A brief history of gamelan

by Tim Byard-Jones

 

Contents

A brief history of gamelan (1)

The earliest gamelan (2)

The influence of Islam (3)

Soft instruments and other additions (4)

Division and the Dutch (5)

Courts and Kêris (6)

Diverse styles (7)

Seleh Notes Volume 2 Number 2 March 1995

© Tim Byard-Jones

Biography of
Tim Byard-Jones

Gamelan music is too often romanticised in the West as something 'timeless', or an 'ancient survival'.

In fact the modern gamelan comprises a number of layers originating from different periods of Java's cultural history.

In this article I aim to offer a few pointers to understanding the history of gamelan as I see it: any questions, comments or dissenting opinions would be welcomed.

The main periods of Javanese history are as follows. The Hindu/Buddhist dynasties of Sailendra and Mataram flourished in Central Java (c.700-1000 AD), followed by the dynasties of Kediri, Singosari and Majapahit in East Java (c.1050-1400 AD).

The coming of Islam to Java, and the missionary work of the nine Islamic Saints (wali sanga), in the 14th century led to the rise of Islamic states such as Demak on the North coast.

Somewhere around the end of the 16th century the second Mataram dynasty was founded in Central Java by Senopati.

The Javanese were now competing not only with neighbours like Malacca but with the Portuguese and the Dutch as well.

Mataram was weakened by civil war in the 18th century and split into two parts -Yogyakarta and Surakarta.

From then on Dutch control steadily increased, punctuated by British rule under Raffles from 1811 to 1816 and the Java war of 1825-30.

Japanese occupation from 1942-45 was followed by a war of independence which culminated in the Dutch recognising the Republic of Indonesia in 1949.

Click on the map for a larger image.

Map of Java

 

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