ETHN 100

Maira Clancy
March 11, 2009
Fraser Ethno100
Listening Journal # 5 – Response to:
Gamelan Sekaten: Ladrang “Kembang Lintang,” from Music in Central Java #6

The background for this song is extremely atmospheric and adds a lot of cultural personality to this composition. The busy, bustling sounds of the country can be heard to complement the tonal rings and chimes of the gongs and it says so much about the environment in which this music was produced.
The song starts out slowly and minimalistic with instrumentation, with seemingly random strikes of different gongs building up upon each other until an even slower hand drum comes in to get the piece rolling. Then, the bells start to speed up and they come together in very dissonant, odd harmonies that make me feel like I am trapped in the ticking mindset of a crazy person. This music is beautiful because it reminds me of a cuckoo clock from Indonesia, which gives the song an eerie, dream-like quality to it.