Tag Archives: gamelan

Various Artists, Gamelan of Central Java

Vol. I: Classical Gendings (Felmay, 2001) Vol. II: Ceremonial Music (Felmay, 2002) Vol. III: Modes and Timbres (Felmay, 2004) Vol. IV: Spiritual Music (Felmay, 2004). It occurs to me, embarking on the exploration of central Javanese gamelan, that some explanation … Continue reading

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Çudamani: The Seven-Tone Gamelan Orchestra from the Village of Pengosekan, Bali

Implicit in the subtitle of this CD is a bit of information that is important in Balinese gamelan music: most orchestras come from particular villages, working in the traditions of those villages. They also compete for honors, reflecting glory not … Continue reading

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Uun Budiman and the Jugala Gamelan Orchestra’s Banondari: New Directions in Jaipongan

One realizes, after a while, that popular music, while it may appear in many guises, has certain things in common. Sometimes it is subject matter, sometimes it is more elusive. But, more on that later. Jaipongan is a newly designated … Continue reading

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Endah Laris & Dedek Gamelan Orchestra

I’ve often maintained that tradition is a living thing — it grows and changes, or it dies. Another example of the truth of that idea crossed my desk in the form of the CD Endah Laris & Dedek Gamelan Orchestra. … Continue reading

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John Noise Manis’ Trance Gamelan in Bali

“Trance” as denoting a specific type of music is pretty much a Western concept, although it recognizes the power of music to alter our mental state. In other traditions, music is not always, or even usually, a separate event — … Continue reading

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