From Chad Mossholder Sent Wed, Jul 28th 1999, 22:14
From Chad Mossholder Sent Wed, Jul 28th 1999, 22:14
My bad. I was under the impression that there was an interment called a gamelan. I have a great CD called, American works for Balinese Gamelan Orchestra. :) > -----Original Message----- > From: esa ruoho [SMTP:xxxxxxxx@xxx.xx] > Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 2:06 PM > To: idm > Subject: (idm) [Fwd: re: gamelan] > > > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: re: gamelan > Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 10:27:06 -0700 > From: eric hardiman <xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx> > To: esa ruoho <xxxxxxxx@xxx.xx> > > (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 > xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx