Gamelan degung

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Gamelan Degung is a Sundanese musical ensemble that utilises a subset of modified gamelan instruments with a particular mode of pelog scale.

[edit] Instruments

Gamelan degung (photo courtesy of cite-musique.fr, used by permission)
Gamelan degung
(photo courtesy of cite-musique.fr, used by permission)

The instrumentation of gamelan degung is quite flexible. It may includes:

  • bonang/kolènang: two rows of seven small bulbous gongs,
  • saron/peking: a fourteen keys higher except in certain modern compositions. With a slight modification from Javanese one, bonang in ga short lead notes given by bonang, kendang plays its role to accompany the ensemble entering the music. This introductory part is finalised by the sound of goong ageung (large gong) and the music is entering its main part. Starting from here, suling degung is played to give ornamentation to the melodic line which is played by the metallophones (saron and panerus) and bonang.

[edit] External links