Inspiration to the Composition of GhaMuhyi Music: A New Musical Work based on Traditional Malay Ghazal of Johor

The inspiration behind the composition of GhaMuhyi is connected to Malay Ghazal Johor (MGJ) music, which is also linked to some of the problems that will be discussed in length in this research paper. The first problem is the vacuum left by the composition of MGJ music, conceptualised as a tree covered by shrubs. Second, the divinity theme often considered as an approriate theme only in popular Islamic arts such as nasyid, qasidah, solawat and others. Third, the strength or ability of music to deliver messages in the numeric form rarely uses the AlQur'an as a musical source in its technical composition. Fourth, the dichotomy between absolute music and programme music is always a problem in the creativity of composition where the dichotomy does not differentiate musical qualities. Fifth, MGJ known as entertainment music formerly, was unsuccessful in getting a place in popular music despite efforts by some artists in the Malaysian music industry. Thus, the main purpose of this composition via this paper is first to revive the "branches" of GMJ to bear new "fruits" of musical ideas and to cut down the "bushes or shrubs" of langgam songs so that it does not close again. Its second purpose is to express Al-Muhyi as a potential religious theme that is to be absorbed into Malay traditional arts such as GMJ without the need to change its character to be more Arabic in style. The third aim is to convey numeric musical messages by relating the tones with hijaiyah characters found in the Al-Qur'an. Fourth is to have new composition of GMJ music, which has equal absolute and programme music values. Last but not least, is to showcase GMJ's uniqueness from the perspective of popular aesthetic approaches without compromising its traditional elements. The methods used in this composition process are disordered (zig zag) and not implemented consecutively; it is divided into the methods of music creation and music performance creation.