Year 6, #2

Satuday, 26 August 2006
Home of Ibu Cendhani Laras, Baluwarti, Solo

Dear Friends,

Last night, we had the 2nd klenengan in the SIXTH fiscal year of Pujangga Laras at the home of Ibu Cendhani Laras in Baluwarti. It started at 8:00 pm and went until 1:50 am. It was quite unusual.

First of all there were fewer musicians than normal. It is the month of Ruwah in the Javanese calendar—a month full of village-cleansing ceremonies involving wayang and klenengan, and the last chance to fit a wedding in before the fasting month. There was a Mangkunegaran event at Danar Hadi and a dance event at SMKI, so a number of musicians came late.

Also and most notably—Bp. Idris Sardi was in attendance. He is an extremely famous violinist who is pretty much a household word in Javanese homes. He plays jazz, modern, and classical music and is a well-known educator and promoter of the arts. He lives in Solo and is a neighbor and good friend of Pak Panggah's. He is just now (at the age 60) studying karawitan with Pak Panggah as he has decided that "Western based music has for the most part lost it's interactive nature. I have searched and searched for interaction in music and tried to initiate it in my work on violin, and only at this age have I realized it was in my backyard all the time. So I have finally decided to turn to karawitan and somehow work it in to what I do." Last month he came and listened, but this month Pak Panggah passed on a request of his to "play one piece with Pujangga Laras." We really didn't know what to expect, but we said OK to this one-time request.

Musicians were all in awe when he arrived—he is very famous. He sat through the first 4 pieces (Gobet, Alas Padhang, Miyanggong bedhayan, Sedhet) and listened and then got out his violin (and unfortunately little mini sound system.). The musicians decided to do Ldr. Kapidhondhong, pl 6. He apologized profusely beforehand and acknowledged he was "an idiot" about karawitan and thanked them for the opportunity. When he first started in, trying to "follow" and improvise freely, most musicians couldn't keep a straight face and some were annoyed. It was very entertaining to watch mas Kuwat try to play suling and suppress his giggles at the same time. But suddenly by the 3-4th repetition of the ciblonan gongan I have to admit that we all looked around and suddenly everyone was just playing and not reacting anymore and somehow what he was doing wasn't bad—he was actually somehow reacting in an interesting way that showed he had feeling and a great ear. Not karawitan knowledge, but interesting. The musicians had stopped smirking and seemed to range in reaction from "whatever" to "that was sort of interesting" to "it's great that he appreciates karawitan, since he's such a powerful force in the music world here".

Then he gave a little speech about the need for interaction in music, etc, etc and how impressed he was with how gamelan musicians look like they're each off in their own world but they are actually so interdependent and listening to eachother, etc etc. Then he sat right by the rebab and closed his eyes and listened intently through the next suite and jineman. After dinner however, he unfortunatley got out the violin again and tried to play again with Ldr. Gandrung Binangun, pl 7 (Nartosabdo), and that attempt was highly unsuccessful. He played along with the bawa (much to Pak Panut's annoyance) and had a very hard time getting a feel for pl 7 in general and Pak Narto's vokal melody—it was, in my opinion, only grating and very little else. The musicians went from the ladrang right into Ayak-ayakan Umbul Donga early (1:50) and when he played along to the panutup (especially one from the Kraton when we were at the home of a Kraton abdidalem, Bu Cendhani) I think he'd gone too far in pretty much everyone's mind, but of course he had no way of distinguishing that, poor guy. But I hope that maybe what we can remember and take away is the Ldr. Kapidhondhong, with time. It was a one-off thing and we won't be asking him back unless he just wants to listen—but it was somewhat interesting as a one-off and I think overall the musicians were OK with it.

The September klenengan will be held on Saturday, 30 September, place yet to be announced.

Acara Gendhing

  1. (None of the pieces tonight were planned ahead of time, as Pak Dalimin is still too weak to come from his stroke, and the other musicians don't really take up the leadership and plan gendhing ahead of time. We asked Pak Raji to bring the vokal notation for Miyanggong, that's all.)

  2. Gd. Gobet kt 4 kr mg 8, pt jugag, pl 6

    rb: Wahyo
    gd; Cipt Ngasinah
    kd Yadi
    gb: Wakiyo
    bn: Sagimin
    suling: Mujiono
    gd pn: Priyo

    listen to audio

  3. Ktw Gd. Alas Padhang kt 2 kerep mg Ldr Kandhamanyura ktp Ktw Tarupala, pt jugag

    rb: Wahyo
    gd:Cipt Ngasinah
    kd gd: Kamso
    gb: Wakiyo
    bn: Sagimin

    listen to audio

  4. Gd. Miyanggong (bedhayan) kt 4 kr mg 4 kalj. Ldr Surung Dhayung, sw. Bk Ktw Sumedhang, pt 6

    rb: Raji
    gd: Cipt Ngasinah
    kd gd: Yadi
    bn: Mardi
    gb. Tulus

    listen to audio start

    listen to audio finish

  5. Gd. Sedhet kt 4 kr mg 8 kalj Ldr. Sri Katon (wilet), pt jugag

    rb: Raji
    gd: Kamso
    kd gd: Yadi
    cib : Yadi
    gb: Tulus
    bn: Mardi

    listen to audio

  6. Ldr. Kapidhondhong, pl 6—with Bp Idris Sardi on violin

    rb: Raji
    gd: Kamso
    kd: Yadi
    gb: Wakiyo

    listen to audio

  7. Idris Sardi comments and demonstration.

    listen to audio

  8. Jn Uler Kambang, sl 9 (Yatmi)
     

    listen to audio

  9. Ktw. Gd. Jungkang kt 2 kr mg Ldr Kapidhondhong ktp Ktw Kaduk Rena dados Ayak-ayakan rangkep-Srepeg, mawi palaran Pangkur (Mulyani), Dhandhanggula (Yasa) dados Srepeg Mataraman mawi rambangan Dhandhanggula Mataraman (Parni) dados Srepeg Mat rangkep

    rb: Yadi
    gd: Kamso
    kd: Wakidi
    gb: Tulus
    bn: Mardi

    (Quite strange that they played Kapidhondhong again, but in sanga, and they had played Kapid sanga last month at the klenengan, from Gd. Gandakusuma! But overall this suite was absolutely terrific—especially the whole Srepeg and palaran part.)

    listen to audio

    (break for dinner)

  10. pt pl 7 jugag
    Bawa (Panut) dhawah Ldr. Gandrung Binangun dados Ayak-ayakan Umbul Donga, pl 7

    rb: Raji
    gd: Darsono "Jepang"
    kd: Kuwat
    gb: Tulus

    (Also accompanied by Pak Idris Sardi on violin.)

    listen to audio

Musicians Attending

  • Rebab: Wahyo, Raji,Yadi
  • Gender: Cipt Ngasina, Kamso, Darsono
  • Kendhang: Yadi, Kamso, Wakidi, Kuwat
  • Gambang: Wakiyo, Tulus
  • Sindhen: Yatmi, Dharti, Parni, Mulyani, Tugini, Sumini, Warti
  • Gerong: Panut, Yasa, Widodo
  • Bonang: Mardi, Sagimin
  • Gender Penerus: Priyo, Kuwat
  • Siter: Joko Tipes
  • Suling: Mujiono, Ngahana
  • Bonang Penerus: Parman, Harto
  • Slenthem: Ripto
  • Peking:Sutat, Ngahana
  • Gong: Hali, Priyo
  • Kenong: Sarsidi
  • Kethuk: Sular, Parman
  • Balungan: Ngahono, Wakiyo, Joko Tipes, Sular, Pahang, Sutat, Saido, Joko Sabar, Cipt Ngasina, Wardi, Tulus, Prapto, Ngatno

Audience

  • Anne Stebinger, Woodstock, USA
  • Cindy Benton-Groner, USA, and a student
  • Miki, Japan
  • Rainer Schuetz, Germany
  • Wawan
  • Fuqron
     
  • Panggah
  • Djumadi/SMKI
  • Purbo Asmoro

Budget

This month we spent Rp. 6,295,000 ($700 with Rp. 9000 = $1).

Report written by Kitsie Emerson, Jakarta/Solo, 27 August 2006