In our music business there are many unsung heroes. The most unsung in the process of music production is the arranger. Mostly because the general public has no clue as to the process of making music. Composers and Lyricist are the most recognized not to mention the Artiste who eventually sings the song.
The Composer draws the picture, the lyricist frames it but the arranger adds the colour and shading, bringing it to life. Yes it is a truly teamwork that makes the song. Firstly the melody is important and of course the lyricist tell a story in five minutes or less but arrangement is the hidden value that you cannot see but feel. It’s the factor that make the music give you the wonderous feeling or tears your heart out.
I am no musicians (unfortunately) but I have been around music long enough to understand it is a science that there is a psychology behind music making. Walt Disney has understood that in their movie making and they also have that same magic in their songs. Be it Colours of the Wind (Pocahontas), Go The Distance (Hercules), Beauty and the Beast (Beauty and Beast) or A Whole New World (Aladdin) the musical arrangement takes you on an emotional ride in just five minutes. You feel the struggle, the doubt, then the belief and finally the sense of euphoria.
This is the work of the arranger. Setting the pace of the song starting low in the verse, building up to a chorus, then taking you all the way with a bridge and climax and then finally pulling back your emotions leaving you feeling complete.
It is not only foreign song but local songs too. I have felt that emotion in songs arranged by Aubrey Suwito, Jenny Chin, Mac Chew and Ramli M.S. That hidden feeling that really shows how deep these people feel. They have truly given a part of themselves in the song. To have felt the song and understood how to impart that emotion musically, this is quite an amazing feat. How each and every instrument and sound plays a part in reaching out to us and draws us in emotionally.
The latest song to reach out and grab me is the song “Sejak Hadirmu”. The song is magical by nature maybe because I am such a spiritual person. On first impression the song (by Juwita Suwito) and the lyrics (by Habsah Hassan), both these people are special and have amazing God-given talents, seems to be a straight-out love song but I understood that this was a song giving praise to God and then the arrangement (by Aubrey Suwito) was what really captured my heart. It has that amazing emotional ride that can move you. It certainly moved me when I first heard it.
Music really reaches out and touches us whether we realize it or not, whether we want it to or not.
If you don’t believe me play a "Whole New World" and feel the euphoria… A New Fantastic Point of View…
Peace, Love and Respect,
Jenn
"Whole New World" (Composer : Alan Menken / Lyricist : Tim Rice)
