MUH 2051 Final Exam Study Guide Kecak Balinese dance drama that employs a gamelan suara vocal gamelan as its sole musical accompaniment complex interlocking rhythms derived from the kilitan telu Kilitan Telu Set of 3 interlocking rhythmic patterns that are an integral component of much Balinese music o Basis of the interlocking cymbal patterns in gamelan beleganjur music and vocal patterns of Kecak Comes from ancient trance ritual called Sanghyand Dedari summoned ancestral spirits and repelled malevolent ones Often focus on the Hindu epic poems today promoted as an authentic traditional Balinese dance drama but is actually a modern intervention by Balinese dancers and Walter Spies through his 1933 film Island of Demons Gamelan generic Indonesian term for ensemble orchestra a diverse class of mainly percussion dominated music ensembles found on Bali Java other Indonesian Islands Javanese Court Gamelan Music of royalty prestige Expensive instruments Also the best known type of gamelan internationally Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar Best known type of Balinese gamelan Associated with kebyar musical style Instruments Cengceng Kopyak Suling Trompong o Kebyar Balinese term that means to flare up resonant bronze gongs fast paced melodies played on metallophones inticate drumming frenetic pace energy o Born early 20th century Balinese society was in midst of social upheaval Gamelan Beleganjur Balinese processional ensemble multiple gongs drums cymbals played in ritualistic contexts cremation processions modern music contests o Two types traditional cremation Kreasi competition beleganjur o Both based on gong cycles same instruments same core melody elaboration relationships same interlocking rhythms same stratified polyphonic textures o Uses Kilitan telu Indonesia Capital Jakarta o More than half of Indonesia s entire population lives there o Located on the island of Java west of Bali Slogan Unity in Diversity Religions Worlds largest Islamic nation Muslim 90 Hindu Buddhist o Bali is the only province of Indonesia in which Hinduism is the majority religion o Official national language is Bahasa Indonesia Bali largest tourism community Religion only place outside of India that is predominately Hindu o Balinese Hinduism known as Agama Tirta Religion of Holy Water Blends elements of Hinduism Buddhism Influence can be seen in the music dance and art of Bali Worldview the Hindu Balinese conception of the universe cosmology is that there are three worlds Triloka o Upper World Domain of Gods respected ancestors reside above mount Agung largest mountain in Bali Here that the Trimurti the Three Shapes of the supreme Hindu Deity Brahma creator Winsu preservers Siwa Destroyer o Middle World Bali itself earthly realm of people o Lower World Realm of evil spirits and malevolent creatures where land meets the sea o These conceptions relate to music dance drama Gamelan Music general characterisitcs Best known Indonesian gamelan traditions are o Central Javanese court gamelan o Balinese gamelan gong kebyar Both follow these general musicultural features but sound different o Related types of instruments o A basis in cyclical musical forms o Related tuning systems scales modes o Multipart textures higher pitched instruments play at faster rhythmic rates than the lower pitched instruments o Melodic organization a main slow moving melody played on one or more instruments core melody is embellished by faster moving melodies played on other instruments o Close associations with various forms of dance dance drama other arts o A common historical foundation in Hindu religious cultures which is reflected symbolically in the music Gamelan instruments bronze gongs bronze metallophones drums end blown bamboo flutes bowed chordophones Hornbostel Sachs classification system chordophones aerophones membranohones and idiophones Mainly percussion instruments o Membranophones drums o Idiophones Gongs cymbals xylophone like bronze metallophones Musical differences between Javanese and Balinese gamelan Balinese is much faster more flashy and drumming is more prominent intricate than Javanese gamelan Drumming o Balinese drumming directs the ensemble signaling changes in tempo cueing new section of the piece etc 2 drummers playing fast and complex interlocking patterns One drum male the other female o Javanese a single drummer who plays in a relatively understood manner Ombak the acoustical beating effect or wave created from the blending of the different pitches from male females notes played together paired tuning in a Balinese gamelan Gong cycle a recurring sequence of gong strokes usually 2 or more gongs that provides the musical foundation of a gamelan piece Paired tuning most intruments have pairs male female tuned just slightly higher and lower Tuning of pitches of the male and female instruments of a Balinese gamelan to slightly different frequencies striking the same pitch simultaneously on a male female pair creates ombak Female instruments of each pair are tuned lower than their male counterparts The Mahabharata and Ramayana great mythic Hindu epics that the Kecak takes enactments from Princess Sita plot story details in listening SG Walter Spies German painters who helped make 1933 German film Island of Demons created Kecak as a modern invention in collaboration with Balinese musicians and dancers Kilitan Telu Continuous stream of 3 interlocking rhythmic patterns basis of the interlocking cymbal patterns in gamelan beleganjur music and vocal patterns in Kecak Rhythm each rhythm needs the other 2 to be complete Symbolism symbolizes the broader Balinese cultural values and communal interdependence Reflective of egalitarian society less emphasis on individuality and individual expression Beleganjur plays key role in cremation ritual Used to combat evil sprits en route to cremation Functions as a music of battle between human communities and their evil spirit adversaries Beleganjur gamelan of walking warriors Modern day beleganjur contsests Root foundation of music is a gong cycle of 8 beats called Gilak o Employs gong ageng the kempur gongs o Basic tempo keeping instrument is a medium small gong called Kajar The crossroads Balinese believe that crossroads are the locations where bhutas and leyaks congregate in the greatest abundance Very dangerous place especially for uncreated souls of the dead whom evil spirits are most likely to prey Cremation towers are spun and music is intensified to avoid evil spirits so soul
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