Javanese Gamelan music
The English translation of the Indonesian expression “gamelan” is mallet, and refers to a collection of instruments played in traditional Javanese Gamelan music. (Jordan, 2002 [O]) The genre of pieces being played determines the ensemble number, but a regular Gamelan orchestra can sound up to 40 instruments, as each part is usually doubled thus creating a thick wall of sound.
Traditional Javanese Gamelan music to a western ear, which is conditioned in the harmonics of major and minor scales, may appear to be “clashing” or “out of tune” but this is because each instrument in a Gamelan ensemble is not set to same scale structures and tuning. Typical compositions are written with two scales in mind, namely the slendro scale, consisting of five notes and the seven-note pelog scale. (Jordan 2002a, 2004b [O]) Unlike in Western Music, where consonance of sound is treasured and found in the vertical placement of notes forming chords, Javanese Gamelan music creates consonance in the formation of horizontal melodic lines. This creates a sense of tension and release in the music, which is highly characterized by Javanese Gamelan music. The melody of a single instrument cannot be conceived as separable from the whole sound of the ensemble.
When listening to Javanese Gamelan music, one gets a sense of oneness amongst the instruments, as each melodic line and rhythmic pattern is treated equally by the players and therefore a strong sense of polyphony is conceived. (Prijosusilo 2011 [O]) There is never any conductor in the sense of Western music traditions but the Gamelan ensemble is often lead with subtle cues by the drum, the “kendhang” and lute, the “rebab.” (Harjito and Perlman n.d. [O]) There are eight main instruments that form a Javanese Gamelan ensemble, and The Gamelan instruments known as the Bonang is one part of the gong-instrument family, comprising of a set of kettle gongs placed on a rack that are held up by a cord. The Bonang instrument is played with both
Traditional Javanese Gamelan music to a western ear, which is conditioned in the harmonics of major and minor scales, may appear to be “clashing” or “out of tune” but this is because each instrument in a Gamelan ensemble is not set to same scale structures and tuning. Typical compositions are written with two scales in mind, namely the slendro scale, consisting of five notes and the seven-note pelog scale. (Jordan 2002a, 2004b [O]) Unlike in Western Music, where consonance of sound is treasured and found in the vertical placement of notes forming chords, Javanese Gamelan music creates consonance in the formation of horizontal melodic lines. This creates a sense of tension and release in the music, which is highly characterized by Javanese Gamelan music. The melody of a single instrument cannot be conceived as separable from the whole sound of the ensemble.
When listening to Javanese Gamelan music, one gets a sense of oneness amongst the instruments, as each melodic line and rhythmic pattern is treated equally by the players and therefore a strong sense of polyphony is conceived. (Prijosusilo 2011 [O]) There is never any conductor in the sense of Western music traditions but the Gamelan ensemble is often lead with subtle cues by the drum, the “kendhang” and lute, the “rebab.” (Harjito and Perlman n.d. [O]) There are eight main instruments that form a Javanese Gamelan ensemble, and The Gamelan instruments known as the Bonang is one part of the gong-instrument family, comprising of a set of kettle gongs placed on a rack that are held up by a cord. The Bonang instrument is played with both