S E Vv E N ONESTIA 267 2.0.4) Asia/Indonesia R. ANDERSON SUTTON sf araruna ‘sea Indonesia isa country justly proud of its great cultural diversity. Nowhere is this diversity more evident than in the stunning variety of musical and related per: forming arts found throughout its several thousand populated islands, Known, formerly as the Dutch East Indies, indonesia is one of many modern nations ‘whose boundaries were formed during the centuries of European colonial dom ination, placing peoples with contrasting languages, ars, systems of belief, and conceptions of the world under a single rule. The adoption of a national lan ‘guage in the early twentieth century was a crucial step in building the unity ecessary t0 win a revolution against the Dutch (1945-49), More eecently, a pan-Indonestan popular culture s contributing to an increased sense of national Unity, particularly among the younger generation, Nevertheless, though we can b identify some general cultural traits, including musical ones, shared by many . peoples of indonesta, itis problematic 10 speak of an “Indonesian” culture, oF ‘an “Indonesian” style of music, Regional diversity is still very much in evidence, @ ‘Most Indonesians’ first language is not che national language (Indonesian), but instead one of the more than two hundred separate languages found throughout this vast archipelago. And though many Indonesians are familiar swith the sounds of Indonestan pop music and such Western stars as Michael Jackson, Sting, and Bruce Springsteen, they also know, 10 a greater or lesser ‘extent, their own regional musical traditional, Many kinds of music exist side by side in Indonesia, in a complex pluralism that reflects both the diversity of the native population and the receptiveness of that population to centuries of out side influence. Indonesia is, then, a country that can truly be said to be home to worlds of music ‘What sort of impressions might you first have of this country? You would probably arrive in the nation’s capital, Jakarta, a teeming metropolis of about eight million people—some very wealthy, most rather poor Jakarta is near the ‘western end of the north coast of Java, Indonesia's most heavily populated (but not largest) island (see fig. 71). The mix of Indonesia's many cultures is no- where more fully realized than in this special city, Many kinds of music are heard here, Western-siyle night clubs and discos do a lively business until the early hhouts of the morning, Javanese gamelan (percussion ensemble) music accom panies nightly performances of waang orang theatre (an elaborate (ype of dance-drama from central Java), You might also run across Jakarta own, ~ ‘AUSTRALIA, HILIPPINES, Bo" g i i T A | ot E MALAYS I ‘ ? rt, vcaLiMaNTaN 2 Johoria wave SEA 500 L To" of WMALAYSIA, THAILAND INDONESIA wes Nolan ocean L TOE 266268 INDONESIA gambang:kromong (small percussion ensemble), and perhaps a troupe from Bali, Sumatra, or any of the many other islands performing traditional music and dance at the national arts center Taman Ismael Marzuki, Once you get your bearings, learn to bargain for taxis or motorized pedicabs, and develop a taste for highty seasoned food, you can get a sense of Indonesia's many cultures by Foaming this complex city. But much of what you encounter here has stronger roots in the various regions from which it has been derived CENTRAL JAVA Java isan island of just less than 50.000 square miles-very nearly the size of Czechoslovakia or New York state and slightly smaller than Nepal. With close to 100 million people, itis one of the most densely populated regions in the world indonesia’ total population is about 170 million.) Most of the central and eastern two thirds ofthe island is inhabited by Indonesia’ largest ethnic group, the Javanese, 60 ¢0 70 million people who share a common language and other cultural traits, including music, hough some local dtferences persis. tn the western third of the island live the Sundanese, whose language and arts are distinct from those of the Javanese. Despite its dense population, Java temains ‘mostly a farmjng society, with wet ice agriculture as the predominant source of livelihood While most Javanese profess to be Muslin, only a small percentage flow orthodox practice, More adhere to a syncretic blend of Islam with Hin duism and Buddhism (introduced in Java over une daousatd years 20), and ‘ith what most scholars believe to be a still earlier layer of belie in benevolent and mischievous spirits and in ancestor veneration. The World view that em braces these many layers of belicke is often referred to as kejauén—lterally, Javanese, o* Javanesenes, aterm thitindicaes its importance in Javanese sel. conception. ait Sr com Jakarta a twelve hour ride on bus or train through shimmering wetrice fields, set in the plains between gracefully sloping voleanie mountains, leads 10 ‘Yogyakarta (often abbreviated to "Yogya” and pronounced "Jogi, one of two court cities in the cultural heartland of Central Java. The other, less than fiy miles to the northeast, i Surakarta (usually known as “Solo! ). Most Javanese Point to these two cities asthe cultural centers where traditional gamelan music and related performing arts have flourished in their most elaborate and refined forms. These courly developments are contrasted with the rougher styles ass0 ciated wit the villages and outlying districts Youya i a sprawling city with a population of about 350,000. It has few buildings taller than two stories. Away from the several major sireets lined with stores lashing neon signs and blaring loudly amplified popular music, Youya is in many ways lke a dense collection of villages. Yet at its center is one of fva's {wo major royal courts (Araron ), official home ofthe tenth sultan (His Highness Hamengku Buwana X), Unlike any Western palace oF court, the Arion is a INDONESIA 269 ‘complex of small buildings and open pavilions, appropriate for the warm, trop ical climate. Its design is not merely for comfor., however. The kraton is en: owed with mystical significance as an earthly symbol of the macrocosmes, the ordered universe, with orientation to the cardinal directions, And the ruler, ‘whose residence is located at the very center of the kraton, is, like the Hindu: Javanese kings of many centuries ago, imbued with divine powers ‘In many of these pavilions are kept the court gamelan ensembles. Some date back many centuries and are used only for rare ritual occasions;-others were built or augmented more recently and are used more frequently. Most of these, like other treasured heirlooms belonging to the court, are believed to contain special powers and are shown respect and given offerings. Also kept in the palace are numerous sets of finely carved and puinted wayang kulit (shadow puppets made of water bufalo hide) used in all night performances of highly Sophisticated and enteriining shadow plays. Classical Javanese dance, with gamelan accompaniment, is rehearsed regularly and performed for special pal: ace functions, ‘Though the draton is stil regarded 2s a cultural center, its far less active now than it was prior to World War II (during which the Japanese occupied Indo- nnesia). Much acuvity in the traditional Javanese aris is to be found outside the coun, sponsored by private individuals and also ty such modern institutions as the national radio station ard public schools and colleges. In the rural villages, which long served as a source and inspiration for the more refined courtly arts, a variety of musical and related performing arts continue t0 play avital role in Javanese life Gamelan ‘The word gamelan refers wa set of instruments unified by their tuning and ‘often by their decorative caving and painting (see ill. 7-1), Most gamelans consist of several kinds of metal slab instruments (similar in some ways to the Western vibraphone) and tuned knobbed gongs. The word gong itself is one of the very few English words derived from Indonesian languages. (Two others are kketchup and amok) In English, gong may refer to any variety of percussion instrument whose sound-producing vibrations are concentrated in the center of the instrument, rather than the edge, ike a bell. In Javanese i refers specifically to the larger hanging knoboed gongs in gamelan ensembles and is part of a Family of words relating to largeness, greatness, and grandeur—agung (great, kingly), ageng (large), and gunung (mountain). in addition to gongs and other ‘metal instruments, a gamelan ensemble normally hasat least one deum and may have other kinds of instruments: winds, strings, and wooden percussion instru ments (xylophones), ‘Some ancient ceremonial gamelan have only 1 few knobbed gongs and one ‘or two drums. The kind of gamelan most often ased in central Java today is a large set, comprising instruments ranging from deep booming gongs three feet270 INDONESIA WL 7-1. The gamelan Kyat Kanyut Mesem (“Tempted to Smile’) In the Manghunegaran palace, Surakarta, Central Javi. In foreground: gong ‘ageng and gong siyem. (Photo courtesy of Arthur Durkee, Earth Vistons Photographics.) in diameter to sets of high-pitched tuned gongs (gong.chimes) and slab instru ‘ments, with three drums, several bamboo flutes, zithers. xylophones, and a wostringed fiddle Instruments in the present-day gamelan are tuned t0 one of two scale sys tems: sléndro, a fivexone system made up of nearly equidistant intervals, nor ‘mally notated with the numerals 1, 2, 3,5, and 6 (no 4); and pélog, a sevensone system made up of lange and small intervals, normally notated 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Some gamelan are entirely sléndro, others entire pélog, but many are acully double ensembles, combining a full set of instruments for each system. The two Bx 7, Wester scale and representative pelo and send scales. Based om measurement of genio sara, Wasa easing et, al, 1972:51-53. 7 Westem ‘major ale Pele fale svaness INDONESIA an scale systems are incompatible and only in a few rare cases are they played simultaneously. The tones of neither of these scale systems can be replicated on 1 Western piano. Example 7-1 shows the chromatic intervals of Western music (the black and white keys of the piano) in comparison with sample interval for ‘one instance of sléndro and one of slog (these are not entcely standardized, as { shall explain below) ‘The instrumentation ofa full stondro-pélog gamelan varies slightly but usvally includes all or most of the instruments given inthe list below. Most ofthese are illustrated in figure 7-2 Knobbed Gong Instruments conc scons: largest of the banging gongs, suspended vertically from a ‘wooden frame; one or two in each gamelan; often simply called gong; played with a round, padded beater. sme ‘middle sized hanging gong; usually from one to four in each ‘gamelan; also called gong suavtukan; played with a round, padded beater. sw: smallest hanging gong; from two to ten per gamelan; played with a round, padded beater. vane largest of the kettle gongs, resting horizontally in a wooden frame; from two to twelve per gamelan; played with a padded stick beater, Fig. 7-2. Central Javanese gamelan instruments. (Ilustration by Peggymm INDONESIA ana small Ketle gong; one for each scale system: played. with a padded stick beater seurvwc: set of two Kettle gongs, smaller than kethu, used only for ‘Pélog; played with «wo padded stick beaters set often, twelve, or fourceen kettle gongs resting horizontally in two parallel rows in a wooden frame; one set for each scale system; often simply cilled bonarig, played with two padded stick beaters, smaller member of the bonang family; same 25 honang rung but tuned an octave higher; one for each scale Metal Keyed Instruments ‘wow pew: largest member of the saron (single-octave metallophone) family six or seven thick metal keys resting over a trough resonator; usually one or two for each scale system, often simply called demueng; played with a wooden mallet. smav awn: like saron demung, but an octave higher, usualy from wo to four for each scale system: often simply called saron. sav rons: like saron barung, but an octave higher; often simply called poking ‘exnée susemue six oF seven thin metal keys suspended by strings over eylindrical cesonatuty sade oF Bamboo of metal one for each scale system; often simply called slenthem; played with a padded dise beater. exw ive. thirteen or fourteen thin metal keys, suspended over ylindrical resonators; one for slénuiro, rw0 for pélog: bem (with tones 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 in each octave) and haveing (with tones 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 in each octave); often simply called gendér; played with two padded dise beaters, cavnir ravens: lke gondér barung, but an octave higher Other Melodic Instruments auc seventeen to twenty-three wooden keys resting over a {rough resonator; one for sléndro; ane of two for pélog (it (0, like gendér barung and gender panerus; if only one, exchange keys enable player to arrange instrument for bem—with 1s— or for barang—with 7s), played with two padded disc beaters, exuewunc ——zither, usually supported at ubout a thity-degree angle by four legs, with twenty to twenty-six strings arranged in ten to thirteen “double courses" (28 on a twelvesiring guitar one for sléndro, one or two for pélog (cf. gambang plucked with thumb nails. INDONESIA 273 sre smaller zither, resting on floor or in horizontal frame, with from tea to twenty-six strings in single o¢ double courses tone for sléndro, one or two lor pélog (ct. gambang and. ‘celempung), plucked with thumb nails sense tend: blown bamboo thute; one for sléndro, one or two for peélog. an: ‘wo-stringed fidale, one or two per gamelan, Drums axon cern: largest ofthe tand drums; two leather heads, laced onto 4 barel-shaped shell, one per gamelan ‘sorave oma tidle-sized hand drum, Ike kendhang gendbing; often simpy elect ction, fexowe neve; smallest hand drum, often simply called herpumg. secu large stidlcbeaten drums to leather heads, tacked onto a cylindrical shell one per gamelan. There is no standaed arrangement of these instruments in the performance space, though almost without exception they are placed at right angles to one another, rellecing the Javanese concern with the cardinal directions (see ill Gk Ss © back, with the saron 7-2). Generally the larger gong insruments are in the back, family immediately in front of them, bonang family and bedbug drum to the sides, other melodic insruments in front, and the kendhang drums in the 7-2. Gamelan musicians inthe Kratom Kasinanan (royal palace) In Sunaara, Contra java in foreground Bonang (ef) gender (gh) (hota courtesy of arthur Durkee, Earth Visions Potagrepb)24 INDONESIA center. The plcement ofthe instruments reflect their relate ous and the inton inthe performance of pices, which I wl dncus shots The gamelan inscuments are normaly complemented by singe» sal male chorus (gérong) and female soloists (pendbon), Jaa ae suppor highly developed tradon of unaccompanied vocal muse omens) wick Serves a a major vehicle fr jase poetry In, the word tay en tensed ito English as “sung poet Alouth anese have fecoded ree tember in several wn sens for ovr ent usted yes, these se normaly nether ead sent nor rea lod ina speaking voice but ung Bren imporanleers berveen members ofthe nobly were, un ths retary composed a ombang and delivered as song, Though the postal set ha eliminated tis practic, veal ai, weer with gomele of unaccompanied nj ret pur nt Je relation becveen vocal and instrumental orientations in gamtlan music is relected inthe two major groupings ofistrumens Inthe Presenter lo anese gamelan: lou playing ands plying Histor evtdene suas that these two groupings were once separate ensembles and were combines recent asthe spteenth or early seventeenth cemurien. oud paying ces were asocited wih fess, proestors and other Roy or eres ad were sti insrumenal Sot plying cnsembieo were intended fs mone imi ther, cen adorn nce gig Ese Od, Pr mance spe distinguishes these ro groupings In lon plying soe ty he drums nd loer metal iasturent essed as listed below inthe cola the lee In sot playing tle these snrameni, oF toa of hee ged sol, and the voces and insane ited below inthe column he se are featured Loud-Playing Instruments Soft-Playing Instruments ‘gong aang sgendér barung sivem sender panerus sempul zambang, non celempung kethule siter kempyang suling bonang family rebab saron family slenthem keendhang family bedhug Gamelan Construction Bronze is the preferred metal for gamelan manufacture, due both to its dura: bility and to its rich, sweet sound quality. Brass and iron are also used, especially INDONESIA 275 in rural areas. They are considerably cheaper than bronze, easier to tune, but less sonorous. Bronze gamelan instruments are forged (some cast in their basic shapes and then forged) in a long and difficult process. Though the metal ‘worker in many societies occupies a low status, it Java he bas traditionally been held in very high regard. The act of forging bronze insteuments not only re- {quires great skill but is also imbued with mystical significance. Working with metals, transforming molten copper and tin (the metals that make bronze alloy) into sound-producing instruments, is believed to make one especially vulners ble to dangerous forces in the spirit world. Its for this reason that the smiths ‘make ritual preparation and may actualy assume mythical identities during the forging process, The chief smith is ritually transformed into Panji, a powerful Javanese mythical hero, and the smiths assistants become Panj’s family and servants (Kunst 1973138). ‘The largest gongs may require a fll month of labor and a truckload of coal for the forge that heats the metal. Only after appropriate meditation, prayer, fasting, and preparation of offerings does a smith undertake to make a large gong. The molten bronze is pounded, reheated, pounded, reheated, and grad: tually shaped into a large knobbed gong that may measure three feet oF more in diameter. A false hit at any stage can crack the gong and the process must begin. all ver, Gamelan Identity A gamelan, particulaely a bronze set with one or 1wo fine large gongs, i often held in great respect, given a proper name, and given offerings on Thursday ‘evenings (the beginning of the Muslim holy day). Though gamelan makers have recently begun to duplicate precise tuning nd decorative designs, generally ‘each gamelan is unique set, whose instruments would both look and sound out ‘of place in another ensemble, Formerly, attempting even to copy the tuning and ‘design of palace gamelan instruments Was forbidden as these were reserved for the ruler and were directly associated with his power, The variability in tuning from one gamelan 10 another is certainly not the result of a casual sense of pech among Javanese musicians and gamelan makers. ‘On the contrary, great care is taken in the making and in the occasional renuning, Of gamelan sets to arrive st a pleasing tuning.—one that is seen to ft the’ par ticulae physical condition of the instruments arid the tastes of the individual ‘owner. I spent one month with a tuner, his ew0 assistants, and an expert musi: cian as they gradually reached consensus on sn agreeable toning, and then akered the tuning of the many bronze gong aiid metal stab instruments through a Jong process of hammer.ng and filing--all by hang, Bronze has the curious. property of changing tuning—rather markedly during the first few years after forging, and more subtly over a period of twenty to thirty years, uti itis finally settled.” It might seem that the lack of a standard tuning would be cause for _musical chaos, but the actual latitude is eather smallINDONESIA Gamelan Performance Contexts Despite the changes wrought by modern institutions (formal musical instruction in schools and dissemination through the mass media) in the contexts of music ‘making and the ways music 4s understood, Javanese music is my imerrelated with other performin, fe closely ans and more intimately bound to other aspects of life than are the arts in che West "Concems” of gamelan music siniply do not occur, at least notin anything like the citcumstances of a concert of Western classical muste. The closest thing to a gamelan "coneert” in java Is yon toon (or klenéngan , but these are better understood as socal events that involve gamelan music. They are usually held to commemorate a day of ritual importance, such asa birt, circumcision, or wedding, Normally a family spon sors such an event and invites neighbors and eelaives, while thers are welcome to look on and listen, The invited guests are served food and ate expected to socialize freely through the duration of the event. No one expects the guests to be quiet during the perfomance of pieces or to pay rapt atention to them the ‘way an audience does at a Western concer. Rather, the music. carefully played though it may be, is seen to contribute to the festveness of the larger socal reat, helping wo make W Fait (ely, busy in a postive way). Coanoisecas > among the guests wll ask for a favorite piece and miaypay close atenton tothe ‘way the ensemble ota particular singer or instrumentalist performs, but net to the exclusion of friendly interaction with the hosts and other guess. While the tnusic is intended to enterain those present (without cance ot deamay- RATS |, S6eS 2 Fittal Tunction, helping to maintain balance a important transitional | Points in the lfe ofa person of community More often, gamelan music is performed as accompaniment for dance OF” theater—a refined female ensemble dance (simpi or hedbayia), 1 fitatious female solo dance (gamibyong),a vigorous, martial lance dance (lavuig), or an evening of drama based on Javanese legendary history tetboprak), or example (see ils. 7-4, 7-5) list of traditional genzes currently performed in Central Java with gametan accompaniment would be long, Some are presented primar iy in commercial sewing, with an audience buying tickets. hers are more often part of a ritual ceremony The genre held in the highest esteem by most Javanese, and nearly always reserved for rital ceremony, isthe shadow puppet theatte Lucan ket) ‘hich dates back no less than one thousand years GEC. 7-6). Bewinnang so an overture played on the gamelan ducing the early evening, shadow puppet performances normaly lat until dawn. With a sereen stretched befote him lamp overhead, and puppets to both sides, one master puppeteer (dbalang) operates all the puppets, performs all the narration and dialogue, sings mood songs, and directs the musicians for a period of about eight hours, with no The musicians do not play constantly throughout the evening, but must be ever-ready 10 respond toa signal from the puppeteer. He leads the musicians INDONESIA Poa) 7-3. Mustclans playing the gamelan Kyat Kanyut Maser. Mangkunegaran palace, Surokta, Contra Java. foreground: Sarons, Rempul and gongs om le sarom pking and bonangr om igh (Photo couren of arioer Durkee, Fart Visions Pootograpbtes) ip ig eth wen pape) se arb Ca et pas ct, al Secon the a eh pethlngpuppes ba ase onns se ‘tha he poppter deliver stated lyre by a known player butraerhown senin ef sonal set lac ores perfor by ater puppeters, bu peer ew the same, might bea elt i he Rv tat ep ono ln peor of pes one io he py nd ray hh pled oer cote we ~_ sod mica kos many hundreds of lees ha he ees, He stl plays ar enero lly ey real an ith is imelan piece” of “gamelan composition” (in Javanese: gendbring) is tiferent fom the Wester notion of musi pecs, paral tat otton has developed in the Western art music or “classical” tradition,278 UL7-4. Dancers at: Jfemalle court dance. INDONESIA Pujokusumuan tn Yoparhara perform a rin (Photo by Bee Chay Prone a rims INDONESIA 279 - bt = IIL7-5. Dancers at the Pakualaman palace in Yogyakarta perform a bedbaya, femate court dance (here with innovative costumes). (Pot ‘courtesy of Arthuer Durkee, Earth Vision Pbutograpbics) IL, 7-6. Puppeteer Ki Gondo Darman performing wayang kulit at the ASKT performing arts academy in Surakaria. (Photo courtesy of Arthur Durkee, Earth Vision Photographics.)280 INDONESIA Gamelan Music—A Javanese Gendbing in Performance We can best begin to understand what a Javanese gendbing is by considering fone in some detailhow i is conceived and how its realized in performance Listen to “Bubaran Kembang Pacar” on the accompanying cassette (selection 38), This is from a tape I made in a cecording session in Yogya with some of the most highly regarded senior musicians associated with the cour. It was played on a bronze gamelan atthe house of one of Yoga’ best known dane rs and choreographers, Dr. Soedarsono, who founded the National Dance ‘Academy (ASTI) in Yogya. You will note that iti an example of loud playing syle throughout, And you might have guessed that itis in the pélog scale system, with small and large intervals. 1 uses the péiog bem scale-— tones 1. 2,3,5, and 6, with an occasional 4, but no 7, But what about its structure: How are the sounds organized in this piece—or, more precisely this performance ofthis piece? Unless they are connected directly to a previous piece in a medley sequence, avanese gendbings begin with a solo introduction, plaved on one instrument oF ‘sung by asolo singer, Here short introduction (bua splayed on the bona barung by the well-known teacher and musician Pak Sastrapustaka. During the Jaxer portion, the bonang is joined by the two drums kendbang gending and Aenipung, played (as is customary) by one drummer-in this case, the fraton (palace) musician Pak Kawindro. The drummer in the favanese gamelan acts 36 4 conductor, controlling the tempo and the dynamics (the relative levels of Joudness and sofiness). He need not be visible to other musicians, since his “conducting” is accomplished purely through aural signals. He does not stand in front ofthe ensemble, but sits unobtrusively in the midst of i Although we discussed the choice of “Bubaran Kembang Pacae” at this re- cording session, experienced musicians recognize the identity ofthe gending fom the introduction and do not need to be told what piece is about 10 be performed. The bonang player (or other musician providing an introduction ) ‘may simply play the introduction to an appropriate piece andl expect the other ‘musicians to follow, At the end of the introduction, most of the rest of the ensemble joins ia, the large gong sounds, andthe main body ofthe gertdbing begins The structure of this main body is based on principles of balanced, binary (duple) subdivision and of eycic repetition. The basic time and melodic unit _gendbing isthe gongar, a phase marked off by the sound of either the largest ong (gong ageng) or the slightly smaller gong siyem. For most genes, these phrases are of regular length as measured in beats of the baitongan, the ‘melodic part usually played on the slenthems and the saror family-almost always some factor of two: 8 beats, 16 beats, 32 beats, 64 beats, 128 beats, 256 beats (In the genre of pieces that serve as the staple for accompanying dramatic action, as we shall see below, gorgans are of irregular length and the regular Unit is matked instead by the smaller gong kempul) A gongan is subdivided INDONESIA 281 {nto rw oF four shorter phrases by the henong, snd these further subslivided by IRemprl,herbud and in Some lengthier pieces by kempyang. The result isa pater of interlocking percussion which tepeats until an aural signal from the drummer of one ofthe lead melodic instruments (boned in loud-plaving sie, rebab in sof-playing) directs the performers t0 end oF to proceed 10a diferent piece, Whereas in Westesn muse composers mus pro. vide explicit directions for performers to repeat a section (ustally by means of notated repeat signs), n Javanese gamelan performance repetition is assumed {As we speak of “phrases” in describing music, borrowing the term from the realm of language, Javanese also liken the gonga toa sentence and concelve of the subdividing pat as “punetation." For“ Bubaran Kembang Pacar," ater the gong stoke atthe end of the introduction, the patern of gong punctuation showin in ex. 7-2 is epeated throughout. The tie distribution ofthese pune tuating beats i even, but the degree of sires or weight snot (even though no beat is played louder than any heron any single instrument) Javanese listen ers feel the progression of stress levels indicated in ex. 7-3, based on the levels of subdivision, The strongest beat isthe one coincing with the largest and deepest sound: ing phrase marker, the gong (G), an withthe kenong (N)—at the end ofthe phrase. Javanese would count this as one, t%0,theee, FOUR, et, with the stTon- gest beat being the sisteenta. This sche ool heat where two punctuating gong instruments coincide. I is his “coincidence” which gives a sense of repose. @ releaze ofthe rhythmic tension thet builds through the course ofthe gorges Although in the West one may dismiss evens a “mere coincidence in Java the simultaneous occurrence of several events, he alignment of days of the ‘week and dates (like our Friday the 13h), ean be profoundly meaning. ts not utcommon wo determine a suitable day for a wedding, oF for moving house, based on the coincidence of a certain day in the seven-day week witha certain ‘Gay in the Faanese Tre-dey market week, anc! this in turn within a certain Javanese month (inthe lunar calendar athe tha the solar calendar used inthe ‘West.) And the simultaneous occurrence of what to Westerners would seem to be uncelated (and therefore meaningless) events—such as the sounding of 2 certain bird while in the course of carrying out a particular aciviy—can be Jntegpeeted in Jva as a, important omen {Thus deep seated view of he workings ofthe natural world is reflected in the Sxructure of gamelan musi, where coincidence i central to the coherence of the music, The sounding of the gong with she kerong marks the musical instant 1 = kethule N=kenog fw ENE PING PINE PES kkempul G G = gong oF sje me beatin balungann melody Ex. 7-2. Interlocking punctuation patiern in “Bubaran Kembang Pacar.”282 INDONESIA IDIVISIONS Full gongan, 1s level N N 2nd level: w P ® P Bed level ¢ ee ‘ zo WA md wk sir wk md wk sie we md wk sw wk md wk aa heat RB Hose wk str» song; sar ~ very song) Ex, 7-3, Stress levels in punctuation “Bubaran 3 Pattern of “Bubaran Kembang, of retest weight and isthe only pve at which a gonding may end Yet ther lesser point of coincidence aso cery weight Ie conser the pce rom the Berspective ofthe blur melody ta the comeience of he bogs uh enon Soke thatthe ext ong ses Ad np longer gongans (eg, 32.6, oF 128 bess), where there are many ove sro beat and therefore many’ of them do no coincide wah any punching gong, each enong stoke and even each hee maybe an insane of and temporary repoe solis cise ah ese nd her den Sn Henan ae found it wel o present the ee ute of gendhous mpl pat terns oto a ee ela the fo of musical time tothe rece ace teace bythe hands ona clock. The ptern used in ‘Bubaran Reman Pca then canbe noted as shown in example 7-4. Becker as argoed conical thatthe lie structure of vance gendbings elects the peritence o inks Ex 7h. Pumctuation pattern of Bubaran Kembang Pacar” represented INDONESIA 283 Buddhist conceptions of time introxtuced to Java during the First millennium a, and not wholly eliminated by the subsequent adoption of Islam. (For an elab- ‘oration of this theory, see Hofiman 1978, Becker 1979, and especially Becker 1981.) ‘Today, the players of mostof the panctuatinginsirumentshave a choice of pitch in performance of many piexes. Their choice is normally determined by the ba tungart melody tone played simultaneously, or the one about to be emphasized inthe following phrase. However, when performing pieces in loud.playing syle icisnot unusual 0 sea single pitch throughout, reflecting earlier practice, when only one kempul and one orewo kenong were made for each gamelan. Here the ‘musicians opt for this older practice; they use kempu tone 6 throughout, and a special kenong (called kent japan) tuned to tone 5 in the octave below the other kenong. The ketbuk, as is customary in Yogva, is tuned to tone 2, The gong player chooses to sound the gong agers only for the frst and last gong strokes, Dtherwise he plays the smaller gong stem, tuned to tone 2. ‘The punctuation pattern and its relation tothe balengar melody is indicated in the frst word ofthe fll nomenclature of a ending, In fc, the way Javanese refer to gendbings normally includes their formal structure (in this case ‘bubaran’—sixteen beats per gongan, four kerong beats per gongam), the name of a particular melody (in this case 'Kembang Pacar'—a kind of red flower), the scale system (pélog), and the modal category (pather nem), Lec us now consider the haltungan melody ofthis piece, notated as performed con the aaron demung, saron barn, and steruiem (ex. 7-5). The sytenn used here and elsewhere in this chapter is the cipher notation system now widely used throughout central and eastern Java. Dots in place of numerals indicate 2 rest—or, more correctly, the sustaining of the previous tone, Dots below nu :merals indicate the lower octave and dots above indicate the higher octave. An extra space or two is often given ater groups of four beats as a means of demarcating the unit knowns gazra (roughly equivalent to the Western notion of measure” oF "bar’—though in Java almost always four beats long and with the stress on the fast beat, not the frst). Nowadays many Javanese musicians refer t0 notation to learn or « recall panicular pieces, but they do not generally read from notation in performance. And what is notated is usually only the ‘aalungan melody and intetion; the pars played on other instruments are G N troduction (on boos) 555 2556 2454 275555 6 (same each gongan} twiN ¢PEN tPEN tPEN. Isigongan 3635 3635 3635 6532 and gongan: 6532 5532 6532 5356 Srd-gongan, 2126 2126 2126 3532 ‘ihgongan 535. 2356 2454 2165 x.7-5, Introduction and balungan melody for “Bubaran Kembang Pacar.”284 INDONESIA recreated in relation to the baltengan melody and are open to some degree of Personal interpretation, ‘The piece consists of four gongans (each, of course, with the same bubaran structure), played one after the other. Each of the first three begins with agama that is played three times in succession and ends on the same tone as the previous gong tone. This kind of regularity enhances the balanced symmetry rovided by the punctuation structure. The fourth gongan, which stands out ‘ith its one rest (fourth beat) and different gatras, is melodically very similar to the introduction and leads right back into the ist. The whole main body can be repeated as many times asthe drummer desires, (oF as is appropriate to the context in which itis performed. Pieces in bubearnt form usualy are played atthe end of performances—bubar means to disperse, ‘The guests or audience are expected to leave ding the playing of the piece, thus the number of repetitions may depend on the length of time it takes those {in attendance to get up to leave, Already we have a fairly good understanding of the structure ofthis piece as performed. Let us focus our attention now on the part played by the drummer, Using the smallest and largest drums in combination. Throughout the piece he plays a pattern specific not to this particular piece, but, ike the punctuating Pattern, generic to the bubaran form, That i, the drumming for any ofthe forsy (F So other pieces in this form would be the same: a particular introductory Pattern, several variant patterns for the main body, and a special contrasting. pattern reserved only for the playing af the final gorigam and which, together with the slowing of tempo, acts to signal the ending. The patterns are made up fof a vocabulary of drum strokes, cach with @ name that imitates onomatopoet ‘cally the actual drum sound. (ex. 7-6). It i the drummer who first begins to play faster, thereby signaling the ensemble to speed up at the end of the second time through the large cycle of four gongans, As warning that he intends to end, he alters the last few sicokes In the penultimate gonigan (from dDuD dD. to dDdD TAD). This way the other musicians all know they are to slacken the tempo, though the precise rate is determined by the drummer. The playing of the ending pattern through the last gongan confirms bis intentions. ‘We have seen how the punctuating gong parts and the drumming fit with the balurigan in “Bubaran Kembang Pacar.” We can aow turn to the elaborating melodic instruments—here the bonang barung and bonang panerus—which normally play at a faster rate, subdividing the Aalungan part and providing variations based on the baltengan melody. In pieces with bakungan played at slower tempos, the saron peking also provides a limited degree of melodic claboration, but in Yogyanese court style the instrument is sometimes omitted (as itis here), Te was mentioned earlier thatthe only part normally notated isthe badunngan. Other melodic parts are derived through processes generally understood by practicing musicians. Ideally all musicians can play all the parts. In reality, this is true only’ in the best professional groups; but most musicians have at least INDONESIA 285, wou NG 535. 28 56 2 45 4 2 TSB35 fy) al a Main Boh cower NEM tN LP EON PENG eg) ese) (5) eles) 6 1s) ols st a x 44D. G4 @d. ad eo. dvdd aD ‘played ia Is 2nd, th gorgan) Peete eee ec ict Ges) 323 Bo «TaD. TaD. TED. T dD. TUD TED. dDdD.dD (liye in Sed gorgan) Bt ee 2) ts) ete al ot ae at lo Ending Tdd d D TddDTeD upTataT Dd Dae “played in th gonga ts time) dang ih reson sand poe by on Fm ges sing the ater beat oe en) TEx anor, rp sor proce by soo esl ead he pune witht) tang ep snd, rode by hing he gr Hea othe ena ng, enn conbinon i ako err) 7-6. Drum pater fr “Bubaran Kembung Pacer” passive knowledge of the workings of all the instruments and know how ta respond co various signals and subiler nuances, The two bonangs here perform in a style called muah (literally “to walk”), usually alternating let and sight ands in stunching combinations of tones de- rived from the baluungan. The bonay barun part played the frst time through the four gongans is notated in ex. 7-7. The arrangement of kettle gongs on the instrument is given in the upper portion of the figure, and the notation below (with the same cipher system used to notate the halungan), In subsequent repetitions the bonang barung past remains similar, but not {dentical. The variations reflect the sensibiliies of the player, who both adjusts to tempo changes and alters his paterns purels for the aesthetic enjoyment of ‘variation, He has not learned a particular bonamg part or set of variations, note for note, for this one piece. Rather, he has thoroughly internalized a vocabulary ‘of patterns (called cénpkols) which he knows by tradition to fit with certain phrases of balungan. What he usually will have learned about the particulae piece, other than iss balunga, isthe octave register ia which to play his vari- ations (eg, 3.6 3 6 rather than 3 63 6), ‘The bonanag panerus play similar sorts of variations ofthe balungan melody,286 INDONESIA 6 3 Kenles on onan aaa 7 235 6 4 Boning Playing in Bubaran Kombang Pa Sire 9 Ges see as eee honing 36363535565635353656553565356. 6 22 3265525356 bongs 6 53 homang 6555.6 6.5353666 bie 20102 621262126355 bonne 24215616212156462131606. 535.222 Gy fines 535 2 OP aS aI GS bong $553555.252556563024s45a2i2i 6535 5 Ex. 7-7. Bonang barung part played in “Bubaran Kembang Pacar.” but at twice the rate of the bonang barung. Example 7-8 gives balungan, onan baruang, and bonang panerus for the fist gorigan. The arrangement of kettles is identical to that of bonang brung, though each is euned an octave higher than the cortesponcling honamg heorang kettle. You can see inthis Fagan how the two bonangs vary by repetition: 3 6 in the bulungan becomes 3 63 6 in the bonang barung part and 363.3636 in the bonang panerus part—all heard simultaneously, Yer its nor simply a matter of mechanical replication through ‘out, for alternate tones can be substituted (e.g, 6 5.35 instead of 6 5 6 5) and other choices can be made. Sull, we can understand why the Javanese refer to the saron and slenthem melody as bakugan: the teem literally means “outline Of “skeleton.” And it provides just that for the elaborating instruments and, in soft-playing style, for the voices as well. The degree to which the saron and slenthem part actually sounds like an outline depends on its tempo and the ‘resulting levels at which its subdivided by the elaborating instruments, Irama Level 'n this performance of "Bubaran Kembang Pacar,” the bonang barung plays at tice the density of the balungan, subdividing i by two. This ratio defines one tune 56 95 8 bon bar 36363535303655355636353565356. 6 bon pes 365. 5636952, 3535363. 6s S585808 3686353. 3535056 6855626 6, Ex. 7-8, Bonang barung and panerus parts for Pacar,” first gongan. jubaran Kembang INDONESIA 287 ‘of five possible levels of batungan subdivision known as the irama level, Ifthe tempo had slowed sufficiently (as we shall see in the next piece), the bonang baring would double its caio with the balungan, subdividing exch beat by four. Ward Keeler aptly likens the process to a car shifting gears, in this case ddown-shifting as it goes up a steep grade (Keeler 1987225). And the bonang Panerus, in order to maintain its relationship with the bonang barung would double as well, resulting in an eightso-one ratio with the Balingan. At the slowest dalingan tempo, the bonang barung sould have a ratio of sixteen beats to one baltangan beat, and the honang peanerus, along with several of the soft instruments, would play a full zhity-o beats for each Aadungan beat! Performing Your Own Gamelan Music All you need is a group of seven or eight people in order to get the feeling of gamelan cnsemble performance. They can use any percussion instrament avail able, such as Orff instruments or simply use their voices. Stat by assigning each ppunctuating inscrument to one person. The gong player can simply say “gong” (na low, booming voice), th empul player pul" (middle voice) the kenong player "nong” (long and high) and the ket player “tuk (short and low), Another can be assigned to play the drum pateen (saying the syllables given in the patterns in example 7-6 above). Then the remaining performers can divide among themselves the baluangan melody and, if they are ielined, some honang elaboration. With a larger group. people can double up on all instruments, except the drum, First try the piece we have listened to, since the tune is familia, The “deum- mer” should control the tempo and play the ending pattern, slowing down 10 lend. Try different versions with different numbers of repetitions. You can end at ‘any gong tone; it does not hare to be atthe endl of the fourth gongan. Then try the piece given in example 7-9, called "Bubaran Udan Mas” (literally, Golden Rain), You can hear it on the recording Javanese Covert Gamelan from the Pura Paleu Alaman (Nonesuch H-72044). The gong punctuation is the same as in faxoducton NG 77756742765 6765 Traptad Sun Boe Pave Pt NG 3236538 33. 6585202 7655755 Cowen (eaungn) «6 532 OSS onamg) 65652. 2. 65652.2. 5 (bang) «7 $6 TT (orang) 7575 6767565672 765656767555 Approximate equivalents in Westen pitches for péog sce (= D)2=E3 =F Gea, BP,7 w= C (and 4 noc used here) Ex.7-9, “Bubaran udan mas,” pelog pathet barong—for performance.288 INDONESIA "Bubaran Kembang Pacar,” but the melody is different. The sequence is as follows: introduction, first gorgan ewice, second gongan twice, first gongan ‘vice, etc—until your drummer signals an ending. Try to learn it well enough 80 that you are not reading notation, bux, like a jnanese musician, using your ‘eas, rather than your eyes, A Javanese Gendbing in Soft-Playing Style Listen tothe next piece on the cassette, “Ladrang Wilujeng,”pélog paubet barang (selection 39). The title word, “wilujeng,” translates literally as “safe,” "secure ‘This piece is offen performed at the beginning of ceremonies of rituals to censure the safety not only of the community involved but also of the ceremony (the performance itself The recording was made at the house of my teachet Subardi, who lives just outside of Yogya and direct the professional gamelan ‘musicians at the Yogya branch of the national radio station (Radio Republik Indonesia, or RRL). Some of the performers aze professional musicians (at RAI, and elsewhere); others are Suhardi’s neighbors who gather at his house for regular weekly rehearsals on his gamelan. ‘The instruments, which fill much of his modest house when they are spread ‘out for playing, are mostly iron and brass, Perhaps you noticed the contrast in ‘Sound quality as the metal percussion instruments first enter. But for sof-playing siyle, the quality of singing and of the various soft sounding instruments is what ‘matters most, endering the contrast bewween bronze and other metals fat less significant than in loud playing, It is for this reason that some Javanese Say the soft playing music is more a music of the common people (wino cannot afford large bronze ensembles) and the loud-pkaying music more a musie of the court and nobility ‘This example contrasts with the previous one on the cassette in many ways. It 's in softplaying stvle, with voices and the various softsounding instruments featured, The introduction is played on the rebab (fiddle), with the subtle slides and nuances one could not procuce on a fixcd:pitch instrument such as the ‘bonang. The pattern of punctuation (ladrang) is nearly the same as in the Previous piece, but expanded to fit with gongan phrases thirty-swo beats in duration, rather than sisteen. The players of the bempud and kenong do not lit themselves to one tone but instead use a variety of tones, matching or antici 'Pating important tones in the melody (See notation in example 7-10) Pathet ‘This piece uses the pélog scale system, as did "Bubaran Kembang Pacar,” but is classified as patber barang. Javanese generally identify three pauher in each of the ‘wo scale systems, ordered in relation 10 the progression in which they are featured in the all-night shadow puppet performances: INDONESIA 289 — pala) TENS tm cost a ec 27232756 34.. 6532 $658 2756 27252756 “Upon » npetie, 15) ee er ee ee 76 35676532 66..7576.732 .756 Ex. 740. “Ladrang Wilujeng,” pélog pathet barang. sléndro patbet —pétog patbet 2.9.00 rau.- midnight nem. Jima ca midnight - 30044 sanga nem 23.00 aa - 6.00 ase manyura barang In actual shadow puppetry today the first phase may start before 9100 and last until well ater midnight. The second begins as late as 2:00 4m. and the third as, late as 430. Several schemes are given for music performed outside the shadow Puppet context, but current practice indicates litle relation berween time of day ‘and pate. Instead, pieces in déndro paubet nem or pélog patber lima, which are usually calm and subdued in mood, tend to be played relatively early in a performance, regardless ofthe time of day. Much effort has been spent in defining parber with reference to the melodies ‘of gamelan pieces, particularly the batungan. The famous Dutch ethnorusi cologist Jaap Kunst noted that certain phrase finals were more common in one ‘pater than another, especially for pieces phived primarily in slénedro (Kunst 1975) Mantle Hood, one of Kunst’s students and a major force in establishing ethnomusicology in the United Staes, devoted! an entice book to the subject, concluding that patbet can be distinguished by dllerentcadential patterns in the ‘alunigan part and the avoidance of certain tones (Hood 1954). ‘With a larger body of data than was available co Hood, judith Becker Found paiber wo be "based upon three interlocking facwors; (1) melodie patern, for ‘mula, or contour, (2) the pitch level of that pattern and (3) the position of the ‘pattern within the formal structure ofa piece” (Becker 1980881). In léndro, for instance, a gatra with the con:our of three conjunct steps downward can occur in any parbet. Gatras beginning on tone 5 and descending to 1 (5 3 2 1) are relatively common in both sléndro paiber manytara and sléndro patbet sanga, but in marytara they normally do not end in a strong position (eg. with a gong, stroke), whereas in savga they often do. Gatras with the same descending ‘contour, but beginning on tone 6 and descending to 2(6 5 3.2) are common in290 INDONESIA oth patbet manyura and patbet riem, but.those ending in gong position are more likely to be patber nom. Javanese often speak of register or pitch level in relation to patbet, likening it in some ways to Western concepts of key. Indeed many gendbing are played in several paiber, just as Western popular tunes ace often transposed from one key ‘0 another. The relationship to “key” is most apparent not inthe single-octave ‘alungan melody but in the parts played on instruments with wider ranges, and. in the singing, Instrumentalists and singers learn a vocabulary of melodic pat terns (céngkok), which they can readily transpose up or down—and even be- ‘ween scale systems. For example, the céngkok one uses to arrive at tone 6 in sléndro patbet manyura can be realized one tone lower, wit the sime physical processes (ic, the same hand movements of the player) «0 end on 3 in sléndiro Patbet sanga In fact, most Javanese say that pathet sanga is simply padher ‘manytera down one tone. But siénato pathet nem, said to be the lowest of the three sléndro pathet. is offen described by musicians as consisting of an ambig. {uous mix of phrases from the otier two sléndro pather as isthe casein our thi ‘example (discussed later), Pélog patbets are understood slightly differently. Patbet barang is easily dis tinguished by the presence of tone 7 and the avoidance of tone I. Differentiating ‘pathet lima from pather nem presents greater problems, since both avoid tone 7, employ the other six pélog tones, and do not seem to be simply one or more tones above or below the other. Javanese musicians often disagree over which cf these two is the correct patber category for a given piece Perception of a piece’s mood, which is determined by other factors beside melodic contour and ‘register, may also contribute. The calmer pieces would be classified as pabet lima and livelier ones as nem These few preceding paragraphs have not been sufficient even to present thorough survey of the many ideas about the concept of paibet. But 2t least you realize tha, though it s usually translated as "mode" in English, pather is some. ‘what more complicated than its Western counterpart The word pather Inerally ‘means “limit” and is related to other Javanese words for stopping or delimiting In many ways it indicates something about the limitaions of the piece in uestion—the tones chat will be played or emphasized in the baltengan melody, the pitch level of the other pars, the mood, and (especially for shadow puppetry accompaniment) the time of day or night at which itis appropriately played. Though the association with mood and time of day suggest comparison with Indian raga (see chapter 6), patber i actually a very diferent concept. Rages are lfferentiated from one another by details of interval structure and ornament, as well as contour, and not by register. Hundreds of ragas are known, thousands theoretically possible. Indian musicians do not, to my knowledge, teanspose pieces from one raga to another, since the raga is so essential to the aesthetic impact of the piece. Pathe is «far more general concept. Only a few pather are identified for each of the two scale systems, and transposition from one pater to another occurs with some frequency. INDONESIA 291 Instrumental Playing in “Ladrang Wilujeng” Now we can return to the example ‘Ladrang Wilujeng” (selection 39)—a piece tat fen peomed inode patel maura as well 3 plo pate barang simply by transfering the melodic patterns from one stem t0 eter hauton 6 gen in snple 10 bow rte eon he be tungan, and the uation (with pitch choices for kempud ong “specs conterabh mor challenging t follow han the previous one Ic slows and changes irama level in the third gama (3 3), sting by the end ofthe fist gongan toa tempo of about thiey'sixbalungan beats per minute ‘The sumpak is played twice, then the ngeliécince, then umpab twice again, "oth gna oon engine nba: AABAAB ALBA Forte "m0 gongans, the tempo first speeds up (but with no change in rama level) t out 4 bel per mint, an then slows geal tothe Bal gong. A solo ‘esindbn sings for mos of the frst two gongans. atthe begining ofthe first ‘ngeltand from then on, al the singer join 10 sng in unison, a style known as, ‘edbayan. And the balungan partis no longer played explicitly! Instead the dalunigan instruments play simple variations based on the balungan wal be helpful in following the flow ofthe piece to use a stop watch, starting ‘with the introduction. Elapsed time is given for she end of each gongan and for other significant evens (emingtesseconds) Beginning of introduction, on rebab 0.00 ‘Gong at end of introduction, ensemble enters 007 ‘Change of rama level oa9) ‘Gong at end of frst wmpale ost Singers enter in unison 144 Gong at end of second zmpak 14s Gong at end of first ngeli 239 Gong at end of third umpal 334 Gong at end of fourth umpate 430 Gong at end of second gett 524 Gong at end of fith wmpak 619 Drummer signals acceleration in tempo 658 Gong at end of sah umpate 7a0 Gong at end of third gale 756 Drummer signals gradual slackening in tempo 824 Final gong at end of seventh wampak 853 ‘The drummer, with the same two drums used in the previous example (ken: hang gendbing and keripung.), plays standardized patterns specific to ladrang formal structure: a ladrang introduction, a fadrang slowing down pattern (in the first gongan), standard rama dad (literally “setled” rama level—ie., four292 INDONESIA oman bang eas pet balan bea) paters for mos of he et of the berlormance (with a sandard melt vaaon each time the mele pave) and finaly an ending pater cng the nal gongan In accord th te se living se the drumming i soe and sparse loud plying ESanple 11 gies the standard pater sed, hr rtaon thoughout he timpaegongans butt final one Other insumeniss play tarts of the fatiga mee, produc such complex beteroptony tat some scholan preter to Ment gems Bus ‘polyphonic, naing the satctono! ers pars moving id vary of tenpi—some at mich fer rate oF higher deny than thers Generally itis the sale, ghee pte struments that playa eter ace ad the lager, deeper ones a the shower rates, You eah ge a sense of ths staicaton by considenng the frequency wih shih the pong is als com paring ic 10 honong (here fo times per gong), then balan here cig beats per kenong) and ten the sibdoiing parts (Doran bara and sao poking four tes pet balan hea, bonang panera al mane the sl playing instruments eight times per Baliogsan bea) Thus, th instumeats lyngat he fastest ate, mostly tose of higher pch actually play 256 ts for everyone eat of the gong! Above | indicted Ua fh this example the bao I vane even on the instrument tha usualy sound it expel. Arte fest wo gon, sre he balangan is played normaly, the ron baring silly ply the second le Pigan tne onthe is and second hea an te fourth longs on othe third and fourth The saron demung sounds these tones ofthe rom baron but inser “neighbor tones (he next highest or nen lone tone) Pawo beats. nd eset pls the sron demaoa par bt delayed by ter ‘of batman beat iterlock withthe domug (ex 12). Varlton oar Partculary whe the Batman hanging’ a sustaining one tone oe, 53.00. 6.) ‘The combination reskin fom the inelocking of lhe an ser de. ‘mung ee is wera w What the nach higher iced seron eke pl duplicing and ailing the baling ones in armes tha so res closely the waking se of onan paving, Ths means faving the any étaracteries pling paying generis ands nox Imted othe ew cae where the tanga only imped (ex. 13) ‘Throughout "ladrang Wyn” the bonangs play in walking se, mixed ih occonalreeraton of singe tones or ove combinations, a Ne found 2723 275 6 3 3 65 32 a aap 4. @ dbd.od..dD ad O06 Sea) ote eg ee dD.d.dD T dddDd.dDd uD ad. dD.dD.. 4, Dad Ex. 7-11, Drum pattern for "Ladrang Wilujeng,” irama dads. INDONESIA 293, (balungan. 3 «5-8 TPG S$ 3 N—notplayed) saron barung 135 55 aaa saron demung 35.35.6767 65655232 Slenthem 3.535676 765553232 Ex, 7-12, Varlation by “balungan” instruments in “Ladrang Wilujeng.” 6s 3a ™ (oaungan; 35 6 saan poking SB5S34596077567" Gassoossa4z25422 Ex. 7-13. Saron peking part for passage in “Ladrang Witujeng.” in the frst example. The lengthier time internal benween balungan beuts here, however, provides opportunity for greater melodic and ehythmic independence from the alungan melody. The phrase shown in example 7-14 is played (with ‘occasional variation) on the bonang barung with the balungan 27°56. ‘The various soft playing instruments provide more elaborate variations, more independent of the balungar part and often inspired by phrases in the vocal pars, It is dificult 0 hear clearly all the soft instruments, since they blend together in the thick texture of sof playing ye. Asan example, let us consider the gambang (xylophone), which plays mostly “in octaves”—ahe right band usually sounding the same tone as the left, but one octave higher. The excerpt is from the middle of the txpak secion, fourth statement (405 to 420 on the stop watch) (ex, 7 15)-In other statements ofthis passage, the gambang partis similar, but not identical. Good plavers draw from a tather large vocabulary of patterns and vary the repeated passages in performance with a degree of ind- vidual flexibility, though not with the cange of spontaneity we associate with improvisation in jazz or Indian music. The gambang player, like the other “gamelan musicians whose part is not completely fixed, operates with a system ‘of constraints (not quite “rules” of "laws"), AU the end of a gata, the gambang and balsengar tones almost always coincide, at the midpoint (second beat), they usually do; on other beats they often do not, even though the gambang sounds eight (or in some cases as many as thirty-two | times as many tones as the baluengan, Singing in “Ladrang Wilujeng” Solo singing with gamelan isalso based on notions of lexibiiy and constraint During the frst wo gongan one of che Female vocalists sings forid vocal phrases that weave in and out ofthe balungan part. althcugh her part employs @ much freer rhythm than the steady pulsation of mas. of the instruments (eg, the baling: ee ay bonang barung 3775557. 577. 67.6 x. 7-14. Bonang barung part for passage tn “Ladrang Wilujeng.”294 INDONESIA Dalungan pee enter ch 2825s8SSA5SASERISIEDTECGIIIS th 25235235235323552765352767626723 balungan: 2 ela 5 6 ch" $56366383275277b7o765335356656 Ih 35676276565273273272758335356555, Ex. 7-15. Gambang playing in “Ladrang Wilujeng.” gambang discussed above), her melody is also consteucted from phrases that "usually end on the same tone as the baluungan phrase, even though in current practice she often reaches that tone a beat or two later than most of the other instruments, Her phrases resemble those of other singers, but in at least some small way they are her individual céngkob. The vocal text used by the solo singer (Glificul to determine in this recording) is noc specific tothe piece, but one of ‘many in a well-known verse form Fited to the structure of this ladranig and to ‘many pieces in this and other forms In contrast to the soloist, the chorus sings a precomposed melody. The text, although agreed upon before performance, is aguin a generic one, used in many gamelan pieces and having no connection with the meaning of the title ofthis piece. To a great degree, Javanese melody and Javanese texts lead independent lives. A single melody, for example, may be sung with a variety of texts; and a single text may be heard in a variety of gamelan pieces—depending on the Wishes of the performers or sometimes (but rarely) the requirements of articular dramatic svete, The choral text is one of many wagsalan, in which the meaning of seemingly unrelated phrases in the fist part suggests the meaning or sound of words or phrases in the second part. This kind of literary indirection is greatly loved in Java and can be seen as an aesthetic expression of the high value placed on ‘subtlety and indirection in daily life. To "get" the connections, one must know traditional Javanese culture rather wel: history, legends, nature, foods, place ‘names (in both the real and the mythological worlds), and the Javanese shadow Puppet tradition with its many hundred characters. javanese poetry is difficult to render in English. The Javanese is given first, with word-by.word tcanslation ‘second (with some double meanings), followed by a freer translation under neath (fig. 7-3). Some of the wangsalan riddles here are obscure even to most Javanese. An explanation of two of them should sulfice to give you an idea oF hhow they work. Inthe first line of verse I, the words “satiya ing Lésanpura” (a ‘knight in the kingdom of Lésanpura) suggest the sound of the frst word of the second line “Setyanana,” as the shadow puppet character named Setyaki is a wellenown knight who came from Lésanpura. “kala reta,” in the frst line of verse IIL, suggests not the sound, but one meaning of the root particle in the compound “Mbangembang’” in the second line. Though the two-word expres sion “Kala reta” can mean “centipede,” the two words translate individually as “time” (kala) and “red” (reta), “Bang,” the root of "mbang-embang,” INDONESIA 295, 1 Manis rengea, sara ing Lsanpura ‘sweet decoration (colori sweet snack), knight olin Lésanpira ‘Beauuflly adonned, he knight from Lésanpurs [a Kingdom in the Mababharatd Senanana yen kala merang sra Be loyal if forget to you ‘You should be loyal, even if you Forget yourselé Mh Tirta maya, sypaya anne hinonea ‘Water pure, so thac quicly be made ‘Beauuful clearwater, lett be done quickly Ning ng dria, tan na ngalth among sre ppuriyfemptiness ofin hear, not exist move only you ‘With the purifng of my heart, there is nothing that moves, ony you Laka rena sara ngunghal jaya Time ted (centipede, knight. surpass. glorwvitory At dawn, the knight proves exceptional in his glory Sten mbangembang bamsisa —_jroming pura 1 hopeyeam for ~ have power within domain palace {yearn © exereise power herein this domain, Fig. 7-3. Choral text in Javanese and English, Word for re and "bangbang wean” (iterly“eded eu) a avanese expresion for avn, Tn ths example, cominon in pieces where male and female singers join © sing manson (Bena sl), he tet interspersed vith Cea Wot andes whase ming ney be ebie (anno eee 16) and portions ofthe tex maybe repeated. These characters ogy suggest the relative greater inporane of wht we would eal he "musta elements (pich and thn) ovr the words wih the word meaning oe Sbscured andthe words sing prima vehicles fr beaut elo Te atin maple sto tee fe he tee ot a tongan and gong puktaton gen above the vol ie) The second vee Opertes te ae may, th rape of eh for aes ae oo oe wpa a epettion ft fs four sills of he second nn the test oma Ont the fl verse (here the ti ut hs cul hve ge on for many more verses) ends afer one gle and one mpat and ts does 20 each the “Adin, ade” nero and te rpc fe fe ae Siables we would expec inthe nes pat he perfomance di no end were does296 INDONESIA (hos nes a endo eco ume (145 on stopp 6 ove nae elie 6 os «os 3 aN es ors. te532 st eng $5357 7 cumpak 272d 27 5 Ww 93. ok 6 sw 2328 Toe 52 5566-5675 6588 Basho ba. bo Sete ae aa 56 5 27 5 ware 7 5. ae 6795 2.2.2.0052.396 dosha ornare yen laliyamarang sits sarang seta umpal 2725 275 W539. 6 5 aN BSB Ton 5 oo Fe S6Ge = SONS esa A din a den Seem 596 5 ap 27 5 we 2 72 2 7 5 eG {0 voc ual en fle, bere nen vee ba) se adhe Biography of Ki Nartosabdbo—A Gamelan Musician, Composer, and Puppeteer To this point we have focused mostly on musical sound and its structure. But What of the people who are most drawn to this musio—the musicians them Selves? Javanese and foreign scholars alike have often mentioned the close interrelationship among the arts in Java. In fac, the status of “musician” does ‘ot preclude one from dancing or performing puppetey. Many of the better Performers in one art are quite competent in several others, In the following Several pages Iam going to let # consummate artist, one famous as a gamelan musician, composer of new pieces, and shaclow puppeteer, speak for himself The biography I provide is based! on an interview my wife and | conducted With the late Ki Nantosabdho in 1979. (His music is discussed at length in Becker 1980.) We began by asking him how he became a shadow puppeteer and he pro ceeded 10 tell us the story of his life from early childhood memories with very INDONESIA 297 ligle intercuption from us. Ihave chosen to omit my wife's and my occasional questions, some of which merely sought claitcation of vocabulary: Only toward, the end did our questions seek to fill in some details concerning his musical ‘experiences. I have also chosen to omit Ki Nartosabdho's occasional questions about our background and about the English words for vatious Indonesian and Javanese words and concepts, Ki Nartosabdho: Since Isat at my school desk in second grade, I had a knack forthe ans, Which ones? Painting & childs paintings, but even so, ‘vith cubis style, realism, expressionism, and my own creations: for in stance, a lamb being che by a ger, things ike that. Now, they reall ‘id not give lessons in thse kinds of painting for childeen my age, but | ‘made every effor to see duplications of pices made by other painters at that time. After begining wo lear wo pai, 1 began to lear easel sivle dance. Pd dance the role of a monkey, an ogre, and 0 forth, We: actually learned Jot about classical dance—oot everything but a good deal. At that time I lived in my small vilage nthe Klan are (between ‘Yowya and Solo}—called Wed, Iva born in Wedhi on August 25,1925, ‘There, when Twas ewelve years old and in tied grade, we ad a teacher ‘who gave dance lessons. He was fram Solo. We studied so hard that We ‘were ableto put on quitean impressive show I was really cae for village children to have the oppoctnit to stady with 4 “classical” dance teacher from Solo. Alter dance, I began tc lextn Westem musie—violin, guitar, cello, and Aeroncong,[auilurs nue: The keroncong ia small chordephone, lke an ukulele, played in the Western influenced Indonesian genre ofthe ‘ime name: The violin, guitar, and cella be stadied were for this same ‘gente, and not for “elasscal” Western music) Sy village standards I did Just fine, bat not by city sandards. Aft that, | adied gamete music All, these interests took their toll—requiring one to spend time, emotions, and especially money. Especially for musical insruments, shat was 110 ‘se to purchase one? A guitar in 1937 cost sx gulden-—Dutch money —or swe would say six rupiah [indonesian currency} Iwas the elith of my brothers and sisters, I was the youngest. As Twas born into a fay chat ‘a8 poor, lacking in possesion, in work, and especial in education So iis clear that, no matter how much I wantesl something. 1 could not ‘continue my education without any income. My father died jus afer began second grade, and my mother, a widow, was already of, $0 1 ‘earned money Dy makieg masks—yes, msks-—in order to be able t0 ‘onxinue school. And f managed to finish tit yrade. An L used to have Dutch language classes ater school, bu ther cost 125 gulden exch snomth, so | only took Dutch for wo month, They threw me out because I coulda pay Now, rather than hang aimlessly bout dhe house, when Iwas ten ager, Took off, without even aking my mother's permission. Where ia the workd would Igo, [dldn' kaw Like bird in light, nor knowing where Light perch, It was asi 1 neded some time to suler—Fxcuse me, 1 don't usually come out with allthis aout mysel, but eoday f am —Anyway, like a bed tight, o idea where T should perch. Fight298 INDONESIA en be called a gelandangara (homeless steet person). I nota gelan angan, then an outcast, 0F forgotten sou, elt thas the perch I should rake was only to join and follow perform ng groups: both beboprak (musical drama, with stories from Javanese legendary history) and wenang orang (musical dance-drama, based on the same Indian epics as shaciow puppetry] Fit I joined a hetheprate group, working as an actor and 3s a gamelan musician, But what | go for ‘ea very minimal--both arstically and financial. And what was more, the coming of the Japanese reinforced my feeling that 1 had to keep driting life of wandering about, and in ttered clothing. There were lots of clothes then that ao human being should have wear [burlap bags, etc, 25 the Japanese took much ofthe cloth during their occupa tion), bur lke i or not, circumstances required it In Javanese there is 8 Saying: muting aman kalakons Following the times ithe way to at”—