Abstract
This article examines musical aspects of Princess Wen Cheng, a musical composed by Imee Ooi, a Malaysian composer. A majority of the past and present literature in Buddhist chant and music focus on chanting, devotional song and some on commercial popular music. This research looks into this piece of musical theatre that is based on the historical story of Wen Cheng Kongjo and analyses its musical content in relating to Buddhism. Selected analysis of the composition and its relations to Buddhism is highlighted, and the way in which elements from Buddhism, chanting and instrumentation are employed by Ooi in her music and the aspects of performance practice are discussed. This includes stylistic feature, melodic contour, harmonic progression and imitation of timbre in relation to Buddhist chanting and the instruments used in Buddhist ritual. Research methods include ethnography, interview, and analysis, revealing how this musical forms a new genre of Buddhist music to stand alongside others such as chant, devotional song and commercial popular music.