AN AFTERNOON OF CENTR AL JAVANESE GAMELAN MUSIC AND DANCE
GAMELAN PAKSI KENCANA
18 NOVEMBER 2023 2:00PM
PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO
1804 N Decatur Rd Atlanta, GA 30322
W ELCO M E TO T H E D EPA RTM EN T O F M U S I C AT E M O RY U N I V ERS I T Y
W I T H G R AT I T U D E
The Department of Music is profoundly grateful for the Friends of Music and their generous support of Music at Emory.
For the comfort of our performers and fellow audience members, please silence or turn off all electronic devices.
Photo, video, and audio recordings of this concert are prohibited. We invite you to experience our performance as it is intended: in the moment.
Gamelan Paksi Kencana
A B O U T T O DAY ’ S P E R F O R M A N C E The purpose of the Emory Javanese Gamelan Ensemble Paksi Kencana (Sacred Eagle) and Dance as Cultural Knowledge is to provide students and community members with the chance to learn about Javanese music and culture through performance. The learning experience is our primary consideration – not the giving of concerts. Today’s performance features a world premiere of a newly composed piece, Yungyun, by director Darsono. We are grateful to Emory University’s Department of Music for their support and for providing the performance space this evening. This concert is supported by the First Year Flourishing Seminar and Initiatives at the Emory College of Arts and Sciences.
O N J AVA N E S E G A M E L A N The term gamelan refers to musical ensembles from the islands of Java, Sumatra and Bali in the Republic of Indonesia, and by extension to the music that is played on them. Javanese gamelan primarily consists of bronze percussion instruments – gongs and gong-chimes of various size, suspended either vertically or horizontally, as well as different types of metallophones. The gamelan ensemble also includes suling (bamboo flutes), gambang (a wooden xylophone), rebab (a string instrument), and kendhang (drums). Javanese gamelan normally includes two sets of instruments in each of the two tuning systems, laras pelog (7 notes per octave, used pentatonically) and laras slendro (5 notes per octave). Within each tuning system, there are three modes in which gamelan pieces are written. Tonight’s performance uses the pelog set. The ensemble comprises three groups of instruments, the framework instruments, balungan instruments and elaboration instruments. The balungan instruments (the family of saron and slenthem) play the core melody. The elaboration instruments (gender, suling, gambang, rebab, and bonang) are played semiimprovisatory, elaborating the core melody. The framework instruments (gong, kempul, kenong, kethuk and kempyang) give the form of gamelan pieces. A set of drums (kendhang) controls the tempo of the whole ensemble.
Source: T raditional Music in Modern Java: Gamelan in a Changing Society by Judith Becker, 1981, the University of Hawaii Press
PROGRAM Ladrang Lagu Laras Slendro Pathet Manyura Today’s concert opens with Lagu, which belongs to a classical repertoire of karawitan, music played on the instruments of the Javanese gamelan ensemble. The piece goes through several contrasting sections, played in a loud style, then soft style joined with singing, returning to its loud style. “Lagu” in Javanese language means “song.” The lyrics uses a Javanese poetry, which sings about a legend of Asmarabangun, an East Javanese Prince who lived and ruled Daha Kingdom in Kediri region in the 12th century. Ketawang Mijil Wigarintyas Laras Pelog Pathet Nem The audience might experience a vivid change in mood as in this piece, the scale changes to laras pelog. Ketawang Mijil Wigarintyas is often played to accompany a sacred dance called Bedhaya Bedhah Madiun which is performed at the Mangkunegaran palace, one of the royal courts in Surakarta, Central Java. Ketawang identifies the form of the piece (16 beats per gong cycle) and Mijil refers to the poetic form of the lyrics. The lyrics describe a beautiful night with a star-filled sky and pleasant breeze, sung by a princess and her maiden. In today’s performance, the song is sung first between the two vocal soloists who exchange verses, followed by the choir. Gendhing Kemanak Bedhayan Pangkur Laras Slendro Pathet Manyura Gendhing Kemanak Bedhayan Pangkur was written in 1787 in Surakarta at the court of Pakubuwana IV (1768- 1820), a ruler who promoted arts and literature. During his reign, refined arts and literature in Javanese courts flourished due to his support during one of the most peaceful periods in Javanese history. In this piece, the audience will witness a set of intriguing instruments called Kemanak, which look like golden bananas. They exclusively accompany bedhayan, the music that accompanies a sacred and ritualistic dance repertoire from the royal palaces of Central Java. The piece has several contrasting sections: it opens with pathetan, a musical prelude delivered by a set of elaboration instruments and vocalists, music to allow bedhaya dancers to enter the performance space. In the second section, only selected instruments, including the kemanak, are played to accompany the poetry sung by the choir, creating a solemn and mystical mood. In the third section, the whole ensemble plays two pieces, Kinanthi and Kembang Pepe. The piece closes with another pathetan.
PROGRAM Gendhing Yungyun kethuk loro kerep minggah Ladrang Gunung Sari Laras Pelog Pathet Nem This piece is newly composed by the director of our ensemble, Darsono. Yungyun expresses the deep love our ensemble possesses for the art of karawitan. The second part of this piece is Ladrang Gunung Sari which often accompanies Beksan Gunung Sari, a mask dance piece that depicts the legend of Prince Gunung Sari, and his love for his wife. In Ladrang Gunung Sari, the audience is treated with a lively drumming on the kendhang Ciblon. This drumming style originated in the villages surrounding the royal houses, often accompanying lively folk dances such as female gambyong dance. Today, the Ciblon drum and its drumming styles are adopted in many pieces which are considered refined and courtly. Ladrang Sri Hascarya Laras Slendro Sanga For this afternoon’s performance, Ladrang Sri Hascarya is played in a style of gadhon. This style involves a smaller group of instruments to highlight the intricate networking of the panerusan or “elaboration instruments.” The rebab, gender, gambang and sindhenan are all played and sung in a semi-improvised style that is based on the balungan, the skelton melody played on the slenthem. It takes musicians a number of years to understand and hone the skills to interpret and play these elaboration instruments. The key to successfully learning these challenging instruments is in the musicians’ abilities to listen to each other and respond appropriately and creatively within the musical language of karawitan. Gendhing Montro kethuk loro kerep minggah Ladrang Asmaradana Laras Slendro Pathet Manyura (Beksan Golek Montro gaya Pura Mangkunegaran) Beksan is a Javanese term that signifies refined dance repertories in royal palaces. Beksan Golek Montro is a female dance form cultivated at the palace of Mangkunegaran in Surakarta, Central Java. The dance piece takes its name from its accompanying musical piece, Gendhing Montro, which is followed by another piece, Ladrang Asmaradana. “Montro” means cucumber flowers in Javanese. “Asmaradana” can be interpreted in several ways, all of them having highly romantic meanings. In one way, asmara means “love,” and dana originated from dahana, “burning fire.” In this performance, the dancer wears a
PROGRAM simplified version of the costume for the court style performance of Beksan Golek Montro. Lancaran Gugur Gunung Laras Pelog Pathet Barang Our concert closes with a short and lively piece, Lancaran Gugur Gunung, composed by Ki Cokro Warsito (1909-2007), a prominent Javanese gamelan musician and composer in the 20th century. Known as K.P.H Notoprojo, he led the gamelan ensemble at the court of Paku Alam in the city of Yogyakarta and further taught at a number of US universities, such as California Institute of the Arts and UC Berkeley. The exciting vocal part in Lancaran Gugur Gunung laud gotong royong, the virtue of working together toward a common goal and building a harmonious sense of community.
PERFORMERS Emory Javanese Gamelan Ensemble Paksi Kencana comprises students from Music 190 (First Year Seminar: Cultures and Arts from Indonesia), Music 301 (The Emory Gamelan Ensemble), faculty and community gamelan members, from Emory campus and beyond. Grace Chen Nikeese Daniel Neil Fried Marcelo Hernandez Soju Hokari Dorian Huang Vex Hutton Christopher Jang Cat Kerr
Nick Keung Eric Li Korte Maki Ehimatie Odanlumen Phoebe Pan Perdana Aysha Puteri Brianna Ray Delia Savin Sam Soukas
Zoe Stephens Miles Straw Bonnie Tan Robert Tauxe Griffin Trejo Noble Nat Trejo Noble Mufdil Tuhri Lisa Weng
Maho Ishiguro , Department of Music Scott Kugle , Department of Middle East and South Asian Studies Peter Shirts , Emory Library: Music & Media Directed by Darsono Hadiraharjo Today’s concert is blessed with the presence of our guest musicians: Marc Perlman Associate Professor of Music, Brown University Christopher Miller Senior Lecturer and Director of Gamelan, Cornell University Anne Stebinger Co-Director of Gamelan Kusuma Laras, NYC Jon Rea Member of Gamelan Kusumo Laras, NYC
M U S I C AT EM O RY The Department of Music at Emory University provides an exciting and innovative environment for developing knowledge and skills as a performer, composer, and scholar. Led by a faculty of more than 60 nationally and internationally recognized artists and researchers, undergraduate and graduate students experience a rich diversity of performance and academic opportunities. Undergraduate students in the department earn a BA in music with a specialization in performance, composition, or research, many of whom simultaneously earn a second degree in another department. True to the spirit of Emory, a liberal arts college in the heart of a research university, the faculty and ensembles also welcome the participation of nonmajor students from across the Emory campus.
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UPCOMING CONCERTS Emory University’s Department of Music presents the following free concerts. For a comprehensive list and the most current details of our music performances, visit music.emory.edu. 18 NOV 8:00 pm
Emory University Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble
Schwartz Center for Performing Arts Emerson Concert Hall 1700 North Decatur Rd.
28 NOV 12:00 pm
Emory Big Band and Jazz Combos
Schwartz Center for Performing Arts Emerson Concert Hall 1700 North Decatur Rd.
29 NOV 8:00 pm
Fall Composition Showcase
Performing Arts Studio 1804 North Decatur Rd.
01 DEC 8:00 pm
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Glenn Memorial UMC Glenn Auditorium 1634 North Decatur Rd.
02 DEC 4:00 pm
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Glenn Memorial UMC Glenn Auditorium 1634 North Decatur Rd.
02 DEC 8:00 pm
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Glenn Memorial UMC Glenn Auditorium 1634 North Decatur Rd.
M U S I C AT EM O RY Music at Emory brings together students, faculty, and world-class artists to create an exciting and innovative season of performances, lectures, workshops, and master classes. With more than 150 events each year across multiple Emory venues, audiences experience a wide variety of musical offerings.
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