Gamelan is a musical ensemble that usually highlight metallophone, xylophone, drums, and gongs. The term gamelan refers to the instrument / tool, which is a unified whole that is realized and pounded together. The word gamelan comes from the Javanese language, which means gamel hitting / beating, followed by a suffix that makes the noun. Gamelan orchestra are mostly in Java, Madura, Bali, and Lombok in Indonesia in a variety of sizes and shapes of ensembles. In Bali and Lombok today, and in Java through the 18th century, the term gong is more considered synonymous with gamelan.
Emergence of gamelan preceded by Hindu-Buddhist culture that dominated Indonesia in the early days of recording history, which also represents the original art of Indonesia. Instrument was developed to shape up like this in the time of Majapahit Kingdom. In difference to the music of India, the only impact of the Indian music of the gamelan is how menyanikannya. In Javanese mythology, the gamelan dicipatakan by Sang Hyang Guru in Saka era, the god who ruled the land of Java, with palaces on the mountain Mahendra in Medangkamulan (now Mount Lawu). Sang Hyang Guru first create a gong to summon the gods. For a more specific message and then create two gongs, and finally formed set of gamelan.
The description of the first ensemble of musical instruments found in the temple of Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java, which has stood since the 8th century. Musical instruments such as bamboo flute, bells, kendhang in various sizes, lute, musical instruments and berdawai who swiped learned, is found in these reliefs. However, some elements in the metal instrument. However, relief of the instrument said to be the origin of the gamelan.
making gamelan orchestra is a complex process. Gamelan uses four ways of nalaan, namely slendro, pelog, “Degung” (special Sunda region, or West Java), and “madenda” (also known as the diatonic, the same as the original minor scale widely used in Europe.
Javanese gamelan instruments consist of the following
- Kendang
- Bonang
- Bonang Successor
- Demung
- Saron
- Peking (Gamelan)
- Kenong & kethuk
- Slenthem
- Gender
- Gong
- Gambang
- Rebab
- Siter
- Flute
