Search - Various Artists :: Gamelan Semar Pegulingan

Sweet and Divine as the Balinese God of Love: Semara!!!

Kean Chhay Chang | Vic, Australia | 06/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An extraordinary cd containing very sweet and heavenly music that I have ever heard so far on Balinese Gamelan Semar Pegulingan... wonderful... heavenly sweet and divine in instrumentation and sound. This is a rare opportunity to hear the seven tone orchestra used by the royal court as music for sleeping... The recordings are very delicate and the sounds of metallophones, gong chimes, cymbals, spiked fiddle and flutes help interweave complex and wonderful sounds to one's ear. Swirling and fluttering sounds of flutes and jingling of metallophones, clatter of cymbals and wailing of the spiked fiddle ad their unique charm to this type and style of Balinese music. The musical style is steep in history from it's ancient and early beginnings with ancient art forms transplanting itself from Java to Bali during the 16th century. Thus came many court traditions and one of them was Gamelan Semar Pegulingan a gift from the God of Love: Semara. Overall this cd is quite enjoyable great music for relaxation or doing whatever really... however it's got that hauntingly beautiful timbre and texture unlike gong kebyar with it's loudness. Gamelan Semar Pegulingan is totally the opposite beautiful and refined and very dreamy in many aspects as for it's quality that was sought after by the royal kings of Balinese courts centuries ago. I give this cd the thumbs up with traditional compositions and modern ones created by the late I Wayan Lotring who actually composed many new pieces of music for Gamelan Semar Pegulingan... Wonderful booklet explaining each of the tracks as well as explaining the purpose and role of the orchestra as well as it's origin. For those who want love music from the island of Bali then a gift from the god Semara in music if for you..."