Collections of themed recordings curated by John Noise Manis
1 – 31:16 Gendhing DANARAJA slendro sanga
2 – 16:48 Gendhing bonangan DANARAJA slendro sanga
Collection: Digital Series, Gamelan of Central Java
A recording of Gendhing Danaraja was included in the first album of the ‘Gamelan of Central Java’ series released by John Noise Manis in 2001. It is here presented in the two main orchestral formations used in gamelan tradition: the rebab-led vocal-featured version, and the metallophones-dominated bonang version. While the vocal version in this album offers a majestic sunny celebration of Javanese life and spirit, the bonang version directly connects with the opening of the liner notes written for the album of 2001. The notes for that starting volume, which we recall here, had the character of a ‘flash introduction’ to gamelan music.