Javanese Gamelan
Music and Instruments
This is Gamelan Sulukala,
Built for Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont, USA. by
Suhirdjan, Gamelan Builder and Tuner
- Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Javanese Gamelan
Gamelan music is composed by the
layering of simple melody lines or rhythm
patterns. There are five categories in this
polyphonic stratification:
•
1. “Nuclear” Theme
2. Elaboration
3. Punctuation
4. Counter-Melody
5. Rhythm
Gamelan Instruments
1.“Nuclear” Theme
2.Elaboration
3.Punctuation
4.Counter melody
5.Rhythm
Gamelan Music
Structure
Punctuating
Punctuating
Gong
Gong
Gamelan Music
Structure
The Gamelan tradition says that the music is
always going on (a.k.a. Cosmic Radio) and
the instruments simply make it audible to us.
The music “starts” with the last note and
traditionally ends after the audience leaves
to signify that it continues...
Examples
Playing technique
Playing technique
Udan Mas - “Golden
Rain”
Javanese Gamelan
Music and Instruments