Publication Date
copy: 1847
Publication Place
Berlin State Library - Prussian Cultural Heritage -
Berlin State Library - Prussian Cultural Heritage
Subject
region
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
Yes
Pages Count
116
Physical Dimensions
Bd. a: 33,5 x 10,5 cm Bd. b: 33,0 x 20,5 cm
Library
Qalamos
Library Asset ID
Schoemann II 21
Record ID
DE1Book_manuscript_00007764
Library Location
Berlin State Library - Prussian Cultural Heritage
Date
copy: 1847
Notes
kept together in a flat cardboard box provided with a lid, 37 x 22 x 5 cm — well written and clear title and the date on the backside of part a are written with large quadratic stylized
Javanese characters — black — paper — The present work contains the explanatory text for a pantomime theater performance,
which was performed in 1847 at the court of Sultan Kanoman at the court on the Cirebon
in honor of the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, Rochussen. Band a is a libretto in Javanese language and writing, which is modeled in the outer
form of a palm leaf manuscript. Band b contains a Malay translation. The first part (in a: p. 3-8; in b: p. 5-7) contains two lists of Javanese names of
postures and gestures belonging to theatrical dancing, accompanied by gamelan music;
male and female dancing are described separately. The title is in Schoem. II 21 a
(p. 5) / 21 b: punika babanggen tandak jaler, kalaning medal saking kobong, lalaku
majeng ingayun ... and (b p. 6): punika tandak histri, yen medal saking koboy, lalampa,
nunten majeng liemba papatet, nunten limbe... In the Cerbon Court idiom the word babanggen seems to be a technical term of music
referring to the combination of dancing and gamelan music. In Schoem. II 21 b а Malay
note written with Javanese characters is added, saying: ini namennya pelajarannya
horang mengibing The Malay summary seems to be incomplete. At the end some fighting of a monkey and
a griffin (gragasi) is mentioned. Schoem. I 21 b (European script) continues the story
of the fighting a little further than part a, but still there is no conclusion. The
play seems to be a romance of a prince of Tawang Langenan winning the princess of
Pakung Aji. Perhaps it is related to the Panji tales, or folktales, though the names
Panji or Raden Mantri are not mentioned. Although the text does not mention masks it is highly probable that the performers
were masked dancers. Specifications referring to walking and standing which occur
in the text are indications that the performers were dancers, and the designation
pantomime in the provisional German catalogue should probably be understood as referring
to a dumb masked show. It is known that theatrical performances of wayang plays by
masked dancers were en vogue in Cerbon in the 18th and 19th centuries. The art of
carving wooden masks for the theatre was of a high order of excellence. The performances consisted of numerous danced scenes. Between and during the scenes
the dalang, the only speaker, sitting in the first row of the gamelan orchestre, directed
the music, recited Javanese descriptions of situations, sung songs borrowed from Old
Javanese poems, and said the speeches which the masked dancers were supposed to address
to each other. The dancing and the music, instrumental and vocal, were the principal
features of the performance, the plot of the play was of minor importance (see Pigeaud,
“Javaansche Volksvertoningen”, Batavia, 1938). The Malayo-Javanese idiom used in the major part of the text is characteristic for
the North Coast districts of Java (Pasisir). The negation trada or tra and the pronouns
guwa and lu are used regularly. The European script of part b is stiff but sufficiently clear. The transliteration
of Javanese and Malay words is old-fashioned. Beside the common use of the Dutch oe
instead of u, as a rule ie was written instead of i (die instead of di). It seems
probable that part a, in Javanese script, was originally written by а Cerbon Court
scribe for the use of the European guests, to be offered to the Governor General as
a present. Therefore it is for the greater part in the Malayo-Javanese idiom which
was in common use at the time. Several leaves of part a, containing the conclusion
of the play, are lost. Perhaps the text written in Javanese script proved too difficult
for European use, and so a transliteration was ordered to be made (at a time when
part a still was complete or nearly complete). The remarkable structure of part a, resembling a palmleaf ms., suggests that it is
an imitation of the real palmleaf ms. which contained the original Javanese text of
the libretto. Cf. Pigeaud § 31.150 (Lit. of Java, I, p. 252) and VOHD XXXI, 48.
Sınıf numarası
Schoemann II 21
Koleksiyon
Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz
Editör
Grubauer
Lisans
CC0 1.0
Çoğaltma
Scan, Digitalisat dienstlich IIIE (09/18), Mikrofilm, Hs or sim 03135
Düzenleme durumu
First input complete
Katalog
VOHD 31, 48, Titik/Hanstein (Seite 529 - 531)
