Gamelan

This survey introduces the gamelan, the ensemble of tuned gongs and metallophones, as it is played today in Java, Bali, Cirebon, and West Java among the Sundanese. Rather than dwelling on scales and modal theory, the book looks at how musicians compose and perform, and how those choices connect to community identity and personal meaning.

The opening chapters sketch the geography and history of Southeast Asia before turning to the distinct gamelan traditions of Bali and Java. A chapter on music and dance in West Java presents material on several Sundanese genres that has not been published before.

The final section is a case study of two homegrown modern forms, jaipongan and dangdut. It asks where these styles come from, what purposes they serve, and what questions of authenticity surround them.