Music of Indonesia: Java and Bali
Overview Nation of 17,000+ islands World’s 4 th most populous country National language: Indonesian Independence from Netherlands: 1945 Was Dutch colony for 300+ years Historically known as Spice Islands Religious influences via traders/colonizers: Hinduism/Buddhism, Islam, Christianity.
Javanese Court Cities Yogyakarta (Yogya) Surakarta (Solo):
Music of the Courts Gamelan (musical ensemble) Classical Javanese dance Wayang Kulit (shadow puppetry)
Javanese Gamelan Orchestra (70-80 instruments): Metallophones (incl. gong) Drum Rebab Male and female chorus, vocalists
Groups of Instruments Punctuating (time markers): –gong, kenong (lg kettle gong), kempul (sm hanging gong), kethuk (sm kettle gong), and kempyang Melody (skeletal): –Saron (metal xylophone) and slenthem Elaborating: –bonang, gambang, gender, rebab, and suling Regulating (tempo,start, stop): –drums - kendang.
Gamelan Instruments
Music Terms and Concepts –Scales and Modes –Scales: »Pelog (7 tones, many small intervals) (+ various modes=pathet) »Slendro (5 tones, relatively equal intervals) –Styles –Loud style –Soft style –Form and Structure: –Colotomic structure –Bubaran (formal structure with 16 beats per gongan (i.e. one complete cycle) –Loud style (often used outdoors) –Soft style