Balinese Music: "Gamelan"
What is Gamelan?
Before we launch into our station work, lets first take a look at what a Gamelan ensemble is!
With your station members, use this device to research online;
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where Bali is,
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what Gamelan musis is,
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listing some of the instruments involed in Gamelan music
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2 fun facts about Balinese culture
Record these findings in your portfolio!!
ACTIVITY 1:
"Sekar Jupun (Gamelan)" by Peliatan Dance Troupe
Listen to the music played by a Gamelan ensemble in the video below.
In your portfolios, answer the reflection questions based off this listening.
Now listen to the first 10 seconds of melodic introduction, and attempt to find/play/notate the melody closest to the pitches heard.
If you can, use the manuscript in your portfolios to record this melody.
Answer the following reflective question in your portofios.
ACTIVITY 2: Gamelan Tuning System
Gamelan music uses 'modes' as a type of scale or key for each music piece. Often these 'scales' consist of only 5 notes, otherwise known as 'pentatonic scales'. Gamelan ensembles are usually tuned in either Pelog or Slendro mode, however some ensembles are able to adapt to accomodate for both tuning systems. The Pelog scale, while tehnically consisting of 7 notes, only ever plays 5 notes of this scale in musical repetroire tuned in this mode. The slendro mode consists of only 5 notes.
Watch the video below to learn about the differences between these two modes.
Listen carefully to when you hear the slendro scale at 0:48
With your group work out the closest western pitches to these notes and record into your portfolios.
As a group (or individually if you prefer) compose an 8 beat melody using the closest equivalent western notes to the ‘slendro mode’ used in Gamelan music.
Record this through western notation in your portfolio, or record an audio of your piano/vocal composition on this station's device.
Note in your portfolio if your melody is in audio form, and save in the 'Slendro melodies' file in your music class folder.
ACTIVITY 3: Melodic Role of the instuments
Balinese gamelan melodies are comprise of various layers of music, moving at different speeds. The varying instruments emphasising different notes from the melody centres the ensemble.
The whole ensemble plays a role in executing the overall melody, with interlocking notes from different instruments generating a melody collectively played by the ensemble.
The repitition and development of these melodies allows the piece to exhibit a 'cyclic' nature, reinforced by the repitition of the gong cycle.
The slowest-moving layer is the GONG.
The second slowest moving instrumental line is played by the JEGOGAN: (usually alternates between the tonic and the 5th note of the melody on beat 1 and 5 of an 8 beat melody)
The core melodic line is performed by the CALUNG: (this consists of every second note of the 8 beat melody, beginning on beat 1)
Lastly is the fastest layer performed by the GANGSA/KANTILAN: which performs the melody in its entirety. (this could be 8 or 16 beats). This melody, particularly when performed at difficult tempos, is executed between interlocking gangsa parts. Sometimes, each note of the melody is played twice.
(http://www.gamelan-bali.eu/gamelan_melodies.html)
(http://www.britannica.com/art/gamelan)
Browse through the instruments in the following website to see what these four instruments look like and how you could recreate these sounds using the instruments available at your station:
Now watch how the melody is performed by these instruments in the following video:
Your Task!
Based on what you have seen/heard/read as a group, use your 8 beat melody to construct one cycle of a piece including:
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Gong cycle (you may use the demonstration gong cycle given, or a variation of it)
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Whole melody (8 beats)
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Core notes of whole melody (4 notes)
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Core notes of core melody (2 notes)
This must all be according to each instruments role, which you can read about in the information above, or in the website provided.
Your score should be recorded in your portfolios. Notate this as a group, so that those who are unfamiliar with western notation may be helped by group members.
If possible, record this performance in Garageband under the file "Gamelan Comp" including your group members, within your class files.
Arranged by Jane Meney
If you have more time,
...lets look at modern Indonesian Music!
