Gamelan

Gamelan (; , ; ; ) is the traditional ensemble music of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. The most common instruments used

Etymology#

The word comes from the Javanese word () in the ngoko register, which refers to playing of percussion instruments or the act of striking with a mallet, and the noun-forming suffix . The gamelan in the Sundanese is Degung (), the word Degung apparently is an old Sundanese term, which refers to gongs and gong ensembles. For this reason, the words degung and gong are essentially synonyms for the word . At the same time, the expression gamelan degung may be a way to point at a gamelan ensemble tuned to degung scale. The term () refers to classical gamelan music and performance practice, and comes from the Javanese word () of Sanskrit origin, meaning ‘intricate’ or ‘finely worked’,

History#

The gamelan predates the Hindu-Buddhist culture that dominated Indonesia in its earliest records and thus represents an indigenous art form of Indonesia. In contrast to the heavy Indian influence in other art forms, the only obvious Indian influence in gamelan music is in the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese style of singing, and in the themes of the Wayang kulit and Wayang Golek (shadow puppet plays). In Javanese mythology, the gamelan was created by Sang Hyang Guru in Saka era 167 (), the god who ruled as king of all Java from a palace on the Maendra mountain in Medang Kamulan (now Mount Lawu). He needed a signal to summon the gods and thus invented the gong. For more complex messages, he invented two other gongs, thus forming the original gamelan set. The earliest image of a musical ensemble is found on the bas-relief of the 8th century Buddhist monument of Borobudur, Central Java. These reliefs of this musical ensemble are suggested to be the ancient form of the gamelan. The instruments developed into their current form during the Majapahit Empire. According to the inscriptions and manuscripts (Nagarakretagama and Kakawin Sutasoma) dated from the Majapahit period, the kingdom even had a government office in charge of supervising the performing arts, including the gamelan. The arts office oversaw the construction of musical instruments, as well as scheduling performances at the court. Some words refer to gamelan selonding was found in some ancient Balinese inscriptions and manuscripts. Today, gamelan selonding is stored and preserved well in ancient temples of Bali. It is considered sacred and used for religious ceremony purposes, especially when the big ceremony is held. Gamelan Selonding is part of daily life and culture for some indigenous people in ancient villages such as Bungaya, Bugbug, Seraya, Tenganan Pegringsingan, Timbrah, Asak, Ngis, Bebandem, Besakih, and Selat in Karangasem Regency. In the court of Java (Surakarta Sunanate and Yogyakarta Sultanate) the oldest known ensembles, Gamelan Munggang and Gamelan Kodok Ngorek, are apparently from the 12th century. These formed the basis of a “loud style” of music. These Gamelan are the oldest existing gamelan instruments and still preserved well in the courts. The Gamelans become the heirloom of the Javanese courts. Gamelan Kodhok Ngorek and Gamelan Monggang are sacred gamelan that will only be sounded for Javanese court ritual ceremonies such as the Sultan’s Jumenengan (coronation ceremony), welcoming highly respected guests at the palace, royal weddings, and Garebeg. This gamelan is only owned by the court and the general public is not allowed to have a similar gamelan set. In the wengker or Ponorogo culture, in the 15th century Gamelan Reyog was not only used to accompany the art of Reog Ponorogo but was also used during war, the troops of ki Ageng Surya Alam from the village of Kutu played gamelan reyog before the war took place against Majapahit, which was in coalition with Demak during the attack. Wengker, as a result Wengker always gets his victory before the heirloom of ki Ageng Surya Alam falls into the hands of the enemy. A “soft style” developed out of the kemanak tradition and is related to the traditions of singing Javanese poetry, in a manner often believed to be similar to the chorus that accompanies the modern bedhaya dance. In the 17th century, these loud and soft styles mixed, and to a large extent, the variety of modern gamelan styles of Bali, Java, and Sunda resulted from different ways of mixing these elements. Thus, despite the seeming diversity of styles, many of the same theoretical concepts, instruments, and techniques are shared between the styles. In the Sultanate of Cirebon, on the north coast of Java. The gamelan Sakati in the Keraton Kasepuhan is originated from Demak Sultanate in 1495 which was a gift from Sultan Trenggono of Demak for the marriage of Ratu Mas Nyawa (daughter of Raden Patah, king of Demak) to Prince Bratakelana (son of Sunan Gunung Jati from his wife Syarifah Bagdad). This gamelan is closely related to the early days of the spread of Islam by Wali Sanga in Java. At the Keraton Kasepuhan, the gamelan Sakati is played on the Idul Adha month of Hajj (Zulhijah) in the Sri Manganti building when the sultan and his relatives head to the Grand Mosque. This gamelan is kept in the Museum Pusaka Keraton Kasepuhan Cirebon. In Lamongan, East Java, there is an ancient gamelan from the 15th century called Gamelan Singo Mengkok. This gamelan is a legacy of the Sunan Drajat (one of the Wali Sanga) which was used for broadcasting the Islamic religion in Paciran, Lamongan. Beaten by the Friends of Sunan Drajat to accompany the tembang Pangkur (panguri isine Qur’an) created by Sunan Drajat himself. This gamelan ensemble is an acculturation of Hindu-Buddhist and Islamic culture, considering that the surrounding community is Hindus, so that it is easily accepted by the community. The Gamelan Singo Mengkok is now stored in the Museum Sunan Drajat in Lamongan. In the kingdom of Islamic Mataram, Gamelan Kanjeng Kyai Guntur Sari was made in 1566 and Gamelan Kanjeng Kyai Guntur Madu was made in 1642 during the reign of Sultan Agung. Both gamelans called Gamelan Sekati (Gamelan Sekaten) which is only beaten/sounded to accompany the Sekaten ceremony. Gamelan Sekaten in Surakarta and Yogyakarta will be played once a year for one week in front of the Grand Mosque. This gamelan is only played by the royal family and courtiers under strict conditions, wearing prescribed traditional clothes, and playing certain sacred music that has existed for centuries. The Gamelan Sekaten exists in halves: divided between the two rival courts in Surakarta and Yogyakarta, each court had a matching second half made. In Sumedang, West Java, there is an heirloom of the Kingdom of Sumedang Larang, there is a Gamelan Panglipur belonging to Prince Rangga Gede / Kusumahdinata IV (1625–1633) who is also the regent of Mataram. Gamelan was deliberately made to entertain himself after his beloved child died. The Panglipur gamelan along with 9 other ancient gamelan sets are kept at the Museum Prabu Geusan Ulun in Sumedang Regency. One of the ten sets of gamelan is the gamelan Sari Oneng Parakansalak from Sukabumi, West Java, which on 31 March 1889, participated in celebrating the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. On 5 September 1977, Gending ketawang puspawarna (Javanese gamelan music) which was created by Mangkunegara IV (1853–1881) was carried by two satellites of The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) named Voyager I and Voyager II. The satellites are in charge of making observations on planets in outer space. The two satellites are equipped with gold-plated copper disks with a diameter of 12 inches. This disc contains recorded messages from Earth for extraterrestrials who can find them.

Instruments#

A gamelan is a multi-timbre ensemble consisting of metallophones, xylophones, flutes, gongs, voices, as well as bowed and plucked strings. The hand-played drum called kendang controls the tempo and rhythm of pieces as well as transitions from one section to another, while one instrument gives melodic cues to indicate treatment or sections of a piece.

Typical Javanese gamelan instruments#

In the courts of Java, Javanese gamelan is grouped into 2 groups of gamelan, namely gamelan Pakurmatan and gamelan Ageng. Gamelan pakurmatan is the gamelan used for special Javanese court events and all of them are sacred gamelan. The gamelan pakurmatan consists of the gamelan kodhok ngorek, the gamelan monggang, the gamelan sekati, and the gamelan carabalen. As for the gamelan ageng is considered the most complete in the Javanese court. The Gamelan Ageng instruments are usually owned by the general public (artists, schools, studios, and other communities) in Java and outside Java. This gamelan is used to accompany arts or rituals either in the palace or in the general public, the gamelan can use a complete gamelan or less. A set of complete Javanese Gamelan Ageng Ensemble maintained by the Javanese court consists of: # 2 Sets Bonang Penembung # 2 Sets Bonang Barung (Bonang) # 2 Sets Bonang Penerus # 2 Sets Kenong # 2 Pieces Kethuk # 2 Pieces Kempyang # 2 Sets Slenthem # 3 Sets Gendèr Barung (Gendèr) # 3 Sets Gendèr Penerus # 2 Sets Saron Demung (Demung) # 4 Sets Saron Barung (Saron/Saron Ricik) # 2 Sets Saron Peking (Peking/Saron Penerus) # 2 Pieces Gong Ageng (Gong Besar) # 2 Pieces Gong Suwukan (Gong Siyem) # 2 Sets Kempul # 1 Piece Kendang Ageng (Kendhang Gending) # 1 Piece Kendang Ciblon (Batangan) # 1 Piece Kendang Sabet (Kendhang Wayangan) # 1 Piece Kendang Ketipung (Ketipung) # 1 Piece Bedug # 2 Pieces Rebab # 2 Sets Gambang # 2 Pieces Siter # 2 Pieces Celempung # 2 Pieces Suling (Seruling) # 1 Piece Kecer # 3 Pieces Kepyak # Sindhen – Female singer in a gamelan # Gerong – Male singer in a gamelan # Nayaga (Wiyaga) – Gamelan musicians Gamelan Jawa Indonesia Gong Kempul.jpg Kempul COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gong (gamelan instrument) Kempul TMnr 4423-2.jpg Gong Ageng Gamelan Jawa - Set Kenong.jpg Kenong Gamelan Jawa - Set Bonang01.jpg Bonang Gamelan Jawa Saron Demung Anyar.jpg Demung COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Metallofoon met zes toetsen onderdeel van gamelan Slendro TMnr 500-11.jpg Saron Gamelan Jawa - Saron Peking.jpg Peking COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Metallofoon met veertien toetsen onderdeel van gamelan Slendro TMnr 500-4.jpg Gendèr COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Metallofoon bestaande uit zeven toetsen en een onderstel onderdeel van gamelan Slendro TMnr 500-1.jpg Slenthem COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Dubbelvellige tonvormige trom onderdeel van gamelan Slendro TMnr 500-7.jpg Kendang COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Trom hangend aan een standaard onderdeel van gamelan Slendro TMnr 500-27.jpg Bedug COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Xylofoon met twintig toetsen onderdeel van gamelan Slendro TMnr 500-9.jpg Gambang COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gong hangend in frame onderdeel van gamelan Slendro TMnr 500-21.jpg Kethuk/Kempyang COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Citer met 26 snaren onderdeel van gamelan Slendro TMnr 500-10.jpg Celempung COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Citer TMnr 6216-1.jpg Siter COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Klankkast van langhalsluit TMnr 5057-2a.jpg Rebab COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Bandfluit van bamboe met vier vingergaten TMnr H-1783.jpg Suling or Seruling COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Bekken van messing TMnr 2711-1a.jpg Kemanak Kecer.jpg Kecer COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Slaginstrument van metaal TMnr 2267-213c.jpg Keprak

Typical Balinese gamelan instruments#

In Bali, the Gamelan instruments are all kept together in a balé, a large open space with a roof over the top of it and several open sides. Gambelan (the Balinese term) are owned by a banjar, nobility or temples and kept in their respective compounds. In case of banjar ownership the instruments are all kept there together because people believe that all the instruments belong to the community as a whole and that no one person has ownership over an instrument. Not only is this where the instruments are stored, but this is also the practice space for the sekaha (Gamelan orchestra group). The open walls allow for the music to flow out into the community where the rest of the people may enjoy it. Balinese gamelan cannot be heard inside closed rooms, because it easily crosses the threshold of pain. This does not apply to small ensembles like a gamelan gendér. The sekaha is led by a single instructor whose job it is in the community to lead this group and to come up with new pieces. When they are working on a new piece, the instructor will lead the group in practice and help the group form the new music as they are practicing. When the instructor creates a new song, he leaves enough open for interpretation that the group can improvise, so the group will write the music as they practice it. There are many styles in Balinese gamelan. Kebyar is one of the most recent ones. Some Balinese gamelan groups constantly change their music by taking older pieces they know and mixing them together, as well as trying new variations of the music. Their music constantly changes because they believe that music should grow and change; the only exception to this is with their most sacred songs which they do not change. A single new piece of music can take several months before it is completed. Men and women usually perform in separate groups. A set of complete Balinese gamelan ensemble consists of: # 1 set (12 pieces) Reyong # 1 set (10 pieces) Trompong # 1 piece Gong Wadon # 1 piece Gong Lanang # 1 piece Gong Kempur # 1 piece Gong Klentong # 1 piece Gong Bende # 1 Set Kenong (Kajar) # 1 piece Kethuk (Kempli) # 2 sets Jiyèng (Ugal) # 4 sets Gangsa (Pemande) # 4 sets Kanthilan # 2 sets Jublag # 2 sets Jegogan # 2 sets Penyacah Kenyur # 2 sets Gendèr Rambat # 1 set Cèng-cèng Ricik # 8 sets Cèng-cèng Kepyak # 2 pieces Kendang Semaradana (Cedugan) # 2 pieces Kendang Batel (Krumpung) # 1 set Gentorak # 3 pieces Suling # Nayaga (Wiyaga) – Gamelan musicians Balinese Gamelan of Indonesia - Gong Lanang.jpg Gong Lanang Balinese Gamelan of Indonesia - Gong Wadon.jpg Gong Wadon COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gong hangend in een standaard onderdeel van gamelan Semar Pagulingan TMnr 1340-13.jpg Gong Klentong Balinese Gamelan - Trompong.jpg Trompong Balinese Gamelan of Indonesia - Reyong.jpg Reyong Baline Gamelan of Indonesia - Ugal.jpg Ugal Balinese Gamelan of Indonesia - Kantilan.jpg Kantilan Balinese Gamelan of Indonesia - Gangse or Pemade.jpg Pemade Balinese Gamelan of Indonesia - Penyacah or Kenyur.jpg Kenyur Balinese Gamelan of Indonesia - Jegogan.jpg Jegogan Balinese Gamelan of Indonesia - Jublag.jpg Jublag COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gong van messing met bijbehorend houten standaard en slagstok TMnr 1772-591a.jpg Klenang Gamelan of Bali 200507-3.jpg Kendang Semaradana Balines Gamelan of Indonesia - Ceng ceng Kepyak.jpg Ceng-ceng Kepyak Balinese Gamelan of Indonesia - Ceng ceng Ricik.jpg Ceng-ceng Ricik Balinese Gamelan of Indonesia - Gentora.jpg Gentora Suling.jpg Suling gambuh Gamelan gender wayang, Puri Lumbung Jan 2012 Made Terip and Ketut Mostal.JPG Gender wayang Bali, gamelan player 2.jpg Rindhik COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Metallofoon met vijftien toetsen onderdeel van gamelan Semar Pagulingan TMnr 1340-31.jpg Curing

Notation#

The tuning and construction of a gamelan orchestra is a complex process. Javanese gamelan use two tuning systems: sléndro and pélog. There are other tuning systems such as degung (exclusive to Sunda, or West Java, similar to a Japanese ryukyuan scale), and madenda (similar to a Japanese hirajoshi scale). In central Javanese gamelan, sléndro is a system with five notes to the octave, with large intervals, while pélog has seven notes to the octave, with uneven intervals, usually played in five note subsets of the seven-tone collection. A full gamelan will include a set of instruments in each tuning, and classically only one tuning is used at a time. The precise tuning used differs from ensemble to ensemble and gives each ensemble its own particular flavor. A set of gamelan instruments will be tuned to the same set of notes, but the tuning will vary from one gamelan to the next, including variations in the size of intervals. Colin McPhee, a Canadian composer who spent much time in Bali, remarked, “Deviations in what is considered the same scale are so large that one might with reason state that there are as many scales as there are gamelans.” This view is contested, however, by some teachers of gamelan, and there have been efforts to combine multiple ensembles and tuning structures into one gamelan to ease transportation at festival time. One such ensemble is gamelan Manikasanti, which can play the repertoire of many different ensembles. Balinese gamelan instruments are built in pairs that are tuned slightly apart to produce interference beats, ideally at a consistent speed for all pairs of notes in all registers. This concept is referred to as “ombak,” translating to “wave,” communicating the idea of cyclical undulation. One instrument, tuned slightly higher, is thought of as the “inhale,” and the other, slightly lower, is called the “exhale” (Also called the “blower” and the “sucker,” or pengimbang and pengisep in Bali). When the inhale and the exhale are combined, beating is produced, meant to represent the beating of the heart, or the symbol of being alive. It is thought that this contributes to the “shimmering” sound of Balinese gamelan ensembles. In the religious ceremonies that contain gamelan, these interference beats are meant to give the listener a feeling of a god’s presence or a stepping stone to a meditative state. The scale roughly approximates that of the phrygian mode of the Western major scale (E-E on the white keys of the piano), with the notes EFGBC corresponding to the note positions 12356 in the slendro scale used by most gamelan. In addition to non-western scales, Javanese gamelan uses a combination of tempo and density known as Irama, relating how many beats on the saron panerus instrument there are to notes in the core melody or balungan; density is considered primary.

Slendro#

Slendro notation generally produces a light, cheerful atmosphere and feels busier. This is evidenced by the scenes in the wayang kulit and wayang wong performances such as scenes of war and marching that accompanied by slendro notation. The use of the slendro can also have the opposite impression, such as sad or romantic. As in the case of gending that uses a slendro miring. Slendro miring is a slendro notation tone that is played out of place on purpose. Therefore, there are many scenes of homesickness, love missing, sadness, death, and languishing accompanied by slendro tunes.

Pelog#

Pelog notation produces an atmosphere that gives the impression of being manly, regal, and sacred, especially in the musical play that uses the pelog nem (six) notation. Therefore, there are many scenes that are accompanied by pelog tunings, such as scenes where a king enters the pamelegan (place of worship), scenes of heartache, scenes of anger, or scenes that express revenge. However, in the play of certain notes, the pelog tunings can also give the impression of being happy, light, and lively, for example in the music played on the pelog tunings of barang.

Kepatihan#

Gamelan music is traditionally not notated and began as an oral tradition. In the 19th century, however, the kraton (palaces) of Yogyakarta and Surakarta developed distinct notations for transcribing the repertoire. These were not used to read the music, which was memorized, but to preserve pieces in the court records. The Yogyanese notation is a checkerboard notation, which uses six or seven vertical lines to represent notes of higher pitch in the balungan (melodic framework), and horizontal lines which represent the series of beats, read downward with time. The fourth vertical line and every fourth horizontal line (completing a gatra) are darkened for legibility. Symbols on the left indicate the colotomic or metric structure of gongs and so forth, while specific drum features are notated in symbols to the right. The Solonese notation reads horizontally, like Western notation, but does not use barlines. Instead, note values and rests are squiggled between the notes. Today this notation is relatively rare, and has been replaced by kepatihan notation, which is based on the Galin-Paris-Chevé system. Kepatihan notation developed around 1900 at the kepatihan Palace in Surakarta, which had become a high-school conservatory. The pitches are numbered (see the articles on the scales slendro and pélog for an explanation of how), and are read across with dots below or above the numbers indicating the register, and lines above notes showing time values; In vocal notation, there are also brackets under groups of notes to indicate melisma. Like the palace notation, however, Kepatihan records mostly the balungan part and its metric phrases as marked by a variety of gongs. The other parts are created in real time, and depend on the knowledge each musician has of his instrument, and his awareness of what others are playing; this “realization” is sometimes called “garap.” Some teachers have also devised certain notations, generally using kepatihan principles, for the cengkok (melodic patterns) of the elaborating instruments. Some ethnomusicologists, trained in European music, may make transcriptions onto a Western staff. This entails particular challenges of tuning and time, sometimes resulting in unusual clefs.

Varieties#

Varieties of gamelan are distinguished by their collection of instruments and use of voice, tunings, repertoire, style, and cultural context. In general, no two gamelan ensembles are the same, and those that arose in prestigious courts are often considered to have their own style and tuning. Certain styles may also be shared by nearby ensembles, leading to a regional style. The varieties are generally grouped geographically, with the principal division between the styles favored by the Balinese, Javanese, and Sundanese peoples. Javanese gamelan has soft and slow tones, while Balinese gamelan has strong and dynamic tones with fast music rhythms, while Sundanese gamelan which is dominated by the sound of flutes makes it not only soft but also mellow.

Javanese gamelan#

Javanese gamelan is a gamelan that originates and develops in the Central Java and East Java, including the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Mangkunegaran Palace in Solo. In the Javanese palaces, the gamelan is divided into two, namely the gamelan pakurmatan and gamelan ageng. Gamelan pakurmatan is used for certain events or rituals in the royal environment. The gamelan pakurmatan set is not as complete as the ageng gamelan, and its shape and pitch are somewhat different from the traditional gamelan owned by the community. Gamelan pakurmatan consists of gamelan kodhok Ngorek, gamelan munggang, gamelan sekati, and gamelan carabalen, while gamelan ageng is the most complete gamelan used for various traditional ceremonies and events in the palace. Gamelan outside the palace, owned by the general public, is usually the gamelan ageng, although it is not as complete as that of the palace, according to the needs and objectives of the gamelan ownership. The Javanese gamelan used by the communities has many kinds and types including the gamelan gadhon, gamelan siteran, gamelan Wayang, gamelan bambu, gamelan prawa, gamelan pelog, gamelan renteng, gamelan slendro, gamelan Banyuwangi, and gamelan Madura. In oral Javanese culture distinctions are made between complete or incomplete, archaic and modern, and large standard and small village gamelan. The various archaic ensembles are distinguished by their unique combinations of instruments and possession of obsolete instruments such as the bell-tree (byong) in the 3-toned gamelan kodhok ngorek. Regionally variable village gamelan are often distinguished from standard gamelan (which have the rebab as the main melodic instrument) by their inclusion of a double-reed wind (selompret, slompret, or sompret) in addition to variable drum and gong components, with some also including the shaken bamboo angklung. Gamelan in Javanese society is a product of local wisdom that has survived to this day. The long history that has been passed by Javanese gamelan is a cultural struggle that continues to be sustainable until now and in the future. Gamelan is inseparable from Javanese customs and human life, where gamelan is almost always there in every Javanese ceremony are held. Javanese gamelan is generally used to accompany dances, dance dramas, theater, puppets, rituals, events and festivals. Until then it developed in such a way that it was able to stand as a separate musical performance, complete with the accompaniment of the voices of the sindhen. Most of the music rhythms are generally soft and reflect the harmony of life, as the principles of life are generally adopted by Javanese society. Some of them sound quickly according to the event or ritual being held or accompanied by the gamelan like gamelan Banyuwangi which has a faster tempo and uses high notes. Javanese gamelan has pelog and slendro tunings, if the pelog consists of notations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (ji, ro, lu, pat, mo, nem, tu), slendro has notation 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, i (ji, ro, lu, mo, nem, i). Kraton Jogja-Gamelan.jpg Javanese gamelan being played in Keraton Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on 25 October 2009 Gamelan ceremonial Munggang, Kraton Surakarta.jpg Javanese Gamelan Munggang (one of sacred gamelans) being played (as part of ritual) in Surakarta Sunanate, Central Java, 2000 COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Yogyakarta Midden-Java. Opvoering van Wajang Kulit spel met Gamelanbegeleiding ter gelegenheid van de vijftienjarige troonsverheffing van HB VIII in zijn oude huis op Sompilan 12 Ngasem TMnr 60043327.jpg Wayang Kulit performance with Gamelan accompaniment in the context of the appointment of the throne for Hamengkubuwono VIII’s fifteen years in Yogyakarta, between 1900 and 1940 COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een groep zangeressen met een gamelanorkest in de kraton van prins Mangkoe Negoro te Solo TMnr 60005058.jpg A gamelan ensemble with a group of singers (Sindhen (Female) and Gerong (Male)) at the Mangkunegaran Royal Palace in Surakarta, Central Java, between 1870 and 1892 COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een Gamelan-orkest speelt ter gelegenheid van de installatie van de zoon van wijlen Paku Alam VII in de dalem het verblijf van de vorst te Yogyakarta Java TMnr 10003354.jpg A Gamelan Ensemble was played to accompany the inauguration of the Prince of the late Paku Alam VII at Pakualaman Palace, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, before 1949 KITLV 3930 - Kassian Céphas - A Dalang, a pesinden and nijaga with a gamelan in the Kraton of the Sultan of Yogyakarta - Around 1885.tif A Dalang (puppeteer), Sindhen (singer) and Wiyaga (gamelan musicians) with a Javanese gamelan at Keraton Yogyakarta, the sultan’s palace in Yogyakarta c. 1885 Gamelan-orkest van de regent van Malang, KITLV 3976.tiff A group of Javanese gamelan musicians in Malang, East Java COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gamelanorkest TMnr 60043216.jpg Gamelan orchestra in East Java, late 19th century KITLV - 10860 - Kurkdjian - Soerabaja - Javanese gamelan at the pasar malam in Surabaya - 1905-1906.tif A set of Javanese gamelan at the Surabaya night market circa 1905

Balinese gamelan#

Balinese gamelan is one type of traditional gamelan ensemble that originates and develops in the island of Bali. Balinese gamelan is an inseparable ensemble of Balinese life, almost all villages in Bali have gamelan. The gamelan can be used as part of Hindu worship in Bali or as community entertainment in the Banjar in villages of Bali. Because gamelan also functions as a medium for socializing with each other, it can be seen that playing gamelan requires cooperation between players to get the desired tone or sound harmony. This Balinese gamelan has several differences from gamelan instruments in general, both in form and how to play it. This Balinese gamelan is usually performed as an accompaniment to an art performance in Bali, both sacred and entertainment. Balinese gamelan is often used to accompany religious ceremonies and entertainment. In terms of religion, Balinese Gamelan is often displayed to accompany the running of religious ceremonies or to accompany sacred traditional dances. Meanwhile, in terms of entertainment, Balinese Gamelan is often presented as a musical performance as well as accompaniment to various arts that are entertainment in Bali. Gamelan in Bali known as gambelan is commonly used in traditional ritual processions such as death ceremonies which we know as the Ngaben tradition. Meanwhile, for human ceremonies, gender is used and for ceremonies in temples, gong gede is usually used. In terms of the development of the era, Balinese gamelan can be divided into 3 types: *Gamelan wayah. This old type of gamelan is thought to have existed before the 15th century. This gamelan is generally dominated by keys in the form of keys and does not use drums (Selonding, Gender Wayang, Baleganjur, Genggong, Gambang, Angklung, Bebonangan, Geng Beri, Caruk, Gong Luwang) *Gamelan madya. This gamelan comes from around the 16th-19th century. In this era, the barungan gamelan already used drums and tuned instruments. In this barungan, drums have started to play a role in a show (Bebarongan, Pelegongan, Batel Barong, Joged Pingitan, Penggambuhan, Gong Gedé, Semar Pagulingan) *Gamelan anyar. This gamelan includes a new type of group, which includes the types of gamelan barungan that emerged in the 20th century. This gamelan barungan appears in one of the most prominent features, namely the game of drums (Semaradana, Bumbung Gebyog, Adi Merdangga, Jégog, Manikasanti, Bumbang, Gong Suling, Joged Bumbung, Janger, Geguntangan, Genta Pinara Pitu, Kendang Mabarung, Gong Kebyar, Okakan or Grumbungan, Tektekan) COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gamelan op Bali. TMnr 60008124.jpg Balinese Gamelan Performance (part of the ritual) in a Temple, Bali, Circa 1920 COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Balinese danser voert een dans uit onder begeleiding van een gamelanorkest TMnr 10004737.jpg A balinese dancer performed Kebyar duduk dance accompanied by a Balinese gamelan Ensemble, Bali, Indonesia, before 1952 COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Barong dansvoorstelling begeleid door gamelanorkest TMnr 60049172.jpg Barong dance performance accompanied by a gamelan ensemble, Bali, Indonesia, before 1959 COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Legong dansvoorstelling in Oeboed TMnr 10026859.jpg Balinese girls practiced legong dance accompanied by gamelan in Ubud, Bali, Dutch east Indies, between 1910 and 1930 COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gamelan in een dorp bij Soekawati na een lijkverbrandingceremonie TMnr 60042715.jpg Balinese Gamelan in a village near Sukawati, Bali after the Cremation Ceremony on 21 September 1922 Balinese men playing gamelan.jpg Balinese gamelan being played in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, on 23 September 2010

Sundanese gamelan#

The Sundanese gamelan is one of the typical gamelan ensembles from West Java and Banten province (Tatar Pasundan) in Indonesia. In the manuscript Sanghyang Siksa Kandang Karesian, the art of gamelan is estimated to have entered in the 16th century. The text describes a contemporary gamelan player called Kumbang Gending and a musical expert called Paraguna. Sundanese gamelan is also called Degung. The word Degung is said to have originated from the word “Ratu-agung” or “Tumenggung”, since at the time, Gamelan Degung was very popular with officials. There are three types of Sundanese gamelan, including: *Gamelan salendro. This is usually used to accompany wayang performances, dances, and cliningan. Because it is often used in the performing arts, the salendro gamelan is also a popular gamelan among other gamelan types. *Gamelan renteng. This gamelan developed in several places, one of which is in Batu Karut, Cikalong. Based on the form and intervals of the gamelan renteng, there is an opinion that most likely the current Sundanese gamelan started from the gamelan renteng. *Gamelan ketuk tilu. This gamelan is usually used to accompany the arts of ketuk tilu, ronggeng gunung, ronggeng ketuk, doger, and topeng banjet. COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gamelan met danseres bij een pondok in de Plantentuin van Tjibodas West-Java TMnr 60013638.jpg Sundanese Gamelan with a dancer and Wayang Golek in a hut in Cibodas Botanical Garden, West Java on 28 September 1904 COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Dansvoorstelling tijdens een feest van een regent uit de Preanger TMnr 60009261.jpg A gamelan ensemble and Dance show party for the regent of Preanger (Now Parahyangan) West Java, between 1880 and 1920 COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gamelanorkest van de regent van Bandoeng TMnr 60025410.jpg Sundanese gamelan ensemble of Bandung’s Regent, West Java, Dutch east Indies, between 1857 and 1890 Gamelan Laras Slendro Si Ketuyung Keraton Kasepuhan.jpg A gamelan laras slendro Si Ketuyung (sacred gamelan), a set of gamelan instruments made in 1748, a legacy of Sultan Sepuh IV, Keraton Kasepuhan, Cirebon, Indonesia COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een gamelanorkest TMnr 60018011.jpg Gamelan Degung Ensemble, This photo was taken at Annual Exhibition in Java. between 1910 and 1930 Gamelandegung.jpg Sundanese Gamelan Degung Performance from West Java, Indonesia, on 6 November 2007 Outside the main core of Java and Bali, the gamelan has spread through migration and cultural interest, with new styles sometimes resulting. The variety of gamelan can be found in over 25 countries outside Indonesia, presenting both traditional and experimental repertoire.

Cultural context#

For some Indonesians, gamelan has high philosophical values, in terms of sound, roles, and the feelings of the players. Playing gamelan is not just the ability to play various musical instruments together, thus giving birth to the harmony of tones and rhythms. But also, by playing the gamelan there is a meaning that describes the system of deliberation and consensus in the midst of society, through each gamelan musical instrument. Gamelan symbolizes the spirit of cohesiveness and mutual cooperation, together, and in line. So that it gives birth to a harmonious tone in social life. In Indonesia, gamelan accompanies many cultural activities such as:

Religious rituals#

Under the influence of the Hindu-Buddhist Majapahit kingdom, gamelan was used as accompaniment in religious ceremonies with tembang (singing) and wayang performances. Even an accompaniment to a king’s performance. In the Negarakertagama manuscripts written by Mpu Prapanca in the 14th century. It is said that the gamelan accompaniment was used by King Hayam Wuruk in performing a mask dance with eight young people accompanied by a song from the Queen Mother. With the collapse of the Majapahit kingdom and being replaced by the Islamic kingdom of Demak led by Raden Patah, gamelan as a traditional musical instrument did not just disappear. Its function is used as a media tool for preaching Islam. Gamelan’s role in rituals is so important that there is a Javanese saying, “It is not official until the gong is hung”. Some performances are associated with royalty, such as visits by the sultan of Yogyakarta. Certain gamelans are associated with specific rituals, such as the Gamelan Sekaten, which is used in the celebration of Mawlid an-Nabi (Muhammad’s birthday). In Bali, almost all religious rituals include gamelan performance. Gamelan is also used in the ceremonies of the Catholic church in Indonesia. Certain pieces are designated for starting and ending performances or ceremonies. When an “ending” piece (such as “Udan Mas”) is begun, the audience will know that the event is nearly finished and will begin to leave. Certain pieces are also believed to possess magic powers and can be used to ward off evil spirits. temple rituals, melasti, galungan, Ogoh-ogoh, etc. Gamelan Sekaten Kanjeng Kiai Guntur Madu dalam Acara Sekaten di Yogyakarta.jpg Sekaten, Gamelan Sekaten Kanjeng Kiai Guntur Madu (One of Some Javanese Sacred Gamelan) is usually beaten every day for a week during the Sekaten celebration at the Keraton Yogyakarta. The community was very enthusiastic about listening to the strains of the heirloom gamelan, on 26 November 2017 RIBesakihZerem4.jpg Galungan, a Balinese holiday celebrating the victory of dharma over adharma in Besakih temple complex in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia Odalan Ceremony.webm Odalan or piodalan is temple anniversary in Bali, held usually once every 210 days, a complete cycle according to Balinese calendar.

Ceremonies#

Gamelan is used to accompany various traditional ceremonies in Indonesia, gamelan kodhok ngorek, gamelan monggang, gamelan carabalen, and gamelan ageng are used for important ceremonies related to kings in the Yogyakarta and Surakarta palaces such as the king’s coronations ceremony, the king’s birthday ceremony, the coronation anniversary, royal guest reception, baby birth, marriage, death, and so on. Outside the palace in Java, gamelan is used for Wedding reception, birth ceremonies, circumcision ceremonies, rice harvesting, ruwatan ceremonies, and death ceremonies (dhukitan). The musical presentation in the dhukitan ceremony in the general public is different from that in Palace. Gendhing at dhukitan ceremonies in the palace use the kodhok ngorek gamelan instrument, only intended for the death of the king and his family and only served when the corpse departs to the cemetery. Meanwhile, gendhing offerings at duhkitan ceremonies in the general public (outside the palace environment) are usually served at the time of the death of musical artists of dance, musical puppetry, wayang orang, cultural observers, and theater using the gamelan gadhon ensemble. File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM ‘Het veertig-jarig regeringsjubileum van Soesoehoenan Pakoe Boewono X van Surakarta in de stoet lopen serimpi’s mee’ TMnr 10001563.jpg Tingalan Dalem Jumenengan, The 40th Royal coronations anniversary of Susoehoenan Pakubuwono X in Surakarta Sunanate. File:Ngaben di Ubud.jpg Ngaben, the Hindu funeral ceremony of Bali, Indonesia. It is performed to release the soul of a dead person. File:Pernikahan Jawa-Javanese Wedding 2011 Bennylin 21.jpg Wedding Ceremony, Javanese Wedding ceremony in Java

Traditional dances#

Almost all dances originating from the island of Java and Bali are accompanied by gamelan music. Gamelan gives spirit and beauty to live dance performances. The sound of the gamelan music brings dance to life and graceful to see. The main function of the gamelan as a dance accompaniment is to provide rhythm, beat, or tempo guidance. So that the selection of accompanying music must be adjusted to the rhythm and theme of the dance. Dance performance using live gamelan is a complex artistic activity. Gamelan in dance is used as an illustration or support for the atmosphere. The accompanying gamelan music must give the impression of “speaking” or communication and constitute the perfect unity between music and dance. Typically players in the gamelan will be familiar with dance moves and poetry, while dancers are able to play in the ensemble. Some examples of famous dance include: bedhaya, serimpi, gambyong, Bambangan Cakil, legong, oleg tamulilingan, pendet, cendrawasih, barong, baris, jaipong, topeng, Bajidor Kahot, gandrung, etc. File:Legong Kraton Farewell.jpg Legong, Legong Kraton Dance (Legong of the Palace) in Ubud Palace, Bali, Indonesia. In the background, the Gamelan orchestra accompanies the performance, on 23 August 2008 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Bedoyo dansvoorstelling tijdens het huwelijk van Hoesein Djajadiningrat en Partini in de kraton van Prang Wedono (Mangkoe Negoro VII) de vader van de bruid Solo TMnr 60020674.jpg Bedhaya dance performance at the wedding of Hoesein Djajadiningrat and Partini in the palace of Prang Wedono (Mangkoe Negoro VII), the father of the bride, at Solo, Java, in January 1921 File:Jaipongan Langit Biru 01.jpg Jaipong, The Sundanese Jaipongan Langit Biru dance performance in West Java Pavilion, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta

Region: Bali