Product Code Database
The gong ageng (or gong gedhe in Ngoko Javanese, meaning large gong) is an Indonesian musical instrument used in the Javanese people gamelan. It is the largest of the bronze in the and gamelan orchestra and the only large gong that is called gong in Javanese.Lindsay, Jennifer (1992). Javanese Gamelan, p.10-11. . "The largest phrase of a gamelan melody is marked by the deepest sounding and largest instrument, the large gong or gong ageng....The gong ageng is made of bronze..." Unlike the more famous China or Turkish tam-tams, Indonesian gongs have fixed, focused pitch, and are dissimilar to the familiar crash cymbal sound. The gong ageng is circular, with a conical, tapering base of diameter smaller than the gong face, with a protruding polished boss where it is struck by a padded mallet. Gongs with a diameter as large as have been created in the past, but gongs larger than about are more common today, especially to suit the budget of educational institutions.Wasisto Surjodiningrat (Raden Mas), P. J. Sudarjana, Adhi Susanto (1993). Tone measurements of outstanding Javanese gamelan in Yogyakarta and Surakarta, . Gadjah Mada University Press. . 56 pages.
There is at least one large gong in each gamelan, but two are common and older gamelans may have three or more. Each gong ageng usually has its own name, which may be bestowed upon the entire set of instruments. The gong ageng is considered the most important instrument in a gamelan ensemble: the soul or spirit of the gamelan is said to live in the gong.University of South Dakota. US National Music Museum, The Beede Gallery: Gong Ageng from the Javanese Gamelan Kyai Rengga Manis Everist at http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/Gamelan/9918/GongAgeng99189919.html. Updated 9 September 2009. Access date 24 May 2010. Gong ageng are often proffered ritual offerings of flowers, food, and/or incense before performancesBroughton, Simon, et al., eds. (1994). World Music: The Rough Guide, p.418. London: The Rough Guides. 1858280176 or each Thursday evening to appease spirits believed to live in and around it.
Commonly, less expensive iron gong ageng or a slit-type gong are made to fulfill the role of the bronze gong for poorer regions and villages, though at the loss of sound quality. The cost of expertly pure cast and beaten bronze has caused a rise in bronze-plated and bronze-laminated iron gongs created for the undiscerning expatriate.
The gong is fabricated to resonate at the lowest thresholds of human hearing (20 Hz to 20,000 Hz). Actual pitch will vary, but a fine gong ageng of example of the Nusantara Museum of Delft was measured to have a fundamental tone of 44.5 Hz.Geert van Oldenborgh, G. (2002) Tone Measurement of Gong Ageng Museum Nusantara, Delft: www.xs4all.nl/~gjvo/gamelan/delft. The Gong Ageng has about a dozen prominent exponentially decaying partials, with some component frequency ratios that closely correspond to harmonics and others that are enharmonic. Many of the partials have a slow amplitude and frequency modulation of a few Hertz, and a faster modulation around 20 Hz.Ayers, Lydia and Homer, Andrew (1999). "Synethesizing a Gong Ageng", Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, Volume 47: 1999, . Audio Engineering Society. Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. Available as pdf: http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~ich/research/misc/papers/cr1116.pdf The instruments of the gamelan are then fabricated on the fundamental tone of the gong ageng pitch is basis of the slendro pitch "6" ( enam, or nem) of It is typically pitched to match the 6 of the gamelan.Hood, Mantle (1980). The evolution of Javanese gamelan, Volume 2, . Heinrichshofen. . 211 pages.
In larger gendhing (compositions), only the gong ageng is employed. Some gamelan sets for cost considerations will use the gong ageng for both pélog and sléndro scale systems. A truly full set in a keraton(palace) will have two gong ageng.
The gong suwukan or gong siyem is the smaller gong in the set used for smaller phrases. It is generally pitched higher, and at different pitches for pélog and sléndro. Frequently gamelans will have more than one gong suwukan, for different ending notes, and different pathet.
Most common is a 1 for pathet sanga and lima, and 2 for pélog pathet nem and barang, and sléndro pathet nem and manyura. Usually a 1 can be played for gatra ending in 1 or 5, and a 2 for 2 or 6. A few gamelans include a gong suwukan 3 as well.Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University: Indonesian Gamelan: Gong ageng http://www.seasite.niu.edu/indonesian/budaya_bangsa/gamelan/javanese_gamelan/gongs/gong_ageng.htm. Access date 24 May 2010.
The goong ageung plays a similar role in Sundanese gamelan (e.g. degung). The kempur in Balinese gamelan is similar to the gong suwukan (and not to be confused with the Javanese kempul). In other Indonesian and Philippine cultures, its analog is the agung.Dewantara, Karya (1931). Sari Swara, .
On auspicious or important occasions a gong ageng is often struck, just as in Western society a ribbon may be cut or a champagne bottle smashed (commissioning of a building or ship, launching a project, finalizing a major business deal, and similar occasions).
In the houses of the wealthy, mainly Javanese aristocrat families of Jakarta, gong ageng are used to herald the arrival of guests. Less important guests are heralded by the kempul.
|
|
