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Gamelan Gambuh Suasana

by Bali Gamelan Sound

/
1.
Putri 03:11
2.
3.
Condong 06:12
4.
Suasana 05:04
5.
Kakan Kakan 08:38

about

Gambuh is a Balinese Dance Drama Theatre which is considered to be of the highest quality and richest in Dance movements. It is probably the most sophisticated and the source of all types of Balinese Classical Dances.

It’s estimated that Gambuh appeared around the 15th Century, with the play based on the poems of fictional Javanese Prince Panji, as the story says, an incarnation of Vishnu. When the dance-dramas of Mahapit Kingdom came to Bali, they had the task of preserving the tradition of a fallen destiny.

Gambuh is a form of Total Theatre because it contains elements of Sound, Drama, Dance, Visual Arts, Literature, etc.

Gambuh is performed in Traditional Balinese Celebrations (Upacaras) of the Hindu Balinese Religion, such as Odalan (birthdays), Manusa Yadnya (noble families marriages), Pitra Yadnya (Ngaben), in between others.

A complete Gamelan Gambuh requieres approximately 17 musicians. The Gamelan heard in this record can be named as “Penggambuhan”, with a 5 tone Saih Pitu Tuning Scale. Gambuh is famous for it’s long flutes (Suling Gambuh), which can reach up to 1 meter length, and 5 cm diameter.

The Suling Gambuh play melodies along with a Rebab, percussion instruments with a variety of timbres, a medium sized Gong, a Kajar, two Kendangs, Klenang, Gentotag, Rincik (Ceng Ceng), a metallophone called Kenyir, Kangsi and Gumanak (this last 3 instruments being specific only for the Gambuh and not found in other Gamelan ensemble of Bali).

Some characters of the Dance Drama are Condong, and Kakan-Kakan, Putri, Arya, Panji, Prabangsa, Demang, Temenggung, Turas, Penasar and Prabu. The two first ones are the ones who accompany the recording of this music. The dancers in dialogue usually use the Kawi Language.

Gambuh is still active until now and can be found in traditional villages in Gianyar, Karangasem, Badung, Denpasar, Buleleng and Tabanan.

credits

released January 20, 2023

Gambuh Drama Tari
Recorded in Kampus ISI Denpasar, Upacara Odalan
October, 2022.
Photography by André Roosevelt (Bali, year 1928)

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. A special gratitude for the campus ISI Denpasar and the kind invitation to presence their Odalan.

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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