Gamelan OrchestraTraditional

gamelan music from Yogyakarta, Indonesia

from the bas/bou filesby basil rolandsen

bouvetfoundation

Traditional gamelan music from Yogyakarta

A gamelan orchestra is a traditional music ensemble of Indonesia, typically including many bronze percussion in-struments. Following the court tradition of central Java, gamelan is performed in the pendopo (an open pavilion with a cavernous, double-pitched roof, no side walls, and marble or tile floor), where sounds reverberate in the roof space, enhancing the acoustics.

The gamelan (from the Javanese word “gamels”, meaning to strike or hammer) is a set of instruments as a distinct entity, built and tuned to stay together – instruments from different gamelan are generally not interchange-able. The gamelan predates the Hindu-Buddhist culture that previously domi-nated Indonesia and instead represents a

native art form. In contrast to the heavy Indian influence in other art forms, the only obvious Indian influence in gamelan music is in the Javanese style of singing.

This Javanese traditional music concert, photographed 25 March 2010, was performed by the palace gamelan music ensamble directed by (pengen-dang) W.Ragamulya. It was held in the Srimanganti Pendopo, an open (per-formance) pavillion in the main body of the Yogyakarta Kraton (Sultan’s Palace), which is the royal palace and seat for the Sultanate. According to Javanese belief, the ruler is the centre of the universe, and the Kraton thus both the capital of Yogyakarta province as well as the hub of the cosmos.

Gamelan Orchestra

Location: Srimanganti PendopoKraton (Sultan’s Palace)Yogyakarta (Jogjakarta)Indonesia

The melodious gamelan music is be-ing played by the Niyagas (gamelan

players) dressed in traditional Javanese costume. The Pesinden (female and male) are singing with distinct, beauti-ful voices. The Pengendang, the man who beats a wooden slit drum called the Kendang, directs the performance, and usually also is the dance master. With the sound of kendang, he gives order to the gamelan players, to the singers and to the dancers.

Traditional gamelan music from the Yogyakarta Kraton

Gamelan Orchestra

bouvet© copyrighted image

bouvetmedia.com

from the bas/bou filesby basil rolandsen

Man in traditional garb playing gong during a performance by traditional gamelan orchestra at the Yogyakarta Kraton (Sultan Palace).

Yogyakarta (Jogjakarta), Indonesia – 25 March 2010File name: 20100325-496

Traditional gamelan music from the Yogyakarta Kraton

Gamelan Orchestra

bouvet© copyrighted image

bouvetmedia.com

from the bas/bou filesby basil rolandsen

Singers in traditional garb at performance by tradi-tional gamelan orchestra at the Yogyakarta Kraton (Sultan Palace).

Yogyakarta (Jogjakarta), Indonesia – 25 March 2010File name: 20100325-427

Traditional gamelan music from the Yogyakarta Kraton

Gamelan Orchestra

bouvet© copyrighted image

bouvetmedia.com

from the bas/bou filesby basil rolandsen

‘Pengendang’ in traditional garb playing ‘kendang’ drum during a performance by traditional gamelan orchestra at the Yogyakarta Kraton (Sultan Palace).

Yogyakarta (Jogjakarta), Indonesia – 25 March 2010File name: 20100325-521

Traditional gamelan music from the Yogyakarta Kraton

Gamelan Orchestra

bouvet© copyrighted image

bouvetmedia.com

from the bas/bou filesby basil rolandsen

Woman in traditional garb playing gong during a performance by traditional gamelan orchestra at the Yogyakarta Kraton (Sultan Palace).

Yogyakarta (Jogjakarta), Indonesia – 25 March 2010File name: 20100325-533

Traditional gamelan music from the Yogyakarta Kraton

Gamelan Orchestra

bouvet© copyrighted image

bouvetmedia.com

from the bas/bou filesby basil rolandsen

Man in traditional garb playing gong during a performance by traditional gamelan orchestra at the Yogyakarta Kraton (Sultan Palace).

Yogyakarta (Jogjakarta), Indonesia – 25 March 2010File name: 20100325-502

Traditional gamelan music from the Yogyakarta Kraton

Gamelan Orchestra

bouvet© copyrighted image

bouvetmedia.com

from the bas/bou filesby basil rolandsen

Man in traditional garb playing gong during a performance by traditional gamelan orchestra at the Yogyakarta Kraton (Sultan Palace).

Yogyakarta (Jogjakarta), Indonesia – 25 March 2010File name: 20100325-537

Traditional gamelan music from the Yogyakarta Kraton

Gamelan Orchestra

bouvet© copyrighted image

bouvetmedia.com

from the bas/bou filesby basil rolandsen

Traditional gamelan orchestra instruments at the Yogyakarta Kraton (Sultan Palace).

Yogyakarta (Jogjakarta), Indonesia – 25 March 2010File name: 20100325-582

a bouvet foundation project featuring basil rolandsen, unleashed

the bas/bou files

bouvetfoundation

The Bouvet Foundation (Yayasan Bouvet) is an Indonesian not-for-profit, non-government organisation (npo, ngo), legal entity and registered charity. It’s based in Kupang (West Timor), the centre of the East Nusa Tenggara (ntt) province, Indonesia.

Activities include provision of social ac-tion advisory to humanitarian organisations, government structures and others, as well as organising of own projects, focusing on the developing Southeast Asia. Advisory activities include organisational development, project management, information and infrastructure strengthening.

The foundation incorporates use of visual means to improve knowledge about social re-alities. They exhibit documentary photos from the developing world and provide documentary photography and videography.

The Bouvet Foundation is a non-religious, non-political development agency, working with local partners and governments to provide development services in low income communi-ties in Southeast Asia.

Basil has a diverse back-ground, including a business master’s degree and project management experience; now focusing on his creative side, photo/video and information materials development.

Basil’s career started in energy economy/finance, and he then joined Caritas Norway, who sent him to Dili in 1996. As Country Representative, he managed the East Timor programme, starting and mentoring (what be-came) the National tb Control Programme – and more, including reconstruction from 1999. When the organisation withdrew, he started his own advisory and media activities, moving it to Kupang early 2006.

He has through the Bouvet Foundation as-sisted other organisations with project develop-ment/management and media (documentation using web and print, including documentary photo and video).

More about Basil, including résumé, at: http://basilrolandsen.com

bouvet foundation basil rolandsen

social action advisory & photography, focusing on the developing southeast asia

po Box 1213, Kupang 85011 ntt, Indonesia

+62 (0)380 890174

basil@bouvetfoundation.org

http://bouvetfoundation.orghttp://basbou.comhttp://bouvetpenguin.com