18 August 2009

Gamelan, Indonesian Music Ensemble

Gamelan is a traditional music of indonesia. Gamelan is ensemble music that combines of traditional music tools like, xylophone, gendang, bamboo flutes, bowed, plucked strings, and gong. The term of gamelan refers to its instruments, which is the one who realized intact and be pronounced together. Gamelan term comes from the Javanese language that is "Gamel", which means that the beat/hit, followed by an ending that makes noun.

There are many gamelan music in Java, Bali, and Lombok, with a variety of sizes and shapes ensemble of each there is a difference. The varieties are generally grouped geographically, with the principal division between the styles favored by the Balinese, Javanese, and Sundanese peoples. Sundanese gamelan is often associated with Gamelan Degung, with a particular mode of pelog scale. Other popular Balinese styles include Gamelan and kecak, also known as the "monkey chant". Javanese gamelan was largely dominated by the courts of the 19th century central Javanese rulers, each with its own style, but overall is known for a slower, more meditative style than that of Bali.

Occurrence of the gamelan predates of Hindu-Buddhist culture that dominated Indonesia in its earliest records and instead represents a native art form.

In Javanese mythology, gamelan was created by Sang Hyang Guru in Saka Era, the God of the entire land of Java, with the palace on the Mahendra mountain in Medangkamulan (now Lawu Mountain). originally Sang Hyang Guru create the first gong to call the Gods. For a more specific message and then create a two gong, and eventually form more full gamelan set.


Gamelan has been appreciated by several western composers of classical music. most famously Claude Debussy who heard a Javanese gamelan play at the Paris Exposition of 1889 (World's Fair). American folk guitarist, John Fahey included elements of gamelan in many of his late-60s sound collages, and again in his 1997 collaboration with Cul de Sac, The Epiphany of Glenn Jones. Gamelan has also been used by British multi-instrumentalist, Mike Oldfield at least three times, "Woodhenge" (1979), "The Wind Chimes (Part II)" (1987) and "Nightshade" (2005). etc...

Many musicians, at this time very like to this music type of indonesian traditional music and makes this music as material explore, improvised music, and further enrich the music that want creates.

  • Taken from wikipedia and necessary abbreviated.

No comments:

Post a Comment