Luminous Gamelan
Contemporary world culture
Gamelan is a highly accessible music activity, valuable for all age groups and
capable of stimulating pupils interests in standard music studies. An
introduction to gamelan music can be presented as a one-off experience, or as a
series of ongoing sessions that develop deeper levels of musicality.
The instruments of the Indonesian gamelan provide a special way to look at world
culture, allowing insights into the music typical of South East Asian cultures,
and into old-growth music in general. The gamelan workshop generates a great
deal of practical musical knowledge for the student. Through the hands-on
understanding of this music, participants might find an enhancement in learning
music principles of their own culture.
photo: Andrew McDermot
GAMELAN NAGA MAS
what is gamelan
Let’s take a moment to establish a few basic facts about gamelan.
The gamelan orchestra is predominately a percussion orchestra of hand-forged
metal instruments consisting of chimes, metalophones and gongs. Gamelan
developed out of several principle Indonesian regions namely Java, Sunda,
Cirebon, Madura and Bali, but many of the instruments occur throughout SE Asia and Asia
in different variations. An traditional gamelan ensemble can vary in size from 6 to 30 musicians, and can
include a range of soft instruments including strings, flutes and voice. The
instruments are ornately crafted and tuned specifically within each ensemble.
With the emergence of the gamelan in the UK, a large range of new musical
possibilities have become available to the western musician both in terms of
education and performance. Because the instruments are often tuned differently
from western scales, the gamelan is a special resource for composers to work
with. Nowhere else than within the gamelan are such combinations of metal-based
tonality to be found.
Since the late 1800’s gamelan has been studied and adopted by musicians, ethnomusicologists, and
sociologists throughout the world. The music has been imported and exported, collected and recorded by
entrepreneurs and record companies. Margaret Meade, Colin McPhee, Jaap Kunst,
Mantle Hood, Michael Tenzer and many others have made pioneering studies of the
music and culture. Claude Debussy, Lou Harrison, Henry Cowell, John Cage,
Phillip Glass, Steve Reich, Benjamin Britten and countless others have brought
it’s influences into their art.
This site provides music samples to help describe various new approaches to
gamelan music, and to inform possibilities for collaboration with others.
Follow these links to hear samples of
playing: forest queen
Email: luminousmusic@ntlworld.com
Web: http://luminous-music.com -and-