28:
193:), Tobing was asked to find some singers to provide a soundtrack. He brought Soryana, Tiur, and Ellen Hutabarat, the daughters of a distant relative. Using the name Sinondang Tapian Nauli, the trio also performed in hotels in the capital. Tobing began boarding at the Hutabarat house in 1951, though he was told to leave in 1954 after beginning to woo the youngest daughter, Theresia. Her parents, who had already selected a husband for her, did not approve.
135:, on 27 August 1925. He was the second of four children born to Rumulus Lumban Tobing, a musician, and his wife Frieda Hutabarat. As their father and paternal grandfather, Lamsana, were active members of their church congregation, the Tobing siblings (Douglas, Gordon, Nelson, and Adella) grew up in a household where
336:
Tobing refused to take contract work with hotels or bars, and when he wrote songs he often refused to record or market them. This limited him financially, and he and his family lived with his in-laws in a 3-by-15-metre (9.8 ft × 49.2 ft) house in Kebon Sirih, Jakarta. Tobing would
332:
of his songs was unremarkable and his guitar-playing skills were not spectacular. The magazine attributes his success to his stage presence and ability to bring joy to any occasion. It describes him as surprising audiences by refusing to use a microphone and by walking off the stage and into the
244:
The couple lived in Medan for several years, and Tobing was involved in the
Chinese-led group Sio Ie She. He also established his own band, Suara Harapan, which played on the Medan branch of RRI. However, Tobing grew disappointed with the city, and in 1959 he and Theresia left Medan to return to
220:, where it became popular. During bus trips with the cultural envoys, he would often begin playing his guitar and call on his fellows to sing. The dancer Irawati Durban Ardjo recalled that this helped both the envoys and local organizing committees develop a sense of intimacy and familiarity.
223:
After his trip to
Bucharest, Tobing returned to Jakarta. Working with fellow RRI employee Sudharnoto, he often performed at events and on the radio. These included several songs he had written himself, including "Di Rondang Ni Bulani" and "Bulan Tula". Despite her parents disapproval, Tobing
333:
watching crowds, carrying his guitar and singing seemingly without any difficulty. He generally performed Batak-language songs, including "Sing Sing So" and "Butet". Jennifer
Lindsay, writing in 2012, describes Tobing as immortalizing the former.
279:
of Japan, for whom Tobing performed a
Japanese folk song. Tobing and Hutabarat continued to represent Indonesia as cultural envoys, ultimately travelling to five continents. Tobing also performed for a number of government agencies, including the
169:, he returned to Tarutung and worked at a shop. With his uncle, Remus, and brother Douglas, Gordon established the band Rimba Boys, which played Hawaiian-style music. Gordon played the bass and ukulele, while Douglas performed the vocals.
200:(RRI), where he remained for four years. Sinondang Tapian Nauli would frequently perform on the radio station during the programmes Panggung Gembira and Sekuntum Melati. In 1953 Tobing travelled with an Indonesian cultural envoy to the
245:
Jakarta, where they joined a group of non-government
Indonesian artists and performers on a tour of Eastern Europe. Over subsequent years he took part in several further cultural envoy programs, including one to the
224:
continued to see
Theresia. The couple chose to elope and, on 15 August 1955, Gordon took Theresia from her home with the help of Douglas and a friend named Wim. As Douglas left a false trail leading to
337:
often take the bus rather than take a car, and, when asked to perform at the Krems ad Donau music festival in
Austria in September 1981, he had to seek a sponsor as he was unable to afford the ticket.
162:, his father came for him and brought Gordon to Plaju, Palembang, to work at the oil company. During this period he also became a member of the Orkes Bunga Rampai musical group, under Iskandar.
289:
139:
was often sung and became interested in music from a young age. All four of the siblings became singers, and Gordon took up the guitar. When
Rumulus took a job in
265:
726:
159:
201:
116:
648:
615:
626:
119:. Over the remainder of his life Tobing was included in numerous similar envoys, ultimately travelling to five continents.
294:
236:. The couple arrived safely and, on 5 September, they were formally married. The couple had one son, Enrico Caruso.
741:
721:
711:
177:
In 1950, following Dutch recognition of
Indonesia's independence, Gordon Tobing left for the national capital in
606:
Ardjo, Irawati Durban (2012). "New
Sundanese dance for New Stages". In Jennifer Lindsay; Maya H.T. Liem (eds.).
166:
716:
246:
147:
324:
165:
Gordon Tobing remained with the oil company until the end of the occupation in 1945. During the ensuing
736:
314:) on 13 January 1993. A memorial gathering was held at the Sahid Hotel in Jakarta the following month.
281:
639:
Lindsay, Jennifer (2012). "Performing Indonesia Abroad". In Jennifer Lindsay; Maya H.T. Liem (eds.).
731:
197:
112:
154:
in 1940. His father was working for an oil company there. After graduating, Gordon Tobing went to
706:
701:
182:
27:
8:
213:
250:
679:
644:
611:
311:
285:
270:
45:
258:
249:. In recognition of his musical abilities, Tobing received a guitar from President
264:
In 1960, Tobing and his wife established the Impola vocal group; they worked with
412:
410:
408:
406:
404:
402:
400:
398:
354:
352:
300:
275:
for a while, and often performed for state guests. These included Crown Prince
92:
695:
683:
565:
233:
143:
in 1936, the siblings went with him; Gordon lived in the city for two years.
132:
104:
395:
349:
525:
523:
254:
136:
480:
478:
476:
474:
458:
456:
454:
438:
436:
434:
432:
430:
428:
580:
329:
185:(PFN), the national film company. When the studio was producing its film
550:
520:
382:
380:
378:
376:
374:
372:
370:
471:
451:
425:
367:
205:
151:
140:
88:
67:
111:
in 1950 and began working in the entertainment industry. While with
155:
146:
Gordon had only an elementary school education, graduating from a
304:
276:
212:. At the event he sang "Sinanggar Tulo" and "Embun", as well as "
209:
178:
108:
63:
87:(27 August 1925 – 13 January 1993) was an Indonesian singer of
299:(National Trade Bank of Indonesia). He was also called to the
229:
225:
158:
to live with his mother and siblings. In 1942, following the
128:
100:
96:
41:
217:
658:"Pengawal Musik Rakyat" [Pioneer of Folk Music].
115:, he participated in an Indonesian cultural envoy to the
498:
496:
538:
676:
Who and What: A Number of Indonesian People 1981–1982
493:
228:
to misdirect Theresia's parents, Gordon took her to
641:
Heirs to World Culture: Being Indonesian, 1950–1965
608:
Heirs to World Culture: Being Indonesian, 1950–1965
508:
625:
672:Apa dan Siapa: Sejumlah Orang Indonesia 1981–1982
693:
340:Tobing only recorded two albums in Indonesia.
322:Tobing was self-taught. As such, according to
148:Dutch-language school for indigenous students
160:Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies
662:(in Indonesian). May 1993. pp. 96–101.
630:[With a Medal, Cradling a Guitar].
666:
571:
416:
358:
310:Tobing died in Jakarta at 1:30 a.m. (
678:] (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Grafiti.
239:
202:4th World Festival of Youth and Students
172:
117:4th World Festival of Youth and Students
638:
544:
502:
694:
657:
624:
586:
556:
529:
484:
462:
442:
386:
257:. He was also given a medal by Prince
605:
514:
216:". He recorded this last song in the
727:20th-century Indonesian male singers
13:
634:(in Indonesian). 15 November 1981.
627:"Dengan Medali, Menggendong Gitar"
14:
753:
253:of Egypt and another guitar from
317:
196:In 1951 Tobing left PFN to join
26:
598:
290:Bank Dagang Nasional Indonesia
167:Indonesian National Revolution
1:
343:
122:
91:, particularly those in the
7:
10:
758:
282:Indonesian National Police
247:1964 New York World's Fair
303:to perform for President
74:
52:
34:
25:
18:
198:Radio Republik Indonesia
113:Radio Republik Indonesia
742:People of Batak descent
722:20th-century guitarists
643:. Leiden: KITLV Press.
610:. Leiden: KITLV Press.
712:Indonesian Protestants
240:Later career and death
181:and began working for
173:Rising musical career
717:Indonesian Lutherans
183:Produksi Film Negara
85:Gordon Lumban Tobing
214:Rayuan Pulau Kelapa
127:Tobing was born in
670:team, ed. (1981).
251:Gamal Abdel Nasser
107:, Tobing moved to
737:People from Medan
650:978-90-6718-379-6
617:978-90-6718-379-6
286:Bank of Indonesia
191:The People Choose
82:
81:
46:Dutch East Indies
749:
687:
663:
654:
635:
629:
621:
593:
584:
578:
569:
563:
554:
548:
542:
536:
527:
518:
512:
506:
500:
491:
482:
469:
460:
449:
440:
423:
414:
393:
384:
365:
356:
298:
274:
259:Norodom Sihanouk
59:
30:
16:
15:
757:
756:
752:
751:
750:
748:
747:
746:
732:Male guitarists
692:
691:
690:
651:
618:
601:
596:
585:
581:
570:
566:
555:
551:
543:
539:
528:
521:
513:
509:
501:
494:
483:
472:
461:
452:
441:
426:
415:
396:
385:
368:
357:
350:
346:
320:
292:
268:
242:
175:
125:
70:
61:
57:
56:13 January 1993
48:
39:
21:
12:
11:
5:
755:
745:
744:
739:
734:
729:
724:
719:
714:
709:
704:
689:
688:
664:
655:
649:
636:
622:
616:
602:
600:
597:
595:
594:
592:, p. 101.
579:
577:, p. 828.
564:
549:
547:, p. 214.
537:
535:, p. 100.
519:
517:, p. 407.
507:
505:, p. 212.
492:
470:
450:
424:
422:, p. 827.
394:
366:
364:, p. 826.
347:
345:
342:
319:
316:
301:Merdeka Palace
266:Koes Hendratmo
241:
238:
187:Rakjat Memilih
174:
171:
124:
121:
93:Batak language
80:
79:
76:
72:
71:
62:
60:(aged 67)
54:
50:
49:
40:
38:27 August 1925
36:
32:
31:
23:
22:
19:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
754:
743:
740:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
725:
723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
699:
697:
685:
681:
677:
673:
669:
665:
661:
656:
652:
646:
642:
637:
633:
628:
623:
619:
613:
609:
604:
603:
591:
589:
583:
576:
574:
568:
562:, p. 96.
561:
559:
553:
546:
541:
534:
532:
526:
524:
516:
511:
504:
499:
497:
490:, p. 99.
489:
487:
481:
479:
477:
475:
468:, p. 98.
467:
465:
459:
457:
455:
448:, p. 97.
447:
445:
439:
437:
435:
433:
431:
429:
421:
419:
413:
411:
409:
407:
405:
403:
401:
399:
391:
389:
383:
381:
379:
377:
375:
373:
371:
363:
361:
355:
353:
348:
341:
338:
334:
331:
327:
326:
318:Musical style
315:
313:
308:
306:
302:
296:
291:
287:
283:
278:
272:
267:
262:
261:of Cambodia.
260:
256:
252:
248:
237:
235:
231:
227:
221:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
194:
192:
188:
184:
180:
170:
168:
163:
161:
157:
153:
149:
144:
142:
138:
134:
133:North Sumatra
130:
120:
118:
114:
110:
106:
105:North Sumatra
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
77:
73:
69:
65:
55:
51:
47:
43:
37:
33:
29:
24:
20:Gordon Tobing
17:
675:
671:
667:
659:
640:
631:
607:
587:
582:
572:
567:
557:
552:
545:Lindsay 2012
540:
530:
510:
503:Lindsay 2012
485:
463:
443:
417:
387:
359:
339:
335:
323:
321:
309:
263:
255:Fidel Castro
243:
222:
195:
190:
186:
176:
164:
145:
137:church music
126:
95:. Born to a
84:
83:
58:(1993-01-13)
707:1993 deaths
702:1925 births
599:Works cited
330:arrangement
293: [
269: [
75:Nationality
696:Categories
515:Ardjo 2012
344:References
288:, and the
204:, held in
123:Early life
99:family in
89:folk songs
78:Indonesian
684:220021666
575:team 1981
420:team 1981
362:team 1981
206:Bucharest
152:Palembang
141:Singapore
68:Indonesia
156:Tarutung
305:Suharto
277:Akihito
210:Romania
179:Jakarta
109:Jakarta
64:Jakarta
682:
647:
614:
328:, the
674:[
668:Tempo
660:Matra
632:Tempo
588:Matra
573:Tempo
558:Matra
531:Matra
486:Matra
464:Matra
444:Matra
418:Tempo
388:Tempo
360:Tempo
325:Tempo
312:UTC+7
297:]
273:]
234:Merak
230:Medan
226:Bogor
129:Medan
101:Medan
97:Batak
42:Medan
680:OCLC
645:ISBN
612:ISBN
590:1993
560:1993
533:1993
488:1993
466:1993
446:1993
390:1981
232:via
218:USSR
53:Died
35:Born
150:in
698::
522:^
495:^
473:^
453:^
427:^
397:^
369:^
351:^
307:.
295:id
284:,
271:id
208:,
131:,
103:,
66:,
44:,
686:.
653:.
620:.
392:.
189:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
,_by_Tati_Studios.jpg)