Music of Java: Difference between revisions

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The '''Music of Java''' embraces a wide variety of styles, both traditional and contemporary, reflecting the diversity of the island and its lengthy [[history of Java|history]]. Apart from "traditional" forms which maintain connections to musical styles many centuries old, there are also many unique styles and conventions which combine elements from many other regional influences, including those of neighbouring Asian cultures and European colonial forms.

==Gamelan==

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{{Main|Gamelan}}

The [[gamelan]] orchestra, based on metallic [[percussion instrument|percussion]] with [[wind instrument|winds]] and [[drum]]s, is perhaps the form which is most readily identified as being distinctly "Javanese" by outsiders. In various forms, it is ubiquitous to Southeast [[Asia]]. In Java, the full [[gamelan]] also adds a [[bowed string instrument]] (the [[rebab]], a name illustrative of [[Islamic]] influence) and voices. The rebab is one of the main melodic instruments of the ensemble (together with the xylophone "[[gendér]]") and is often played by the senior [[musician]]. Voices consist of male and female choruses, together with soloists; however, the voices are not usually featured in court gamelan (as opposed to [[wayang kulit]], [[shadow puppet]] theatre) and are supposed to be heard discreetly in the middle of the orchestral sound. In these [[Abstract music|abstract]] pieces, the words are largely secondary to the music itself.

There are two scales in Javanese gamelan music, "[[slendro]]" ([[pentatonic]]) and "[[pelog]]" ([[heptatonic]] in full, but focussing on a pentatonic group). Tuning is not standard, rather each gamelan set will have a distinctive tuning. A complete gamelan consists of a pair of sets, one tuned in each of the scales and intended to be played together in many instances. Different gamelan sets have different sonorities, and are used for different pieces of music; many are very old, and used for only one specific piece. Musical forms are defined by the [[rhythm]]ic cycles. These consist of major cycles subdivided by smaller cycles, each marked by the striking of successively smaller [[gong]]s. The melodic interplay takes place within this framework (technically called "[[colotomic structure]]"). There are also distinct melodic modes ("[[patet]]") within the division of scale.

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[[Category:Indonesian regional styles of music|Java]]

[[Category:Java]]

[[Category:Javanese culture]]