EDITED BY

GIOVANNI GIURIATI

Patterns of Change in the Traditional Music of Southeast Asia

presents original ethnographic research on the ways in which
traditional music of this area of the world deals with change.
This includes change occurring due to globalization, diffusion of popular
music, urbanization, heritagization, mediatization and other processes
affecting music and culture in the last part of the 20th century and the
beginning of the 21st century. The volume deals with a significantly wide

GIOVANNI GIURIATI (ED)

array of musical cultures and cultural minorities of both Mainland and
Insular Southeast Asia. The chapters are devoted to discussing case-
studies from Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia
PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN
(Java and Sulawesi). Inculturation of the Catholic church, possession
cults, shadow theatre and other theatrical genres, heritagization of THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC
traditional cultures and adoption of new musical instruments are among
the main themes of this volume in which an anthropological approach
is combined with musical analysis. Each chapter is provided with rich
OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
audiovisual documentation, accessible through a companion website.

The authors in this volume are young researchers from Italy and France

PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN
THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC
OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
who have carried out extended fieldwork in the area. Most of them
studied at the University of Rome to then undertake different paths
in their doctoral and post-doctoral studies and research. Lorenzo
Chiarofonte (Burma/Myanmar), Ilaria Meloni (Java, Indonesia), Francesca
Billeri (Cambodia), Véronique de Lavenère (Laos), Giorgio Scalici

intersezioni MUSICALI BOOK IM10

(Sulawesi, Indonesia), Vincenzo Della Ratta (Vietnam), Luca Pietrosanti
(Java, Indonesia) present in depth and original studies on little known
repertoires and areas of Southeast Asian music.

BOOK IM 10
 EDITED BY
G I OVA N N I G I U R I AT I

PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN
THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC
OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
 Intersezioni Musicali
BOOK IM10

Series editor: Giovanni Giuriati

Editorial board: Francesco Giannattasio, Maurizio Agamennone,
Vito Di Bernardi, Serena Facci

Editing: Lorenzo Chiarofonte

English proofreading: Sally Davies

On the front cover: photos by Véronique de Lavènere (Laos), Lorenzo Chiarofonte

(Burma/Myanmar), Francesca Billeri (Cambodia), Ilaria Meloni (Java)

Published with funding partially provided by the Progetto di Ricerca di Interesse

Nazionale (PRIN) 'Process of change in music of oral tradition from 1900 until present
day. Archive research and inquiry into contemporaneity' financed by the Italian
Ministry of University and Research

©2022 NOTA - Valter Colle / Udine

nota p.o. box 187
33100 Udine (I)
tel./fax (+39) 0432 582001
info@nota.it
www.nota.it

Graphic design-& e-book

Linda Fierro & Giuliano Michelini

ISBN: 9788861632233
Contents

Giovanni Giuriati
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pag. 4

Lorenzo Chiarofonte
‘Because We Like That Song!’. Continuity and Change in the
Musics of a Burmese Possession Cult Ceremony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pag. 24

Ilaria Meloni
‘Showtime’ for the Sindhen, or the Time of Limbukan.
New Performing Practices and Musical Repertoires in the
Comic Interlude of the Yogyanese Wayang Kulit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pag. 58

Francesca Billeri
The Adaptation of Khmer Traditional Wedding and
Theatre Genres to New Performance Contexts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pag. 94

Véronique de Lavenère
Dynamics of Change in the Musical Heritage of
Contemporary Laos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pag. 122

Giorgio Scalici
Who Framed Tetebua? An Ethnomusicological Investigation
among the Wana People of Morowali (Indonesia) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pag. 156

Vincenzo Della Ratta

‘Euntes Ergo Docete Omnes Gentes’. Musical and Religious
Interactions in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pag. 182

Luca Pietrosanti
Observations on the Use of Gamelan
in the Catholic Liturgy in Yogyakarta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pag. 216

The volume contains QR code links to the audio-visual materials, available at the
following web address: www.nota.it/patterns-of-change-in-the-traditional-music-of-
southeast-asia/

3
 Luca Pietrosanti

Observations on the
Use of Gamelan in the
Catholic Liturgy in Yogyakarta.

216 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

Introduction

Liturgical songs for gamelan and choir are a good example of the convergence
of very different cultures, and an interesting phenomenon from the ethnomusi-
cologist’s point of view as they highlight processes of change, hybridisation and
transculturalism in the merging of two different musical cultures, as well as sym-
bolic systems related to sound and music. Through a brief descriptive-analytical
approach, the relationship between gamelan and a choir on the one hand, and
between gamelan and the structure of the Roman rite of Holy Mass on the oth-
er, will be investigated in this chapter. Both involve a process of adaptation of the
traditional gamelan music of Central Java within the context of Western origin.
In illustrating the types of compositions of liturgical music for gamelan as well as
the way these compositions are used, some key concepts of traditional gamelan
music will be examined (gendhing, benthuk, laras, pathet, garap). It will be ap-
parent that these concepts are adapted, firstly to integrate the gamelan with a vocal
element, the polyphonic choir (which is based on a Western tradition) and second-
ly, to meet the needs of the rite of Holy Mass. It will be observed how this adap-
tation is not random, but takes into account distinctive aspects of the traditional
music of gamelan, preserving and re-using them critically. The observations about
the vocal aspect are the result of research on the liturgical repertoires I carried
out at the Center of Liturgical Music (PML – Pusat Musik Liturgi) in Yogyakarta.
There, I also had the opportunity to interview the Director of the PML, Father
Karl-Edmund Prier regarding the development of liturgical music for gamelan.
Father Prier created many of the vocal arrangements for the liturgical songs used in
Yogyakarta and is therefore an essential referent for understanding the use of vocal
parts in the liturgical composition for gamelan. My observations on the presence of
gamelan in the liturgy as well as its relation with the choir come from more than
two years of direct experience as a player in several liturgical ceremonies at the
Parish of St. James and the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Ganjuran, both
in the district of Bantul, Yogyakarta. I am especially indebted to my karawitan1
teacher, Bapak Didik Supriyantara, professional musician and devout Catholic, who
introduced me to the world of the liturgical compositions in Yogyakarta. It is to his
passion and his teachings that I dedicate the work in these pages.

Liturgical songs: a brief historical overview

For a closer and more thorough look at liturgical music in Indonesia, I recom-
mend reading a report written by Prier (2008) on the history of liturgical songs
from 1957 to 2007. In our extensive interview, he reports that the history of the
liturgical songs in Yogyakarta spread from the mid-1920s to the end of the 1980s.

1 ‘Karawitan’ is the term used by the Javanese to indicate the traditional music of gamelan. See
also Perlman (1991: 28).

217
It is actually possible to go further back to the last decade of the 19th century, when
the Jesuits arrived in Muntilan, district of Magelang in Central Java province and
just north of the province of Yogyakarta. During the first decade of the 20th Cen-
tury, a school for training catechists was founded in Muntilan. There, the aspirant
catechists were also educated in Gregorian chant: ‘Dulu di Muntilan, di sekolah
guru […] mereka melatih lagu gregorian, “Ave Verum” dan itu-itu ya […]’.2 Later,
around the end of the 1920s, the first attempts by C. Harjåsoebråtå3 to compose
songs in pélog scale following the models of Gregorian chant were made:

Bapak Harjåsoebråtå cerita sama saya (dan saya masih ingat) […], dia punya ide:
‘apakah text Ave Verum tidak bisa juga dinyanyikan dengan lagu [laras, A/N] pélog
itu? Artinya merasa ini juga religius seperti gregorian!’ Dan dia menciptakan berapa
lagu yang pélog dengan text latin dari gregorian […] satu suara, tanpa gamelan.4

In the mid-1950s, the various experiments of introducing traditional Javanese

music into the liturgy became an early inculturation program5 thanks to the
Archbishop of Semarang A. Sugyåpranåtå and his working group:

Tahun 1956 ada Bapak Uskup Sugyåpranåtå yang mendirikan suatu panitia untuk
menciptakan lagu yang dipakai di Gareja, mula-mula dengan bahasa latin, pélog
dengan latin, dan kemudian juga dengan bahasa jawa. Dan Bapak Uskup itu
memperjuankan ijin dari Roma agak supaya boleh dipakai di keuskupan Semarang
[…] tapi mereka pakai hanya satu suara, bersama patuan suara, tapi hanya satu suara.6

At that time, there was monody, but no arrangements for two or more voices.
Without going into the historical details in depth, and dealing with delicate issues
of attribution, it seems that C. Harjåsoebråtå and A. Sugyåpranåtå inspired the
creation of the modern liturgical repertoires. In the preface of the third volume of
the collection of liturgical songs Kidung Adi - Buku balungan, Jilid III we read:

2 ‘At the time, in Muntilan, at the school for teachers […], they used to practice the Gregorian chant,
“Ave Verum” and others […]’ (Interview with Father Karl-Edmund Prier, 24 August 2015).
3 An interesting book about the life and the works of C. Harjåsoebråtå is Harsi & Gunarto (2014).
4 ‘Bapak Harjåsoebråtå told me (and I still remember) […], he had an idea: ‘Why don’t we sing
the lyrics of Ave Verum using the pélog scale? We still feel the same religious atmosphere as the
Gregorian!’ He thus composed some songs in pélog scale with Latin lyrics from Gregorian chant
[...] for one voice and without gamelan’ (Interview with Father Karl-Edmund Prier, 24 August 2015).
5 The term ‘inculturation’ must be intended as ‘the incarnation of the Gospel in native cultures and
also the introduction of these cultures into the life of the Church’, as defined by Pope John Paul II in
the encyclical Slavorum Apostoli, 2 June 1985, VI-21. On the process of inculturation in Indonesia
see also Poplawska (2011: 189-191).
6 ‘In 1956, the Archbishop Sugyåpranåtå established a committee responsible for the creation of li-
turgical songs, initially in Latin, pélog scale and Latin, and then in Javanese too. He fought to obtain
permission from Rome to use them [the songs – N/A] in the diocese of Semarang. […] But the choir
still only use one voice’ (Interview with Father Karl-Edmund Prier, 24 August 2015).

218 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

 Pusat Musik Liturgi Ngayogyakarta rumaos mongkog anypati kemajenenganipun
inkulturasi gendhing-gendhing Jawi menika. Minangka bukti bilih menapa
ingkang dipun adani déning Bp. C. Harjasoebrata in tahun 1926 lan kaserek Mgr.
A. Sugyapranata SJ ing taun 1956 sarta dipungelar in buku Kidung Adi taun 1984
sakmenika dipun lajegaken kanthi ada-ada ingkang salaras lan saé sanget. (PML
Yogyakarta, ed., 2010).7

After the Vatican Council II (1962-1965), a new European and Javanese commit-
tee was created in Indonesia by the Indonesian Episcopate of Semarang, chaired
by Father Karl Edmund Prier. The work of the committee consisted in the creation
of a liturgical repertoire that would integrate as much as possible the different
musical cultures of Indonesia: not only from Java, but also Sumatra, Kalimantan,
Sumba (NTT – Nusa Tenggara Timur), Flores, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua.
Extensive work culminated in the publication in 1980 of the first book of liturgical
songs in the Indonesian language, the Madah Bakti (PML Yogyakarta 194th ed.
2015), which is a collection of types of songs from various regions of Indonesia,
including Java and its regional variation. As regards the traditional music of Cen-
tral Java, the work of the committee ended with the publication in 1984 of the
Kidung Adi – Buku Umat (book for assembly) (PML Yogyakarta 37th ed. 2014).
This book includes all the experiments carried out over a period of forty years:

Kami membuatkan, khusus untuk Jawa, membuat satu buku ‘Kidung Adi’ […] di situ
ada campuran, ada lagu-lagu Eropa, lagu Natal, lagu Maria, berapa lagu Roh Kudus
dan ada lagu Jawa yang diciptakan selama empat-pulu tahun ini, dan demikian ada
suatu tradisi yang baru.8

The Kidung Adi is a book of liturgical songs in Javanese, in which the main mel-
odies are written in cipher notation, and it is intended to be sung by the assem-
bly. Later, the PML published two complementary books, Kidung Adi – Buku kor
(PML Yogyakarta 8th ed. 2013a), in four volumes, in which we can find the ar-
rangements of the liturgical songs for the choir, and Kidung Adi – Buku balungan
(PML Yogyakarta 8th ed. 2014), in three volumes, which contains notations of the
basic melodies of the balungan9 for gamelan.

7 ‘The Centre of Liturgical Music of Yogyakarta is proud to see an evolution in the inculturation
process of Javanese composition (for gamelan). A testament of the work of Bp. C. Harjåsoebråtå in
1926, continued by Mgr. A. Sugyåpranåtå in 1956 and merged in the book Kidung Adi in the year
1984, now enriched [in this edition of 2010].’
8 ‘Especially for Java, we published one Book Kidung Adi. […] There you can find a compilation of
songs: songs from Europe, Christmas songs, songs to Mary, some songs to the Holy Spirit and there
are Javanese songs we created in forty years, and also a new tradition (of songs)’ (Interview with
Father Karl-Edmund Prier, 24 August 2015).
9 Balungan is the word used to indicate the notes of the gamelan traditional music, written in cipher
notation and usually played by the saron (the instrument of the gamelan ensemble that usually has
seven bronze bars placed on top of a resonating frame). See also Hood (1977: 240-242).

219
In Yogyakarta two different repertories are used, the Kidung Adi, when the Mass
is in Javanese, and the Madah Bakti, when the Mass is in Indonesian. Since the
Madah Bakti includes liturgical songs from different musical cultures of Indonesia,
the PML published two books specific for the Javanese group of songs, the
Madah Bakti – Buku iringan gamelan (PML Yogyakarta 3rd ed. 2010) and the
Madah Bakti – Buku kor campur dengan iringan gamelan (PML Yogyakarta 1st
ed. 2013b), as they did for the Kidung Adi. The Kidung Adi and the Madah Bakti
are the references for all the modern liturgical tradition in Yogyakarta, both vocal
and instrumental. The only exception is the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in
Ganjuran, a special place of worship, which has also developed its own repertoire
of liturgical songs (Saridal 2000).

The liturgical repertoire and the scales of gamelan music

Gamelan music uses two scales the seven tone pélog and the five tone sléndro. In
the repertoire of liturgical gamelan music, the majority of the songs are in pélog
scale. There are also songs in sléndro, but they are far fewer in the repertoire.10
Father Prier gave an interesting answer to the question I raised about the prevalent
use of the pélog scale:

[…] Saya juga memikirkan banyak itu dan saya menemukan jawaban ini: kalau
kita menyanyikan dengan tangga nada pélog ada ters besar, second kecil, ters besar,
second kecil; untuk menyanyikan itu harus konsentrasi […] supaya nada itu tidak
salah. Saya kira inilah sebabnya mengapa untuk liturgi dipakai pélog karena untuk
liturgi bukan hiburan seperti slendro […] (di mana) mereka nyanyi dengan suasana
menjadi relax.11

According to Father Prier, the pélog scale is better suited to the Mass atmosphere
than the sléndro scale. This is a very fascinating concept, but it does not explain
the presence of songs in sléndro in the repertoire. The Church of the Holy Heart of
Jesus in Ganjuran is the only one in Yogyakarta that has a gamelan sléndro, which
is regularly played at the Holy Friday Mass. However, it is interesting that sléndro

10 In the Kidung Adi there are 246 compositions in pélog and 43 in sléndro.
11 ‘I thought a lot about that [why the pélog scale] and this is how I answered myself: when we sing
in the pélog scale, we have a major third, a minor second, a major third, a minor second; to sing it we
must concentrate [...] if we don’t want to play out of tune. I guess this is the reason why in the liturgy
we use the pélog scale, because the liturgy is not entertainment, in spite of [what happens] with the
sléndro scale […] where they sing in a relaxed atmosphere’. (Interview with Father Karl-Edmund
Prier, 24 August 2015). I could also add that a seven-tone scale is somehow closer to the heptatonic
scale used in Gregorian chant, therefore requiring less adaptation to the tunes.

220 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

songs on this occasion are in a special mode (pathet),12 called sléndro Sångå tlutur.13
In this mode, the vocal ornaments are executed in non-equidistant intervals, thus
generating a ‘minor effect’ (Audio 1).

Audio 1
The ‘minor effect’ of the mode (pathet) sléndro Sångå tlutur

Javanese people confer a character of intimacy, sadness or meditation to songs in

sléndro tlutur, a character that probably suits the particular moment of the Passion
of Christ celebrated in the Holy Friday Mass. Thus, this fact can be connected
to what Father Prier says about the appropriated atmosphere of the pélog scale.
Father Prier’s words also represent an answer to something related to the first
attempts to sing the Gregorian chant using the pélog scale, and which has now
become common: ‘Saya kira ada juga berapa lagu slendro yang kita pakai, itu juga
agung […], tapi de facto, sejak awal mula hanya pelog yang dipakai’.14
Songs in pélog scale are mostly played in two of the three main modes: pathet
nem and pathet barang. There is also a small group of songs in pathet limå. It was
interesting to observe how, while practicing a new song, the members of the choir
used solmization, while the gamelan players used the typical names of the pitches
of the pélog scale (ji, ro, lu pat, mo, nem, pi). It is a curious fact that two com-
plementary elements use a different musical language. The point is that both the
gamelan music and the choir use cipher notation, but they do not refer to the same
notes. The cipher notation used in the vocal repertoire is actually a transcription of
the pitches of the Do major scale (Fig. 1):

Fig. 1: Correspondences between the cipher notation and the pitches of the Do major scale

12 The word pathet indicates a system of hierarchies in which some notes of a scale are more em-
phasised than the others.
13 Cfr. Chris Saridal, Kidungan Jemuah Adi – Gendhing-gendhing Jawi Slendro 9, Kacawisaken
Dening, Seksi Pendidikan & Kebudayaan kangge kabetahan Liturgi, n.d..
14 ʻThere are several sléndro songs we use, they are official too […], however, de facto, since the
beginning we’ve only used the pélog scale’ (Interview with Father Karl-Edmund Prier, 24 August
2015).

221
Considering that the intervals between the pitches of the pélog scale are not tem-
pered, Siswanto (2015: 5-7) gives us the key to read the two pélog scales through
solmization (Fig. 2):

Fig. 2: Solmization of the two pélog scales (Siswanto 2015)

The choir can tune the ‘Do’ in a different pitch of the pélog scale according to
the chosen mode, ‘6’ (nem) in the case of the pathet nem and ‘3’ (lu) in the case
of the pathet barang. In this process of adaptation, the Do major scale loses the
notes ‘Re’ and ‘La’, creating an alternating succession of intervals of major third,
minor second. These intervals are relevant in the arrangements for two or more
voices of the Kidung Adi and the Madah Bakti, since both Siwanto (2015: 5) and
Father Prier15 mention them. In the previous examples, note ‘4’ (pat) of the pélog
scale does not appear. It is actually specific to the pathet limå, but also present
in composition in pélog nem. In songs in pelog pathet limå, note ‘4’ (pat) of the
balungan corresponds to note ‘6’ (La) in the vocals. We can also find this corre-
spondence in songs in pélog nem, for example in the arrangement for four voices
of the song Padha Wartakna (Fig. 3).16 This is probably a temporary modulation
from the pathet nem to the pathet limå.

15 See his quotation in footnote 11 at the beginning of this chapter.

16 Score included in Kidung Adi – Buku kor, Jilid IV, n. 694 (PML Yogyakarta, ed. 2014).

222 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

 Fig. 3: Arrangement for four voices of the song Padha Wartakna

In the song headers, if we take another example, that of the piece Gusti Nyuwun
Kawelasan (God have mercy on us) besides the indication of the pélog scale and
the pathet we also find the corresponding note in tempered scale and the metre (Fig.
4). Thus, a liturgical song for gamelan can be played with or without the gamelan,
a cappella or accompanied by the organ (as usually happens in Yogyakarta).

Fig. 4: Gusti Nyuwun Kawelasan17

This aspect of the liturgical repertoire influences the rendition of the songs when
sung together with the gamelan in terms of pitch, since the choirs are much more
used to singing songs together with the organ or a cappella, rather than together
with the gamelan. Indeed, despite the fact that the Churches in Yogyakarta are pro-
vided with a gamelan set, the Masses accompanied by the gamelan are events that
mostly occur at specific moments of the year. During the rehearsals for a solemn
Mass, matching the pitch of the Choir to the pitch of the gamelan is a recurring
issue that the PML has been carefully observing. When doing research at the PML,

17 Score included in Kidung Adi – Buku kor, Jilid I, n.173 (PML Yogyakarta 8th ed. 2013a).

223
I was interviewed by Bapak Yohanes Wahyudi for the periodical Warta Musik.18
In that interview, I was able to share my thoughts about the issue of pitch and
Bapak Yohanes told me that the PML also shared the same concern regarding this
particular aspect of the liturgical songs.

Arrangements for choir

The implementation of the polyphonic choir performing together with the gamelan
is the result of the innovation of the Post-Conciliar Church and was largely due
to the work of the PML during the mid-1960s. Leafing through the pages of the
various volumes of the Kidung Adi and the Madah Bakti, I noticed that a large
group of Javanese musicians composed the melodies of the liturgical songs, but
nearly all the arrangements for choir were created by Father Karl Edmund Prier
and Paul Widyawan, the director of the choir Vocalista Sonora (PML Yogyakarta)
from 1964 until 2019.19 This is worth noting since it reflects over fifty years of
work of integration between a Western oriented vocal tradition and gamelan mu-
sic. On several occasions I asked Father Prier to tell me why he and Widyawan
had arranged most of the choral versions of liturgical songs. After my umpteenth
question about this issue, he gave me a laconic answer: ‘Sebenarnya, ada beberapa
aransmen diciptakan oleh orang jawa, tapi itu kurang enak, dan kami tidak
mamakai itu’.20 This answer implies that we are facing a top-down controlled
process. Despite the wide openness to the contribution of Javanese composers
for the realisation of liturgical songs, there is still a Western ‘aesthetic’ judgment
on the works of Javanese musicians in terms of polyphonic arrangements. This
would explain why only two authors (one German and one Javanese, but musi-
cally educated in Hamburg) are responsible for polyphonic compositions in two
or more parts. Indeed, we should also consider that the Javanese vocal tradition
never developed polyphony; instead, solo singing (sindhenan), and homophonic
choirs (gerongan) are peculiar to Javanese vocal style. Through a sort of ‘one-way’
approach based on the Western vocal tradition and its aesthetic, Father Prier tells
us that some aspects of the traditional music of central Java were incorporated to
create the arrangements:

Inkulturasi berarti ini barat, ini timur, ini liturgi, ini budaya Jawa. Yang sekarang
yang terjadi ada sedikit overlapping antara dua-duanya: ini adalah inkulturasi.
Di situ ada jelas tradisi Eropa bahwa ada paduan suara, berarti bukan hanya satu

18 ‘Inkulturasi semata orang Etnomusikolog’, Warta Musik, n. 6-2015: 186-187.

19 Paul Widyawan studied music at the Albert Grainer Singschule of Leopold Mozart Conservato-
ry, Hamburg, in the 1970s. He passed away on 11 August 2019.
20 ‘Indeed, there are some arrangements made by Javanese, but they are not good enough, thus we
did not use them’.

224 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

 suara, tetapi ada dua atau tiga atau empat suara. […] Experimen dan perkembangan
memang berpangkal dari tradisi barat bahwa ada sopran, alt, tenor dan bas.
Unsur dari budaya gamelan terdiri dari macam instrumen […] itu adalh kekayaan
dari music gamelan yang mempunyai… eh… mungkin bapak sendiri sudah
mengalami: kalau main rebab bersama dengan sinden adalah satu dialog, tidak
bersama-sama tetapi saut-menyaut. Uncul ini kita angkat dari budaya Jawa untuk
tiddak membuat accor-accor dan omofon, tetapi menjadi “polifon” dalam arti ini ya.21

While the arrangements are mostly related to the European vocal tradition, they also
take some elements from the Javanese one. This is primarily the use of pentatonic
scales built on the different pathet of the pélog scale. Secondly, Prier and Widyawan
try to recreate a kind of heterophony, which in the gamelan tradition originates from
the overlap of the independent melodic lines of instruments and voices.
Not all the songs in the repertoires have been the object of polyphonic vocal ar-
rangements. There are still monodic songs that are frequently sung during the
Mass and it is not rare to hear homophonic choirs. Indeed, we should not forget
that liturgical songs are intended to let the assembly participate in the Mass by
singing, which is one of the main aims of the Post-Conciliar Church.22 Under this
perspective, we can also explain the absence of the vocal style of the sindhenan.
The ideological framework of the liturgical songs also affects the composition of
the members of the choirs themselves. Each choir consists of a group of volun-
teers who are periodically asked to sing for an important Mass. Each Church, or
Parish, follows a schedule that assigns a specific solemn Mass to a specific group
of volunteers. The groups give themselves a name, which is written on the cover
of the booklet distributed to the assembly at the Church entrance on the day of that
particular Mass. Most of the time, these names identify a specific group within the
entire community of worshippers of a Parish, i.e. ‘koor saking Wilayah Pasutritis’

21 ‘Inculturation means this [Father Prier takes two sheets of paper and partially overlaps them]:
here there is the West and here the East, here the liturgy, here the Javanese culture. What happened
is a slight overlapping. It is clear that we partially refer to the European tradition, because we use
the choir, which is not for one voice, but for two, three, four voices. […] We made experiments
and elaborations by focusing on the Western tradition, because there are soprano, alto, tenor and
bass. The traditional gamelan music includes the use of different instruments […] and this is the
richness of this tradition, eh… maybe ‘Bapak’ [referred to me] already experienced that: when the
rebab plays together with the sindhen they create a dialogue, they do not play in unison, but as a
question and answer. We have taken this type of relationship from Javanese culture in order to create
neither chords, neither homophony, but ‘polyphony’ intended in this way’ (Interview with Father
Karl-Edmund Prier, 24 August 2015).
22 Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosantum Concilium, Chapter II, 48: ‘The Church, there-
fore, earnestly desires that Christ’s faithful, when present at this mystery of faith, should not be
there as strangers or silent spectators; on the contrary, through a good understanding of the rites and
prayers they should take part in the sacred action conscious of what they are doing, with devotion
and full collaboration [...].’

225
(choir of the group of married couples),23 ‘koor saking Ibu Paroki Ganjuran’ (choir
of the group of the women of Ganjuran),24 ‘umat Paroki Santo Yakobus-Klodran
Bantul’ (assembly of the Saint Jacob Parish, Klodran Bantul).25 Thus, the mem-
bers of a choir are not professionally trained musicians. Rather, they are active
members of the community who carry out a service. It is probably due to the main
aims of the Post-Conciliar Church together with the status of ‘service’ carried out
by the choirs, that the arrangements for choir are not too complex. However, here
I just want to give a brief general overview of the repertoire and report some ex-
amples, postponing a more accurate analysis to further research. The counterpoint
of the vocal arrangements is mostly imitative: the melodies of the different vocal
registers repeat or present a variation of the main melody (the one assigned to the
assembly) and then develop independently. The convergence of different melodies
does not seem to be aimed towards the realisation of chords, at least not intention-
ally (Fig. 5). The imitative canon is also frequent (Fig. 6), as well as a note against
note counterpoint (Fig. 7).

Fig. 5: Kidung Pepudyan.26 The transcription shows the convergence of different melodies

23 Booklet for the solemn Mass on the 2 July 2015, at the Ganjuran Church.
24 Booklet for the solemn Mass on the 30 April 2015, at the Ganjuran Church.
25 Booklet for the solemn Mass on the 1 December 2016, at the Ganjuran Church.
26 Score included in Kidung Adi – Buku kor, Jilid IV, n. 668 (PML Yogyakarta 8th ed. 2013a).

226 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

 Fig. 6: Bapa Kami.27 The transcription shows an example of imitative canon

Fig. 7: Bakti Kami.28 The transcription shows an example of note against note counterpoint

Gamelan

The implementation of the gamelan in the liturgy occurred after the Vatican Coun-
cil II. In 1965, the Church’s viewpoint on liturgical songs was still Western-orient-
ed, even regarding the possibility of introducing the gamelan ensemble in churches.

27 Score included in Madah Bakti – Buku Kor Campur Dengan Iringan Gamelan, n. 679 (PML
Yogyakarta 2013b).
28 Score included in Madah Bakti – Buku Kor Campur Dengan Iringan Gamelan, n. 817 (PML
Yogyakarta 2013b).

227
An exemplary case is the so-called Gamelan Soepra of the Loyola High School
in Semarang, a chromatic gamelan tuned to the pitches of the tempered scale.
Father Prier refers to his impressions when he first listened to it: ‘Apa hubungannya
gamelan Soepra dengan musik Gareja? Tidak ada hubungan. […] Akibatnya, bunyi
khas dari gamelan Jawa hilang; suaranya seperti Glockenspiel/ansembel lonceng’.29
According to Father Prier, the Gamelan Soepra lost the essence of Javanese music
and did not represent any kind of convergence between cultures. Eventually, the
experiment of the Gamelan Soepra as the instrument for liturgical songs was aban-
doned. Nowadays this diatonic gamelan is played only on very special occasions at
the Loyola High School and the repertoire mostly consists of gamelan renditions of
popular songs or themes.30 Setting aside the fascinating historical observation con-
cerning this peculiar instance of music syncretism, here I will focus on analysing
musical issues related to the use of the gamelan in the liturgy, which come from my
direct experience as a gamelan player.
Before entering into the details, some preliminary remarks are needed. The work
of the PML in the second half of the last century has given birth to a complete
repertoire of tunes that can be played with the gamelan, and the churches I visited
are all provided with a gamelan set. However, the policy of the PML has been
to let each church decide when to use the gamelan for a celebration. As already
mentioned, the gamelan is usually played during solemn celebrations, such as at
Christmas, Easter, or for important events in a given Church or Parish; we can
also mention baptisms, consecrations and commemorations, which can occur in
private places.31 Indeed, there are parishes where the gamelan is regularly used,
such as the ‘Paroki Hati Kudus Tuhan Jesus Pugeran’ (Parish of the Sacred Heart
of Jesus in Pugeran), where it is played twice a month, during the Sunday Mass
at 6.00 a.m. Nevertheless, this can still be considered an exception to the praxis.
This sort of freedom in the use of the gamelan can be explained considering two
main factors: 1) an inner flexibility of the songs, which can be sung both tuning
to the pitches of the tempered scale (a cappella or accompanied with the organ) or
accompanied with the gamelan; 2) it is not always easy to find gamelan players
within the community of a Parish, especially those who are skilled enough to play
instruments such as the kendhang, gendher, rebab, or gambang. When a solemn
Mass needs to be prepared, gamelan players are chosen without considering the
Parish they belong to, or even without minding about their religion. In my experi-
ence with my gamelan teacher, Bapak Didik Supriyantara, the standard procedure

29 ‘What kind of relation is there between the gamelan Soepra and the liturgical music [Catholic
tradition ]? We risk completely losing the character of the Javanese gamelan. It sounds like a glock-
enspiel/bell ensemble’ (Prier 2008: 11).
30 A rendition can be listened to on YouTube at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=M61rU21Bx-g (‘The Final Countdown’, by Europe).
31 I played at the baptism for Pak Didik Supriyantara’s nephew and the ceremony was held at the
house of Pak Didik’s younger brother.

228 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

 was that a choir of a Church would contact him to prepare a list of songs for a
solemn Mass, asking him to gather other gamelan players. Of course, Pak Didik
contacted players he was used to playing with in his village, or other professional
musicians who were also his old friends.32 In all the Masses in which I partici-
pated as a gamelan player, most of the time I found the same people to play with,
some of whom were even Muslim. In the Masses I joined at the Church of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus in Ganjuran, the only gamelan players who belonged to the
Parish were two women who usually played the saron ricik.33 Moreover, during
the period before a solemn mass, the gamelan group and the choir hold separate re-
hearsals. They usually meet to practice together one or two weeks before the Mass.
The fact that the liturgical songs can be accompanied with the organ or sung a
cappella makes this possible. However, this process causes issues regarding pitch
and tempo: the gamelan notes are not in the same pitch as the tempered scale; in
the absence of rhythmic instruments, the tempo of the choir is generally slower
that the one set by the gamelan. The impression is that the choir and gamelan are
not totally blended together, rather they proceed in parallel. This is probably the
‘slight overlapping’ between the Javanese and Western musical tradition intended
by Father Prier. Although this issue can be considered just an ‘aesthetic’ appendix,
it is one of the core questions that constantly occurs in the milieu of liturgical songs.
Every year, in May, the UKM34 of ‘Sanata Dharma’ University of Yogyakarta or-
ganises the ‘Festival Seni Karawitan Gendhing Garejani’ (Festival of the liturgical
songs for gamelan). Even though the festival is not a competition, groups from
different parishes of the province of Yogyakarta are invited to perform liturgical
songs before an informal jury composed of professors and professional musicians,
which awards a symbolic trophy to the best performance. It is during the ‘award
ceremony’ that members of the jury point out issues regarding specific technical
aspects of the liturgical songs, in particular pitch and tempo. Thus, at the same
time, the festival represents an important moment for promoting the culture of the
liturgical songs outside the context of the Mass, and a precious opportunity for the
parishes to share and debate on common technical issues.

Although the use of gamelan is not strictly necessary, what I consider relevant is
the fact that it is a must in the most important religious celebrations. This connects
the traditional use of the gamelan for important ceremonies and rituals in Javanese
culture to the context of the solemn Catholic Masses, thus emphasising its ritual
function.

32 I just mention here Bapak Sumiyoto, who usually played the rebab. Pak Sumiyoto and Pak Didik
studied karawitan at the ISI Surakarta in the same years.
33 The saron has seven bronze bars placed on top of a resonating frame and usually plays the balungan
part in the gamelan orchestra. The balungan is the only notated melody in the gamelan music.
34 Unit Kegiatan Mahasiswa (Union of Students).

229
Looking at the use of the gamelan from a technical point of view, if relevant com-
promises have been made with the Western tradition in order to introduce the poly­
phonic choir, gamelan music in the liturgy still retains the most typical elements
of its own tradition, such as musical forms (benthuk), idiosyncratic elaborations of
the instruments, as well as the most common types of renditions of a song (garap).
De facto, a musician who plays a liturgical song for gamelan finds himself in a
familiar context.
However, due to the characteristics of the liturgy, part of the gamelan tradition is
not implemented. For example, the changes of tempo (irama) are not as frequent
and developed as in traditional gamelan performances. This is due to the peculiar
structure of the Holy Mass that does not allow extended and elaborated perfor-
mances of a given composition (gendhing). Furthermore, the fact that gamelan
and choir are two interconnected elements requires the gamelan to adapt to the
formal structure of the liturgical songs.

Musical forms and their use in the structure of the liturgy

The rite of the Holy Mass is structured in four main parts: Introductory Rite,
Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, Concluding Rite. In each of these
main parts there are key moments when the gamelan is played. Thus, the choice
of the musical forms, as well as the way they are performed, depends on the needs
of the rite of the Holy Mass, not only from a strictly practical point of view, but
also from a symbolical one.
The traditional musical forms commonly used in the liturgy are three: lancaran,
ketawang, ladrang. The repertoire of traditional gamelan music classifies them
as short forms (benthuk alit). There are intuitive reasons for the choice of short
musical forms: a short form lasts only a few minutes (even seconds), respecting
the timing in the liturgy. Moreover, each of these forms has a distinctive character
that suits the atmosphere of each moment in the liturgy.
Lancaran: Lancaran compositions have a fast tempo and a lively character. They
are usually played as an opening (pambukå) (Fig. 8) (Audio 2 and 3), a closing
(penutup) (Fig. 9) (Audio 4) or during the offertory (pisungsung). Even composi-
tions in ketawang and ladrang form can be used as an opening. However, in my
experience, the compositions played are mostly in lancaran form.

Audio 2
Lancaran compositions used as an opening (pambukå)

230 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

 Audio 3
Lancaran compositions used as an opening (pambukå)

Fig. 8: Sewaka Bakti, Pl. 6.35 Example of a lancaran composition used as an opening
(pambukå)

35 Transcription in compliance with Pak Didik Supriyantara’s manuscript.

231
 Audio 4
Lancaran composition used as a closing (penutup)

Fig. 9: Rahayu Pra Bangsa.36 Example of a lancaran composition used as a closing

(penutup)

36 Score included in Kidung Adi - Buku balungan, Jilid III, n. 702 (PML Yogyakarta ed. 2014).

232 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

The lancaran form is also used for musical psalm settings (kidung panglimbang
– mazmur) or the Alleluia (the song before the reading of the Gospel) (Audio 5).
In these instances, the compositions are set in a slow tempo (irama II),37 consid-
ered more appropriate for accompanying the singing of the psalms. Psalms and
the Alleluia, which are part of the Liturgy of the Word, follow a question/answer
form between the celebrant (or the lector) and the assembly. Thus, the lancaran is
alternated with a recitation of the verse (ayat-ayat) performed from the pulpit and
accompanied only by the gendèr (Fig. 10). At the end of the recitative, the metre
switches from a free to a rhythmic metre and is accompanied by a formulaic pat-
tern on the drums (kendhang) that anticipate the entrance of the choir.

Audio 5
Lancaran composition used for the Alleluia

Fig. 10: Alleluia (Lancaran irama tanggung)38

Ketawang: I found ketawang compositions for every moment of the Mass in the
repertories: they can be performed as opening or closing songs, during the offertory
(Fig. 15-16), for psalms, Alleluia or to lead the assembly’s common prayers, such as
the Sanctus (Suci) (Fig. 11) (Audio 6, from minute [3:14]). With their slow tempo
and meditative character, Ketawang compositions seem to suit the liturgy tout court.

Audio 6
Ketawang compositions used in the Mass

37 The word irama refers to both the tempo and the melodic-rhythmic stratification between the
instruments. In the Yogyakarta tradition the same composition can be played in different levels of
irama, from irama I (the least stratified) to irama IV (the most stratified).
38 Transcription in compliance with Pak Didik Supriyantara’s manuscript.

233
 Fig. 11: Suci.39 Example of a ketawang composition used in the Mass

Ladrang: Compositions in ladrang form (the most ample and elaborated form) are
usually played during long parts of the liturgy, such as the communion (Fig. 12),
or during the introduction to the Mass (Fig. 13). Compositions in ladrang form
can also be elaborated upon in various ways and present a rich and wide variety
of arrangements.

39 Score included in Kidung Adi – Buku balungan, Jilid I,, n.218 (PML Yogyakarta ed. 2014).

234 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

Fig. 12: Padha Wartakna.40 Example of a ladrang composition played during the communion

Fig. 13: Abdi Dalem, Sami Ngalembana.41 Example of a ladrang composition played
during the introduction to the Mass

40 Score included. in Kidung Adi – Buku balungan, Jilid III, n. 694 (PML Yogyakarta ed. 2014).
41 Score included in Kidung Adi – Buku balungan, Jilid II, n. 500 (PML Yogyakarta, ed. 2014).

235
Besides the musical forms mentioned above, I have also found forms in the
repertoire derived from the wayang kulit, i.e. slepeg, ayak-ayak or palaran (Audio
1, from minute [5:00]), but they are not commonly used.
One musical form which is not in the written repertoires published by the PML,
but which is often used in the liturgy is a proto-gamelan form, the monggang.42
This archaic and historical music composed for a three-tone gamelan43 has a high
ceremonial value in the Javanese tradition:

The gamelan Monggang in the Yogyakarta kraton […] used to be played exclusively
on very solemn or festive occasions; for instance, to celebrate the Sultan’s coro-
nation or to accompany the Sultan’s departure from the palace to attend important
ceremonies (Soedarsono 2003: 29).

Played in a slow tempo, the monggang accompanies and emphasises the solemnity
of an event. Its ritual aspect seems to be transferred to the context of the liturgy,
where it is used during highly symbolic moments. One example of the use of the
monggang is during the Anamnesis (Audio 7):44 in the structure of the liturgy, the
Anamnesis is the prayer of remembrance that is recited after the consecration of
the bread and wine, which calls to mind the passion, death, resurrection, and
ascension of Jesus Christ. The entire journey of Jesus Christ is condensed in this
prayer, which seems to be an appropriate context in which to play the monggang.

Audio 7
Use of the form monggang during the Anamnesis

Another example of the ritual use of the monggang is during processions in a place
of worship. In the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Ganjuran, every first Fri-
day of the month they celebrate a special Mass that culminates with a procession
around the Hindu-style temple built alongside the Church. During this procession
the gamelan plays the monggang (Audio 8) (Fig. 14). In these cases, because of
the brevity of the monggang, they alternate it with other compositions, usually in
ketawang or lancaran form.

42 On gamelan monggang see, among others, Kunst (1973: 257-260); see also Hood (1980).
43 In a gamelan orchestra, the monggang is played by kenong, kempul, gong and kendhang.
44 In the audio example, the monggang is followed by the ketawang ‘Sang Kristus’, pélog Nem. The
vocal tune of this composition is also published in Saridal (2000: 22).

236 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

 Audio 8
Gamelan monggang used during processions in a place of worship

kalau perarakan ditambah:45

Fig. 14: Monggangan – Konsekrasi.46 Example of the proto-gamelan form monggang

played during processions in a place of worship

If we consider the extended use of short musical forms (mostly performed in a

slow tempo) and the examples of the re-contextualisation of the monggang in im-
portant moments of the liturgy, we can say that the careful work done by the PML
and the Javanese musicians has not only been aimed at adapting technical aspects,
but also at transferring symbolic and ritual aspects of the Javanese culture. In my
opinion, that sort of suggested connection between a slow tempo and the concept
of solemn, sacred and religious in Java is particularly evocative.

Melodic elaboration (garap) and instrumental techniques

Just as specific musical forms are chosen for particular moments of the liturgy, the
same occurs for the elaborations of the songs and the use of specific instrumen-
tal techniques. While the choir strictly performs the arrangements in the printed
editions, the instrumental renditions of the gamelan present more variations in
relation to what is printed in the textbooks. Professional musicians usually prepare
a list of songs dedicated to a Mass, and it is common to vary the composition ac-
cording to the taste of the specific musician. Usually, variation simply consists in
using a slightly different tempo or a different order of the parts within a composi-
tion; but there may also be significant variation, such as the changing of groups of
notes in balungan or additional ornamentations. It seems that we can find dynam-
ics of traditional gamelan music (changing notes, creating different versions of

45 ‘If [there is a] procession add: the song Kirab Agung, pélog Nem’. The vocal tune of this compo-
sition is also published in Saridal (2000: 18).
46 Transcription in compliance with Pak Didik Supriyantara’s manuscript.

237
the same piece) even in the context of the liturgical songs. A good example is the
offertory song Atur Pisungsung (Fig. 15), composed by Sito Mardowo,47 which I
played in the variant of Didik Surpiyantara (Fig. 16).

Fig. 15: The offertory song Atur Pisungsung, composed by Sito Mardowo48

47 Bapak Sito Mardowo was one of my gamelan teachers at the PPPPTK, Sleman, Yogyakarta,
in 2010-2011.
48 Kidung Adi - Buku balungan, Jilid III, n. 655 (PML Yogyakarta 2014). The arrow in the ‘Kidung’
part indicates when the choir enters.

238 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

 Fig. 16: Variant of the offertory song Atur Pisungsung by Didik Surpiyantara, pl. pt. 649 –
Ketawang irm. Dados – garap: Langgam

In Didik Supriyantara’s manuscript, we observe groups of balungan notes not

in compliance with the printed version, as well as some noted variations for the
bonang (see umpak section) and saron (see umpak – kanggé demung saron section
and the group of notes in the kidung section). It is also interesting to observe the
placement of the arrow indicating the entrance of the choir between note ‘6’ and
‘2’ instead of note ‘5’ and ‘6’ (Fig. 16). We need to remember that we are not re-
ferring to an oral tradition, and the changes made by Didik Supriyantara represent
a critical approach to the printed reference. As regards the playing techniques
of instruments, there is a huge range of possibilities, but only those that suit the
specific liturgical moment are selected. The case of the kendhang (doubleheaded
drum) is exemplary, because this instrument influences both the types of playing
techniques of the other instruments and the resulting rendition of the composition.
Each gamelan orchestra has three types of kendhang of different sizes: ageng (the
biggest), ketipung (the smallest) and batangan (medium-sized). In the short mu-
sical forms, the first two are played together and are called kendhang kalih. The

49 Transcription in compliance with Pak Didik Supriyantara’s manuscript.

239
kendhang kalih usually plays simple rhythmic formulas, whereas the kendhang
batangan plays long sequences of complex rhythmic formulas. During the Mass,
all three types of kendhang can be played, but this depends on the specific moment
of the liturgy. The opening, the closing, the offertory and the communion are ap-
propriate moments to play the kendhang batangan. A good example is the ‘lagu:
dados!’ section of the opening song ‘Sewaka Bakti’, which uses the batangan (see
Fig. 8). The kendang kalih is preferred for the other moments, such as for Psalms
(see Fig. 11) or Alleluia.

Tradition and experiments

The liturgy also offers the opportunity to introduce new elements or variants to
the traditional models. Within the repertoire, there are compositions that use el-
ements of other regional musical traditions, as well as irregular musical forms.
An example of the first case is the group of songs in the Madah Bakti I played in
two different ceremonies in the Parish of Saint Jacob in Bantul. In the repertoire,
in the header, we read ‘gaya Sunda’ and they have a different structure, a different
use of gong and kempul, and different kendhang formulas (Fig. 17-18). In the
second case, two examples of irregular forms are shown, Bapa Kami (Fig. 19),
and the communion song Pujiastuti (Fig. 20) (Audio 9). The first presents an odd
number of gåtrå, a rare case in the traditional gamelan music of central Java.50
The second, in section B, is in 3/4 metre; such experiments (with incomplete
gåtrå) have been attempted even in the traditional music of Central Java, without
being absorbed by the culture; on the contrary, Pujiastuiti is quite popular among
the liturgical songs and is often played.

50 Gåtrå are the groups of four notes in which the balungan is organised. See also Rahayu Supanggah
(2005).

240 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

 Fig. 17: Kemuliaan.51 Example of the introduction of variants to the traditional models:
the transcription shows the different use of the gong

51 Madah Bakti – Buku Iringan Gamelan (PML Yogyakarta ed. 2010: 7-8).

241
Fig. 18: Sewaka Bakti.52 Example of the introduction of variants to the traditional models

52 Madah Bakti – Buku Iringan Gamelan (PML Yogyakarta ed. 2010: 5).

242 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

Fig. 19: Bapa Kami.53 Example of a composition characterised by irregular musical forms

Audio 9
Pujiastuti, communion song

Fig. 20: Ladrang Pamijen, Pujiastuti, Pl. Nem.54 Example of a composition characterised
by irregular musical forms: the second part of the transcription shows a metre in 3/4

53 Madah Bakti – Buku Iringan Gamelan (PML Yogyakarta ed. 2010: 51).
54 Transcription in compliance with Pak Didik Supriyantara’s manuscript.

243
Final remarks

Liturgical gamelan songs are actually successful experiments in the convergence

of two different cultures, where the traditional gamelan music of Central Java
retains its essence. Looking at the musical forms and the way they are performed,
we have observed a significant re-contextualisation of the tradition within the lit-
urgy, in an attempt to preserve not only the musical but also the symbolic and ritu-
al aspects of a gamelan composition. However, it is also clear that in this process
of inculturation something has been lost or set aside. The prevalence of songs in
pélog scales and short musical forms are clear examples, as well as the absence
of vocal performing styles modelled on the sindhenan. As regards the arrange-
ments for choir, we have seen how they remain a prerogative of Western musi-
cians, showing how this process of inculturation is still incomplete. In these pages,
I have also mentioned the common practice of the gamelan players and choir of
having a period of separate rehearsals, which affects the rendition of a liturgical
song, especially as regards pitch and tempo. However, despite its actual limits, the
process of inculturation has also created a lively environment and opened new
perspectives for gamelan traditional music. Even if the implementation of the
choir on top of pre-existing traditional structures still represents something far
from the Javanese traditional culture, it has been received positively. The West-
ern musical tradition has also inspired the creation of new types of compositions
that still retain the spirit of the gamelan tradition. In combination, these elements
do not compromise the Javanese musical culture, rather they somehow show the
strengthening of a musical tradition, capable of reinventing itself and preserving
its own distinctive characteristics.

244 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA

References

HARSI and GUNARTO

2014 Mengenal Sosok C. Harjåsoebråtå – Seniman yang tidak ingin disebut
seniman, Indie Book Corner, Semarang

HOOD, Mantle
1977 The Nuclear Theme as a Determinant of Patet in Javanese Music,
Da Capo Press, New York
1980 The Evolution of Javanese Gamelan. Book I: Music of the Roaring Sea,
Florian Noetzel Verlag, Heinrichshofen, Wilhelmshaven

KUNST, Jaap
1973 Music in Java. Its History, its Theory and its Technique, 3rd enlarged
edition, Ernst Heins ed., Martinus Nijhoff, Den Haag

PERLMAN, Marc
1991 ‘The Term Karawitan’, in Balungan V 1: 28

PML Yogyakarta (ed.)

1980 Madah Bakti – Buku Umat, PML Yogyakarta Press, Yogyakarta
2010 Madah bakti – Buku Iringan Gamelan, 3rd ed., PML Yogyakarta Press,
Yogyakarta
2013a Kidung Adi – Buku Kor, Jilid I-IV, 8th ed., PML Yogyakarta Press,
Yogyakarta
2013b Madah bakti – Buku Kor Campur Dengan Iringan Gamelan, PML
Yogyakarta Press, Yogyakarta
2014 Kidung Adi – Buku Balungan, Jilid I-III, 8th ed., PML Yogyakarta Press,
Yogyakarta
2014 Kidung Adi – Buku Umat, 37th ed., PML Yogyakarta Press, Yogyakarta
2015 Madah Bakti, 194th ed., PML Yogyakarta Press, Yogyakarta

POPLAWSKA, Marzanna
2011 ‘Christianity and Inculturated Music in Indonesia’, in Southeast Review
of Asian Studies XXXIII: 186-198

PRIER, Karl-Edmund
2008 Perjalanan Musik Gareja Katolik Indonesia Tahun 1957-2007, PML
Yogyakarta Press, Yogyakarta

245
SARIDAL, Chris
2000 Kidungan Katur Tyas Dalem Sri Yesus Ingkang Mahasuci – Kanthi Iringan
Gendhing, Greja Tyas Dalem Ganjuran, Sumbermulya, Bambangglipuro,
Bantul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Ganjuran, Yogyakarta
n.d. Kidungan Jemuah Adi - Gendhing-gendhing Jawi Slendro 9 (Seksi
Pendidikan & Kebudayaan Paroki Ganjuran Kangge Kabetahan Liturgi),
unpublished typewritten text, Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Ganjuran, Yogyakarta

SISWANTO
2015 Tutnunan Karawitan II, PML Yogyakarta Press, Yogyakarta

SOEDARSONO R. M.
2003 ‘Ritual Performing Arts in the Court of Yogyakarta Past and Present’,
in S. Nakagawa, R.M. Soedarsono, I.M. Bandem (eds.), Urban Culture
Research, Vol. 1, University of Gadja Mada, Yogyakarta

SUPANGGAH, Rahayu
2005 ‘Gatra: A Basic Concept of Traditional Javanese Gending’, in Balungan,
9-10: 1-11

246 PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF SOUTHESTA ASIA