Indonesian Gamelan Music Chapter 7 Republic of Indonesia

Indonesian Gamelan Music Chapter 7

Republic of Indonesia � 17, 000 islands (close to 6, 000 inhabited) �Southeast Asia �Formerly Dutch East Indies Company (colonized by Dutch) �Independence: 1945 (full sovereignty, 1949) �Java � Jakarta (capital) � Surakarta and Yogyarkarta (Central Java – gamelan) �National unity efforts: � � � Unity in Diversity (slogan) Bahasa Indonesia (language) Cultural nationalism (including gamelan and related arts) � Islam principal religion (but Hinduism principal religion of Bali)

Gamelan � Central Javanese court gamelan (CD 1 -7) � Balinese gamelan gong kebyar (CD 2 -12) � In what ways are do they sound similar? � In what ways do they sound different? � Balinese gamelan video (kebyar – “Sekar Jupun”): https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=z. PIZOb. Nd. Jb 0 � Javanese gamelan video (“Puspawarna”): � https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=4 x. Qtt. Rtx 35 s �

Similarities �Instruments �Gongs, metallophones (gangsa in Bali), drums, end-blown bamboo flutes, bowed chordophones �Cyclic forms �Related tuning systems, scales, modes �Similar polyphony (higher/faster, lower/slower) �Melodic layers: core melody, melodic elaboration �Hindu basis and related musical symbolism �Associations with dance, dance-drama, shadow puppetry (wayang), and other arts �UNESCO wayang video (5: 00): https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=pfydro 4 X 2 t 0

Differences �Energy, tempo �Mood �Social symbolism �Drumming �Interlocking vs. multiple-melody textures �Paired tuning (male-female) of instruments (Bali) �OMI 22

The Balinese Gamelan Beleganjur Audio Musical Guided Tour (p. 96) • Instruments (know reyong, gong ageng) • Gilak gong cycle • Core melody and melodic elaboration • Rhythms and interlocking patterns • Polyphonic stratification

Kilitan Telu • Ubiquitous set of interlocking rhythms in Balinese gamelan • Featured in cymbal (ceng) interlocking in beleganjur • Same set of rhythms (aka cak telu) also used in Kecak dancedrama Kilitan Telu (Cak Telu)

Kecak (CD 2 -13) Sanghyang Dedari (trance dance) • Gamelan suara • Walter Spies • Island of Demons (1933 film) • Ramayana Hindu epic (also Mahabharata) • Rama, Sita, Rawana, monkey army (Sugriwa, Hanuman) • Kecak (from Baraka) https: //www. youtube. c om/watch? v=n. AUoa 9 p mok. A •

Beleganjur in Balinese Ritual � Agama Tirta (Religion of Holy Water) � Cremation ceremony (ngaben) � Performed by members of the banjar � Purpose: Release soul (atma) to Upper World of Balinese cosmos � Procession of atma to cremation grounds � Multi-tiered cremation tower (wadah), followed by gamelan beleganjur, directed by lead drummer (CD 2 -14) � Gamelan beleganjur functions: � � Frighten and deflect evil spirits (bhutas, leyaks) Give courage to the atma Energize tower carriers Regulate pace of procession � Function of the ensemble most important at crossroads. Why? � Beleganjur cremation field video (Bakan): � https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ztl. VXln-Zl. M

Kreasi Beleganjur �Modern, contest style �Originated in 1986 �Two pioneering composers: Sukarata, Asnawa �Style is exhibitionistic rather than functional �Innovations of kreasi style: �Compositional originality �Ensemble virtuosity �Showmanship emphasis (including gerak) �Varied musical textures

Musical Examples �Contest performance – composer: Sukarata (CD 2 -15) �“Wira Ghorava Cakti ’ 95” – composer: Suandita (CD 2 -16) �Distinctive features of this piece: � Gong cycle drops out at some points � Unaccompanied feature sections (e. g. , reyong section, 0: 19) � Plethora of melodic and rhythmic variations – virtuosic � Many changes in tempo and dynamics � Complex interlocking (e. g. , 8 rather than 3 interlocking cymbal patterns) � Same group (Meranggi), 1992: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=dg. WIGNS-z. Oo �Follow Guided Listening Quick Summary GLQS, p. 108 �Awesome 2005 contest performance! � https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=28 -5 r 9 -Bdw. Q

Crossing International Borders �Western composers: Debussy, Cage, Reich, Glass, Tenzer �Indonesian musik kontemporer: Asnawa, etc. �Syncretism of Indonesian and Western musics in popular, jazz, etc. �I Wayan Balawan (Balinese electric guitar virtuoso) � “Country Beleganjur” (CD 2 -18) � https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=wiz 83 v. NXGZc

Hip hop Gamelan? � Fusion of Balinese gamelan (kebyar, beleganjur) with hip hop/scratch turntabling � B. A. Ph. PET (Bakan) (CD 2 -19) � � Turntable soloist: Charles Tremblay Florida State University Balinese Gamelan (Sekaa Gong Hanuman Agung) Opening reyong rhythm derived from kilitan telu Kotekan-style interlocking on gangsa (metallophones) � And one more!! � Batik Tribe, “Indo Yo Ey” https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=DFAl. F 7 q. Su. Kc