Kecak chorus
Item
Edited Title
en
Kecak, Bali
Archivist's Original Title
en
Kecak chorus
Original description
en
Appearing in its present form at the beginning of the 1930s, this genre drew from older models, such as the trance-dances as practised in temples.
A chorus of men, some forty performers, seated in concentric circles facing towards the centre, where a scene from the Ramayana is played, with the texts declaimed by actors. The chorus itself performs a polyphony of diverse cries and onomatopoeias, wherein the syllables [ke] and [cak] (pronounced "cha") are stylised monkey calls. The result is a varied rhythmic counterpoint, mainly using techniques of hocket, ostinato and off-beat. Synchronisation betwecn the different parts is rigorously directed by one of the members in the chorus, a sort-of conductor whose signals can be clearly heard. There is no place for improvisation, and all the parts, whose number vary during a performance, have been learned by heart.
A chorus of men, some forty performers, seated in concentric circles facing towards the centre, where a scene from the Ramayana is played, with the texts declaimed by actors. The chorus itself performs a polyphony of diverse cries and onomatopoeias, wherein the syllables [ke] and [cak] (pronounced "cha") are stylised monkey calls. The result is a varied rhythmic counterpoint, mainly using techniques of hocket, ostinato and off-beat. Synchronisation betwecn the different parts is rigorously directed by one of the members in the chorus, a sort-of conductor whose signals can be clearly heard. There is no place for improvisation, and all the parts, whose number vary during a performance, have been learned by heart.
Time duration
en
0:03:14
Recording date of the original material
en
1978
Acquisition Date
en
1983
Population
en
Bali
Place of the cultural origin
Country Name
Recording place
en
Bali, Ubud
Resource Language
en
Bali
Comment
en
Voice CD I - Techniques: Calls, cries and clamors.
Archivist Category
en
Music (Vocal)
Recording context
en
Published record
Instrument, Original Archivist Data
en
Male chorus
Collector
Name of original Collection
en
Voices of the World, an Anthology of Vocal Expression (CD)
Collection source citation
Related material
History of ownership
en
Recording achived in 1983 at Musée de l'Homme (BM.1983_021) but not yet digitized in 2024.
Holding Institution of Original Materials
Licensing Institution
Accessing Institutions
Copyright Information
en
CC BY-NC-ND
Physical format
en
Magnetic tape
Preservation State of Physical Object
en
Copy
Original item number
en
CNRSMH_E_1996_013_001_001_010
SEAH Identifier
en
SEAH_CNRSMH_E_1996_013_001_001_010