[For Beginners] A Collection of Gamelan Masterpieces [Introductory Guide]
Gamelan music, a grand ensemble of traditional Indonesian instruments.
Its mysterious resonance has captivated countless composers and musicians.
Centered on bronze percussion, its unique timbres and intricate rhythms weave a sonic world that invites listeners into another dimension.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of music—from time-honored traditional masterpieces to innovative works by contemporary composers, and even pieces in genres such as jazz and pop that have been influenced by gamelan.
If you’ve never encountered gamelan music before, take this opportunity to enjoy a journey into its enchanting sonic world!
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[For Beginners] A Collection of Gamelan Masterpieces [Introductory Edition] (31–40)
Eternal Rhythm Part 1Don Cherry
Eternal Rhythm is a work by Don Cherry, a leading free jazz trumpeter, in which he incorporated gamelan, and it was released in 1969.
The music feels as if you’ve wandered into a foreign forest.
Batukau VibesMani Neumeier & Peter Hollinger
This recording captures a major cross-border session where Mani Neumeier, the famous German drummer known for the band Guru Guru, and fellow German drummer Peter Hollinger joined forces with the Balinese gamelan ensemble Suar Agung, transcending nationality and musical genres.
RonggolaweS.T.S.I Akademy of Art and Dance, Surakarta, Indonesia
This is Ronggolawe, a Javanese court dance drama performed by the Surakarta Indonesian Institute of the Arts Dance Ensemble.
These scenes are from their performance in Japan.
It’s a very artistic play—almost like watching an opera.
The leisurely sounds of the gamelan also create a wonderful atmosphere.
SambasundaCBMW
This is a piece by CBMW, a Sundanese gamelan degung group.
As the name suggests, it’s a composition inspired by Brazilian samba, featuring bamboo gamelan and violin, and is characterized by a very thrilling performance.
Legong LasemSri Padma
Sri Padma is an all-girl gamelan ensemble.
What’s more, this video shows the very first performance by the kindergarten and lower-elementary team.
It’s surprising enough that it’s an all-girl group, but you can’t help being captivated by the sight of such young children performing all by themselves.
For Beginners: A Collection of Gamelan Masterpieces [Introductory Edition] (41–50)
eling-eling banyumasansangga buana
This is Eling-Eling, a famous piece in Javanese gamelan.
There are many pieces called Eling-Eling, and this Eling-Eling Banyumasan is folk music handed down in the Banyumas region.
The piece carries the message: “Humans are born from the earth and will one day return to the earth.
Do not forget this, and cherish the present moment as you live.”
AngklungDharma Kerti
In the northern part of Bali, there is a town called Singaraja, known as the birthplace of Gamelan Gong Kebyar (one of the forms of gamelan performance).
In that town of Singaraja is the Dharma Kurti ensemble.
Gamelan Anklung is an instrument whose keys are arranged to select mainly four tones within one octave, and it is often performed at funerals and important ceremonies.