Gamelan

Question 1

Where does Gamelan music originate from?

Answer 1

Indonesia

Question 2

Two main purposes:

Answer 2

• to accompany puppet theatre

- for religious ceremonies/celebrations

Question 3

In Indonesia what is Gamelan music considered to be?

Answer 3

• sacred
• to have supernatural powers
• people believe that instruments are guided byGods
• musicians take off their shoes when they play in Gamelan and they do not step over the instruments in case they offend the spirits.

Question 4

Where does the word Gamelan come from?

Answer 4

• from the Javanese word ‘games’ which means hammer

- the word ‘Gamelan’ also refers to the collection of instruments

Question 5

What are most of the instruments in a traditional Gamelan orchestra?

Answer 5

percussion instruments which is why they’re played by striking, either with a strike or mallet (hence the hammer) or with the hand

Question 6

Instruments:

Answer 6

-metallophones
-gongs
-xylophones
-bamboo flutes
-string instruments
-singers
drums e.g. the kendang (double ended drum)
These instruments create a very specific sound that is very resonant.

Question 7

What is a met allophone comparable to?

Answer 7

Metallophones are comparable to Western glockenspiels. Metallophones are metal instruments hit with wooden beaters

Question 8

Are the pairs of gongs slightly out of tune with each other?

Answer 8

yes, this is a traditional feature of Gamelan music

Question 9

What is the structure of Gamelan music based on?

Answer 9

ostinato

Question 10

ostinato:

Answer 10

repeating patterns of notes

Question 11

What is the melody of Gamelan music formed from?

Answer 11

slendro or pelog

Question 12

slendro

Answer 12

pentatonic-a five note scale

Question 13

pelog

Answer 13

heptatonic-a 7 note scale

Question 14

How do Gamelan musicians learn the music?

Answer 14

Gamelan musicians learn the notes practically rather than from reading music. Gamelan players use a number system called ‘kepatihan’ to remember the tune rather than using letters or staff notation.
This makes music more accessible e.g. 1=C, 2=D, 3=E, 4=F, 5=G etc.

Question 15

What is the main melody of Gamelan music called?

Answer 15

the core melody

Question 16

What are the two other melodies in Gamelan music called?

Answer 16

Kenong

Peking

Question 17

What texture does Gamelan music have?

Answer 17

heterophonic texture

Question 18

heterophonic texture:

Answer 18

The three melodies combine in a 3-part layered texture. The melodies are embellishments of another melody e.g. the peking is an embellishment of the core melody. A texture in which a melody is played at the same time as one or more embellishments of that melody is heterophony.

Question 19

sonority/timbre:

Answer 19

how the instruments for the different styles/tones quality of a note played by a particular musical instrument

Question 20

metallophone sonority/timbre

Answer 20

• a very distinct sound world

- metallic percussive sound

Question 21

chord:

Answer 21

two or more notes played at the same time