A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones,xylophones,drums and gongs: bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings.
Vocalists may also be included.
The term refers more to the set of instruments than to the players of those instruments. A gamelan is a set of instruments as a distinct entity, built and tuned to stay together instruments from different gamelan are generally not interchangeable.
The word "gamelan" comes from the Javanese word "gamels", meaning to strike or hammer, and the suffix "an",which makes the root a collective noun. Real hammers are not used to play these instruments as heavy iron hammers would break the delicate instruments.
Sep 24, 2010
Gamelan
Labels:
Musical
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