Abstract
This article looks at kroncong, the most prominent type of popular music in Indonesia in the first half of the 20th century. Though much of its history is elusive, some elements of kroncong apparently derive from Portuguese music of the 16th and 17th centuries. Earlier studies of kroncong have tended to jump straight from the 17th century to the 1960s, passing over the period of its greatest commercial success. This article concentrates on previously unexplored sources (78-rpm recordings and the secondary evidence from newspapers and popular literature) to identify significant changes in kroncong in the period 1900-1942. The article focuses on musical and textual features (tempo, melodic variation, verse-form) and, in a coda, considers their correlation with kroncong’s social standing and its success as a commodity in the recording industry.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
