Gong

A. G. Maisey · 30th July 2014, 06:09 AM

Here is something that is so rare that it is probably the only one in existence.

It is part of a musical instrument from a minor court in Central Jawa. I will not name the court.

This particular court was prone to create gamelan gongs (orchestras) using various types of materials for the instruments. This was pre-WWII, in the colonial days.

After WWII the following generations failed very, very badly to maintain their heritage and most of the unusual musical instruments, as well as carriages and a whole heap of other things fell into disrepair and slowly rotted and rusted away.

This little banana shaped instrument was saved from turning into rust.

It would have been a note from a single instrument of the metallophone type, and played by striking with a mallet.

Sajen · 30th July 2014, 12:49 PM

Never seen something similar, thank you for sharing!

Battara · 30th July 2014, 04:37 PM

I can see this as part of a gamelan. Probably has a great tone too since it is of watered steel.

What a shame that they forgot their heritage.

Thank you for this Alan.

Gustav · 30th July 2014, 06:42 PM

An absolutely beautiful object, thank you Alan for posting this and the others! A real artwork for itself with a function of a musical instrument - incredible.

It isn't a traditional classical javanese gamelan instrument. The handle perhaps sugests a use while beeing on the move.

fernando · 30th July 2014, 06:52 PM

Fascinating instrument

David · 30th July 2014, 10:11 PM

Fantastic Alan. As you may know i am something of a percussionist and i find this particular object most interesting. I would love to hear its sound. Thanks so much for posting ths.

A. G. Maisey · 31st July 2014, 12:26 AM

The note of this little gong is probably a G, I have never seen how it was mounted, but I was told that it was suspended in a frame, I'm guessing that the complete instrument perhaps performed the function of the slenthem or saron, that is, it would have been used to play the basic melody.

The tonal quality is rather dull, it has no brilliance like that to be found in a good bronze gong. Perhaps this is a reason for permitting this pamor orchestra to fall into decay.

Yes, Gustav, its not a normal gamelan instrument, but this particular court had a number of orchestras that were made in non-traditional forms, for instance, they had one orchestra that was made in France from blue glass, some of the instruments in this orchestra were tuned by adding water to a blue glass container . The last time I saw this blue glass orchestra was about 30 years ago, it was thrown into the corner of a storage shed and covered in filth and dust, and the roof of the shed itself was collapsing with a big sagging hole. In 1974 it was still functional and I heard it played --- not in performance, but sufficiently to know that it had a clear, brilliant sparkling tone, in performance it would have been beautiful, well, at least to my ear it would have been. But it is lost now.

30th July 2014, 06:09 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,704	Gong Here is something that is so rare that it is probably the only one in existence. It is part of a musical instrument from a minor court in Central Jawa. I will not name the court. This particular court was prone to create gamelan gongs (orchestras) using various types of materials for the instruments. This was pre-WWII, in the colonial days. After WWII the following generations failed very, very badly to maintain their heritage and most of the unusual musical instruments, as well as carriages and a whole heap of other things fell into disrepair and slowly rotted and rusted away. This little banana shaped instrument was saved from turning into rust. It would have been a note from a single instrument of the metallophone type, and played by striking with a mallet. Attached Images

30th July 2014, 06:42 PM	#4
Gustav Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,196	An absolutely beautiful object, thank you Alan for posting this and the others! A real artwork for itself with a function of a musical instrument - incredible. It isn't a traditional classical javanese gamelan instrument. The handle perhaps sugests a use while beeing on the move. Last edited by David; 2nd August 2014 at 01:02 PM.

30th July 2014, 12:49 PM	#2
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,509	Never seen something similar, thank you for sharing!

30th July 2014, 04:37 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	I can see this as part of a gamelan. Probably has a great tone too since it is of watered steel. What a shame that they forgot their heritage. Thank you for this Alan.

30th July 2014, 06:52 PM	#5
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,642	Fascinating instrument

30th July 2014, 10:11 PM	#6
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,030	Fantastic Alan. As you may know i am something of a percussionist and i find this particular object most interesting. I would love to hear its sound. Thanks so much for posting ths.

31st July 2014, 12:26 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,704	The note of this little gong is probably a G, I have never seen how it was mounted, but I was told that it was suspended in a frame, I'm guessing that the complete instrument perhaps performed the function of the slenthem or saron, that is, it would have been used to play the basic melody. The tonal quality is rather dull, it has no brilliance like that to be found in a good bronze gong. Perhaps this is a reason for permitting this pamor orchestra to fall into decay. Yes, Gustav, its not a normal gamelan instrument, but this particular court had a number of orchestras that were made in non-traditional forms, for instance, they had one orchestra that was made in France from blue glass, some of the instruments in this orchestra were tuned by adding water to a blue glass container . The last time I saw this blue glass orchestra was about 30 years ago, it was thrown into the corner of a storage shed and covered in filth and dust, and the roof of the shed itself was collapsing with a big sagging hole. In 1974 it was still functional and I heard it played --- not in performance, but sufficiently to know that it had a clear, brilliant sparkling tone, in performance it would have been beautiful, well, at least to my ear it would have been. But it is lost now.