A. T. Mahmud
Encyclopedia
Abdullah Totong Mahmud was a renowned Indonesia
n composer of children's song
s. Born in Palembang
, South Sumatra
, he taught as a teacher in Riau and Jakarta
prior to beginning work as a composer. During his career, he wrote some 500 songs and served as a presenter on two television shows for nearly twenty years; his productiveness earned him numerous awards, including the 2003 AMI Lifetime Achievement Award. He died of lung disease in Jakarta.
Mahmud started his working life as a teacher in Tanjung Pinang
, Riau. He later received a government scholarship to study English in Sydney, Australia. After finishing his studies in Australia, he moved to Jakarta and became a teacher at the School for Kindergarten Teachers. It was while teaching at the School for Kindergarten Teachers that Mahmud began to write songs, upon the request of his students. One of his first songs, "Cicak di Dinding" ("Lizard on the Wall"), was taught to kindergarten students throughout Jakarta by teachers that he had trained.
During his songwriting career, Mahmud wrote some 500 educational children's songs with simple lyrics and rhythms. Some of Mahmud's best known works include "Pelangi" ("Rainbow"), "Ambilkan Bulan" ("Take the Moon"), "Anak Gembala" ("Shepherd Boy"), "Bintang Kejora" ("The Morning Star"), "Mendaki Gunung", "Ade Irma Suryani", and "Amelia". Mahmud also hosted two children song's shows on TVRI
, the Indonesian state-run television, "Lagu Pilihanku" (Songs of My Choice) from 1968 to 1988, and "Ayo Menyanyi" (Let’s Sing) from 1969 to 1988. Co-hosts include children's songwriters, Ibu Sud and Daljono.
Mahmud release his autobiography, A. T. Mahmud Meniti Pelangi: Sebuah Memoar (A. T. Mahmud Walking on the Rainbow: A Memoir, in 2003. It was published by Gramedia.
In 2009, Mahmud suffered a stroke. In early July 2010, he was hospitalized with a lung infection. After being released from the hospital, he died in his sleep at his home in Tebet, South Jakarta
at around 1:00 pm (UTC+7) from the infection. He was buried in Menteng Pulo Cementery, Jakarta on 7 July 2010, with well-wishers on Twitter and other social networking websites expressing their condolences.
Mahmud believed that children should sing children's songs, and expressed disappointment at the trend for them to sing songs written for adults. He also believed that children's songs are not to entertain them, but to educate them and assist with their emotional development.
His work is credited with launching the career of child star Tasya. In 2000, his works (sung by Tasya) were compiled by Sony Wonder
and released as Libur Tlah Tiba: Karya Abadi MT Mahmud (Holiday has Arrived: The Eternal Works of MT Mahmud), which went double platinum
. The album was followed by two more: Gembira Berkumpul (Come Together in Excitement) and Ketupat Lebaran (A Rice Cake for Eid ul-Fitr).
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n composer of children's song
Children's song
Children's song may be a nursery rhyme set to music, a song that young children invent and share among themselves, or a modern creation intended for entertainment, use in the home, or education...
s. Born in Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
, South Sumatra
South Sumatra
South Sumatra is a province of Indonesia.-Geography:It is on the island of Sumatra, and borders the provinces of Lampung to the south, Bengkulu to the west, and Jambi to the north...
, he taught as a teacher in Riau and Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
prior to beginning work as a composer. During his career, he wrote some 500 songs and served as a presenter on two television shows for nearly twenty years; his productiveness earned him numerous awards, including the 2003 AMI Lifetime Achievement Award. He died of lung disease in Jakarta.
Biography
Mahmud was born in Palembang, South Sumatra on 3 February 1930. His father, Masagus Mahmud, was a government official and his mother's name was Masayu Aisyah. Mahmud had 9 siblings—four older and five younger. As a child, Mahmud was interested in singing and dancing. He began formally studying music at the age of 11, after meeting then-14-year-old musician Ishak Mahmuddin. He later studied at the Jakarta Teacher's Training Institude.Mahmud started his working life as a teacher in Tanjung Pinang
Tanjung Pinang
Tanjung Pinang or Tanjungpinang is the capital and second largest city of the Indonesian province of Riau Islands after Batam. A city with about 200,000 residents) it is a trading port between islands in the Riau archipelago...
, Riau. He later received a government scholarship to study English in Sydney, Australia. After finishing his studies in Australia, he moved to Jakarta and became a teacher at the School for Kindergarten Teachers. It was while teaching at the School for Kindergarten Teachers that Mahmud began to write songs, upon the request of his students. One of his first songs, "Cicak di Dinding" ("Lizard on the Wall"), was taught to kindergarten students throughout Jakarta by teachers that he had trained.
During his songwriting career, Mahmud wrote some 500 educational children's songs with simple lyrics and rhythms. Some of Mahmud's best known works include "Pelangi" ("Rainbow"), "Ambilkan Bulan" ("Take the Moon"), "Anak Gembala" ("Shepherd Boy"), "Bintang Kejora" ("The Morning Star"), "Mendaki Gunung", "Ade Irma Suryani", and "Amelia". Mahmud also hosted two children song's shows on TVRI
TVRI
Televisi Republik Indonesia Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI) Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI) (formerly known as Televisi Indonesia (Indonesian Television in English) and Radio Indonesia (Indonesian Radio in English) is a state-owned television station, the oldest television station in...
, the Indonesian state-run television, "Lagu Pilihanku" (Songs of My Choice) from 1968 to 1988, and "Ayo Menyanyi" (Let’s Sing) from 1969 to 1988. Co-hosts include children's songwriters, Ibu Sud and Daljono.
Mahmud release his autobiography, A. T. Mahmud Meniti Pelangi: Sebuah Memoar (A. T. Mahmud Walking on the Rainbow: A Memoir, in 2003. It was published by Gramedia.
In 2009, Mahmud suffered a stroke. In early July 2010, he was hospitalized with a lung infection. After being released from the hospital, he died in his sleep at his home in Tebet, South Jakarta
South Jakarta
South Jakarta is a city within Jakarta Special District, Indonesia. It had a population of 2,057,080 at the 2010 Census, and is the third most populous among the five cities of Jakarta, after East Jakarta and West Jakarta...
at around 1:00 pm (UTC+7) from the infection. He was buried in Menteng Pulo Cementery, Jakarta on 7 July 2010, with well-wishers on Twitter and other social networking websites expressing their condolences.
Personal life
Mahmud married Mulyani. Together they had a son and two daughters. At the time of his death, Mahmud had 7 grandchildren.Mahmud believed that children should sing children's songs, and expressed disappointment at the trend for them to sing songs written for adults. He also believed that children's songs are not to entertain them, but to educate them and assist with their emotional development.
Legacy
Mahmud has been described as a "legendary children's song writer" and "a true champion of children’s education". In 1999 he received the Artists Award from the Minister of Education and Culture. He was the recipient of the 2003 AMI Lifetime Achievement Award. That same year, the Indonesian government awarded him the Bintang Budaya Parama Dharma medal.His work is credited with launching the career of child star Tasya. In 2000, his works (sung by Tasya) were compiled by Sony Wonder
Sony Wonder
Sony Wonder is a children and family's music and home video arm of Sony Music Entertainment, founded in 1991. The division once distributed material from Sesame Workshop and Classic Media...
and released as Libur Tlah Tiba: Karya Abadi MT Mahmud (Holiday has Arrived: The Eternal Works of MT Mahmud), which went double platinum
Double Platinum
Double Platinum is a 1999 musical telefilm starring Diana Ross and Brandy.-Plot:The story begins with a scene featuring star singer Olivia King leaving her daughter Kayla, who was an infant at the time. It is revealed that Kayla was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but in her later years, she would move...
. The album was followed by two more: Gembira Berkumpul (Come Together in Excitement) and Ketupat Lebaran (A Rice Cake for Eid ul-Fitr).