HANNALENE R.

DOLOR
BSED PEAHM / PEAHM 111 Philippine Asian Music

MUSIC OF INDONESIA

Wayang Kulit, an Indonesian form of shadow puppetry, holds the

audience’s attention with riveting storylines executed masterfully by the
dhalang, or puppeteer. The puppets are made of buffalo hide and intricately
designed, down to the most minute detail of costume and color, to help the
audience distinguish between the different characters. The dhalang tells
the stories of kings, princesses, ogres, and knights, using deft hand
movement and narration. While traditional performances used cotton
sheets and oil lamps to create the play of light, electric bulbs or other
sources of light are used today. Many of the plots draw from episodes seen
in the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Wayang Kulit was
declared a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by
UNESCO in 2003.
Gamelan is a term for various types of orchestra played in Indonesia.
It is the main element of the Indonesian traditional music. Each gamelan is
slightly different from the other; however, they all have the same
organization, which based on different instrumental groups with specific
orchestral functions. The instruments in a gamelan are composed of sets
of tuned bronze gongs, gong-chimes, metallophones, drums, one or more
flute, bowed and plucked string instruments, and sometimes singers. In
some village gamelan, bronze is sometimes replaced by iron, wood, or
bamboo. The most popular gamelan can be found in Java, and Bali.

The Beliefs
In Indonesian traditional thinking, the gamelan is sacred and is believed to
have supernatural power. Both musician and non- musicians are humble
and respectful to the gamelan. Incense and flowers are often offered to
the gamelan. It is believed that each instrument in the gamelan is
guided by spirits. Thus, the musician have to take off their shoes
when they play the gamelan. It is also forbidden to step over any
instrument in a gamelan, because it might offend the spirit by doing so.
HANNALENE R. DOLOR
BSED PEAHM / PEAHM 111 Philippine Asian Music

Some gamelan are believed to have so much powers that playing them
may exert power over nature. Others may be touched only by persons
who are ritually qualified. In Javanese gamelan, the most important
instrument is the Gong Ageng. The Javanese musicians believe that
Gong Ageng is the main spirit of the entire gamelan.

INDONESIAN AND THAILAND INSTRUMENTS HAVE SIMILARITIES:

Thailand Kong Circle

Indonesian Kempul gongs

HANNALENE R. DOLOR
BSED PEAHM / PEAHM 111 Philippine Asian Music

Ranad in Thailand traditional band

Indonesian Traditional band

HANNALENE R. DOLOR
BSED PEAHM / PEAHM 111 Philippine Asian Music

Indonesia and Thailand traditional music are similar to one. Both are
percussion, rather than string-based music, which when compare to the
typical European or even Chinese classical music, gave a very distinct
“texture”. If symphony is like a soup with all the sound blended together to
create a one homogeneous “harmony” of sound with each tone blend
seamlessly together to create one melody, the music in Indonesia and
Thailand is like salad. Instruments not only don’t working together, they
actively compete with each other and even expect to give their own
“cadenza”
Most of the instrument are percussion, the harmonic concept
between each of the instrument is very different. The sound of striking
wood, cloth, and metal, come together to paint a very different picture like a
heavily decorated architect of both country. There are sound as soft as
piano forte, glittering sound of metal in fast tempo, and a majestic kong that
bind everything together.