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A very nice recording of Javanese bamboo flute and gamelan

07/15/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a very nice re-issue of an old recording by the great master of the bamboo flute (suling), Salaeman.The first four tracks are wonderful kacapi-suling pieces, which made a lasting impression on me. The melodies and the beautifully executed variations on it evoke pictures of soaring birds, the tranquility of a forest hermitage, flowers. They echo in the mind long after the music has finished. In my experience this music is highly appreciated also by people who have never heard any Indonesian music before. A sound sample is available here.The other tracks are Cirebon gamelan pieces, mainly dance tracks (without the dancers unfortunately) in the slendro pentatonic scale, which do not quite make the impression the first side of the record makes. They do give a rare glimpse into the world of Cirebon Javanese gamelan, a style distinct from the more well-known Central Java tradition, and closer to the Sunda way of playing, with a rippling multi-layer melody on t! ! he metallophones (the fastest one played by two interlocking instruments) accompanied by very nice drumming."