Collections of themed recordings curated by John Noise Manis
1 – 15:19 Ladrang TURUN SIH pelog lima
2 – 11:56 Sekaten Gendhing RAMBU pelog lima
3 – 12:17 Ladrang MIJIL LUDIRA pelog barang
4 – 12:46 Sekaten Gendhing RANGKUNG pelog lima
5 – 10:42 Ketawang MIJIL DHEMPEL slendro sanga
Collection: Gamelan of Central Java, Original Series
The written comments of both John Noise Manis and Daniel Wolf emphasize the syncretic nature of Javanese spiritual life. Whether one views it as deeply cultural or simply pragmatic, the mixed religious makeup of Javanese society is palpable to anyone living there, and the musical selections on Spiritual Music evoke the mixture in a demonstrative way.
Sarah Weiss, Asian Music
Le preghiere dei muezzin, le celebrazioni del Sekaten (nascita e morte di Maometto) e i cori per le danze bedhaya sono facce diverse di una spiritualità di cui indubbiamente dalle nostre parti non solo si è persa ogni traccia ma di cui non abbiamo mai avuto il minimo sentore. Poco male, si dirà, se in fin dei conti abbiamo a disposizione registrazioni efficaci e affascinanti come la presente per provare a immergerci in stati divini a noi sconosciuti.
Piercarlo Poggio, Blow Up
L’Islam giavanese ha mantenuto un rapporto vivo e costante con le forme tradizionali, senza mai mettere in discussione l’importanza dei piccoli gong dalla forma sensuale, le batterie di mammelle metalliche che costituiscono la base di ogni gamelan.
Marco Boccitto, Alias
A Java, le fait de jouer ou d’écouter le gamelan constitue une discipline spirituelle et pas uniquement un amusement. C’est aussi une manière de prier. Pendant la prière et la pratique de la musique, le coeur est orienté vers la paix et le calm intérieur. Ce cd présente la partie spirituelle de ce grand trésor que constitue la musique du Centre de Java.
Marie Paule Bonné, Trad Magazine
The fourth volume opens with Ladrang Turun Sih, a piece said to be inspired by the call to prayer, that features rebab as well as vocals. Two pieces of sung poetry in the kraton style and two examples of more standard [?] gamelan complete a much more satisfying album.
Phil Wilson, fRoots
“For most of us [Europeans] music is a luxury, a way to pass time; for only the very few is it a necessity of life. Moreover, it has developed an almost exclusively aesthetic character. On the other hand, music in the archipelago, as is the case throughout the Orient, is still, in many cases, closely connected to the magical-religious experience and, as such, penetrates the entire society.”