Angklung

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Angklung with eight pitches

Angklung is a musical instrument made out of two bamboo tubes

attached to a bamboo frame. The tubes are carved so that they
have a resonant pitch when struck. The two tubes are tuned
to octaves. The base of the frame is held with one hand while the
other hand shakes the instrument rapidly from side to side. This
causes a rapidly repeating note to sound. Thus each of three or
more angklung performers in an ensemble will play just one note
and together complete melodies are produced. Angklung is popular
throughout Southeast Asia, but originated from Indonesia and it has
been used and played by the Sundanese since the ancient times.

Etymology
The word Angklung originated from two
words angka and lung. Angka means "tone", and lung means
"broken"

History
In the Hindu period and the era of the Kingdom of Sunda, the
angklung played an important role in ritual ceremonies such
as ngaseuk pare, nginebkeun pare, ngampihkeun pare, seren
taun, heleran, etc. These ceremonies were inherent to Sundanese
communities; in courtly and everyday living. In its function as the
ritual medium, the angklung was played to honor Dewi Sri, the
goddess of fertility, in a hope that their life and land will be blessed.
Angklung is also used to signal time for prayer. Later, in Kingdom of
Sunda these instruments were used as martial music in the Bubat
War (Perang Bubat) as told in the Kidung Sunda.

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A couple of Indonesian boys playing Angklung in early 1918.

The angklung functioned to build community spirit. Because of this,

the playing of the angklung was forbade during
the Dutch occupation of Indonesia. Because of this, the popularity
of the instrument decreased and it came to be played only by
children.
The oldest angklung still exist is called Angklung Gubrag. The
angklung was made in the 17th century in Jasinga, Bogor.
Nowadays, some of those older angklung remain in Sri Bduga
Museum, Bandung.
As time flown by, the angklung received a more international
attention. In 1938, Daeng Soetigna, from Bandung, created
angklung that is based on the diatonic scale instead of the
traditional pélog or sléndro scales. Since then, angklung has been
used for educational and entertainment purposes and are able to
accompany western music instruments in an orchestra. One of the
first well-known performances of angklung in an orchestra was
during the Bandung Conference in 1955. Udjo Ngalagena, a
student of Daeng Soetigna, opened his "Saung Angklung" (House
of Angklung) in 1966 as a centre for its development.

Angklung featured in Indonesian 1000 rupiah coin.

UNESCO designated angklung as a Masterpiece of Oral and

Intangible Heritage of Humanity on November 18, 2010. As part of

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the acknowledgment, UNESCO insisted that Indonesia preserve
their heritage.

Balinese Gamelan Angklung

In Bali, an ensemble of angklung is called gamelan
angklung (anklung). While the ensemble gets its name from the
bamboo shakers, these days most compositions for Gamelan
Angklung do not use them. An ensemble of mostly
bronze metallophones is used instead, generally with about 20
musicians.
While the instrumentation of gamelan angklung is similar
to gamelan gong kebyar, it has several critical differences. First, the
instruments are tuned to a 5-tone slendro scale, though actually
most ensembles use a four-tone mode of the five-tone scale played
on instruments with four keys. An exception is the five-tone
angklung from the north of Bali. But even in four-tone angklung
groups, the flute players will occasionally touch on the fifth implied
tone. Secondly, whereas many of the instruments in gong kebyar
span multiple octaves of its pentatonic scale, mosts gamelan
angklung instruments only contain one octave, although some five-
tone ensembles have roughly an octave and a half. The instruments
are considerably smaller than those of the gong kebyar.
Gamelan angklung is often heard in Balinese temples, where it
supplies musical accompaniment to temple anniversaries (odalan).
It is also characteristic of rituals related to death, and therefore
connected in Balinese culture to the invisible spiritual realm and
transitions from life to death and beyond. Because of its portability,
gamelan angklung may be carried in processions while a funeral
bier is carried from temporary burial in a cemetery to the cremation
site. The musicians also often play music to accompany the
cremation ceremony. Thus many Balinese listeners associate
angklung music with strong emotions evoking a combination of
sacred sweetness and sadness.
The structure of the music is similar to gong kebyar, although
employing a four tone scale. Jublag and jegog carry the basic
melody, which is elaborated by gangsa, reyong, ceng-ceng, drum,

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and flute. A medium sized gong, called kempur, is generally used to
punctuate a piece's major sections.
Most older compositions do not employ gong kebyar's more
ostentatious virtuosity and showmanship. Recently many Balinese
composers have created kebyar-style works for gamelan angklung
or have rearranged kebyar melodies to fit the angklung's more
restricted four tone scale. These new pieces often feature dance, so
the gamelan angklung is augmented with more gongs and heavier
gongs. Additionally, some modern composers have created
experimental instrumental pieces for the gamelan angklung.

Outside Indonesia
In the early 20th century, the angklung was adopted in Thailand,
where it is called angkalung (อังกะลุง). The Thai angklung are typically
tuned in the Thai tuning system of seven equidistant steps per
octave, and each angklung has three bamboo tubes tuned in three
separate octaves rather than two, as is typical in Indonesia.
Angklung has also been adopted by its Austronesian-speaking
neighbors, in particular by Malaysia and the Philippines, where they
are played as part of bamboo xylophone orchestras. Formally
introduced into Malaysia sometime after the end of
the Confrontation, angklung found immediate popularity. They are
generally played using a pentatonic scale similar to the
Indonesian slendro, although in the Philippines, sets also come in
the diatonic and minor scales used to perform various Spanish-
influenced folk music in addition to native songs in pentatonic.
At least one Sundanese angklung buncis ensemble exists in the
United States. Angklung Buncis Sukahejo is an ensemble at The
Evergreen State College, and includes eighteen double rattles (nine
tuned pairs) and four dog-dog drums.

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 Saung
Angklung
Udjo:
Children Are
the Music Itself

BANDUNG (indo.com): Way back in the early 30s, in the beautifully

inspiring land of Parahiyangan - which means land of Gods and Goddess
- a five year old boy became overwhelmed by the sound of angklung, a
Sundanese traditional musical instrument made of bamboo. As the child
sensed, the angklung was his good friend not only for him but also for
the rest of the villagers that he lived with. The harmony, the uniqueness
of various melodic sounds and the joy that it created had escorted every
child to his circumcision, adults to their marriages, and even
celebrations at harvest time. Angklung was the harbinger of happiness.

As the boy grew up, he didn't want his memories of angklung magic to
fade. He wanted the children of the next generation to experience the
same angklung joy he had once felt. But it was not until the year of
1955 that the boy was mature enough to begin learning angklung
seriously directly from the master of angklung itself, the late Daeng
Soetigna, the founder of angklung music in 1938. He was one of six of
Daeng's students, and subsequently gained the nickname the crocodile
of angklung because of his passionate obsession for this cultural
heritage.

Years later, in the 21st century of today, that little boy has grown old
with a long white beard, and still plays angklung performances every
evening with tens of children in his 1.5 acres
wide saung (a thatch-roofed pavilion with no
walls, a bit like a wide open gazebo).
Nowadays the Saung's visitors number 1000
to 2000 a month, coming from many
countries in Europe, America, and Africa - as
well as spell-bound local audiences. The 73
year old Udjo Ngalagena has traveled to
many countries performing his hobby and
has been given many awards both nationally
and internationally.

Saung Udjo in Brief

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Inspired by the late Mr. Daeng Sutigna, the
master angklung player, Saung Angklung Udjowas established in
January 1967 by Mang Udjo (literally meaning 'uncle Udjo') and his late
wife Uum Sumiati. Situated on Jalan Padasuka 118, Saung Angklung
Udjo rapidly became an important tourism destination in Indonesia and
Bandung itself. The Saung also has a display room selling hand-made
craft souvenirs such as the angklung itself,wayang golek (wooden
puppets), Sundaneseblangkon - traditional hats made of batik textiles -
and other bamboo handicrafts made by the artisans next to the saung.
Recently, Saung Udjo has improved the merchandise, and now also
offers recorded CD's and VCD's of their performances. 

Daily programs are held from Monday to Sunday from 15.30 - 17.30
p.m. The performances begin with the Sundanese gamelan. Next, the
host of musical performances introduces a short wayang
golek demonstration. A real performance of wayang golek (puppet
show) last more than 7 hours and sometimes takes one or even two
nights to finish a story, but here in Saung Udjo, the demonstration only
introduces how wayang dances, speaks, fights, and goes to war.
Following the wayang golek show is helaran, a ritual play describing a
situation when friends of a boy to be circumcised are carrying him along
in a procession in order to give him happiness. After that,
an arumba(another form of angklung band) orchestra is presented.
The tari topeng(mask dance) is one part of this musical performance
medley which is usually played by a single child. At the end of the
performances, the audiences can also experience how easy it is to play
the angklung together with children in songs like Rain & Tears, Sound of
Music, and Song of Joy.

The Root: Children's Happiness, Culture, and Education

Saung Angklung Udjo is now a famous center of Sundanese traditional
culture in addition to also being the chief angklung school in West Java.
It's not just the music that makes it famous, but also the children who
perform it with so much love and joy. A small group of children
(approximately 30-40) carry out their dynamic performances with
natural expressions of innocence. 

For them angklung is not only an instrument of traditional music. Most

of all, it is an easy way of playing games with their friends. So, don't
look for expertise in their performances, because there might be
mistakes - often this makes visitors laugh just as when we watch kids
mispronounce words. "It's not the quality, but the activity," Udjo says.
So in order to maintain the happiness of the children in
learning angklung, Udjo has one principal: be a child. For Udjo it's not
hard to do because he is indeed a lover of children. In fact, he has ten
adult children himself; they now work together to keep

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the Saung heritable from one generation to the next.

When you visit Saung Udjo, you may be surprised to see a three year
old boy performing joged (a traditional Sundanese dance) and playing a
traditional Indonesian drum called kendang. The children present
bamboo art performances, from playing angklung to arumba musical
orchestras, tari topeng (mask dance), and many more.

A tourist from Holland, Han Kortig (63)

who is a music teacher, was very
excited after watching the performances
that evening. He said, "I'm amazed at
what the children can do with this
instrument. How they can quickly
develop the sense of music. They play it
so spontaneously and with so much joy.
Unbelievable. It's really fantastic,
terrific!"

The children who play in the orchestra come from the surrounding
kampung (Sundanese name for a village) of their own accord in order to
meet their friends and play the angklung with love and happiness. Most
of them come to the Saung every evening for just one or two hours
of angklung lessons. They don't need to spend money to participate in
the angklung course, rather they receive money. The amount depends
on how many visitors watch the performances - usually a fairly small
amount, but this is not important for them in comparison to the
happiness of playing angklung music. Until now, there have been 250 to
300 students. The first 'alumnii' are now is teachingangklung lessons
abroad, in countries such as in Argentina and Thailand.

This November Saung Angklung Udjo was invited to perform on the

anniversary of one famous children's tabloid. Prior to that, the children
of Saung Udjoreceived the honor of playing a concert along with Sherina
- a talented little girl who is a very famous singer in Indonesia. But for
Udjo, the biggest satisfaction is seeing the happiness of the children
playing angklung and providing the cultural education for the next
generation. "I will make everybody happy with my capability," he
emphasizes, "not only for the visitors, but most importantly for the
future of the children. That is why I built this Saung." 

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Angklung Now Immediately
Confirmed By the UNESCO as
World Cultural Heritage Native to
Indonesia.
Angklung now immediately confirmed by the UNESCO as
world cultural heritage native to Indonesia.
 

After batik, keris and puppets, musical instruments angklung now

immediately confirmed by the UNESCO as world cultural heritage native to

Indonesia on November 18, 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Inter-Governmental Committee of UNESCO evaluated the instrument

and decided that Angklung meets the criteria for inscription on the Representative

List, as follows:

- R1: Indonesian Angklung and its music are central to the cultural identity of

communities in West Java and Banten, where playing the Angklung promotes the
values of teamwork, mutual respect and social harmony;

- R2: Inscription of Indonesian Angklung on the Representative List could

contribute to greater awareness of the importance of intangible cultural heritage

and promote the values of cooperation, discipline and mutual respect that are at

its core;

- R3: Safeguarding measures are proposed that include cooperation between

performers and authorities at various levels to stimulate transmission in formal and

non-formal settings, to organize performances, and to encourage the

craftsmanship of making Angklungs and sustainable cultivation of the bamboo

needed for its manufacture;

- R4: The nomination clearly demonstrates the broad participation of the

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communities both in safeguarding efforts and, through formal consultations, in the

process of elaborating the nomination;

- R5: Indonesian Angklung is included in a national inventory maintained by the

Centre for Research and Development of Culture of the Ministry of Culture and

Tourism, and in several specialized inventories maintained by universities and

Angklung associations.

"On November 18 2010, angklung will be unveiled to the world cultural

heritage," said Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism

(Kemenbudpar), Wardiyatmo, here on Tuesday.

It has sent an ambassador who chaired by the Director General of Cultural

Values of Art and Film (NBSF) to witness the inaugural angklung as a world cultural

heritage.

"Going forward we is targeting Indonesia’s world heritage recognized by

UNESCO will be more and more," he said.

Inauguration angklung by the UN agency for education, science, and

culture (UNESCO) as world cultural heritage of indigenous Indonesian it means to

follow batik, wayang, kris and who previously had already been confirmed.

He said it has sought a variety of things to be able to record angklung as a

world cultural heritage.

The struggle has been carried out since several years ago until finally

angklung will soon be recognized entry in the "Representative List of the Intangible

Cultural Heritage of Humanity".

He said he recorded the heritage of the world until this time had as many

as 890 sites with 689 in the form of cultural heritage, 176 natural heritage, and 25

mixed cultural heritage and natural heritage.

"Among that number, world heritage Indonesia has owned as many as 11

pieces," he said.

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 Of the 11 world heritage Indonesia owned by 4 of them in the form of

natural, 3 cultural heritage, and 4 works of intangible culture.

For the world heritage natural form consists of Ujung Kulon National Park,

Banten, Komodo National Park, East Nusa Tenggara, Lorentz National Park, Papua,

and the tropical forests of Sumatra (Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat

and Bukit Barisan).

As for the nature reserve which the Borobudur Temple Complex which is

recognized by UNESCO since 1991, Prambanan Temple Complex (1991), and the

prehistoric site of Sangiran.

Indonesia's intangible cultural work that has been and will be recognized

by UNESCO which puppet (a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of

humanity, 2003), keris (a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of

humanity, 2005), batik (a representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of

humanity, 2009), and angklung (representative list of the intangible cultural

heritage of humanity, November 18, 2010).

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