Bali: Music for the Gong Gede [IMPORT] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED]

Gunung Jati Ensemble

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 25, 2000)
• Original Release Date: January 3, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording reissued
• Label: Ocora France
• ASIN: B000027IF6
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #616,572 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #39 in

  Music > World Music > Far East & Asia > Indonesia > Bali

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rare... timeless and stately, May 20, 2002

By	Kean Chhay Chang (Vic, Australia) - See all my reviews

The recording of gamelan gong gede meaning (large gong) is a pretty interesting and somewhat unusual because, I don't even have any recordings of this type of music in my cd collections. However I do have one recording and that was from Mickey Hart's Bali: Living Art's session cd, yet the music in cd number 3 and track 3 called Wahbuti is a modern creation in the form of gong kebyar. The texture was refined and however very loud... yet at times it was pretty subtle probably from the sounds of the flute and the reyong (a set of gong chimes played by four or three men) with it's interlocking configuration.

All of the recordings on this cd are totally different from most gamelan music that I have heard. Probably it was due to the tuning and the types of instrumentation that makes up gamelan gong gede. The music is also said to be ancient and archaic and there was a legend that was attached to gamelan gong gede of Batur temple has the sleeve notes have mentioned. Very interesting and quiet mystical making it more divine in sound and colour. Gong gede music is slow and stately and totally different from many other playing styles. It can be labourious at times however with the sudden appearance of the cymbals weaving their way in and out. Rippling sounds of the trompong (10-12 kettle gongs mounted on a frame played by one musician)as it plays out the core melody and the second trompong elaborates over the first trompong. The predominant sounds are the saron (metallophones mounted on cushioned pegs and struck with mallets) creating the chiming and clanging effect making it sound timeless, also ancient. Like an era that once divine and sacred. The drumming is very loud and quiet enthusastic showing the dexerity of orchestra.

Gong gede of Tampaksiring temple is more like the kebyar style because of it's tight interlocking playing method compared with gong geee of Batur temple their playing technique is very loose and at a more slower pace. Gong gede of Tampaksiring is at a meduim pace, but the sounds of the clattering cymbals and the airy sound of the suling (flute) are drowned out by the saron as their chime away at a speedy pace. The trompong can be heard at times however it is drowned out too. The drum can be still heard and so are the punctuating sounds of the large boss gongs (gong agung or gede). One difference also for gong gede of Tampaksiring temple is that the orchestra includings a suling giving it a airyness to the whole concept. Track four Tabuh Enem parts of the repetoire are also similar to the cd titled "Roots of the Gamelan: The first recording". The last track by Gong Gede of Tampaksiring temple is at a slower and more relaxed pace. The playing style is much more gentle and also the reyong can be heard playing it's interlocking configuration above the saron and trompong as well as the drums.

I found the music very divine and mystical. Both orchestras show great skill in playing the music and the pieces of music that is shown for the recording. There aren't very many gong gede orchestras in Bali. I saw on a documentary a while ago called the Lava Hunters and in one segment which dicussed the worship of volcanoes in Bali where a sacred ceremony was held called Pancha Wali Krama where high priest of the Brahmana caste and worshippers prayed for the harmony and union of divine forces. There was a scene showing men playing the saron and the sounds that was all too familiar that stood out from other gamelans. Gong gede performed at a sacred and important ritual. It was with the 20th century that gong gede began to fade away with the royal families and the aristocracy with the Dutch takeover. Most of the orchestras fell into negelect or melted and reforged into the more popular gong kebyar which was taking Bali by storm during that turbulent time. Yet the music itself contains a stateliness that once prided itself amongst many ancient and sacred traditions. Gong kebyar was the offspring of it's ancient and grand parent gong gede. It would be a real shame if this orchestra was to disappear from the pages of world music and from Balinese culture. Music that spand several centuries and helped shape Balinese culture and beliefs... yet only a few recordings is enough to make me wonder and enjoy it's divine and mystical sounds that comes from the abodes of the Gods: Bali.

Great music and for those who collect Balinese gamelan music this should be in your collection.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most classical sound of Bali, April 14, 2001

By A Customer

An exellent sample of the oldest tradition of Bali. Slow, hypnotic, avoiding the jazz-rock dexterosity of modern kebyar ... a milestone for balinese music.