Gamelan

(Malaysian, Indonesian, Sundanese, Javanese)

Our proposed definition has two components : instrumentation and musical organization. Regarding instrumentation, we suggest that gamelan be reserved for ensembles that include

hanging gongs or substitutes for them, and
melodic metallophones, in the form of keyed metallophones or a set of bossed gongs, or both. (The gong-chime may be played by a single musician or apportioned to several.)

Regarding musical organization, we suggest that for an ensemble to be called a gamelan its music must typically (though not necessarily in every passage) contain

at least two simultaneous melodic lines, related in content but of contrasting musical character (for example : a "full" melody and its abstraction ; or a comparatively simple melody and a more complex elaboration based on it), and
a recurring pattern of "gong punctuation" marking repetitions and internal segmentation (if any) of the melodic lines.

Other instruments and musical principles may also be present, but without the ones just listed the ensemble should not, we suggest, be called a gamelan.

^{Philip Yampolsky, Feb. 1998}

N.B. : In this definition, metallophone means both the instrument with metal keys (our meaning of the word) and the instrument with aligned horizontal gongs.

This excellent proposition by Smithsonian Folkways Records can be found on the label's website. An older version of the definition exists in the liner notes of the label's 14^th compact disc of their Indonesia series.

In specifying two different components (instrumentation and musical organization) Philip Yampolsky reminds us that a gamelan is characterized not only on the physical standpoint. We also have to take into account the essential musical aspect. There are indeed Indonesian ensembles easily satisfying the first criterion but that doesn't make them gamelans, although they often comprise gamelan instruments. Likewise, it is possible to play gamelan music on a non-gamelan ensemble.

Where other definitions (by Kunst, MacPhee and their followers) say strata of melodic elaboration, here Philip Yampolsky says simultaneous contrasting but related melodies. The difference seems small, but reflects a totally different perception in the way of listening to gamelan. It is, we think, more faithful to the gamelan player's ear within his music's psychological and cultural context.

This definition has also the advantage of putting a nice distinction between gamelan ensembles and related or similar ensembles of the archipelago. It prevents one from calling everything a gamelan. One use of this definition is, therefore, to get the point of what a gamelan is, to keep the concept in mind when we use the word gamelan. Only then will it serve as a starting point for more developed concepts.

As one continues reading the liner notes, Philip Yampolsky explains what ensembles lie within the definition and what ensembles don't. A definition which is for us very satisfactory in that it does not encompass the gambuh ensemble. But it is not totally satisfactory either, for it also excludes the Balinese gambang, bebonangan, gendér wayang, jègog and jogèd bumbung ensembles, considered by us as gamelans.

We would already feel better by replacing, in the first component,

melodic metallophones, in the form of keyed metallophones or a set of bossed gongs, or both.

with

melodic keyed metallophones or substitutes for them, and/or a set of bossed gongs.

These substitutes would have bamboo or wooden keys. Most gamelans are indeed metallic, but it doesn't imply that they necessarily be. Whether metallic, bamboo or wooden, bars or blades have an analogous shape, an analogous function and play the same music. This consideration resolves the case of the jègog and jogèd bumbung gamelans.

Also a specific Javanese term

It must be kept in mind that the word gamelan used in this Website cannot be equated with the Javanese term gamelan. It is like the word gong : in European languages, like our English, it designates a wide variety of circular metal instruments, found in several Asian countries. It encompasses the Indonesian instruments or instrument elements. But in Javanese, Balinese and other local languages, gong designates a specific knobbed gong : large, low pitched, hanging. Although our words gong and gamelan came from Javanese or Indonesian, the difference is there.
In this Website, we apply the word gamelan on the Javanese ensembles but also on ensembles where Balinese and Sundanese people have traditionaly applied other names. The original Javanese term isn't as generic as ours. It simply reflects a musical Javanese tradition as a whole. As a matter of fact, according to its Javanese etymology, the term gamelan could denote any ensemble where there is percussion. Nevertheless our term gamelan and the original Javanese one do agree to a great extent : there is traditionally no tablas, congas, djembes or steel drums in Java. There is therefore no risk of using the word gamelan for ensembles of other traditions such as steel drum or kodo.

Tell me more :

Jaap Kunst's terminology
Instrument roles in Colin Macphee's book
The nature of gamelan

Etymology

Javanese : gamel = to hold a hammer, to hammer, to work or play using a hammer ;
gamel + an = that on which one does "gamel"

It is tempting to see a relation between the Malay radical gembléng, meaning to forge, and the Javano-Balinese gamel/gambel.

In Balinese, there is the word gambelan, but it is not used as gamelan is in Java. In the Balinese tradition, the word gong denotes most gamelans while the Indonesian gamelan is also used there today.

The Javanese word gamelan went to the Malay tongues (including Malaysian and Indonesian) and to the European languages. In around 1872, the word gamelhang is defined in a French encyclopedia.

Other romanizations

Bali : gambelan.

Fanciful French spelling in old texts : gamelhang

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