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This is an information page for players in the regular Durham 'Performance' Group which meets on Wednesday afternoons during term time


Plans


Wednesday 30th June

Vice Chancellor's Garden Party

Plans for the afternoon yet to be finalised.  We have a full band now including Rob, Kim and Sheyi.

Dress code: black trousers and smart tops - either plain colours or patterned; we have found the batik shirts which are available for those who need/want them.
 
Players:

Ste Burrell, Kim Buttenschön, Jayne Elliott, Sue Finn, Paul Fletcher, Hilary Gordon, Olivia James, Simon Mills, Sunghee Park-Mills, Meg Pomfret, Ayu Race, Hannah Rumble, Rob Tenniel

Current Programme

Ladrang Wilujeng pathet manyura 

Perhaps the most played of all Javanese pieces, Wilujeng (literally ‘greetings’ is traditionally used to welcome guests and bring good luck.  It is often played at weddings and other important events.  Here we are playing it not just to greet you the audience but to welcome these beautiful instruments to their new home.  

This is a soft style piece featuring the quieter instruments and we will play in the style of Surakarta (Solo), the city in central Java just across the river from the village where the instruments were crafted.

Lancaran Wrahatbala pathet nem

This is a loud style piece, again often used as an opening / welcome piece.  Like all the music we are playing tonight it is a traditional piece, the exact age and composer lost in the mists of time.  However unlike western music of that age it is still very much played and heard within Java. 

We will use this piece to demonstrate the instruments of the gamelan and how they fit together.

Gendhing Okrak Okrak pathet manyura

This is a ‘big’ piece in the sense that there are a large number of notes between gong notes – 64 to be precise, a contrast to the eight note cycles in pieces of Lancaran form.  The notes also are played much more slowly some of the time.

It is a gendhing bonang, led by the bonang which is the rack of kettles at the front.  You will notice several tempo changes – the first ‘merong’ section starts fast, becomes very slow and then speeds up and slows down again to signal the change into the second ‘inggah’ section – which starts slow and then becomes very fast.

Ketawang Subakastawa pathet sanga  

A ketawang is a vocal piece and here we will demonstrate the ‘gerong’ or choral singing.  Traditionally in Java it is just the men who sing this line but most western groups use mixed voices.

Subakastawa is thought to have its origins with an ancient 3 note ceremonial Gamelan in the Mangkunegaran Palace in Solo which was played to mark the birth of a child in the royal compound – with two formal wives and dozens of concubines this was a frequent occurrence! The name means sacred gift.

Lancaran Kebogiro pathet sanga 

We will play another lancaran – so this piece has the same structure as Wrahatbala but a different melodic line.  This piece also includes a slow section which provides a contrast.

This piece, literally ‘The Raging Buffalo’ also has royal connections – with the other (senior) palace in Solo, the Kraton Kasunanan – and is still played to accompany coronation and anniversary processions.   It is also a popular ringtone in Java!

Ladrang Mugirahayu pathet manyura

This ladrang has a single section which is repeated.  We will play in a dance style from the city of Jogjakarta (Jogja), the other large cultural centre in central Java, about 50 miles from Solo but with various differences in the interpretation of the traditional repertoire.

The drummer will use the smaller ciblon drum at various stages in this piece; the rhythms on this drum support the dancer.  It is common to include this style of piece in concert performances even when, like today, no dancer is available.  Note the interlocking patterns on the two bonangs during the ciblon sections of the piece.

The title means ‘in the hope of salvation’.

Srepegan / Sampak Manyura pathet manyura 

Pathet is the concept in Javanese music most closely paralleled by ‘mode’ in Western music.  It is very difficult to come up with a clear analysis of exactly what makes each pathet what it is (and there are thousands of pages of academic discourse to testify to this!).  Pathet manyura is the highest in pitch of the modes and is generally considered the most ‘perfect’ or complete.  It is used towards the end of performances.

The srepegan is a very short form with the gongs playing very frequently. The melodic line is very simple really just moving between the important gong notes of this pathet.  The piece is used in the shadow puppet shows to depict tension and preparation for battles or journeys.  We will then move into the sampak – an even shorter form with the gongs playing every note. The battle is now taking place!

Bubaran Sembung Gilang pathet sanga

A bubaran is another loud style piece, and we will play it in Jogja style.  The word bubar means to disperse, and this type of piece is traditionally used at the end of performances and in Java the audience would be expected to leave while the group is playing.

 

 

 

Wilujeng

Wrahatb

Okrak2

Subakast

Kebogiro

Mugirahayu

Srep

Bubaran

Slenthem

 

 

Ayu

 

Kim

Meg

Rob

 

Demung

 

Sunghee

 

Sunghee

 

 

Sunghee

 

Saron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peking

Hannah

Meg

Jayne

Meg

Paul

Rob

Simon

Hannah

Bon bar

Rob

Jayne

Ste

Paul

Hannah

Sunghee

Ayu

Kim

Bon pan

Olivia

Hannah

Meg

 

Rob

Simon

Meg

Paul

Gong

Kim

Rob

Sunghee

Jayne

Sunghee

Kim

Jayne

Rob

Kenong

Jayne

Simon

Simon

Hannah

Meg

Paul

Hannah

Ste

Kendhang

Meg

Paul

Paul

Rob

Simon

Ste

Paul

Meg

Gender

Ste

 

 

Ste

 

 

 

 

Gambang

Paul

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suling

Simon

 

 

Simon

 

 

 

 

 


Resources  

Durham Gamelan performance
Recordings of the May 14th performance are here. But be warned they are very large files.

Group rehearsal recordings
Recent recordings of the group intended for educational purposes rather than as public material!

Four Principles of Karawitan
An insight into the philosophy behind the music

The Instruments
Pictures of the instruments with their names

Lancaran Rena Rena - notation
Notation for Lancaran Rena Rena

Ornamentation - notes
Notes on methods of ornamentation

Sunda Notation
A 'score' for the Sundanese piece

Sunda Colotomic structure
Diagram building up the piece from its important notes

Sunda recording
The Sundanese piece as played at a workshop led by 'Samba Sunda'

Ladrang Parawisata recording
Full version of Ladrang Parawisata by Javanese musicians - includes vocals and soft instruments

Parawisata notation
Includes bonang and peking patterns

Glossary
Some useful Javanese words

Parawisata in Durham
A Durham group playing Parawisata (2006) with Alec playing gender

Parawisata demo
Demonstration of bonang part - first line

2nd year performance
Recordings of the 2nd year performance are here. But be warned they are very large files.