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Indonesia: Javanese GamelanMusic

Gamelan Outreach Project

Center for South East Asian StudiesUniversity of Michigan

Prepared by: Dr. Vera H. Flaig

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

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Indonesia

Consists of a archepeligo of several thousand islandsof which Java is the largest.During colonial times Indonesia was known as theDutch East Indies

Consists of many diverse languages and cultures.The development of a common national languageIndonesian made it possible to build the unityneeded to win the revolution against the Dutch

(1945-1949).Major religions include: Hindu/Buddhism; Islam; andChristianity.

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Gamelan Tuning and Modes

Laras (tuning system)Slendro: a five-note (pentatonic) tuningPlog: a seven-note tuning

Pathet (Modes)*Slendro Nem Plog NemSlendro Sanga Plog LimaSlendro Manyura Plog Barang

*Modes correspond to Wayang Kulit performance: Nem from 9:00 PM to Midnight;Sanga from Midnight to 3:00 AM;Manyura from 3:00 AM to 6:00 AM.

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Gamelan Musical Structure

Colotomic Structure: based upon a circular perceptionof time.

Reflects the persistence of Hindu-Buddhistconceptions of time introduced to Java during the firstmillennium C.E.

All instruments in the gamelan must play importantstructural or auspicious notes together. Thesecoincidences carry important meaning in Javaneseculture.

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Gamelan Musical Structure

The sounding of the gong agung with thekenong marks the musical instance of thegreatest weight or importance. It is at this pointthat the gendhing may begin or end.

Lesser points of coincidence also exist (listedin order of importance):

Kenong strokekethuk stroke Kempul stroke

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Gamelan Texture

Three layers :Structural : gong and kenong as well as

kethuk/kempyang

Balungan: basic melodic content

Elaboration: realizes inner melody

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Sarons: Balungan Instruments

Demung

Saron BarungSaron Panarus or Peking

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Punctuating Instruments

Gong Agung & Siyem

Kenong

Kempul

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Punctuating and Time KeepingInstruments

Kethuk Kempyang

Kendhang

(Played bythe conductorof the gamelanOrchestra)

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Elaborating Instruments: MelodicLeaders of the Gamelan

Bonang Barung and Bonang PanarusRebab

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Soft -Style Elaborating Instruments

Gambang

Gender (three tunings)

Four Sulings (different tunings)

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/indonesian/_vti_bin/shtml.dll/Budaya_Bangsa/Gamelan/Javanese_Gamelan/counter-melody/suling.htm/maphttp://www.seasite.niu.edu/indonesian/_vti_bin/shtml.dll/Budaya_Bangsa/Gamelan/Javanese_Gamelan/counter-melody/gambang.htm/map

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Lancaran bubaran Kembang Pacar ,laras plog pathet nem

Balungan Level: Sarons

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Lancaran bubaran Kembang Pacar , IRAMA Level: Bonang Barung

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Lancaran bubaran Kembang Pacar , IRAMA Level: Bonang Panarus