Gamelan gong gede

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gamelan gong gede is a form of the ceremonial gamelan music of Java and Bali.

[edit] Style

Usually performed by a temple orchestra of over forty musicians, music written for the gong gede is sedate and graceful, following an andante tempo. It fluctuates in cycles, one fast, one slow, one loud, and one soft. The beat is provided by the largest gong.

[edit] Popularity

The use of the gong gede was prevalent in temple music at the start of the 20th century, but has since been superseded, largely by gong kebyar, a more up-tempo form of gamelan that became popular in Java in the 1920s and 1930s.

[edit] Example recordings

• Gamelan Gong Gede of Batur Temple
• Bali: Musique pour le Gong Gede