Background information for the songs, kindly provided by Ramadayapati
For the language, horizontally, regards to their era, javanese language divided into three big era, old javanese (17-18th century), mid javanese (18-mid20th) and modern javanese (mid20th-present). After the midjavanese era, the bards creates several different strata, vertically regards to the social status. Most of the poems been created with the highest language strata called "Krama Inggil" , the middle language called "Krama Madya" and the daily language called “ngoko”.
We could classify Wuyung by Ismanto as a javanese modern pop song, so the composer using more krama madya and lil bit ngoko rather than krama inggil.
For the Composer, Pangkur, Mijil, and Dhandanggula are the javanese poems created by the bards in unknown era. Its classified as Tembang Cilik/Sekar Alit, but Mijil is more known as part of Tembang Gede, poems/phrase that created as the mother phrase of the javanese poems nowadays.
Basically this type of phrase has a standard regards to the number of rows and syllables on their each verse.
Example,
Mijil
Isik imong anakke si kaki (10i)
Kidang wulung calon (6o)
Putune Ki Harimong sakiye, (10e)
Gumalundung lir padas selardi, (10i)
Rupanira kadi, (6i)
Bugel kayu sempu. (6u)
In Mijil there should be always 6 rows in one verse, the first row should consist for 10 syllables ended with vocal ‘i’, second row should consist of 6 syllables and ended with vocal ‘o’, and so on. The ending syllable not has to be vocal but it could be ended with closed syllable as well as long the vocal remain the same. In every of those single poems usually has an ambience that get along within. There are 9 different verse in Sekar Alit, begin with Mijil and ended with Pucung.
The 9 numbers symbolized human holes by lusts, and defined human journey from the birth to death. Mijil, literally means ‘out’, describing a new baby born, so the ambience should be holy, innocent spirits, happiness and joy. Pucung, literally means 'wrap in shroud'. In muslim ritual, the corpse should be shrouded before getting buried, so its capturing the end of human journey.
Pangkur and Dhandanggula describing about the life journey itself after humans being settled and married. Pangkur derived from ‘mungkur’, which means betrayal . Dhandanggula derived from two words, Dhandang means bitter and Gula means sugar/sweet, so its showing bitterness and sweetness in life. The ambience of those two verse are clearly explained in our songs. Based on those rules and standard, the nowadays composers / bards are feel free to rearrange or recomposed the lyrics, as long they follow the basic stipulation.
In javanese,almost all of the their life scene been always framed with love. Pangarih means concede, in terms of conceding the love. Asmara means romance, even there's a hidden betrayal after. Kusumasih derived from two words, Kusuma and Asih. Kusuma means flower, defined by the lover. and Asih literally means caring.
Ramadayapati, Jakarta, Indonesia, November, 2012