Gamelan

Gamelan is a musical ensemble that usually highlight metallophones, xylophone, drums, and gongs. Gamelan refers to the instrument, which is a unit that is realized and sounded together. The word itself comes from the gamelan of Java gamel which means hitting / beating, followed by a noun ending made. Gamelan mostly located in Java, Madura, Bali, and Lombok in Indonesia in various sizes and shapes ensemble. In Bali and Lombok today, and in Java through the 18th century, the term gong more considered synonymous with gamelan.

Occurrences gamelan preceded by Hindu-Buddhist culture that dominated Indonesia in the early days of recorded history, which also represents the original Indonesian art. Instruments developed to form like this in the days of the Majapahit Kingdom. Unlike the music of India, one of India's impact in gamelan music is how to sing. In Javanese mythology, the gamelan was created by Sang Hyang Guru in Saka Era, the god who controlled all the land of Java, with a castle on the mountain Mahendra in Medangkamulan (now Lawu). Sang Hyang Guru first created gong to summon the gods. For a more specific message and then create two gongs, and finally form a set of gamelan.

Description of the first musical ensemble found at the Borobudur Temple, Magelang, Central Java, which has stood since the 8th century. Musical instruments such as the bamboo flute, bells, drums in various sizes, harp, stringed musical instrument that is swiped and learned, discovered in relief. However, little was found elements of metal musical instruments. However, the help of the instrument is said to be the origin of the gamelan.

Gamelan orchestra tuning and making is a complex process. Gamelan tuning using four ways, namely slendro, slendro, "gamelan" (special area of ​​Sunda, or West Java), and "madenda" (also known as the diatonic, the same as the original minor scale that is widely used in Europe.

Gamelan music is a combination of foreign artistic influences are diverse. Do not consider Chinese musical instrument tones from Southeast Asia, a drum band and move to music from India, bowed strings from the Middle East, Europe and even the military force that we hear traditional music of Java and Bali today.

The interaction component is loaded with melody, rhythm, and timbre to maintain the glory of Balinese gamelan orchestra. The pillars of this music brings together a variety of Balinese rural community character that became the order of the typical music that is part and parcel of everyday life.