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Thebonangis anIndonesianmusical instrumentused in theJavanesegamelan.[1]It is a collection of small gongs (sometimes called "kettles" or "pots" ) placed horizontally onto strings in a wooden frame (rancak), either one or two rows wide. All of the kettles have a central boss, but around it the lower-pitched ones have a flattened head, while the higher ones have an arched one. Each is tuned to a specific pitch in the appropriate scale; thus there are different bonang forpelogandslendro.They are typically hit with padded sticks (tabuh). This is similar to the other cradled gongs in the gamelan, thekethuk,kempyang,andkenong.Bonang may be made of forgedbronze,welded and cold-hammerediron,or a combination of metals. In addition to the gong-shaped form of kettles, economical bonang made of hammered iron or brass plates with raised bosses are often found in village gamelan, inSuriname-style gamelan, and in someAmerican gamelan. In central Javanese gamelan there are three types of bonang used:
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| Classification | |
|---|---|
| Developed | Indonesia |
- Bonang panerusis the highest of them and uses the smallest kettles. It generally covers two octaves (sometimes more inslendroonSolonese-style instruments), covering approximately the same range as thesaronandpekingcombined. It plays the fastest rhythms of the bonang, either interlocking with or playing at twice the speed of the bonang barung.
- Bonang barungis pitched one octave below the bonang panerus, and also generally covers two octaves, approximately the same range as thedemungand saron combined. This is one of the most important instruments in the ensemble, as it gives many of the cues to other players in the gamelan.
- Bonang panembungis pitched the lowest. It is more common inYogyanesestyle gamelan, covering approximately the same range as theslenthemanddemungcombined. When present in Solonese-style gamelan, may have only one row of six (slendro) or seven kettles sounding in the same register as theslenthem.It is reserved for the most austere repertoire, typically playing a paraphrase of thebalungan.
The parts played by thebonang barungandbonang panerusare more complex than many instruments in the gamelan; thus, it is generally considered anelaborating instrument.Sometimes it plays melodies based on thebalungan,though generally modified simply. However, it can also play more complex patterns, obtained by combining barung and panerus patterns, such as the alternation of interlocking parts (imbal) and the interpolation of florid melodic patterns (sekaran).
Thekolenang,a bonang whose single row of kettles is laid out in a V or U shape, is a leading melodic instrument in theSundaneseGamelan degung.[2]
The bonang is similar to the Balinesereongand the single-rowkulintangof the southern Philippines and Borneo.
See also
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References
edit- ^Spiller, Henry (2010-04-15).Focus: Gamelan Music of Indonesia.Routledge. p. 80.ISBN978-1-135-90190-5.
- ^Gamelan Degung,in "Sekar Enggal: Music of West Java"