Slowly catching up on the backlog. 1-dec-1997
Updated a few links, added reviews and samples of two Javanese CDs 8-may-1997
Reviews of Javanese music on CD and tape
This is a list of some of the Javanese CDs and tapes on the market, with track
information and short reviews, concentrating on classical Javanese
and Sundanese music. Most of the CDs can be found at the All Music
Guide (CDnow, CDworld), but without the reviews yet (which
should appear RSN). Others (notably the Keraton series) I bought in
Indonesia. Another good source is the American Gamelan Institute,
especially for some of the tapes and modern Javanese gamelan music, or the
Indonesian Music Shop, and
I just found another source: Multicultural
Media. A mail order firm in the Netherlands that also carries most Indonesian CDs is Hatopa Music, tel/fax +31-30-6032966.
If anyone has information about records or tapes (s)he would like to
contribute feel free to send mail to me and I'll put them
on this page.
The music samples have been chosen to reflect one aspect of the CD; as this
involves choosing 20-odd seconds off a one-hour compilation it can in no way reflect
the full scope of the music. The quality has been severely degraded for the web, but
I still recommend to play them over decent speakers - my built-in speaker completely
loses the gongs. I hope they gives a taste of the music.
(more notes)
I personally like very much these
Solo,
Yogya and
Mangkunagaran gamelan recordings,
and the Sunda Kecapi Suling (flute) and
Tembang (songs) CDs
The transcription of Javanese words is given as on the CD, as
many have passed through Japanese the conventions differ wildly.
Javanese Classical Music
- Klenengan Session of Solonese Gamelan I, King Record KICC 5185
- Chamber Music of Central Java, King Record KICC 5152
- Court Music of Kraton Surakarta, King Record KICC 5151
- Bedayah Duradasih, Court Music of Kraton Surakarta II, King Record KICC 5193
- Music of Mangkunegaran Solo I, King Record KICC 5184
- Langendriyan, Music of Mangkunegaran Solo II, King Record KICC 5194
- The Gamelan of Cirebon, King Record KICC 5130
- The Javanese Gamelan, King Record KICC 5129
- Javanese Court Gamelan, Elektra/Nonesuch 972044-2
- Royal Palace of Yogyakarta, Vol 1-Court Dances, Ocora Radio France C 560067, Keraton CDK 006
- Royal Palace of Yogyakarta, Vol 2-Instrumental Music, Ocora Radio France C 560068, Keraton CDK 007
- Royal Palace of Yogyakarta, Vol 3-Spiritual & Sacred Music, Ocora Radio France C 560069, Keraton CDK 008
- Royal Palace of Yogyakarta, Vol 4-Concert Music, Ocora Radio France C 560087 NEW
- Original Javanese Classical (Gending Music), Vol 1, Keraton CDK ???
- Original Javanese Classical (Gending Music), Vol 2, Keraton CDK 027 NEW
- Highlights of Ramayana Story, Keraton CDK 009/010
- Java: Langen Mandra Wanara, Opera by Danuredjo VII, Ocora Radia France C 559014/15 (2 CDs), reviewed here
- Gamelan of Surakarta, JVC VICG-5263
- Dewa Ruci, een Javaans Schimmenspel, EW 9523
- Shadow Music of Java, Rounder CD 5060
- Java: Art Vocal, Auvidis Unesco D 8014, reviewed here
- The music of K.R.T. Wasitodiningrat, CMP Records 3007, reviewed here and sold here
- The sultan's pleasure, Javanese gamelan & vocal music from the palace of Yogyakarta, Music of the World CDT-116
- Gending Soran, Lokananta ACD-010
- Jaka Tarub, Lokananta ACD-068
- Ketawang Puspawarna, Lokananta ACD-163
- Ladrang Pudyastuti, Lokananta ACD-210
- Mijil Sulastri, Lokananta ACD-235
- Jaka Tarub Nawang Wulan, Borobudur
- Srimpi Pandelori, Borobudur
- Original Javanese Music, Vol 1, Keraton KR-006
- Original Javanese Music, Vol 2, Keraton KR-007
- Original Javanese Music, Vol 3, Keraton KR-008
- Java - Music of Mystical Enchantment, Lyrichord LLCT 7301. See their catalogue
Sundanese Music
- Sundanese Classical Music, King Record KICC 5131
- Tembang Sunda, Sundanese sung poetry, Auvidis W 260056
- Sunda country: Learned Music 1: Classical Music and Songs, Ocora Radio France C 580064
- Original Sundanese Music: Cianjuran, Keraton CDK ??? (seen on Java)
- The best sound of Kecapi Suling, Maharai unnumbered
- Flute & Gamelan of West Java, TOPIC 50162 913 2 NEW
- Kacapi Suling Vol 1, Cinta, Keraton CDK 014
- Kacapi Suling Vol 2, Tokecang, Keraton CDK 023
- Music from West Java Indonesia, UNESCO D 8041 NEW
- The Best Music by Nano S. - Kalangkang, BAS records ???
- Lolongkrang, Pusaka Sunda. See their own homepage
- Gamelan Degung, Classical Music of Sunda West, Pan 8268 02053 2
- Sunda country: Learned Music 2: The Art of the Degung Gamelan, Ocora Radio France C 580097
- Degung - Mojang Priangan, Sundanese Music of West Java, Interra 266 18 5702 2, Sounds of the World 90155
- Degung - Sabilulungan, Sundanese Music of West Java 2, Sounds of the World 90156
- Original Sundanese Music: Degung, Keraton CDK 013
- The Music of Sunda, JVC VICG-5264
- Idjah Hadidjan: Tonggeret, Elektra/Nonesuch 970173-2
- Indonésie. Le Groupe Angklung, Arion ARN 64183
- Keraton Records has another four CDs with angklung music (CDK 067,073,091,106)
Some Kroncong
Other Javanese Music links
Another set of reviews with cultural background has been collected
by T.M. McComb.
The Javanese Gamelan pages
of Bali & Beyond have
lots of info on the instruments and tuning of the
Javanese gamelan, Mike
Wardi also gives lots of dancing info. The Rough Guide has a
discography of popular indonesian music. And of course there are the
Indonesian home pages, in Canada
and in Jakarta.
THE END
Geert Jan van Oldenborgh,
8-may-1997