Which types of Balinese gamelan are rarely seen or heard?
Part III
Musical instruments have a long and ancient history in Bali.
In the court treatise on Balinese gamelan music, Aji Gurnita,
an attempt is made at describing the gamelan orchestras of
the era.
Interestingly enough, the first musical instrument referred
to is in fact not a percussive one, but a stringed ‘kecapi’
zither. Still a popular instrument in other parts of Indonesia,
the only area in Bali where we find the kecapi today is in
Karangasem. Where this court tradition disappeared to remains
an ethnomusicological mystery.
Mentioned extensively is the ensemble of giant flutes known
today as gambuh. Found active in just a few villages, this
court tradition reveals haunting melodies played on giant
bamboo flutes using a difficult cyclic breathing technique.
Its seven-tone scales and repertoire form the basis for ensembles
such as smara pagulingan, pelegongan, bebarongan and gegandrungan.
The precursor of the secular gong kebyar also features. Known
as gegandrungan, it functioned to accompany an effeminate
court dance performed by young boys called gandrung. Rarely
heard today, an interesting feature of this rhythmically exciting
bamboo ensemble is the incorporation of female musicians who
thump bamboo poles on the ground in interlocking patterns.
Pelegongan was perhaps the most important court dance style
of the 18th and 19th centuries. The accompanying gamelan,
originally named smara patangian over time adopted the name:
gamelan pelegongan. Unlike the modern gong kebyar, it has
only five or six keys and in many instances the order of not
only the tones but also the keys differs. The overall sound
of the ‘legong’ gamelan is relatively soft and
limpid and the repertoire is flowing and melodic. Today, few
of these ensembles are active and the style is no longer popular,
due to a number of factors, including differing playing techniques;
a general tendency to play loud music; and the influence of
foreign music on local youth. These days, you will commonly
hear and see the legong repertoire played on the modern gong
kebyar, rather than the appropriate pelegongan set.
More about rarely seen or heard Balinese gamelan ensembles
in the next edition of Kuture Kid.
Copyright@ Kulture Kid 2006
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