Gamelan gong kebyar
Gamelan gong kebyar is a style or genre of Balinese gamelan music of Indonesia. Kebyar means "to flare up or burst open", and refers to the explosive changes in tempo and dynamics characteristic of the style.
Gong kebyar music is based on a five-tone scale called pelog selisir, and is characterized by brilliant sounds, syncopations, sudden and gradual changes in sound colour, dynamics, tempo and articulation, and complex, complementary interlocking melodic and rhythmic patterns called kotekan.
History
Gamelan gong kebyar was first documented to exist in North Bali in the early 1900s. The first public performance was in December 1915 at a gamelan gong competition in Jagaraga, North Bali.Following their invasion of the island, Dutch occupiers responded to international criticism by building cultural institutions. They sponsored these competitions until Japanese forces ended their rule in World War II.
Religious and cultural significance
In addition to island-wide arts competitions, gamelan gong kebyar has become an essential part of modern Bali Hindu ceremonies. They are required for annual birthday ceremonies for temples, odalan, as well as major holidays as accompaniment for sacred dances. They are also appropriate for the class of rituals centered around human life, Putra Manusia, such as weddings.Instruments
Instruments in gamelan gong kebyar offer a wide range of pitches and timbres, ranging five octaves from the deepest gongs to the highest key on a gangsa. The high end can be described as "piercing", the low end "booming and sustained," while the drums as "crisp". Kebyar instruments are most often grouped in pairs, or "gendered." Each pair consists of a male and female instrument, the female being slightly larger and slightly lower in pitch. ''See the tuning section in this article for more information.''Keyed instruments
Most instruments in kebyar are keyed metallophones, with bronze keys resting on suspended chords, over bamboo resonators. The instruments often have ornately carved wooden frames. The gangsa section in gamelan gong kebyar is the largest section, consisting of 13-14 players. Gangsa instruments are played with a mallet, called a panggul gangsa. The mallet differs in hardness depending on the instrument and its range. The keys are arranged from low to high, left to right. The key is struck with the hammer in one hand, and damped with the finger and second knuckle of the other hand. The keys can be played in one of three ways:- Strike the key, and let resonate until sound fades.
- Strike the key, and damp immediately prior to, or simultaneous with, the striking of the next note in the melody. This is especially good for interlocking parts.
- Strike while damping. This gets a dry, pitched click.
Gangsa kantilan
There are four kantilan in kebyar, two male and two female. See gendered instruments within this article. These instruments are the highest sounding in the kebyar ensemble, with its highest note being around C7. It has ten keys, and a range of two octaves, and is played with a wooden hammer. Players often sit on the floor to play this instrument.Gangsa pemadé
There are also four in, two male and two female. These instruments also have ten keys, a range of two octaves, and are played with a wooden mallet, but are exactly one octave lower than kantilan. Players often sit on the floor to play this instrument.Ugal
There is often only one ugal in the kebyar ensemble, and it is usually female. It is played by one of the leaders of the ensemble. A second, male ugal is sometimes used. The ugal is taller than the other gangsa, and the player sits on a short stool, so as to allow the player to cue the ensemble visually with ease. The instrument also has 10 keys, with a range of two octaves, and is played with a hard wooden mallet, slightly larger than the other and usually with additional ornamentations so the leader's sometimes theatrical cues actively catch the light. Its notes are an octave lower than those of the. The ugals play a combination of gangsa parts and cues, melodic solos, and the underlying melody with flourishes. The first, front ugal cues and plays elements of the polos interlocking gangsa part, and if there is a second ugal, it plays elements of the sangsih part.Jublag
Higher in pitch than the jegog is the . This instrument, like jegog, also requires long resonating bamboo tubes so is often played while sitting on a small stool, and consists of one female/male pair. These instruments have a range of one octave, in between and. Some have five keys but seven key jublag are also commonly found in Bali. It usually plays at submultiples of the pokok; the keys are struck more frequently than the jegogan and usually less frequently than the ugal. The jublag part is often the full pokok while the ugal part includes some ornamentations and flourishes; however, the jublag do not play full kebyar sequences, for example. This instrument is one octave above the jegogan and overlaps tones with the ugal.Jegogan
There are two jegogan in kebyar, one male and one female. These instruments have a range of one fifth, and are one octave below jublag. The keys are considerably larger than those of other gangsa, and are played with a large, cloth-coated, rubber-padded spherical mallet. The jegogan plays the deepest tuned notes in the ensemble, typically playing key notes in the underlying melody of a piece of music instead of every note of that melody.Vertically suspended gong family
Gongs come in different sizes, and provide a structure for phrasing for the music by repeating a four or eight beat pattern. This pattern is called the gong cycle. Gongs are mounted vertically.Gong gedé
Also referred to as just gong, gong gedé is the deepest, and most resonant. Gede, sometimes written gde, means 'big' in Balinese. Because it is the largest of the gongs, it is considered to be the most sacred instrument in kebyar. It is never damped, always allowed to decay. Because of its deep tone, it penetrates through the ensemble and can be heard for miles. It is struck with a large, padded mallet.Kempur
A medium-sized gong, the kempur is very similar to gong gedé as it has very similar qualities, but is just higher in pitch. It is struck with a large, padded mallet.Klentong
Also known as the kemong, this is much smaller and higher in pitch than the kempur. It is struck with a harder mallet than either the gong gedé or kempur, which allows it to have a sharper attack.Kettle gong family
Kettle gongs are round, bronze, and pitched. They are often mounted horizontally on suspended chords as part of a frame. Positioned this way, there is an opening on the bottom, slightly beveled bow on top, and a protruding center called the boss. The kettles are arranged from low to high, left to right. They are generally played with a wooden mallet wrapped in string on one end or the end of the mallet, which is bare, finished wood. Mallets are held one in each hand as extensions of pointed index fingers. There are four conventional strikes:- On the boss with the stringed part of the mallet, and immediately released to let it vibrate freely.
- On the boss with the stringed part of the mallet but pressed to damp any vibration.
- On the bow of the kettle with the wood tip of the mallet, and allowed to ring freely.
- On the bow of the kettle with the wood tip of the mallet, but pressed to damp any ringing.
Frame mounted horizontal kettle gongs