Indonesian Gamelan

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Indonesian Gamelan

• in Tradition and the Modern World

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Gamelan

• Indonesian Percussion Orchestra
• Gamel means hammer in Javanese

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History of Gamelan

• Dates back to 300 BC
• Development influenced by
• ancient animist religions, Islam, Hinduism,
  colonialism
• Outside (Western) influences arrived in 19th
  century

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Uses of Gamelan

• Religious Rituals
• Dance-dramas
• Puppet Theater / Shadow Puppetry
• Meditation / Trances
• Muslim call to worship
• Entertainment
• Street musicians
• Accompany other theater / dances

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Role of Gamelan

• Central to everyday life - rhythm of rice
  harvesting, walking
• Teach morality, ritual, traditions
• Musicality of life - gamelan, dancing, beauty,
  balance

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Instruments

• Most revered instrument large gong (home to
  spirits who require offerings)
• Saron Xylophone-like instrument
• Bonang Row of kettles struck with sticks
• Siter Plucked string instrument
• Suling Bamboo flute (only wind instrument)
• Rebab Bowed two-stringed instrument

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Instruments

• Voices
• Male gerongan
• Female sindenan
• Voices are just one instrument, not a primary
  focus

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Performing

• Performers sit or kneel to play
• Instruments are treated with great respect
• Music is memorized and often improvisatory
• Traditionally men and women play separately (or
  women not at all) but today it is acceptable to
  play together

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Music Theory

• Instruments are based around a 5-note scale and a
  7-note scale
• Scales share one note tumbuk to collide
• Time is marked by different-sized gong sounds
• Gongs mark specific cycles, called gongan

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Making Gamelan
Musical and Video Clips

• Gamelan and Dance Performance