A Very Brief Look at the Influence of Gamelan on Classical Music

Indonesian gamelan music has influenced western composers, ranging from Claude Debussy to John Cage and Lou Harrison.

[@fcgier]

This introductory overview is, indeed "very brief," which is why some composers and details are absent. It was prepared as a class project with a five-minute limit.

[@Hailey_Paige_1937]

Ravel was, too! You can hear the influences in his “Ma Mére l’Oye” Suite and in “La Vallée des cloches” from “Miroirs.”

[@fcgier]

And the second movement of his string quartet. He was only fourteen at the time of the exposition and had just moved to Paris to join the conservatoire, so he just barely made it!

[@bebekprojek]

It felt like it took me to another realm that seemed like I had been before but had never been

[@bot-ox]

Debussy admitted that several of his musical compositions was influenced by gamelan.

[@zNblack00]

And later Debussy influenced the jazz genre itself. It was quite mind blowing to know that something traditional and mystical sounded music like game had indirectly or directly also contributed to the jazz music

[@brandonbarrett7595]

@@zNblack00 How do you know that it influenced the jazz genre? I'm genuinely curious

[@tesseract_id]

In the cultural background which gamelan was invented - the Javanese people believe in harmonic composition of multiverse within layers, all of them are represented in gamelan ( "Gamel" means mastery (Based on Sanskrit language), and "Gamelan" might be intepreted as sets of disciplinaries to mastery life, performed as an ensamble).Some of composition are performed in particular time of special events & places as contemplative ceremony. Perhaps,...there's something related with "Binaural frequencies".

[@harrisafiari6938]

Great music west and east become nice harmoni

[@afrizaanimawana8825]

i am from Java Island, Indonesia, and im so proud of gamelan. #respect

[@WrulfWroar]

Im classical musician and I confirm that gamelan ensemble is really godtier XDD

[@fcgier]

I don't blame you. It is a beautiful instrument. There is an ensemble at a university near me, and I go to see and hear it any chance I get.

[@sharraleigh]

@@fcgier just FYI, the "e" in gamelan is pronounced like "eh", so it's a long "e" sound. :)

[@ary9344]

@@sharraleigh I'm Javanese, his pronunciation is correct. the "e" is as in the word "the."

[@sharraleigh]

@@ary9344 In Malaysia we pronounce it the way I wrote it :)

[@henkvandijk1807]

Also read De oostenwind waait naar het westen (KITLV Press, Leiden) about composers from the Dutch East Indies. For example, a oprea about a Javanse dancer, named Attima, was already written from 1902 onwards by composer Constant van de Wall and in 1917 performed by the French opera in the city of The Hague, Holland.

[@ondinehd6889]

Also Ligeti (Etudes for Piano: étude #7, "Galamb Borong"), as well as Poulenc, in his Concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra.

[@sinisterbotanist]

Messiaen too. Think of that celeste + piano bit in Turangalila III

[@dr.brianjudedelimaphd743]

Exactly, where the hell is the mentioning of Oliver Messiaen ??

[@ivanhendr]

Poulenc's concerto for two pianos is clearly imitating Balinese gamelan

[@LouisFrayser]

Thanks. I like that John Cage Sonata V

[@lucienesther]

this is very educational, thank you for sharing!

[@RogertheGS]

Leopold Godowsky's Java Suite ... Philip Glass ...

[@fcgier]

Glass certainly. All of the early minimalists to some extent. And Godowsky definitely built on what Debussy had done, benefiting from his travels and the greater contact he had.

[@fascinationstreet8]

Hey I really love this video! Do you maybe have a small bibliography that I could use for my research?

[@fcgier]

These are the four items in the bibliography of the report that accompanied this video. Ewen, David. Great Composers 1300-1900. The H.W. Wilson Company, New York, 1966 Ewen, David. Composers Since 1900. The H.W. Wilson Company, New York, 1971 Hugh, Brent. Claude Debussy and the Javanese Gamelan. 1997 Kennedy, Michael. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. Oxford University Press, 1980

[@quokka585]

wonderful video! what is the first music in the video?

[@robertethanbowman]

Kaneda! Tetsuo!

[@georgiahn39]

anyone got this for music hw?

[@sylvainmathieu3887]

Don't forget all the works from Colin McPhee

[@TomKotarba]

Ligeti as well.

[@fisherroastedpeanut]

Also Ligeti

[@aasherwright4130]

geee..... missed to mention Steve Reich !

[@fcgier]

I missed a couple others, too. I was trying to keep it short and simple, which always means making hard choices.

[@mitchellwarren4376]

No mention of Britten?

[@fcgier]

Not in an overview this concise, I'm afraid. This was intended as a bare overview, and I believe these three examples would be agreed on as essential by most. Were this expanded even modestly into a more thorough presentation, Britten would be near or at the top of the list of names added.

[@jacobmorris3664]

Definite in Death in Venice.

[@pr0ses]

Where is collin McPhee

[@fcgier]

Lost in the shadow of Lou Harrison, I fear, due to the limited duration this school project had to be.

[@NewArchipelago]

Gamelan is beautiful. The classical piano pieces in this video are frankly just a racket to me.

[@amj.composer]

I thought I was the only one who thought that. I tried to like it, but yeah it didn't work :/

[@molybdaenmornell123hopp5]

@@amj.composer I managed.

[@fedorvoronovcomposer]

1:33 HTF is this inspired by gamelan? do you have evidence (like his sayings like "oooh, I was inspired by gamelan much composing that sh@t") ?

[@fcgier]

Yes. Debussy spent considerable time at the gamelan, making notes, described the elements of Javanese music that inspired him in a letter written to Pierre Louÿs, and further elaborated on its influence in other writings (collected in Debussy on Music).

[@diegoortegadod]

Hello, I am writing an essay on this topic, please let me know if there are any sources you could provide me with, specifically with Debussy. Thank you so much :)

[@Sheilazag]

@@diegoortegadod I think you can go on Monsieur Croche, if I'm remembering well! There are some other good sources, and e-books you can investigate. Good work!