18 says that it’s not good to use notation. [ . . . ] T: That’s true if you’re dependent on it. It’s just a tool. The goal is to be able to do without it. He’s right if you perform with notation: then you try to perform correctly rather than well [mencari betulnya, tidak mencari baiknya]. After four or five years, if you’ve gotten past [notation], it will sound the same. People nowadays can’t learn by imitation
17. Supadmi and Sudarmi, two singers who became stars, one in the group of the puppeteer Nartosabdho, the other at the national radio station in Solo, respectively. 18. Mloyowidodo (see the previous quotation).