Ghazal Performance

Photos of actual even held on 23rd July 2011 at Bukit Timbalan:

A genre popular in Johor but found also throughout the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia is the ghazal or love poem, which came to Johor from Riau-Lingga before the 1870s. Ghazal is sung in Malay but its songs reflect much Hindustani and Persian influence. It was originally sung in the Hindi language, accompanied by the sharinggi, a traditional chordaphone, the Indian sitar, tabla and harmonium, and is still publicly performed in its original form within the Malaysian Indian community. The violin and gambus (Malay lute, originally Middle Eastern ‘ud) have since replaced the sharinggi and the sitar.

Today, modern ghazal groups also use such instruments as the mandolin, guitar, flute, Japanese drum, accordian, clarinet and ukelele. Ghazal music is non-notational and based on the Indian tal, which basically means that it is built from blocks of rhythmic patterns.

The original form of the Urdu ghazal is still performed in Malaysia, among the Indian community. In this case, the original Indian instruments are all used, but to these are added the Western bass guitar, rhythm and lead guitars, electronic keyboard, and percussion instruments such as the shaker and the tambourine. Dr. Gita Jayaram and Samuel J. Dass are active in promoting through concert performances, this syncretic folk music form in Malaysia.