Balinese music is rich in melody and texture and is often played outside or in open temples or pavilions. Music, dance and drama are all closely interrelated. Music and dance were once regarded as lowest of Bali's arts.
What does Balinese music sound like?
Traditional Balinese music prefers textures that are bright, thick, and busy, often very loud and "noisy" by Western standards, with wide tuning and many simultaneous layers of sound, quite unlike any textures commonly found in Western music. Polyphony is not used. Monophony is common, but with a wide tuning.
How would you describe Balinese gamelan?
The Balinese gamelan is a staple of Balinese culture. Composed of a combination of metallophones, xylophones, drums, gongs, and sometimes flutes, the Balinese can compose and play magnificent tunes to suit the need of the occasion.
How would you describe Indonesia music?
The gamelan is the main element of traditional Indonesian music. 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.
Where does Balinese music come from?
Balinese music represents, to a large extent, a survival of the pre-Islamic music of Java. It was taken to Bali by Hindu Javanese in the 15th cent. and uses the tonal systems of Javanese music, of which pelog is by far the more important in Bali.
What are the characteristics of Balinese gamelan ensemble?
Balinese Gamelan Angklung One of the characteristic of Balinese gamelan music is that, it has a lot of sudden changes in tempo and dynamics. Like the Javanese gamelan, the instruments in Balinese gamelan includes metallophones and gongs. However, there are more metallophones than gongs in Balinese gamelan.
What is the texture of Balinese gamelan?
The texture of Balinese gamelan music is highly layered, and a complex polyphonic texture is created. As mentioned, the large usage of doubled instruments creates ombak (acoustic beating), and resulting in thick textures is also developed.
What is the melody of Balinese gamelan ensemble?
Most Balinese gamelan melodies move in circles. They start with an introduction by the gieng or pemugal, by the suling (flute) or kendang (drum). After the introduction, the orchestra joins in for the pengawak or main melody.
How can you describe the musical characteristics gamelan music?
Gamelan, the term for a traditional musical ensemble in Indonesia, typically refers to a percussion orchestra composed predominantly of tuned gongs of various types and metal-keyed instruments. The ensemble is conducted by a drummer, and often includes voice, bamboo flute, xylophone, and stringed instruments.
What is the tempo of gamelan?
Irama is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali.
What is the tempo of Balinese music?
Most gamelans 'beat' at a rate of between five and eight beats per second, although older gamelans are usually slower and the modern trend is towards faster beating as well as faster tempos.
What makes gamelan unique?
Learning to play gamelan music is a unique adventure because the repertoire is taught by rote and committed directly to memory, allowing for a high degree of interaction between musicians.
What is the style of gamelan music?
Gamelan is a genre of ensemble instrumental music that has its origins in the Indonesian regions of Bali and Java. Instruments such as drums, gongs, metallophones, flutes, and spike fiddles, as well as singing feature in gamelan music.
What is the importance of gamelan music in Indonesian culture?
Today, gamelan is an important feature of shadow puppet shows, dances, rituals, and other performances in Indonesia. Although stand-alone gamelan concerts are unusual, the music may also be heard frequently on the radio. Most Indonesians today have embraced this ancient musical form as their national sound.
