ATS1346 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, West Java, Balungan
25 May 2018
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Week 5 – Gamelan Musics in Indonesia
Indonesia
• Very diverse country
• Over 550 languages over 17000 islands
• ‘Bhinneka Tunggal Ika’ – Unity in Diversity
o Indonesian national motto
• Densely populated and sparsely populated islands
• Ethnomusicology: Dutch, American researchers
• Many classical composers have been influenced this style
• Young country, declared in 1945
Gamelan music from Central Java
• Java divided into three ethnic groups
o West Java
o East Java – fast
Gamelan music from Bali
• Slow
Gamelan Ensemble
• (Sutton, 2002) Set of instruments unified by their tuning and often decorated
with carving and painting
• All ensemble members considered equal
• The general effect does not depend so much upon the excellence of the
individual as upon the unity of the group (McPhee, 1938)
o Collective music making
• Collection of artists and instruments
o Instruments and vocals fulfil various roles in ensemble
• Karawitan – refinement
• Scales – laras
1. Slendro – 7 letters but 5 pitches
2. Pelog – 5 letters but 7 pitches (wider intervals)
• Mode – pathet
• Melody – balungan
o Bone or skeleton
• Tempo relationships – irama
• Form and structure – bentuk
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Indonesia: very diverse country, over 550 languages over 17000 islands. Bhinneka tunggal ika" unity in diversity: indonesian national motto, densely populated and sparsely populated islands, ethnomusicology: dutch, american researchers, many classical composers have been influenced this style, young country, declared in 1945. Gamelan music from central java: java divided into three ethnic groups, west java, east java fast. Instruments that reinforce the structure of music: gongs reinforce structure. Instruments that play the balungan melody": slentem, demung, saron barung. Instruments that elaborate the balungan melody": bonang panerus, gender barung. Lancaran singa nebah: uses numbers as notes, end gets faster then slows down on last melody. Importance of stratified polyphony" in gamelan music: polyphony more than one musical lines, staritifed line of pictures. Instruments and vocalists that play/sing the balungan melody" in simple and elaborate forms. Instruments that regulate time: drums, like a music tree.
