Kulintang

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A Philippine kulintang of the Maguindanaon people with 8 gongs stacked horizontally by pitch atop a wooden antangan ^[1]

Kulintang is a term for various musical instruments and musical genres which are indigenous to the Southeast Asian islands presently known as Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

In the Philippines, kulintang is the name of a specific indigenous musical instrument (usually, a set of eight tuned, graduated gongs laid on a horizontal rack); however, kulintang also refers to the entire ensemble of percussion instruments which are typically played with the kulintang instrument (for example, in the Maguindanao culture, the "agung", "dabakan", "gandingan", and "babendil"). Kulintang also refers to the music performed by the ensemble musicians.

In Indonesia, kulintang is the name of musical instruments indigenous to several islands, particularly to Sulawesi and North Maluku islands. Among the indigenous peoples living in the region presently known as Sabah (north Borneo, Malaysia), and the Sulu Archipelago (Philippines), the entire instrument ensemble is known as "kulintangan".

Kulintang ensemble music of the Philippines differs greatly with the ethnic group and region in which it is found. For example, the Maguindanaon style of Philippine kulintang music is known for its rhythmic complexity and high degree of improvisation, while the Maranao style (which is played only a few hundred miles north of Maguindanao province) emphasizes melody. Maguindanao kulintang music can be further broken down into five different "schools" or styles of music, including the most ancient style of Maguindanaon kulintang music, which originated in the city of Dulawan (presently known as Datu Piang), known simply as "Dulawan style".

The Gamelan music of Indonesia, which has influenced and shares some musical instruments similar to kulintang, also went through the same development. It now has distinct and easily identifiable differences between the styles played by the many ethnic groups and cultures found throughout Indonesia's islands.

List of the Traditional Instruments of the Southern Philippines:
Five main instruments of the Maguindanao Kulintang Ensemble
Kulintang - Agung - Gandingan - Babendil - Dabakan
Other Southern Pilipino non-ensemble instruments
Kulintang a Kayo - Gandingan a Kayo - Kulintang a Tiniok - Kubing - Luntang - Agung a Tamlang – Kagul – Palendag – Tumpong – Suling - Kutiyapi

[edit] References

^ Mercurio, Philip Dominguez (2006). Traditional Music of the Southern Philippines (html). PnoyAndTheCity: A center for Kulintang - A home for Pasikings. Retrieved on February 25, 2006.