Beleganjur

''Gamelan beleganjur'' (also spelled ''balaganjur'') is one of the most popular styles of gamelan music in Bali. Its closest Western analogue is probably the Western military band.

History

Like the Western military band, the original purpose of ''beleganjur'' was to accompany armies into battle and strike fear into the hearts of the enemy. In fact, ''gamelan beleganjur'' literally means "gamelan of walking warriors". Also like its Western counterpart, today ''beleganjur'' has mostly lost its association with warfare, and instead is associated with festivals, contests, and cremation ceremonies.

Although the origin of ''beleganjur'' is uncertain, it bears resemblance to the now rare '' gamelan gong bheri''.

Instrumentation

The most primitive ''beleganjur'' ensemble, known as ''bebatelan'', consisted of only nine instruments:

* one "great gong": '' gong ageng'';
* one secondary gong, with sunken boss instead of the usual raised one: ''bendé'';
* four pairs of cymbals: (''ceng-ceng'');
* two differently tuned drums, considered male and female: '' kendang'';
* one small handheld gong that acts as a metronome: ''kempli''.

The drums and cymbals generally play interlocking patterns over the ostinato of the ''gongan'' gong cycle.

Though ''bebatelan'' itself is rarely heard nowadays, its instrumentation forms the nucleus of the more complex modern ensemble: ''beleganjur bebonangan''.
The additional instrumentation of the ''beleganjur bebonangan'' ensemble is:

* a second ''gong ageng'', forming a male/female pair of gongs;
* a medium-sized gong: ''kempur'';
* four additional ''ceng-ceng'' to total eight;
* two tuned hand-held metal pot-gongs: '' ponggang'';
* four similar but higher-pitched pot-gongs: ''bonang''.

The ''bonang'' are identical to the individual pots of the ''reyong''; in fact, many groups simply remove the pots from the frame of a ''reyong'' so they can double as ''bonang'', and ''bonang'' are often referred to as ''reyong'' for this reason. The ''ponggang'' usually play a characteristic ostinato pattern while the ''bonang'' play more complex interlocking patterns known as ''kotekan''.

Cultural role

''Gamelan beleganjur'' is essential to the Hindu religious ceremonies of Bali, such as the ''ogoh-ogoh'' parades before the Balinese New Year, Nyepi. There are rites to appease evil spirits and honor good ones, temple festivals to celebrate the anniversary of a temple's dedication, and cremation ceremonies to cleanse the souls of the deceased and prepare them for reincarnation. Though some ceremonies are associated with other specific kinds of gamelan, notably cremation ceremonies with ''gamelan angklung'', ''beleganjur'' is nevertheless ubiquitous and often takes the place of other kinds of gamelan if they are not available.

See also

* Gamelan
* Gambang
* Gong kebyar

References

* Bakan, Michael B. ''Music of Death and New Creation: Experiences in the World of Balinese Gamelan Beleganjur.'' University of Chicago Press, 1999.

{{Gamelan

Music of Bali
Gamelan ensembles and genres
Indonesian styles of music