In the piece above, you can hear the various instruments present interlocking melodies within complex recurring rhythmic patterns (called a colotomic structure). The scale on which the music is built is different from a Western major or minor scale, and how the singer elaborates on the melody in quite a different way from the instruments. The different sections of Patalon are marked by changes in dynamic levels and tempos. This work sets the stage for the entrance of the dancers and puppet characters, and for the much-loved.

The Gamelan

A musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Balior Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones,drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included.

A gamelan is a set of instruments that are built and tuned to stay together — instruments from different gamelan are generally not interchangeable. As shown in 

The word gamelan comes from the Javanese word gamels, meaning "to strike or hammer."

The location is Central Java, Indonesia  The function is accompaniment for a wayang (traditional shadow-puppet drama) The Genre is Patalon (overture), from Act I of the play

Medium: Gamelan orchestra, consisting of: Soft metallophones (gender, slenthem) Loud metallophones (demung, saron, peking) Various gongs (kempul, bonang, kenong) Drums (kendang) Wooden xylophone (gambang) Voice (pesindèn)

CHARACTERISTICS: Pentatonic melodies in sléndro scale, played in patet(mode) manyura, colotomic (cyclical) structure, polyrhythmic

STRUCTURE: 5 distinct sections Ayak-Ayakan Srepegan Palaran Pucung Srepegan Banyumasan Sampak sléndro manyura 

The piece consists of pentatonic melodic patterns and organized rhythmic cycles, dstinctive timbre of metallic percussion instruments, linear movement of music, with vertical percussive punctuations, vocal embellishments above instrumental melodic patterns, flexible tempos, as work progresses from one section to another.

Introduction to Ayak-Ayakan—highest-sounding metallophone (peking) strikes twice for every note of the melodic framework; voice enters shortly after beginning; singer elaborates on the main melody, punctuated by gongs. Drummer cues the transition to the next section and the tempo increases.

Srepegan—drummer cues transition to next section; first 4 notes of Ayak-Ayakan played loudly, moving to the srepagan; kenongnow plays every note of melodic framework, lending tension to the performance; voice continues elaborations.

Transitional cadence to Palaran Pucung. Palaran Pucung—played in soft style, featuring quiet instruments. Dramatic accent in song text, with sudden, dynamic leap following strike of small gong. Loud instruments (especially peking) are heard as dynamics grow, leading to return of srepegan. Srepegan Banyumasan (2 parts: loud and soft):

Loud style—a repeat of earlier srepegan; singer drops out during first line. Soft style—differs from earlier srepegan; small gong (kempul) drops out during first line.

Sampak—fast, insistent, repetitive melody; signals the end of the overture and the entrance of the dancers or puppets.

Final cadence (suwuk); slows down gradually; a silence is heard before the last note is held; final note in large gong, followed by other instruments in a loose note cluster (not played together).

 

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