IDM Mailing Archive

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: re: gamelan Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 10:27:06 -0700 From: eric hardiman <hardiman@uclink4.berkeley.edu> To: esa ruoho <esaruoho@dlc.fi> (Hi - can you please forward my email to the IDM-list. I seem to have trouble posting without my messages getting returned... Thanks a million... eric) Hi folks. Just a bit of clarification here. The word "gamelan" does not refer to a specific Balinese instrument. The word itself is Indonesian and can mean two different things: (1) gamelan = the Indonesian equivalent of our word "orchestra". Essentially, it's a large group of instruments. The instruments range from massive gongs, to hand drums, to various-sized metallophones. There are usually ten - twenty people involved in one gamelan. (2) gamelan = the style or type of music played by such a group. Gamelan music stems from both Java and Bali, with each style being quite different... The music is amazingly intense and endlessly fascinating (at least to my ears). The Balinese style is typically fast, intricate, and loud, while the Javanese style is slower, more delicate/quiet, and trance-inducing. Of course, these are huge generalizations... There are numerous separate styles within each type, usually based on the different villages and/or regions where the music is played. Both styles use similar repeated patterns and phrases, and often include vocals (though I prefer the instrumental pieces). For a quick IDM reference point, the Squarepusher track "Gong Acid" on "Budakhan Mindphone" is made up of all gamelan sounds. I don't know if it's actually played live, or assembled via samples/production, but the piece is very nice and gives you an idea what the various gamelan sounds are. Being composed by Tom J. though, it doesn't really resemble traditional balinese or javanese gamelan, it just uses the same instruments/language. There are several performing gamelans in the US (I play in a Javanese one here in Berkeley). For those interested, you should by all means seek them out. If you live in a major city, there's a good chance that a gamelan group near you may need new members. It's relatively easy to learn (it requires no Western knowledge of music theory), and is great fun to play. Being right in the middle of the gongs and the metallophones while they're playing intricately repetitive and trance-y patterns for twenty minutes on end is a massive experience that you just can't get from listening as an audience member. If you're interested, do a web search under gamelan - there's a site run by the American Gamelan Institute that lists contact names and phone #'s for all of the gamelan groups in the US and abroad. I won't bother with recommendations of recorded gamelan music, since that's already been covered, and should be accessible via the archives... sorry for the non-IDM intrusion! eric hardiman hardiman@uclink4.berkeley.edu