south east asia
Java and Bali - Gamelan Gong
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, primarily associated with the islands of Bali and Java though variations can be found throughout the Malay Archipelago. The word ‘gamelan’ is derived from the word ‘gamel’ which most commonly translates as ‘to hit with a hammer’. The gongs of the gamelan are very distinctive, with a pronounced boss which can be either round or conical, a wide face and a deep rim sloping back towards the centre line of the gong. They are usually made from bronze though iron is not uncommon, and are made in a smithy known as a besalen.
The gongs of a Gamelan tend to fall into two categories;- those that are suspended vertically and those that are supported horizontally on a rack or on the knees or a cushion.
Gamelan - Vertically Suspended Gongs
The vertically suspended gongs are the largest in the gamelan. They are used to begin, end and punctuate different segments of the metric cycle. There are differences between Javanese and Balinese hanging gongs but all are sub-divided into three types – Bass Voice ( Jave - Gong Ageng, Gong Suwouk, Bali - Gong Wadeon, Gong Lanang), Middle Voice (Java – Kempul, Bali – Kempur, Bheri) and Treble Voice (Java – Kemong, Bali – Kemong, Klintong)
Gamelan - Horizontal Gongs
The horizontal gongs are played either in racks, singularly supported on a box resonator, or in the lap. The Javanese version is the Bonang, a double horizontal row of 10 to 14 gongs with round bosses. Other types are the Bonang Panerus, ,Bonang Panembung, and the Kenong,
The Balinese versions are the Trompong, consisting of 12 gongs with conical bosses, played by one person and the Reong, a horizontal row of small gongs with conical bosses played by one or more players. The gongs in both countries are played with cord wound wooden sticks.
Vietnamese Gongs
As in other parts of South-East Asia, particularly Burma, Thailand and Cambodia, the gong plays an important part in Vietnamese ceremonies, rites and religions. They are believed to be inhabited by spirits and represent a form of communication between humans and the spirit world. A person who possesses many gongs is highly respected, not because of wealth but because they are protected by many spirits. All Vietnamese families own or have access to gongs and they are often used during significant feasts, festivals, the birth of a child, the death of a family member, weddings, and even repairs to the house! Often, several people in the village will gather together with a variety of gongs, as an ensemble, with gongs ranging from 10″/25cm to 31″/80cm in diameter.
The Vietnamese gong shares a general shape with other gongs in this region. The boss is set in a flat face, which is heavily hammer-marked. Between the flat face and the rim, there is a shallow ‘channel’. The rim turns over and is either perpendicular to the face or gently slopes back in on itself. The rim is not very deep, usually between 1cm to 5cm depending on the size of the gong. The surface finish is a brown oxide layer which readily helps distinguish them from the neighbouring Burmese/Thai gongs which are dark green or black in colour. Their tone is bright and bell-like for the smaller gongs, moving to a richer ‘duum’ tone for the larger gongs.
Thai/Burmese Gongs
Gongs from Burma (or Myanmar as it is now known) have a long history and are often quoted as being the beginnings of gong making in South-East Asia along with China, Java and Amman. The Burmese gong has influenced other gong types in this region and is very similar to those found in Thailand, so they are often grouped together. Although there are several types of Burmese gong, the most common are the temple gongs and the triangular-shaped Kyeezee or ‘spinning’ gong.
The shape of the Burmese gong is one of the most recognisable. They are normally made from bronze and have a prominent round boss sitting on a slightly convex curving face with the edge of the boss being slightly recessed. There is a prominent lip moving over to a gently inwardly sloping rim which is deep – usually 1.5″/3cm to 5″/12cm depending on the size of the gong. The oxidised layer is left on the metal and can either be slate grey, black or bottle green in colour. The oxidised layer is often scraped to reveal various patterns, with lotus flower petals or star flower mandala patterns being the most common.
One thing to bear in mind when playing these gongs is that they need to be played with padded beaters and played quietly. They are cast gongs and can crack if played with a hard beater or struck with any force. The sound of the gong is a lovely low ‘dong’ with little overtones and no splash. The decay is fairly short lived and lasts the same length of time whether struck forte or piano.
The ‘Kyeezee’ is a triangular-shaped piece of bronze or brass, often decorated and carved and quite thick in cross-section. It is suspended on a cord at its mid point. When it is struck, it has a piercing bell-like tone and spinning the Kyeezee gives a warbling effect. They are often used in meditation. Both Zildjian and UFIP make their own versions of the Kyeezee called ‘Burmese Bells’.