Indonesian Gamelan Music: Interlocking Rhythms, Interlocking Worlds

1. Indonesian Gamelan Music: Interlocking Rhythms, Interlocking Worlds Chapter 7

2. Introduction • This chapter explores musical traditions of Indonesian gamelan music, with a particular focus on the gamelan beleganjur, the Balinese “gamelan of walking warriors.” (p. 90) • Gamelan beleganjur [PL 7-1] • The term gamelan essentially means “ensemble” or “orchestra.” • Refers to a diverse class of mainly percussion-dominated music ensembles found on Bali, Java, and several other Indonesian islands. • Related types of ensembles also are found elsewhere in Southeast Asia, for example, in Malaysia and Cambodia.

3. Balinese Gamelan Music in Context: The Republic of Indonesia • Republic of Indonesia • Southeast Asia • 17,000 islands (close to 6,000 inhabited) • Formerly Dutch East Indies Company (colonized by Dutch) • National independence: 1945 (full sovereignty, 1949) • Java • Jakarta (capital) • Surakarta and Yogyarkarta (Central Java – gamelan) • National unity efforts • Unity in Diversity (slogan) • Bahasa Indonesia (language) • Cultural nationalism (including gamelan and related arts) • Religion • Islam principal religion of Indonesia (world’s largest and most populous majority-Islamic nation) • Hinduism (Agama Tirta) principal religion of Bali

4. Varied Types of Gamelan Music • Central Javanese court gamelan, “LadrangPangkur” [PL 7-2, “Tjatrik”] • Sundanese gamelan of West Java • Gamelan degung [PL 7-3] • Gamelan salendro [PL 7-4] • Jaipongan [PL 7-5] • Bali • Wayangkulit (music of the shadow-puppet theater) [PL 7-6] • Gamelan selonding (ancient gamelan of the Bali Aga, indigenous people of Bali) [PL 7-7]

5. Balinese and Javanese Gamelan: A Comparison • Comparison of the two best-known types of gamelan from Java and Bali, respectively: • Central Javanese court gamelan (gamelan kraton) • Balinese gamelan gong kebyar • Comparison in the text (pp. 93-97) is of two of the best-known compositions for these ensembles: • “KetawangPuspawarna” [PL 7-8) – Central Javanese court gamelan • “Taruna Jaya” [PL 7-9] – Balinese gamelan gong kebyar • That comparative discussion is summarized on the next several slides.

6. General Similarities • Instruments • Gongs, metallophones (gangsa in Bali), drums, end-blown bamboo flutes, bowed chordophones • Cyclic forms (gong cycles) • Related tuning systems, scales, modes • Slendro, pelog (OMI #21) • Similar polyphony (higher=faster, lower=slower) • Melodic layers: core melody, melodic elaboration • Hindu basis and related musical symbolism • Associations with dance, dance-drama, shadow puppetry (wayangkulit), and other arts

7. General Differences (pp. 96-97)

8. “KetawangPuspawarna” [PL 7-8] • Title: • “Ketawang” = a 16-beat gong cycle • “Puspawarna” = “flowers of many colors” • Gamelan • PakuAlaman royal palace (kraton) • More than 250 years old • Many different types of instruments with wide range of timbres • Rebab (two-string fiddle) • Kendhang (drums) • Bronze gongs, melodic sets of kettle-gongs, metallophones • Wooden xylophone (gambang), plucked chordophones • Female vocalist, male chorus • Dense, multiple-melody texture, “loose” rhythmic treatment, slow tempo (one 16-beat gong cycle about 15 seconds, e.g., 0:07-0:22) • Classic recording from 1971 (included on Voyager Golden Record, 1977)

9. “Taruna Jaya” [PL 7-9] • Title: Means “Victorious Youth” • Classic early composition in the kebyarstyle (c. 1914); was composed to accompany a dance of the same title • Kebyar • Lit., to burst open (like a flower in bloom), to flare up (like a match) • Name captures the fiery, exciting spirit of the music (also sometimes translated as “lightning”) • Also the name of the exciting, unison opening sections of pieces in this style (e.g., 0:00-0:42) • Also name of the ensemble (gamelan gong kebyar) • At 0:42, second part of piece marked by entry of gong cycle • This gong cycle 32 beats (0:48-0:58), and essentially three times faster than its Javanese counterpart! (10 seconds as opposed to 15 seconds, e.g., 0:48-0:58 • Unfathomably rapid, complex melodic elaboration parts (instruments: gangsa)

10. Musical Guided Tour: “The Gamelan Beleganjur” • Access at Online Learning Center (OLC): www. mhhe.com/bakan3e • Text transcript, pp. 99-100 • This Tour introduces: • The instruments of the ensemble (know gong ageng, reyong) • The music’s basic gong cycle (i.e., the recurring sequence of strokes on different gongs that serves as the music’s foundation), which is called gilak. • The relationship between the music’s core melody and the elaboration of that melody in other instrumental parts • The standard rhythms and interlocking rhythmic and melodic patterns (kotekan) employed, especially the kilitantelupatterns of the cymbal parts. • The stratified structure of the music, in which higher-pitched instruments play at faster rates than lower-pitched ones.

11. Balinese Kecak and the KilitanTelu • Ubiquitous set of interlocking rhythms in Balinese gamelan • Featured in cymbal (cengceng) interlocking in beleganjur • Same set of rhythms (aka caktelu) also used in Kecak dance-drama • SanghyangDedari roots (trance dance of the celestial nymphs) • Gamelan suara • Ramayana dance-drama (Rama, Sita, Rawana) is context for Kecak • Film: Insel der Dämonen(Island of Demons) (1933); Walter Spies • Transferred to melodic interlocking contexts, this same set of rhythms generates intricate melodic tapestries such as those heard in pieces like “Puspanjali” [PL 7-10] • Kecak (from Baraka film); audio example PL 7-11

12. Beleganjur in Balinese Ritual • Agama Tirta (Religion of Holy Water) • Cremation ceremony (ngaben) • Performed by members of the banjar • Purpose: Release soul (atma) to Upper World of Balinese cosmos • Procession of atma to cremation grounds • Multi-tiered cremation tower (wadah), followed by gamelan beleganjur, directed by lead drummer [PL 7-12] • Gamelan beleganjur functions: • Frighten and deflect evil spirits (bhutas, leyaks) • Give courage to the atma • Energize tower carriers • Regulate pace of procession • At end, “ladder to Upper World” • Function of the ensemble most important at crossroads. Why?

13. GLE: BeleganjurMusic Performed during a Balinese Cremation Procession [PL 7-12] • 0:00–0:35 • Sound of crowd assembling, singing of sacred verses (kidung). • 0:36–0:55 • Entry of lead drummer (0:36), cueing beleganjur ensemble and signaling beginning of procession. • Full ensemble enters over gilak gong cycle at 0:41 (as tower carriers hoist tower onto their shoulders and the procession begins); unison rhythms in cymbals. • Brief passage of kilitantelu cymbal interlocking cymbal at end of section (0:53–0:55). • 0:56–1:05 • Gong cycle only (no drums or cymbals), followed by interlocking drumming and return of cymbals. • 1:06–1:38 • Long passage featuring kilitantelu cymbal interlocking. • 1:39–1:49 • Drum duet feature section. • 1:50–end • Cymbals reenter, more kilitantelu interlocking; excerpt fades out after 2:05 cymbal crashes as gong cycle continues.

14. KreasiBeleganjur • Modern, contest style • Rooted in “warrior ideal” of antiquity • “Baris” (warrior’s dance) [PL 7-13] • Gerak (choreography) reflects this ideal • Style originated in 1986 • Two of the pioneering composers: Sukarata [PL 7-14], Asnawa • Exhibitionistic rather than functional • Innovations of kreasistyle • Compositional originality • Ensemble virtuosity • Showmanship emphasis (including gerak) • Varied musical textures

15. GLE: I KetutSuandita, “WiraGhoravaCakti ’95,” Pt. 1 [PL 7-15] • 0:00–0:06 • Excerpt begins with impressive interlocking drumming, syncopated cymbal rhythms; gilak gong cycle provides foundation. • 0:07–0:18 • Brief passage featuring distinctive, eight-part interlocking cymbal texture (0:07–0:09). • Reyong, drums, and other instruments come in from 0:10 on. • 0:19–0:27 • Unaccompanied reyong feature (gong cycle drops out); superb example of fast, intricate reyong interlocking. • 0:28–1:14 • Gong cycle returns; talents of full ensemble on display; good examples of more eight-part cymbal interlocking from 0:38. • Continues on next slide

16. GLE: “WiraGhoravaCakti’95,” Pt. 2 • 1:15–1:28 • Transition to slow-tempoed section of the piece; contrasting musical character. • 1:29–2:11 • Slow section proper begins (over a dramatically slower gilak gong cycle). • Unpredictable and dramatic changes in tempo, texture, and rhythm. • 2:12–end • Drums and cymbals play at double the tempo of the other instruments, creating an effect of two levels of tempo (slow and fast) occurring at once. • Excerpt fades out as performance continues (3:00). • Video of same piece performed by 1992 Badung contest champions from Banjar Meranggi, Denpasar

17. Crossing International Borders • Western composers who have been influenced by/composed for gamelan • Janet Jackson, “China Love” [PL 7-16] • Claude Debussy, “Pagodes” [PL 7-17] • John Cage, “Daughters of the Lonesome Isle” (prepared piano) [PL 7-18] • Lou Harrison, Suite for Violin with American Gamelan (4th mvmt.) [PL 7-19] • Christine Southworth, “Supercollider” (Gamelan Elektrika, Kronos Quartet [PL 7-20] • Composers associated with Gamelan Sekar Jaya (Berkeley, CA) • Michael Tenzer, “Unstable Center” [PL 7-21] • Wayne Vitale, “KhayalanTiga” [PL 7-22] • Evan Ziporyn, “Tire Fire: IV” (Gamelan GalakTika) [PL 7-23] • MusikKontemporer (Indonesia) • I NyomanWindha, I WayanSadra, I KomangAstita, I KetutGedeAsnawa • Book: Radical Traditions, by Andrew Clay McGraw • “Kekembangan,” by I NyomanWindha; then collaboratively recreated with Evan Ziporyn [Pl 7-24]

18. I WayanBalawanand Batuan Ethnic Fusion, “Country Beleganjur” [PL 7-25] • Electric guitar virtuoso, including of double-necked electric guitar and double-necked guitar synthesizer • In “Country Beleganjur,” standard, single-necked guitar • Piece combines elements of country, bluegrass, funk, jazz, rock, and standard beleganjur music – even a bit of Kecak • See detailed discussion, pp. 112-13

19. GLE: Michael Bakan, “B.A.Ph.PET” (Charles Tremblay, turntable soloist; FSU Balinese Gamelan), Pt. 1 [PL 7-26] PART I • 0:00–0:13 • The four reyong kettle-gongs come in one after the other, together building a dissonant cluster of notes (chord). • Ostinato rhythm is a shortened variant of the basic kilitantelu rhythmic pattern. • 0:14–0:53 • Large gong enters, followed by metallophones (gangsa). • Instruments continue to enter, one by one, gradually filling out the texture with multiple layers and interlocking ostinato parts. • 0:54–1:25 • Synthesizer melody unfolds over a steady, slow-moving core melody in lower-register metallophones. • Sequence of low gong strokes (supplemented by electric bass tones) combines elements of a Balinese-style gong cycle and the bass line of a Western-style chord progression. • Continues on next slide

20. GLE: “B.A.Ph.PET,” Pt. 2 PART II • 1:26–1:41 • All instruments drop out except for a single reyong (like at the beginning). • Synthesized drums enter (1:30). • Electric bass enters, establishing funk groove (1:33). • Scratch turntable sneaks in and builds with a crescendo (1:39–1:41). • 1:42–3:37 • Improvised scratch turntable solo—soloist: Charles Tremblay (Note: new bass line begins at 2:16). • Second, third, and fourth reyong kettle-gongs reenter, one after another, beginning at 2:29. • All other gamelan instruments gradually reenter, building as before. • 3:38–end • Return of synthesizer tune over gamelan core melody, low gongs, and electric bass, plus all other instruments; dense, layered, polyphonic texture. • Climax of piece arrives at 3:55, followed by fade-out ending.