BALINESE THEATRE AND DANCE MUSIC
UNESCO COLLECTION MUSICAL SOURCES
Philips, 1973, 6586 013
The prestigious collection ''Musical Sources'' has been partially reissued on compact discs but as it is the case for other labels some of the original albums have escaped reissue to some extent. Why I don't know but this album allows us to discover some less-known types of music thanks to Jacques Brunet the tireless researcher in the field of music from the south-east of Asia. He recorded several types of orchestras in 1970 starting with track A1 on an archaic form of Balinese theatre called ''gambuh''. Gambuh is in fact a flute (four flutes here) which plays the major role along other instruments and a narrator and two singers.
Track A2 presents the gender wayang a sacred puppet theatre whose repertoire is that of the Mahabharata.
Track B1 is about ''arja'' a kind of total performance with some comedy, tragedy, comic interludes and lyrical episodes. Arja is very popular and can last several nights with first-rate performers as it is the case here.
Track B2 is called ''Jangar'' which is a set of dances created in the 1930s based on trance and exorcism dances. Two groups of singers (male and female) sing together with the orchestra. The public can join in the dance.
Track B3 ''Joged Bumbung'' is a relatively recent dance of seduction where a female dancer faces one male spectator and tries to get him dancing. The orchestra includes four bamboo xylophones.
Track A2 presents the gender wayang a sacred puppet theatre whose repertoire is that of the Mahabharata.
Track B1 is about ''arja'' a kind of total performance with some comedy, tragedy, comic interludes and lyrical episodes. Arja is very popular and can last several nights with first-rate performers as it is the case here.
Track B2 is called ''Jangar'' which is a set of dances created in the 1930s based on trance and exorcism dances. Two groups of singers (male and female) sing together with the orchestra. The public can join in the dance.
Track B3 ''Joged Bumbung'' is a relatively recent dance of seduction where a female dancer faces one male spectator and tries to get him dancing. The orchestra includes four bamboo xylophones.
Dear Hervé, wonderful. I've been looking for this for a long time.
ReplyDeleteNow I only need two more for my collection of "Musical Sources".
And then I would like to thank you for so many jewels I´ve found on your great blog. Keep it up! Best wishes - Bernhard
My pleasure Bernhard; hope you don't miss the English text too much.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the two other albums you are looking for ?
Hi, thanks for the feedback.
ReplyDeleteI do not have
https://www.discogs.com/de/release/2703582-Various-Jewish-Music
https://www.discogs.com/de/release/6027085-Various-Zaidi-And-Shafii-Islamic-Religious-Chanting-From-North-Yemen
The other UNESCO-series "Musical Atlas" and "Bärenreiter" I have completely (LP, CD-Auvidis, mp3).
Many thanks Herve!! for the music and for the scans!!
ReplyDeleteBernhard, you can get the LP Jewish Music here :https://archive.org/details/lp_jewish-music_various/disc1/01.01.+Benediction+For+New+Year's+Day+And+The+Day+Of+Atonement+Followed+By+Signals+On+The+Shofar+(Ram's+Horn).mp3
ReplyDeleteAs for the other one it looks it's gonna be much more difficult....
Hervé, wow - that´s fantastic!
DeleteThank you very much for the link.
Maybe I can help you with my record collection, if you are looking for something ? Would be nice.
Greetings Bernhard