As part of my GCSE music (edexel) I have to learn about the gamelan. I know it's an indonesian ensemble, consisting of metallophones and gongs. However, there are several words in the vocab. section which I have to know the meaning of: (slendro and pelog, heterophony just to name a few).
Wondering if anybody could give me some info, or reference points.

Thanks

Hey, i have a really good book for you:

"A Guide to the Gamelan by Neal Sorrell"

It's really approachable to read and gives you all the basic knowlage you may need. It's also broken down into accessable chapters so you don't need to read the whole book for jst a few questions!!

Try Amazon or ask at your local music library. Hope this helps...i'm studying Gamelan music as part of my degree so if you need any help i might have more info.

Hi there,

I did quite a lot of this as part of my degree...

...email me any questions you have and i'll try and help as much as I can!

CMorris says:

Please click on the PM button at the bottom of this posting to send Cath22 an email. Please don't post your email addresses on the forum as this leaves you open to receiving Internet spam.

heterophony: a melody heard with a decorated version of the melody on top.
sorry don't know loads about Gamelan.
Naomi xxxx

Hi pianoforte,

You may want to get in touch with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO). The LSO are running an education programme called LSO Discovery and have a Gamelin co-ordinator called Paul Broadhurst.

You can contact him by following this link to their administration pages where you can find his name if you scroll down and click on it to send him an email.

Good luck

C Morris
Forums Administrator

My son has an Indonesian Gamelan in his music room at school...yeah ...really...takes up 1/2 the room

Anyway, I asked him and he said he didn't know what they meant

~This might help though

http://www.fact-index.com/s/sl/slendro.html

Thanks!

Hey i'm taking gcse music (edexcel) as well. Our class are going to a gamelan workshop in two weeks time to hopefully learn more about it and get to play it. But some key words for gamelan are:

Heterophony: Independent melodic lines that interlock with each other in a 'rhythmic combat'.

Slendro: pentatonic scale

Pelog: Heptatonic (seven notes) scale

Gong, Kempur, Kempli, Kemong, Calung, Kendang, Suling: All gamelan instruments

Kotekan: Two-part texture. The left hand plays a basic melody in unison (known as 'polos') and the right hand plays a complex interlocking melodic line (known as 'sangsih').

Also, the key features of gamelan music is lots of repeated ostinati patterns and modulations.

Hope this has helped