Gamelan of Central Java - V. Gaya Yogyakarta
The Yogyanese style of
To illustrate the music included in the present CD, we had the opportunity of calling upon one of the world-renowned Javanese musicians, Bapak Hardja Susilo. Pak Sus, as he is affectionately called in the international gamelan community, was born in Yogyakarta on December 3, 1934, at kampung Gedhong Tengen. At age 3, the whole family moved to kampung Ngadisuryan, inside the Sultan's beteng (walled compound). Up to the break of WW II and the invasion of the Japanese, the Dutch Radio Station (MAVRO) was broadcasting from just across the street, and young Pak Sus was introduced to authentic Yogyanese uyon-uyon (gamelan "concert"), kethoprak (Javanese folk theatre), dhagelan (Javanese situation comedy), langen mandra wanara (Yogyanese style opera), wayang kulit (shadow puppet theatre), and, by means of recordings, other kinds of music, including jazz. He learned to play gamelan at Prince Hangabehi's residence and learned to dance at Prince Pudjokusumo's and Prince Tedjokusumo's residences. In 1958 he received an assistantship that took him to the United States, at UCLA, to study Western music and research method in Ethnomusicology, while teaching gamelan. He studied Solonese style initially with Bpk Wiranto, the principle of Konservatory Karawitan Surakarta, and later with Bpk Martopangrawit. In 1993, Pak Sus received the "Hadiah Seni" (Art Prize) from the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia "for extraordinary achievements in the field of the art of Karawitan".
JNM - What are the factors that can be an obstacle to a wider
appreciation of karawitan by Western music lovers?
JNM - Martopangrawit, the musician and theorist
who influenced the Javanese musical culture of the second half of
the last century, stated: "Karawitan is a finished product". Does
that mean that -- while it is all right to write new compositions
in the classical style (kreasi baru), and Western-style experimental
music (gamelan kontemporer) -- new renderings and modifications of classical pieces
(gendhing rekreasi, for example changing the "orchestration" of a piece) should not be allowed? BHS - For 20 years
I lived across the street from the manor (Dalem Ngabehan) of Pangeran
Hangebehi. The Prince was the older half brother of the Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX. His gamelan was
one of the best in Yogya. Even after the Radio Station was moved
from Dalem Ngabehan, for many years RRI did their broadcasting of
Uyon-uyon Monosuko on location, at Prince Hangabehi's residence
until his passing and the division of his wealth (in the late 70's,
or early 80's?). Two of my younger brothers, Habib Bari and Mohamad
Suhud, used to be RRI Yogya announcers. They both have hosted Uyon-uyon
Monosuko for several years. The name of this radio programme ("Mana
yang kamu suka", or "whichever you like", "by request") triggers
all kinds of memories. Monosuko was one of the important
venues to introduce new short fun compositions which were too short
to be played alone. They would be connected to the end of some big
pieces as parts of a medley. One of the steady menues and favourite
items in the program was "Pangkur Jenggleng", in which Pak Basiyo,
the RRI comedian, would sing solo the song Pangkur. At the end of
his phrasing the drummer would signal the saron to hit the last pitch
of his phrase in the style of Sekaten, that is practically smashing
the keys. Pak Basiyo would try to conform by ending his phrasing at
the stroke of the saron. But the drummer with dead pan serious face
would create a long, complicated and somewhat unpredictable drum cadence,
frustrating Pak Basiyo and forcing him to gasp for breath, and messing
up the phrasing of the song. The musicians and the audience would
laugh at his frustration. In response he would roast the musicians,
individually and collectively. In turn the audience and the other
musicians would laugh at the butt of his jokes. Many times my brother
Suhud would act as the straight man. Now Pak Basiyo would not only
be frustrated by the musicians, but also by the announcer who intentionally
would misunderstand him.
I have never heard Gendhing soran
UNDUK performed. This is the first time. The style of the bonang barung, bonang panerus, and bonang panembung, are Yogyanese, carefully
avoiding some of the typically Solonese patterns. The ketipung (small drum) part in irama one is typically Solonese. The more orthodox Yogyanese style would
be on the off beat, like the kethuk
(punctuating instrument) in lancaran
form. Track 3 of the CD is curious,
as we actually barely hear the main item, Madyaratri. We just hear
the tail end of it, to be continued to the ladrang.
This then continues without transition to the last two lines of rambangan Pangkur Paripurna before continuing
to rambangan Pangkur Dhudha
Kasmaran in slendro miring.
At the end of which it proceeds to Playon slendro
sanga. This portion is a fragment of Langen Mandra Wanara, in
which Rahwana demands that the messenger Gohmuka hand the letter to
prime minister Prahastha. But obviously the drummer did not pay attention
to the content of the lyrics. So at the end of the song the drummer
led the ensemble to an agitated Playon, as if to accompany a fight
scene. The Yogyanese TUKUNG is interesting.
I like it. Another way of distinguishing Yogyanese from Solonese performance
is from the wiled level
(detailed realization) of a piece of music on the balungan ("skeleton" melody). For example, one gaya (style) might use the gatra
(measure) with notes 6 5 6 3, while the other plays 6 5 2 3; one gaya plays 6 5 3 2, the other 3 2 3 2;
one plays - 7 6 -, the other 7 6 7 6; etc.
In the case of this recording, the gaya
is further distinguished by the use of the panembung
bonang, an obsolescent instrument in Yogya, which has been obsolete
in Solo (Surakarta) for a long time, except in Sekaten ensemble. The
panembung plays the abstraction of the
gendhing (composition). Playing this abstraction
was termed mbalung. This
is done by striking on the even beats of the gatra, beat two and beat four. On beat four the panembung would play the balungan note, on beat two the
upper or lower neighbour note of the balungan note on beat four, avoiding
repetitions and with no rests throughout. PANGKUR JENGGLENG. Jenggleng is an onomatopoeic adjective
referring to the way the saron play, resembling the clonk created by two train
cars as they are connected. After the passing of Pak Basiyo, the comedian,
Pak Ngabdul, one of the second generation Yogya RRI actors, takes
over the assignment as the roasted comedian, with Mbok ("Ma") Beruk
as the straight person. Content of the dialogue: essentially thanking
the fact that there is someone -- i.e. you -- who is showing interest
in gamelan. They are hoping that the voice of the pesindhen
would raise curiosity as to how she looks. The jenggleng hopefully would wake you up in case you fall asleep during
the uyon-uyon.
Musicians: Bonang and music coordinator
- Murwanto Recording made 17 May, 2004,
in the Studio of RRI Yogyakarta, using the Studio's equipment
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