Guide to Sundanese Music - Free EBooks Library

ALOK
BARANG
GLOSSARY
A dot under a note indicates that it is in the higher
octave. A dot over a note indicates that it is in the
lower octave.
A minus sign raises the pitch of the note that precedes
it. In the pelog degung tuning, if 3/panelu is Western
D, then 3-/panelu sorog is E.
A plus sign lowers the pitch of the note that precedes
it.
Used in this guide to show that a pattern reiterates the
last structural pitch (goong or kenong).
Used in this guide to show that a pattern anticipates the
next structural pitch (goong or kenong).
Interludes sung by a male vocalist (juru alok).
Melodically they are improvised.
= 1 = tugu = Javanese 6/nem. The top string of the rebab
is tuned to 1/barang. The top note of the kacapi is
usually tuned to this note.
BEM = 4 = galimer (in gamelan circles - not in tembang
circles) = Javanese 2/gulu. The lower string of the
rebab is tuned to this note.
BONANG
BUBUKA
CACAGAN
CARUK
An instrument with small gong-chimes suspended
horizontally on a rack. In gamelan salendro ten pots are
are arranged in two rows. In gamelan pelog fourteen pots
are arranged in two rows. In gamelan degung fourteen
pots are arranged in a single row.
An opening piece. Usually loud and fast.
On the bonang (in degung or gamelan salendro): playing
in octaves with the hands going right-both-right-rest,
right-both-right-rest, eg
LH
RH
On the saron in gamelan salendro/pelog, playing a melodic
line, which follows the gist of the sekar ageung.
Interlocking patterns, rather like imbal in Javanese
gamelan.
CELEMPUNGAN Gamelan salendro/pelog songs performed by a juru kawih,
rebab, kendang, goong, with one or two kacapi
substituting for gamelan. Presumably the ensemble used
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