Upacara Tarian Gianyar, can be refered as "The Gianyar Dance Party". "Upacara" is a conceptual word which refers to a celebration in a Hindu Temple, in Bali.
In this release we had the pleassure to record the local group of Batu Aji Village, in Batubulan, Gianyar (Central East part of the Island).
The players choose a repertory destined for early dancers, as many kids performed in the party. Each of this songs conceptualises a complex choreography, sometimes grupal and sometimes individual. Some of this tracks were composed around the year 1920.
The families were watching and enjoying the performance of the kids, so it became a very special ocation.
"Puspanjali" is as a welcoming dance, performed by kids, the same as "Pendet", a choreography offered for special guests.
"Baris Tunggal" is a solo warrior dance with hectic kotekan patterns, while "Sekar Jagat" is also a welcoming performance, translated from Balinese Language as "The Flower of this Planet".
"Legong Kraton Lasam" is the first classical dance of this recording, an old piece, which retells the story of a Royal wise and handomse man who lived on the palace.
"Kebyar Duduk" is also a classical song, showing a sitting dance performance, while "Mergapati" dance tells the story of a Royal Animal.
"Tari Nelayan" shows the life of a typical fisherman in Bali, his daily work and his happy companionship, and "Barong Ket" is a representation of the classical Barong Dance, in this case "Ket" representing the costume in a Cat form.
I suggest, if you have time, to make a search with each name, for original videos around the internet and enjoy this coreographies, which are usually performed as "Welcoming" pieces and others directly as gifts for the Hindu Gods. :)
credits
released April 25, 2022
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.
Recorded in Banjar Batu Aji, Batubulan, Gianyar (Musicians, Performers)