Gamelan Gambuh · Aggregated Site · SeAsia-Hearing-Live

Archivist's Original Title

Gamelan Gambuh

Original description

Music recordings made in Bali (Indonesia) by Louis Berthe and Bernard Yzerdraat, in 1961, 1962 and 1963.

SEA Annotations

Batuan Village (to be verified with CNRSMH_E_1965_007_001_001_04 registration)

Time duration

00:01:20

MetadataURL

http://archives.crem-cnrs.fr/archives/items/44670/

Acquisition Date

1971

Time period

1961-1963

Population

Bali

Place of the cultural origin

Bali (Region)

Country Name

Indonesia

Recording place

Batuan Village

Comment

"The Gambuh is the oldest Balinese theatre: it appears, in the 14th century, probably imported from Java. The themes of this theater are the great myths of the cycle of Pandji, the cultural hero of the Balinese as well as the Javanese The characteristic instruments of the orchestra are long straight flutes with headband, suling gedé, and a rebab, a vertical two-stringed violin, whose timbres are associated with bronze metallophones, small cymbals and double-membrane drums. Gamelan Gambuh music is striking: the volume of the sound, the vibration of the flutes, the harsh dissonances, are of an archaic and powerful beauty, unique in all Balinese music.The two recordings that we give here were made in Batuan, where one of Bali's most renowned Gambuh has long been located." Louis Bertha, cf. back of the cover of the disc "Gamelans of Bali - Music of the Gods, music of Men" (CNRSMH_E_1965_007_001_001_04 or 001_05)