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Batu Bule Selonding

by Bali Gamelan Sound

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about

"Batu Bule" Selonding, is probably one of the first Gamelan Selonding groups integrated by foreigner players. During the years 2018 and 2019, some scholar friends got together in the island of Bali, decided to learn and record some of the oldest gamelan songs from East Bali.

"Batubulan" (Lunar Stone) is the name of the village where Sanggar Tawaketa is located, the center of their Gamelan Slonding studies. The name of this record is a wink between the name of the village and the word "Bule", which is commonly used by locals referring to foreigners.

This performance was recorded in Pura Samuan Tiga, an ancient temple located in Bedulu Village. This holy space is recognized for being a pillar, host of meetings where the roots of Balinese Hinduism were formed.

Gamelan Selonding is a Traditional Balinese musical ensemble that is older than other types that are now popular in the island. It dates back to the 900s, and belongs to the Golongan Tua classification of ensembles, along with Gambang, Gender Wayang, and Angklung.

It is a sacred Gamelan, often used to complete religious ceremonies in Bali. The distribution of Selonding Gamelan in Karangasem Regency can be found in several old villages. In the context of the traditional religion, Selonding Gamelan is used to accompany large ceremonial processions such as cremation, wedding, or birthday temple ceremonies.

Until between 20-40 years ago, selonding instruments and their attendant repertoire existed exclusively in Bali Aga (pre-majapahit indigenous Balinese) villages in Karangasem, Bali's easternmost regency.

Some examples of Aga villages with selonding traditions include: Tenganan Pagringsingan, Bungaya, Selat, Bugbug, Bebandem and Asak.

credits

released September 23, 2022

Special thanks to Juan Pereyra who played, recorded, and produced this beautiful recording, and Pak Kadek Astawa for teaching us these songs and consulting on this album.

Musicians:
-Vanessa Benito Gonçalves
-Beril Meşe
-Christopher Hull
-Thomas Nolan
-Lydia Martín
-J Guy Laughlin
-Juan Pereyra

Photography:
Polina Kuzovkova

About Bali Gamelan Sound:

This is a documentary process of recording Balinese Traditional Gamelan music, started in the year 2020.

Traditions have changed over time, but ancient musical compositions are adapted to nowadays life.

Agustín Oscar Rissotti, an Argentinian student of the University ISI Denpasar (Bali), developed an idea to join as many rehearsals, ensembles and religious ceremonies as possible with small microphones and recording equipment, to document the authentique "Bali Gamelan Sound".

In Bali, live performances are meant to be performed for the Gods. There is no egoistic purpose in this performances, but to admire the beauty of this world through the eyes of Hindu Balinese religion.

As for his ears, this is "The authentique Bali Sound", full of conversations around, people passing by, laughs, music of different performances played together (as it is meant to be in several Balinese Hindu ceremonies where -more than 1- ensembles are playing music very close to each other -at the same time-), background noises, sounds of coffee cups and arak shoots, breath of ciggaretes, animals hollowing around, hundreds of motorbikes passing by, and even mother nature earthquakes.

With all my respect, this is the vision of a South Latin American guy who ended up studying Balinese Culture and living in the Island during the pandemic.

I hope this can translate you to the world I am living in.

Thankyou, I hope you will enjoy this music. Astungkara, Matur Suksema.

All the economic contributions made to this project will be spent in developing the Balinese Culture and Artists.

Please donate buying the records in Bandcamp.

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Bali Gamelan Sound Bali, Indonesia

Documentary project of recording the authentique atmosphere of "Balinese Gamelan Sound", for University ISI Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.

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