GAMELAN

ORIGINS AND INSTRUMENTS

Bali and Java in Indonesia

“gamelan” refers to the collection of instruments used, most of which are tuned

GONGS in various shapes and sizes. Some suspended, while others are bowl shaped and sit in frames.

METALLOPHONES – xylophones with metal keys. Balinese gamelan they are tuned in pairs (one higher than the other, creating slight clashes in tuning)

DRUMS – barrel-shaped and double-headed. Both ends are struck with hands (occasionally beaters)

OTHER INSTRUMENTS

Bamboo flutes

Bowed strings (sometimes playing in microtones)

Plucked Zithers

Wooden xylophones

Voices

Gamelan instruments are made in SETS and designed

to be used together. Each gamelan has different tone

qualities and tuning from the other.

Instruments tuned to a pentatonic scale called

SLENDRO (equally spaced within the octave)

Less common is PELOG (7 notes, rising in unequal

steps)

PLAYERS ETC

Each group can be between five and 50 players but usually there are between 10-20.

Can be indoor, outdoor, court music for special occasions or in more informal settings

Indonesian Gamelan is a staple accompaniment to puppet shows (long complex dramas)

All instruments generally of equal importance although some more complex than others

No notation or conductors – use of aural signals

Drummer usually leads with careful eye on dancers –changes of tempo, volume, shift into new piece

Other players also give similar aural signals – everyone expected to learn each instrument

MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Carefully organised and structured: developed out

of single, short melodic idea but played at different

note lengths and speeds… HETEROPHONY

Melody: short and repeated on mid-range

metallphones (medium tempo)

Same melody taken up by other players but

different speeds, decorations etc

Structure: defined by large gongs – cycle ending

with a note on the large gong. Last beat accented

by all players. Overall structure varies, depends on

the occasion – drummer leads.

Mood: sometimes slow and quiet

(meditative, characteristic of West Java)

Might enter one at a time, or all at once