GEORGE TOWN: In this quiet period of the movement restriction, a gallery here that’s dedicated to musical heritage receives no visitors but finds itself culturally enriched by donors who value vintage and history above all else.

       The exhibits, from old musical instruments, records, books, magazines, programme books and posters to other period items like a sewing machine and a typewriter, made their way to the Penang House of Music (PHoM) in Komtar here, thanks to people spending more time at home spring cleaning.

       Among the notable items are a good collection of 78rpm records from the 1950s, a Radio Malaysia recording titled Modern Music of Malaysia and several 1960s old tablas made to order from India.

       There is also an old St Xavier’s Institution exercise book said to have belonged to a British soldier named Bobby Dixion – who was stationed in Penang in the 1930s – with “S.S.” on its cover – likely meaning Straits Settlements – and guitar chords within its pages.

       There are also many 1950s and 60s school music books, including a Galahad Song Book compiled by the 1st Penang Rover Crew and a 1950 song sheet with two patriotic numbers titled Malaya, Our Country, None Fairer and The Song of the Flag of The Federation of Malaya composed by an A.P. Chin.

       Treasure trove: Augustin showing some 1960s vinyl records, including early Radio Malaysia recordings and a copy of ‘Modern Music of Malaysia’ which was donated by Datuk Anwar Fazal in George Town. — JEREMY TAN/The Star

       Also received are numerous records, CDs, home-recorded cassettes and magazines – including a copy of the final magazine of RRB (Radio RAAF Butterworth), which beamed through the air waves from 1960 to 1987.

       Founder and director Paul Augustin said they received several hundred items in total, with many coming in at the start of the current lockdown in mid-May.

       The gallery, established in 2007, was able to grow its collection despite being deprived of visitors.

       “Over the years, we’ve made ourselves known for preserving Penang and Malaysia’s rich musical, artistic and cultural heritage. So when people find something they think might interest us, they would get in touch.

       “We try to recreate the atmosphere and lifestyles of different periods in our exhibits because music is more than just melody. It’s a communication of feelings, thoughts and actions that reflect what life was like at a given time.

       “This is our history and heritage.

       “Every little item, be it a document, instrument or object, has a story to tell. It’s like opening a window and peering into the past,” Augustin said.

       The PHoM’s Resource Centre also boasts a huge collection of scanned newspaper articles and photographs of Penang and Malaysia, some of which chronicle the Penang Municipal Band from the 1920s.

       Besides the donated items, Augustin said they also managed to find and purchase very important items like an old 1903 record titled Lagoe Selamat, one of the first recordings done in this part of the world.

       They also acquired a collection of old radio song request postcards and Rediffusion commercial jingles spanning the 1950s to 1970s.

       “This intangible heritage is what makes a house a home. A lot of focus has been on preserving tangible things like buildings, but it’s the diverse human stories contained within them that make Penang and Malaysia unique,” Augustin said.

       An equally important reason for collecting, he pointed out, is to prevent this intangible heritage from getting lost or acquired by foreign collectors.

       With gallery doors still closed due to the pandemic, its focus has now shifted to content building through documentation and digitalisation of its collection.

       Those who wish to contribute to PHoM can write to info@penanghouseofmusic.com.