Razak Abdul Aziz’s Pepatah Episodes: Re-Imaging the Malay Proverbs through Piano Music

Proverb sits under the umbrella of figurative language and is used to sweeten speeches. In Malay, pepatah equivalent this form language. Razak Abdul Aziz, a Malaysian composer, selected set Malay proverbs adapted them into his piano work, Pepatah Episodes. The composer follows tradition programme music that uses elements championed by composers such as Alexander Scriabin, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel. This paper aims investigate pepatahs chosen be paired with written music, expounding in movements for piano. Using analysis framework Burkholder et al. (2014) Kregor (2015), finding shows chose one three (3) portrayals: (i) imageries (ii) meaning, (iii) meaning. from nine (9) piano, four (4) portray pepatah, two (2) Aziz challenges conventions having after written, demanding performer read it aloud before performing portrayal mentioned ways. provides different perspective other produce works using similar frameworks scholars analyse musical works.