Javanese Gamelan

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Javanese Gamelan

• Music and Instruments

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This is Gamelan Sulukala, Built for Goddard
College in Plainfield, Vermont, USA. by
Suhirdjan, Gamelan Builder and Tuner -
Yogyakarta, Indonesia
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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 Theme2. Elaboration3.
  Punctuation4. Counter-Melody5. Rhythm

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Gamelan Instruments

1. Nuclear Theme
2. Elaboration
3. Punctuation
4. Counter melody
5. Rhythm

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Gamelan Music Structure
Punctuating
Punctuating
Gong
Gong
Gong
Gong
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Gamelan Music Structure
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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...
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Examples
Playing technique
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Playing technique
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Udan Mas - Golden Rain
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Javanese Gamelan

• Music and Instruments