''Colotomy'' is an
Indonesian
Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to:
* Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia
** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago
** Indonesian ...
description of the
rhythm
Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular recu ...
ic and
metric
Metric or metrical may refer to:
* Metric system, an internationally adopted decimal system of measurement
* An adjective indicating relation to measurement in general, or a noun describing a specific type of measurement
Mathematics
In mathem ...
patterns of
gamelan
Gamelan () ( jv, ꦒꦩꦼꦭꦤ꧀, su, ᮌᮙᮨᮜᮔ᮪, ban, ᬕᬫᭂᬮᬦ᭄) is the traditional ensemble music of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. T ...
music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. In the gamelan, this is usually done by
gong
A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...
s of various size: the ''
kempyang
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
'', ''
ketuk
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
'', ''
kempul
A kempul is a type of hanging gong used in Indonesian gamelan. The kempul is a set of pitched, hanging, knobbed gongs, often made of bronze, wood, and cords. Ranging from 19 cm to 25,4 cm (7 to 10 inches) in diameter, the kempul gong h ...
'', ''
kenong
The Kenong is a musical instrument of Indonesia used in the gamelan. It is a kind of gong and is placed on its side. It has the same length and width. Thus, it is similar to the bonang, kempyang, and ketuk, which are also cradled gongs. Kenon ...
'', ''
gong suwukan
A gongFrom Indonesian language, Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and S ...
'', and ''
gong ageng
The gong ageng (or gong gedhe in Ngoko Javanese, means large gong) is an Indonesian musical instrument used in the Javanese gamelan. It is the largest of the bronze gongs in the Javanese and Balinese gamelan orchestra and the only large gong t ...
''. The fast-playing instruments, ''
kempyang and ketuk
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
'', keep a regular
beat
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery (c ...
. The larger gongs group together these hits into larger groupings, playing once per each grouping. The largest gong, the ''
gong ageng
The gong ageng (or gong gedhe in Ngoko Javanese, means large gong) is an Indonesian musical instrument used in the Javanese gamelan. It is the largest of the bronze gongs in the Javanese and Balinese gamelan orchestra and the only large gong t ...
'', represents the largest time cycle and generally indicates that that section will be repeated, or the piece will move on to a new section.
The details of the rhythmic patterns depend on the colotomic structure ( jv, italic=yes, bentuk), also known as ''gendhing'' structure. There are a number of different structures, which differ greatly in length and complexity; however, all of them have some colotomic characteristics.
In the gamelan, the instruments which articulate this structure are sometimes called the colotomic instruments (also interpunctuating instruments or structural instruments, while Lindsay refers to them as "phrase-making instruments"). The Javanese names for these instruments are onomatopoeic, with the relative resonance of the words ''gong'', ''kempul'', ''kenong'', and ''ketuk'' being comparable to that of the instruments they name. In the system of cipher gamelan notation (
kepatihan notation
Notation plays a relatively minor role in the oral traditions of Indonesian gamelan but, in Java and Bali, several systems of gamelan notation were devised beginning at the end of the 19th century, initially for archival purposes.
Kepatihan
Kep ...
), the colotomic parts are notated as
diacritical marks
A diacritic (also diacritical mark, diacritical point, diacritical sign, or accent) is a glyph added to a letter or to a basic glyph. The term derives from the Ancient Greek (, "distinguishing"), from (, "to distinguish"). The word ''diacritic ...
on the numbers used to show the core melody (''
balungan
The ''balungan'' ( jv, skeleton, frame) is sometimes called the "core melody" or, "skeletal melodic outline," of a Javanese gamelan composition. This corresponds to the view that gamelan music is heterophonic: the ''balungan'' is then the melody ...
'').
History and usage
The
English language
English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...
term was coined, presumably in
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
, from the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
for a unit of rhythm (''colon'') and something that divides (-''tomy''/-''tomic''), by the
ethnomusicologist
Ethnomusicology is the study of music from the cultural and social aspects of the people who make it. It encompasses distinct theoretical and methodical approaches that emphasize cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dim ...
Jaap Kunst
Jaap Kunst (12 August 1891 in Groningen – 7 December 1960 in Amsterdam) was a Dutch musicologist. He is credited with coining the term "ethnomusicology" as a more accurate name for the field then known as comparative musicology. Kunst studied th ...
Although the term "colotomic" was derived from Indonesian music theory, it can be applied to other musical traditions as well. In particular, it has been used to describe Japanese
gagaku
is a type of Japanese classical music that was historically used for imperial court music and dances. was developed as court music of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, and its near-current form was established in the Heian period (794-1185) around t ...
and Thai
piphat
A ''piphat'' is a kind of ensemble in the classical music of Thailand, which features wind and percussion instruments. It is considered the primary form of ensemble for the interpretation of the most sacred and "high-class" compositions of the ...
.
Example of a colotomic structure
The ''
lancaran
''Colotomy'' is an Indonesian description of the rhythmic and metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. In ...
'' is a cycle of 16 beats (''keteg'') in the following order:
::
TWTN TPTN TPTN TPTG
where T indicates the strike of the ''
ketuk
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
'', P the ''
kempul
A kempul is a type of hanging gong used in Indonesian gamelan. The kempul is a set of pitched, hanging, knobbed gongs, often made of bronze, wood, and cords. Ranging from 19 cm to 25,4 cm (7 to 10 inches) in diameter, the kempul gong h ...
'', N the ''
kenong
The Kenong is a musical instrument of Indonesia used in the gamelan. It is a kind of gong and is placed on its side. It has the same length and width. Thus, it is similar to the bonang, kempyang, and ketuk, which are also cradled gongs. Kenon ...
'', and G the simultaneous stroke of the ''
gong
A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...
'' and ''kenong''. The W indicates the ''wela'', the pause where the ''kempul'' is omitted. Thus, the ''gong'' plays once, the ''kenong'' divides that into four parts, the ''kempul'' divides each of those in two, and the ''ketuk'' divides each of those further in two. Note that except for the ''kenong'' playing on the gong, the instruments do not play when the next one plays. (Remember that the ''
gatras'' of gamelan music have the strong beat (''
seleh
The ''sèlèh'' note or ''nada seleh'' is an Indonesian music concept used in Javanese gamelan music. In Javanese gamelan music, the ''sèlèh'' note or ''nada seleh'' is the final note of a '' gatra'', or four-beat melodic unit. As such it is th ...
'') at the end, not at the beginning as is often considered normal for Western music. Thus the more important structural instruments coincide with the stressed beats.)
Colotomic structures occur on even larger scales in most gamelan pieces as well. For example, a typical ''lancaran'' has four gongs, at the end of which the larger ''gong ageng'' is played. Groupings of four are most common at all levels of structure, although there are numerous exceptions at larger levels.
The colotomic structure of a piece is the length of the cycle and how the interpunctuating instruments play during that cycle, but they are also
musical form
In music, ''form'' refers to the structure of a musical composition or musical improvisation, performance. In his book, ''Worlds of Music'', Jeff Todd Titon suggests that a number of organizational elements may determine the formal structure of a ...
s which are associated with specific structural patterns on a larger scale than the colotomic cycle, and guidelines for what
tempi and ''
irama
''Irama'' is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan, ...
'' may be used.
Colotomic structures in Javanese gamelan
Colotomic structures or ''Gendhing structure'' refers to the colotomic structure of gamelan compositions in general. ''Gendhing'' (also written, as in the old orthography, gending) can also be used to refer to a specific class of colotomic structures used in Javanese
gamelan
Gamelan () ( jv, ꦒꦩꦼꦭꦤ꧀, su, ᮌᮙᮨᮜᮔ᮪, ban, ᬕᬫᭂᬮᬦ᭄) is the traditional ensemble music of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. T ...
music.
At its simplest, ''colotomic'' may be taken to mean, "cyclicly punctuating".
[Downing, Sonja Lynn (2008). ''Arjuna's Angels: Girls Learning Gamelan Music in Bali'', p.304. .] More clearly, "gongs of different sizes are used to mark off circular segments, or cycles, of musical time."
[ Tenzer, Michael (2000). ''Gamelan Gong Kebyar: The Art of Twentieth-Century Balinese Music'', p.7. .] Though a colotomic structure may be hundreds of units long and is generally explicitly stated, it is akin to hierarchical Western
meter
The metre (British spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) (from the French unit , from the Greek noun , "measure"), symbol m, is the primary unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), though its prefi ...
.
Most ''gendhing'' in Javanese music conform to one of these structures, except for some special ceremonial pieces and experimental new compositions.
General
Colotomic structures from the general repertoire.
Gendhing
Gendhing is the longest and most complicated of the gendhing structures. It is typically played in a slow
irama
''Irama'' is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan, ...
, although it may have faster sections. Gendhing are sometimes classified by which
elaborating instrument
The panerusan instruments or elaborating instruments are one of the divisions of instruments used in Indonesian gamelan. Instead of the rhythmic structure provided by the colotomic instruments, and the core melody of the balungan instruments, t ...
is most prominent, called ''gendhing bonang'' or ''gendhing rebab''. Gendhing never use the
kempul
A kempul is a type of hanging gong used in Indonesian gamelan. The kempul is a set of pitched, hanging, knobbed gongs, often made of bronze, wood, and cords. Ranging from 19 cm to 25,4 cm (7 to 10 inches) in diameter, the kempul gong h ...
or
gong suwukan
A gongFrom Indonesian language, Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and S ...
.
Gendhing have two parts, a
merong The merong is a section of a composition for Javanese gamelan, a musical ensemble featuring metallophones, xylophones, drums, and gongs. Specifically, the merong is the initial part of a gendhing. A merong cannot be played on its own, but must be fo ...
and a
minggah The minggah or inggah is a section of a gendhing composition for gamelan.
It follows the merong, after an ompak. It is distinguished from the previous section by the use of kempyang. In the minggah section, the kempyang and kethuk play in the sam ...
(or "inggah"). Both consist of a single
gongan lasting four
nongan, but the nongan can be of different lengths. Gendhing are then classified according to the number of
kethuk
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the gam ...
strokes in a nongan in each section. The merong section does not use the
kempyang
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
, but the minggah section does. There are two patterns for the kethuk in the merong, ''arang'' ("infrequent, sparse") and ''kerep'' ("frequent"). Both have the kethuk play only at the end of a
gatra, but in the kerep pattern, it is at the end of all odd-numbered gatras, whereas in the arang, it is at the end of the gatras of doubled odd numbers (that is, gatras 2, 6, 10, 14, etc.). In the minggah section, the kempyang and kethuk play in the same pattern as in the
ketawang
''Colotomy'' is an Indonesian description of the rhythmic and metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. In ...
, but with no other
interpunctuating instrument
''Colotomy'' is an Indonesian description of the rhythmic and metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. In ...
s.
For an example of the gendhing structure, consider "gendhing kethuk 2 kerep minggah kethuk 4." This means that in the merong, there will be two kethuk strokes that happen on odd-numbered gatra, and in the minggah, there will be four gatras per nongan. The structure would then look like:
Merong:
::
...T .... ...T ...N
::
...T .... ...T ...N
::
...T .... ...T ...N
::
...T .... ...T ...G
Minggah:
::
pTp. pTp. pTp. pTpN
::
pTp. pTp. pTp. pTpN
::
pTp. pTp. pTp. pTpN
::
pTp. pTp. pTp. pTpG
where "." indicates no interpunctuating instrument plays, p indicates the stroke of the
kempyang
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
, T the
ketuk
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
, N the
kenong
The Kenong is a musical instrument of Indonesia used in the gamelan. It is a kind of gong and is placed on its side. It has the same length and width. Thus, it is similar to the bonang, kempyang, and ketuk, which are also cradled gongs. Kenon ...
, and G the simultaneous stroke of the
gong
A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...
and kenong. Thus, in each section, the gong plays once, the kenong divides that into four parts, and then that is divided into parts according to the given structure. Here, in each part, each nongan lasts 16 beats (''keteg''), and thus the gongan lasts 64.
That was a fairly short example; a "kethuk 4 arang" merong, for example, would look like:
::
.... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... ...N
::
.... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... ...N
::
.... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... ...N
::
.... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... .... .... ...T .... ...G
and thus a nongan would last 16 gatras (64 beats), and a gongan 64 gatras (256 beats). Obviously, in a long structure like that, especially at a slow tempo, a single gongan may last many minutes.
The merong section may include a
ngelik The ngelik (or lik) is a part of an Indonesian gamelan composition that contrasts from the surrounding section, either the ompak or merong. It is also sometimes called the ''gendhing proper'', in contrast to the bubuka gendhing (i.e. ompak).
The n ...
, which would also have the length of a single gongan. The minggah section may also use one of the other structures, especially the
ladrang
''Colotomy'' is an Indonesian description of the rhythmic and metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. I ...
. If that is the case, the piece will be noted something like "minggah ladrang". If the other section has a different name, that will be given as well.
Between the merong and inggah is a bridge section called the
ompak
The ompak or umpak ("bridge") is a section of a gamelan composition.
It refers to the opening gongan of a ladrang or ketawang, or four gongans of the lancaran. These sections are usually repeated, and can be repeated as often as desired. This sec ...
. Typically it has the length of one nongan, and a contrasting
balungan
The ''balungan'' ( jv, skeleton, frame) is sometimes called the "core melody" or, "skeletal melodic outline," of a Javanese gamelan composition. This corresponds to the view that gamelan music is heterophonic: the ''balungan'' is then the melody ...
melody to the merong.
Ketawang
![Ketawang colotomic structure](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Ketawang_colotomic_structure.png)
The ketawang is one of the gendhing structures used in Javanese gamelan music.
Its colotomic structure is:
::
pTpW pTpN pTpP pTpG
where p indicates the strike of the
kempyang
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
, T the
ketuk
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
, P the
kempul
A kempul is a type of hanging gong used in Indonesian gamelan. The kempul is a set of pitched, hanging, knobbed gongs, often made of bronze, wood, and cords. Ranging from 19 cm to 25,4 cm (7 to 10 inches) in diameter, the kempul gong h ...
, N the
kenong
The Kenong is a musical instrument of Indonesia used in the gamelan. It is a kind of gong and is placed on its side. It has the same length and width. Thus, it is similar to the bonang, kempyang, and ketuk, which are also cradled gongs. Kenon ...
, and G the simultaneous stroke of the
gong
A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...
and kenong. The W indicates the
wela
''Colotomy'' is an Indonesian description of the rhythmic and metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. In ...
, the pause where the kempul is omitted. Thus, the gong plays once, the kenong divides that into two parts, the kempul (or wela) divides each of those in two, the ketuk divides each of those further in two, and finally the kempyang divides each of those in two. The
kendhang
Kendang or Gendang ( jv, ꦏꦼꦤ꧀ꦝꦁ, translit=Kendhang, su, ᮊᮨᮔ᮪ᮓᮀ, translit=Kendang, ban, ᬓᬾᬦ᭄ᬤᬂ, translit=Kendang, Tausug/Bajau Maranao: ''Gandang'', Bugis: ''Gendrang'' and Makassar: ''Gandrang'' or ''Ganra ...
usually plays in kendhang kalih style.
Ketawang usually have the specific form of an
ompak
The ompak or umpak ("bridge") is a section of a gamelan composition.
It refers to the opening gongan of a ladrang or ketawang, or four gongans of the lancaran. These sections are usually repeated, and can be repeated as often as desired. This sec ...
that lasts one
gongan and may be repeated several times, and a
ngelik The ngelik (or lik) is a part of an Indonesian gamelan composition that contrasts from the surrounding section, either the ompak or merong. It is also sometimes called the ''gendhing proper'', in contrast to the bubuka gendhing (i.e. ompak).
The n ...
that may last three or four gongan. Some ketawang have the same ompak but different ngelik. Ketawang often begin in
irama tanggung
''Irama'' is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan, ...
and then slow down to
irama dadi
''Irama'' is the term used for tempo in Music of Indonesia, Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melody, melodic tempo and relationships in de ...
or slower.
The ketawang developed in the court of Prince
Mangkunegara IV
Mangkunegara IV (1809–1881) was the fourth ruler of Mangkunegaran, a principality based in Surakarta, Java, ruling from 1853 to 1881. He was son-in-law of Mangkunegara III. His title before ascending was Prince Adipati Prangwedana III.
During ...
(r. 1853–1881) of
Surakarta
Surakarta ( jv, ꦯꦸꦫꦏꦂꦠ), known colloquially as Solo ( jv, ꦱꦭ; ), is a city in Central Java, Indonesia. The 44 km2 (16.2 sq mi) city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoh ...
.
Famous ketawang:
Puspawarna.
Lancaran
The lancaran is one of the
gendhing structures used in Javanese
gamelan
Gamelan () ( jv, ꦒꦩꦼꦭꦤ꧀, su, ᮌᮙᮨᮜᮔ᮪, ban, ᬕᬫᭂᬮᬦ᭄) is the traditional ensemble music of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. T ...
music. It is the shortest of the gendhing structures that are not from the
wayang
, also known as ( jv, ꦮꦪꦁ, translit=wayang), is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. refers to the entire dramatic show. Sometimes the leather puppet itself is referred to as . Perfor ...
repertoire. Gangsaran and bubaran are related structures that share the same colotomic structure.
Groupings of four are most common at all levels of this structure. The basic
colotomic structure
''Colotomy'' is an Indonesian description of the rhythmic and metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. I ...
is a cycle of 16 beats (''keteg'') in the following order:
::
TWTN TPTN TPTN TPTG
where T indicates the strike of the
ketuk
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
, P the
kempul
A kempul is a type of hanging gong used in Indonesian gamelan. The kempul is a set of pitched, hanging, knobbed gongs, often made of bronze, wood, and cords. Ranging from 19 cm to 25,4 cm (7 to 10 inches) in diameter, the kempul gong h ...
, N the
kenong
The Kenong is a musical instrument of Indonesia used in the gamelan. It is a kind of gong and is placed on its side. It has the same length and width. Thus, it is similar to the bonang, kempyang, and ketuk, which are also cradled gongs. Kenon ...
, and G the simultaneous stroke of the
gong
A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...
and kenong. The W indicates the
wela
''Colotomy'' is an Indonesian description of the rhythmic and metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. In ...
, the pause where the kempul is omitted. Thus, the gong plays once, the kenong divides that into four parts, the kempul divides each of those in two, and the ketuk divides each of those further in two. Note that except for the kenong playing on the gong, the instruments do not play when the next one plays. The kendhang plays in kendhang kalih style. A typical lancaran has four gongs, at the end of which the larger
gong ageng
The gong ageng (or gong gedhe in Ngoko Javanese, means large gong) is an Indonesian musical instrument used in the Javanese gamelan. It is the largest of the bronze gongs in the Javanese and Balinese gamelan orchestra and the only large gong t ...
is played.
Lancaran are usually played fast, usually in
irama lancar
''Irama'' is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan ...
. Some lancaran have a separate section which can be played between repetitions of the four-gong
ompak
The ompak or umpak ("bridge") is a section of a gamelan composition.
It refers to the opening gongan of a ladrang or ketawang, or four gongans of the lancaran. These sections are usually repeated, and can be repeated as often as desired. This sec ...
, known as the
nyekar or
lagu. Lancaran are often written in
balungan nibani
The ''balungan'' ( jv, skeleton, frame) is sometimes called the "core melody" or, "skeletal melodic outline," of a Javanese gamelan composition. This corresponds to the view that gamelan music is heterophonic: the ''balungan'' is then the melody ...
.
Bubaran are played more moderately, usually in
irama tanggung
''Irama'' is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan, ...
, but are usually written in
balungan mlaku. They also use a distinctive kendhang pattern. A bubaran is used as an ending piece, to be played while the audience is departing. The best-known bubaran is
Udan Mas.
Gangsaran is a variety of lancaran which consists of simply a repeated tone. It originates from the
wayang
, also known as ( jv, ꦮꦪꦁ, translit=wayang), is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. refers to the entire dramatic show. Sometimes the leather puppet itself is referred to as . Perfor ...
repertoire. It can appear at the end of a composition as well.
Ladrang
![Ladrang cycle balungan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Ladrang_cycle_balungan.png)
The ''ladrang'' is one of the
''gendhing'' structures used in
Javanese gamelan
Gamelan () ( jv, ꦒꦩꦼꦭꦤ꧀, su, ᮌᮙᮨᮜᮔ᮪, ban, ᬕᬫᭂᬮᬦ᭄) is the traditional ensemble music of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. T ...
music.
The basic
colotomic structure
''Colotomy'' is an Indonesian description of the rhythmic and metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. I ...
is a cycle of 32 beats (''keteg'') in the following order:
::
pTpW pTpN pTpP pTpN pTpP pTpN pTpP pTpG
where p indicates the strike of the ''
kempyang
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
'', T the ''
ketuk
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
'', P the ''
kempul
A kempul is a type of hanging gong used in Indonesian gamelan. The kempul is a set of pitched, hanging, knobbed gongs, often made of bronze, wood, and cords. Ranging from 19 cm to 25,4 cm (7 to 10 inches) in diameter, the kempul gong h ...
'', N the ''
kenong
The Kenong is a musical instrument of Indonesia used in the gamelan. It is a kind of gong and is placed on its side. It has the same length and width. Thus, it is similar to the bonang, kempyang, and ketuk, which are also cradled gongs. Kenon ...
'', and G the simultaneous stroke of the ''
gong ageng
The gong ageng (or gong gedhe in Ngoko Javanese, means large gong) is an Indonesian musical instrument used in the Javanese gamelan. It is the largest of the bronze gongs in the Javanese and Balinese gamelan orchestra and the only large gong t ...
'' and ''kenong''. The W indicates the ''
wela
''Colotomy'' is an Indonesian description of the rhythmic and metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. In ...
'', the pause where the ''kempul'' is omitted. Thus, the gong plays once, the ''kenong'' divides that into four parts, the ''kempul'' divides each of those in two, the ''ketuk'' divides each of those in two, and the ''kempyang'' divides each of those in two. The ''
kendhang
Kendang or Gendang ( jv, ꦏꦼꦤ꧀ꦝꦁ, translit=Kendhang, su, ᮊᮨᮔ᮪ᮓᮀ, translit=Kendang, ban, ᬓᬾᬦ᭄ᬤᬂ, translit=Kendang, Tausug/Bajau Maranao: ''Gandang'', Bugis: ''Gendrang'' and Makassar: ''Gandrang'' or ''Ganra ...
'' usually plays in ''kendhang kalih'' style.
[Sorrell, Neil (1990). ''A Guide to the Gamelan'', p.68-69. London: Faber and Faber.]
The ''ladrang'' is similar to the ''
ketawang
''Colotomy'' is an Indonesian description of the rhythmic and metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. In ...
'' except that four (instead of two) ''
nongan'' comprise a ''
gongan''. It is also similar to the ''
lancaran
''Colotomy'' is an Indonesian description of the rhythmic and metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles. In ...
'', except it is twice as slow, and the ''kempyang'' plays in between each beat of the ''lancaran''.
Many ''ladrang'' have two sections, an ''
ompak
The ompak or umpak ("bridge") is a section of a gamelan composition.
It refers to the opening gongan of a ladrang or ketawang, or four gongans of the lancaran. These sections are usually repeated, and can be repeated as often as desired. This sec ...
'' and a ''
ngelik The ngelik (or lik) is a part of an Indonesian gamelan composition that contrasts from the surrounding section, either the ompak or merong. It is also sometimes called the ''gendhing proper'', in contrast to the bubuka gendhing (i.e. ompak).
The n ...
'', each of which typically last one ''gongan''. ''Ladrang'' can be played in any ''
irama
''Irama'' is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan, ...
'' except for ''lancar''.
Wayang
In
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...
nese
gamelan
Gamelan () ( jv, ꦒꦩꦼꦭꦤ꧀, su, ᮌᮙᮨᮜᮔ᮪, ban, ᬕᬫᭂᬮᬦ᭄) is the traditional ensemble music of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. T ...
music, there are a few
gendhing structures derived from the
wayang
, also known as ( jv, ꦮꦪꦁ, translit=wayang), is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. refers to the entire dramatic show. Sometimes the leather puppet itself is referred to as . Perfor ...
repertoire:
Ayak-ayakan
''Colotomy'' is an Music of Indonesia, Indonesian description of the rhythmic and meter (music), metric patterns of gamelan music. It refers to the use of specific instruments to mark off nested time intervals, or the process of dividing rhythm ...
,
Sampak, and
Srepeg.
Ayak-ayakan
The ayak-ayakan is one structure.
The colotomic structure is:
::
...P ...P
::
TNTN TNTN
with both lines played together, and T indicating a stroke of the
kethuk
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the gam ...
, P the
kempul
A kempul is a type of hanging gong used in Indonesian gamelan. The kempul is a set of pitched, hanging, knobbed gongs, often made of bronze, wood, and cords. Ranging from 19 cm to 25,4 cm (7 to 10 inches) in diameter, the kempul gong h ...
, and N the
kenong
The Kenong is a musical instrument of Indonesia used in the gamelan. It is a kind of gong and is placed on its side. It has the same length and width. Thus, it is similar to the bonang, kempyang, and ketuk, which are also cradled gongs. Kenon ...
. The kenong and kempul always play the
seleh
The ''sèlèh'' note or ''nada seleh'' is an Indonesian music concept used in Javanese gamelan music. In Javanese gamelan music, the ''sèlèh'' note or ''nada seleh'' is the final note of a '' gatra'', or four-beat melodic unit. As such it is th ...
. In
slendro
Slendro ( jv, ꦱ꧀ꦭꦺꦤ꧀ꦢꦿꦺꦴ, ban, slendro, translit=Sléndro) ( su, salendro, translit=Saléndro) is one of the essential tuning systems used in gamelan instruments that have pentatonic scale. Based on Javanese mythology, ...
manyura, the
gong suwukan
A gongFrom Indonesian language, Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and S ...
is used instead of the kempul.
Gongans are of varying length, according to the
pathet
Pathet ( jv, ꦥꦛꦼꦠ꧀, translit=Pathet, also patet) is an organizing concept in central Javanese gamelan music in Indonesia. It is a system of tonal hierarchies in which some notes are emphasized more than others. The word means '"to da ...
. The ending (
suwuk) can occur at different points in the cycle, given the cue from the
kendhang
Kendang or Gendang ( jv, ꦏꦼꦤ꧀ꦝꦁ, translit=Kendhang, su, ᮊᮨᮔ᮪ᮓᮀ, translit=Kendang, ban, ᬓᬾᬦ᭄ᬤᬂ, translit=Kendang, Tausug/Bajau Maranao: ''Gandang'', Bugis: ''Gendrang'' and Makassar: ''Gandrang'' or ''Ganra ...
or
kepyak
The Kepyak is a percussion instrument played by the dalang (puppeteer) of a wayang performance in Java, Indonesia. It is a struck idiophone consisting of several bronze or iron plates attached by strings (in Surakarta) or a single plate (in Yogya ...
.
It usually begins in
irama lancar
''Irama'' is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan ...
, and then slows down to tanggung, dados, or rangkep.
The ayak-ayakan is often used to accompany the entrance of puppets, or the transition between
pathet
Pathet ( jv, ꦥꦛꦼꦠ꧀, translit=Pathet, also patet) is an organizing concept in central Javanese gamelan music in Indonesia. It is a system of tonal hierarchies in which some notes are emphasized more than others. The word means '"to da ...
s.
Sampak
Sampak is another structure. A sampak often follows a
srepeg. It is the fastest of the wayang structures.
The colotomic structure is:
::
NNNNNNNN NNNNNNNN
::
TPTPTPTP TPTPTPTP
with both lines played together, and T indicating a stroke of the
kethuk
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the gam ...
, P the
kempul
A kempul is a type of hanging gong used in Indonesian gamelan. The kempul is a set of pitched, hanging, knobbed gongs, often made of bronze, wood, and cords. Ranging from 19 cm to 25,4 cm (7 to 10 inches) in diameter, the kempul gong h ...
, and N the
kenong
The Kenong is a musical instrument of Indonesia used in the gamelan. It is a kind of gong and is placed on its side. It has the same length and width. Thus, it is similar to the bonang, kempyang, and ketuk, which are also cradled gongs. Kenon ...
. The kenong and kempul always play the
seleh
The ''sèlèh'' note or ''nada seleh'' is an Indonesian music concept used in Javanese gamelan music. In Javanese gamelan music, the ''sèlèh'' note or ''nada seleh'' is the final note of a '' gatra'', or four-beat melodic unit. As such it is th ...
. It does not use the
kempyang
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the game ...
.
Gongans are of varying length, usually two, three, or four
gatras, based on a signal from the
kendhang
Kendang or Gendang ( jv, ꦏꦼꦤ꧀ꦝꦁ, translit=Kendhang, su, ᮊᮨᮔ᮪ᮓᮀ, translit=Kendang, ban, ᬓᬾᬦ᭄ᬤᬂ, translit=Kendang, Tausug/Bajau Maranao: ''Gandang'', Bugis: ''Gendrang'' and Makassar: ''Gandrang'' or ''Ganra ...
. The ending (
suwuk) can occur at any point in the cycle, given the cue from the
kendhang
Kendang or Gendang ( jv, ꦏꦼꦤ꧀ꦝꦁ, translit=Kendhang, su, ᮊᮨᮔ᮪ᮓᮀ, translit=Kendang, ban, ᬓᬾᬦ᭄ᬤᬂ, translit=Kendang, Tausug/Bajau Maranao: ''Gandang'', Bugis: ''Gendrang'' and Makassar: ''Gandrang'' or ''Ganra ...
or
kepyak
The Kepyak is a percussion instrument played by the dalang (puppeteer) of a wayang performance in Java, Indonesia. It is a struck idiophone consisting of several bronze or iron plates attached by strings (in Surakarta) or a single plate (in Yogya ...
, and consists of a gatra played after the
gong
A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...
. The melodic shape of a sampak is distinctive, as the gatras are repeated notes in the
pathet
Pathet ( jv, ꦥꦛꦼꦠ꧀, translit=Pathet, also patet) is an organizing concept in central Javanese gamelan music in Indonesia. It is a system of tonal hierarchies in which some notes are emphasized more than others. The word means '"to da ...
. It is played in
irama lancar
''Irama'' is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan ...
.
=Example
=
Sampak
pélog
Pelog ( su, ᮕᮦᮜᮧᮌ᮪, translit=Pélog /pelog/, jv, ꦥꦺꦭꦺꦴꦒ꧀, ban, ᬧᬾᬮᭀᬕ᭄, translit=Pélog /pelok/) is one of the essential tuning systems used in gamelan instruments that has heptatonic scale. The other, ...
barang:
:
2222 3333 7777
:
7777 2222 6666
:
6666 3333 2222
:
Suwuk:
xx22
This sampak has three gongan. The signal to end can come at any gong, where the player plays the next two notes as normal, and then 22 (as indicated by
xx22
).
Srepeg
Srepeg is another colotomic structure:
::
...P...P ...P...P
::
TNTNTNTN TNTNTNTN
with both lines played together, and T indicating a stroke of the
kethuk
The kempyang and ketuk are two instruments in the gamelan ensemble of Indonesia, generally played by the same player, and sometimes played by the same player as the kenong. They are important beat-keepers in the colotomic structure of the gam ...
, P the
kempul
A kempul is a type of hanging gong used in Indonesian gamelan. The kempul is a set of pitched, hanging, knobbed gongs, often made of bronze, wood, and cords. Ranging from 19 cm to 25,4 cm (7 to 10 inches) in diameter, the kempul gong h ...
, and N the
kenong
The Kenong is a musical instrument of Indonesia used in the gamelan. It is a kind of gong and is placed on its side. It has the same length and width. Thus, it is similar to the bonang, kempyang, and ketuk, which are also cradled gongs. Kenon ...
. The kenong and kempul always play the
seleh
The ''sèlèh'' note or ''nada seleh'' is an Indonesian music concept used in Javanese gamelan music. In Javanese gamelan music, the ''sèlèh'' note or ''nada seleh'' is the final note of a '' gatra'', or four-beat melodic unit. As such it is th ...
.
Gongans are of varying length, according to the
pathet
Pathet ( jv, ꦥꦛꦼꦠ꧀, translit=Pathet, also patet) is an organizing concept in central Javanese gamelan music in Indonesia. It is a system of tonal hierarchies in which some notes are emphasized more than others. The word means '"to da ...
. The ending (
suwuk) can occur at any point in the cycle, given the cue from the
kendhang
Kendang or Gendang ( jv, ꦏꦼꦤ꧀ꦝꦁ, translit=Kendhang, su, ᮊᮨᮔ᮪ᮓᮀ, translit=Kendang, ban, ᬓᬾᬦ᭄ᬤᬂ, translit=Kendang, Tausug/Bajau Maranao: ''Gandang'', Bugis: ''Gendrang'' and Makassar: ''Gandrang'' or ''Ganra ...
or
kepyak
The Kepyak is a percussion instrument played by the dalang (puppeteer) of a wayang performance in Java, Indonesia. It is a struck idiophone consisting of several bronze or iron plates attached by strings (in Surakarta) or a single plate (in Yogya ...
. The melodic shape of a srepeg is distinctive, as it consists mostly of the
seleh
The ''sèlèh'' note or ''nada seleh'' is an Indonesian music concept used in Javanese gamelan music. In Javanese gamelan music, the ''sèlèh'' note or ''nada seleh'' is the final note of a '' gatra'', or four-beat melodic unit. As such it is th ...
alternating with a
neighbor tone
A nonchord tone (NCT), nonharmonic tone, or embellishing tone is a note in a piece of music or song that is not part of the implied or expressed chord set out by the harmonic framework. In contrast, a chord tone is a note that is a part of the f ...
.
It is usually fast and played in
irama lancar
''Irama'' is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan ...
.
See also
*
Gamelan
Gamelan () ( jv, ꦒꦩꦼꦭꦤ꧀, su, ᮌᮙᮨᮜᮔ᮪, ban, ᬕᬫᭂᬮᬦ᭄) is the traditional ensemble music of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. T ...
*
Cycle (music) Cycle has several meanings in the field of music. Acoustically, it refers to one complete vibration, the base unit of Hertz being one cycle per second. Theoretically, an interval cycle is a collection of pitch classes created by a sequence of id ...
*
Division (music)
In music, division (also called diminution or coloration) refers to a type of ornamentation or variation common in 16th- and 17th-century music in which each note of a melodic line is "divided" into several shorter, faster-moving notes, often by ...
*
Irama
''Irama'' is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan, ...
*
Music of Indonesia
As it is a country with many different tribes and ethnic groups, the music of Indonesia ( id, Musik Indonesia) itself is also very diverse, coming in hundreds of different forms and styles. Every region have its own culture and art, and as a r ...
*
Music of Java
The Music of Java embraces a wide variety of styles, both traditional and contemporary, reflecting the diversity of the island and its lengthy history. Apart from traditional forms that maintain connections to musical styles many centuries old, ...
Notes
Further reading
* Neil Sorrell. ''A Guide to the Gamelan''. London: Faber and Faber, 1990. Page 67–73.
External links
*
Michael Tenzer
Michael Tenzer (born 1957) is a composer, performer, and music educator and scholar.
Tenzer was born in New York City and studied music at Yale University (BA. 1978) and University of California, Berkeley (Ph.D. 1986). After teaching at Yale from ...
. Excerpt from
Balinese music' describing colotomic structures in Balinese music
{{Rhythm and meter
Gamelan instruments
Gamelan theory
Rhythm and meter
Musical form