Program: A Concert of Central Javanese Music and Dance

The concert opens with a piece which Poedijono composed for the Melbourne Community Gamelan. This piece has the same name as the set of gamelan instruments being played this evening, Nyi Gemi Raras. Nyi is the honorific term for women, because our gamelan is female. GEMI is an acronym for Gamelan Education Melbourne Institute, where the gamelan was first housed, and gemi also means ‘thrifty’ in Javanese. Raras means ‘musical scale’. An interpretation of Nyi Gemi Raras could be ‘The Venerable Enduring Sound’.

Gendhing RANDHU KENTIR, minggah Ladrang AYUN-AYUN, kelajengakan Lancaran BAITA KANDHAS, laras pelog pathet nem

This suite of pieces is an example of klenengan or listening music and illustrates a variety of forms and playing styles. It begins with the slow and stately Randhu Kentir, meaning ‘floating kapok’. This is followed by Ayun-ayun ‘swinging on a swing’ and Baito Kandhas which is a shorter, lively piece whose name means ‘boat in shallow water’.

Dolanan are light songs with gamelan accompaniment. Gambang Suling was composed by the famous dhalang (puppeteer) and composer Narto Sabdo and describes the beauty of gamelan music, in particular the two instruments gambang (wooden xylophone) and suling (flute).

Gambiranom portrays a refined male character, Bambang Irawan, son of Arjuna, who is dreaming about his forthcoming wedding to Dewi Titisari, daughter of Kresna. The name of the accompanying piece, Rena-rena, means ‘joy’. Dancer: NANING FORSYTH.

Gendhing LOBONG kelajengaken AYAK-AYAKAN, SREPEGAN, SAMPAK, laras slendro pathet manyura

This version of Lobong (‘Temptation’) begins with buka celuk, a sung introduction. The piece starts in Irama II, the slower tempo, and then progresses to Ayak-Ayakan, Srepegan, and Sampak, which are pieces used for wayang (shadow puppet) performances.

Gleyong means ‘swinging’. This piece begins quickly, then changes to the slower tempo, Irama II, which also includes a vocal part.

After interval, you will be invited to try your hand at playing gamelan. Volunteers will be called from the audience to learn a simple piece from Poedijono, assisted by members of the group.

Gamelan music is among the most well know of the hundreds of traditional performing art forms found among the cultures that make up the Republic of Indonesia. The term gamelan refers to the entire set of instruments as well as to the music played on them or the group who plays them. The most popular form of gamelan in Central Java today is that associated with the refined cultural traditions of the royal courts. Gamelan is important in both formal ceremonies and popular entertainment and performances of gamelan are an integral part of many auspicious occasions.

The members of the Melbourne Community Gamelan come from diverse backgrounds but have been brought together by their love of gamelan and have been studying and performing for a number of years under the direction of Poedijono. We would like to express our thanks to Dr. Cathy Falk and to the University of Melbourne Faculty of Music for their support of Indonesian performing arts in Australia, and for allowing us to practice and perform on the beautiful set of instruments used today. If you would like to be on our mailing list, please let us know (see addresses below).

Michelle Abbott

Ilona Ceko

Michael Ewing

Katherine Fryar

Linda Hibbs

Henny Kwee

Arthur Lipscombe

Robert McMullen

Keith Morgan

Helen Pausacker

Poedijono

Christobel Say

Nick Thieberger