A MUSIC-THEORETICAL APPROACH ON THEMATIC STRUCTURE AND INSTRUMENTATION IN MALAYSIAN FILM SCORING’S NARRATIVE: BUJANG LAPOK (1957)

Abstract

This article presents a music-theoretical analysis of the film score for Bujang Lapok (1957), focusing on its thematic structure and instrumentation by examining on selected scenes. The study demonstrates how recurring melodic motives, and consistent instrumental choices enrich narrative development and emotional resonance. The analysis identifies the use of Western-style leitmotif transformation along with chromatic and minimal instrumentation to established thematic continuity and subtle variations. These findings support existing research that highlights the distinctiveness of Malaysian film scoring compares to Western traditions, emphasizing mood-setting and narrative pacing. Through close score transcription and audiovisual analysis, the research emphasizes the eclectic musical language of composer P. Ramlee, which blends Western harmonic elements with local timbral textures. This study contributes to the expanding scholarship advocating culturally responsive analytical framework in film music studies, offering insights into how early composers utilized thematic structures and instruments in the early film.

Keywords: Film, Music, Film Scoring, Music Theory, Malaysian Film