music.

1-4

Music of Indonesia. Edited by PHILIP YAMPOLSKY. Volume 1: "Songs

Before Dawn: Gandrung Banyuwangi." Volume 2: "Indonesian Popular
Music: Kroncong, Dangdut, & Langgam Jawa." Volume 3: "Music from the
Outskirts of Jakarta: Gambang Kromong." Volume 4: "Music of Nias &
North Sumatra: Hoho, Gendang Karo, Gondang Toba." Washington, D.C.:
Smithsonian/Folkways, 1990-1991. 4 Compact Discs with liner notes.
Bibliography.
The musicology of Indonesia has been the subject of increasing
study during the past few years. Given the size and diversity of
Indonesia and the richness of Indonesia's musical tradition, however, the
surface of Indonesian music has only been scratched. Particularly where
music is concerned, the written word alone is a less than satisfactory
substitute for the combined experience of hearing the sounds and
exploiting written texts to obtain an understanding of and appreciation
for the cultural context in which these musical forms were performed.
The only indigenous musical form of Indonesia well-known to
foreigners is the gamelan music of Java and Bali. These CDs are the
first installment of a project to document music of genres which are
little known outside Indonesia, and in most cases little known outside
their own home areas. In fact, the only CD which does not deal with what
might be called "folk" music is volume two. As the notes to volume 1
state, "Accurate histories of the genres we have recorded do not exist
and perhaps never will...our presentations and commentaries cannot
presume to be definitive; instead they should be taken as initial forays
into uncharted territory."
The CDs are expertly recorded, mainly in outdoor village settings,
and a pleasure to listen to. The aesthetic experience is equalled by the
scholarly and educational value of the liner notes which accompany each
volume. In many cases the notes contain extensive primary data on
performance contexts. In volume 1, for example, the notes describe the
Gandrung Banyuwangi. The CD contains slightly over one hour of music;
the actual performance context lasts approximately from 9 p.m. to 4 or 5
a.m. Normally performed as part of a rite of passage such as weddings
and circumcisions, the Gandrung is similar to genres found in other parts
of Indonesia in which a woman dances flirtatiously with male guests who
pay for the privilege. The notes not only describe the typical progress
of such a night-long revel; they contain a structural analysis of the
performance's symbolism. Other sections of the notes included a
translation of an unpublished Indonesian essay on the ensemble, tuning,
and repertoire of the modern gandrung, and "Commentary on the selections"
which discusses the lyrics of the songs included on the CD, summaries of
their texts, and an address from which (for US$2.00!) copies of the sung
and spoken text in Javanese can be obtained.
Volume 2 contains a fascinating analysis of modern indigenous
Indonesian popular music, with notes on the history of the three main
forms, ensembles and styles, and repertoires. Notes to Volume 3 consist
of a similar discussion of the folk music of the Jakarta region. In
volume 4 we move far from Java, to North Sumatra Province. The first
section of notes and music are derived from the choral music of Nias,
best known for its association with "megalithic" culture. Second two
deals with the Karo Batak, who are unusual among Sumatran ethnic groups
in that their instrumental music is more significant than their vocal
contribution. The last section is devoted to the related Toba people,
pointing out both their basic similarities and some of their equally
fundamental differences. This set of notes has more technical notation
on "Toba Melody Structures", but the notes have been expanded to
encompass this additional material.
This extraordinary combination of music and cultural literacy
deserves a broad audience: it will be welcome among those who simply wish
for pleasurable listening experiences, and among the growing number of
students and teachers of Indonesian music. Since 1991 five more volumes
have been issued; they will be reviewed in the next issue of this
Journal.

National University of Singapore

John N Miksic