ABSTRACT: During the course of its history, “keroncong” which is an Indonesian music was popular during the 1970s and 1980s. However, in its development, “keroncong” music has changed and it gradually reflected the personality of Indonesia. But, the development of information technology in 1990s has an impact on the “keroncong” music and since it has made the “keroncong” less popular. There are some preservations towards the “keroncong” music. One of them is the effort from the young generation in performing “keroncong” music, which is by incorporating elements from other musical genres such as “Rock”, “Jazz”, and “Dangdut” (Malay orchestra music), so new terms of “Cong-Rock”, “Cong-Jezz”, and “Cong-Dut” began to appear. Finally, “keroncong” music, which is much older than the Republic of Indonesia (1945), has actually contributed to and an active role in the struggle for Indonesian independence and has also been translated into various international languages. “Keroncong” music has grown and evolved, showing the identity and personality of the Indonesian nation. That way, it is not an exaggeration if “keroncong” is proposed as a World Heritage.

KEY WORDS: “Keroncong” music, popular art, development and preservation, and Indonesian personality.

About the Author: Dr. Magdalia Alfian is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of History, Faculty of Humanities UI (University of Indonesia), UI Campus, Depok, West Java, Indonesia. She can be contacted via her e-mail address at: magdalia_alf10@yahoo.com

How to cite this article? Alfian, Magdalia. (2013). “Keroncong Music Reflects the Identity of Indonesia” in TAWARIKH: International Journal for Historical Studies, Vol.4(2) April, pp.171-186. Bandung, Indonesia: ASPENSI [Asosiasi Sarjana Pendidikan Sejarah Indonesia] and UVRI [Universitas Veteran Republik Indonesia], ISSN 2085-0980.

Chronicle of the article: Accepted (February 22, 2013); Revised (March 25, 2013); and Published (April 28, 2013).

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