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Traditional/Classical Music: Malay: Instruments |
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| The Malay Gamelan is distinctly different from the Javanese or
Balinese Gamelan, not so much in the instruments used but rather in the music played. The
gamelan was brought over to Pahang in Malaysia in 1811 from Riau-Lingga and spread to
Terengganu (a local state) shortly afterwards through a royal marriage. From the over 60
songs initially brought over, about half died with the original players and of the 30
remaining only about 12 are regularly performed today. Malay gamelan music is very simplistic in that nearly all instruments play the melody, unlike the intricately locked parts of the Javanese gamelan. There is currently a revival of interest in Malay gamelan music, led by Ariff Ahmad of University Malaya, with many new pieces being written out for the ensemble. Cipher notation, common to Javanese gamelan and Chinese music, is used. Instruments used include: saron(a metallophone), gambang(a xylophone), keromong or bonang(sets of small kettle gongs), kenong (larger kettle gongs), gong and gendang or drums. As is customary in gamelan performance, players move around between instruments from piece to piece. Malay gamelan music is usually played during royal and formal occassions and that performers are specially trained in royal palaces. |
music is LIFE!
music soothes even the savage beast
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