Gondang Toba Melodical Prayers

MELODICAL PLaYERS GODANG TOBA

Sulim (transverse flute) from Batak Toba - Julius Bramanto.

If we talk about traditional music, of course, it will be closely related to the rich, authentic philosophy and spiritual values found in a society. Music is never separated from cultural expression in any community group, not least in the ancient volcanic caldera area which is now known as the Lake Toba region.

The ancient volcanic eruption in Toba which occurred about 70,000 years ago was very powerful. Scientists believe that the eruption reduced the human population massively. It is not surprising that the Lake Toba area has a unique history of the beginning of human life and has taken root in the lives of its people even before the arrival of Abrahamic religions on this archipelago.

The local indigenous people believe that Toba is the place where human civilization began, this is reinforced by the legend of Debata Mulajadi na Bolon along with traditional rituals which are expressions of worshipping the Almighty. The prayers that are said in these rituals are usually accompanied by a musical ensemble and are characteristic of the Batak Toba people.

One of the typical Toba ritual music is the Gondang Batak Toba which has a long history. Gondang music is always played mainly by the Parmalim community who are adherents of old beliefs that have been passed down from generation to generation. In general, the music of Gondang Batak Toba is divided into two types, namely Gondang Sabangun and Gondang Hasapi.

Gondang Sabangun consists of instruments called ogung (gong), hesek (percussion), gordang (rhythm-determining drum), odap (two-sided drum), taganing (5 melodic drums), and sarune bolon

Magical gondang Denison

(wind instrument). Meanwhile, Gondang Hasapi consists of instruments called garantung (wooden xylophone), sarune etek (a type of clarinet), odap, sulim, and hesek. The main difference between these two types of gondang can be seen in the addition to the instruments used, as well as their use. Gondang Sabangun is usually played outside the building (house), while Gondang Hasapi is usually played indoors. Although Gondang Hasapi and Gondang Sabangun share the same repertoire, in practice these two types of musical ensembles are never played in the same ritual ceremony.

For the Batak Toba people, gondang has a sacred function because it is a means of conveying prayers and hopes to the creator. Rituals that usually use gondang music include death ceremonies, wedding parties and even rituals to pray for the sick to rituals to ask for the rain. A maestro of traditional Batak music, Marsius Sitohang, stated that the use of gondang music should even be taken very seriously. If there are residents who want to perform a ritual with the gondang, the gondang or pargonsi players must be given the best food by the suhut (the owner of the event) the day before, so that they are happy and can play gondang music solemnly. It is not surprising that this pargonsi has a respectable social status in the Batak Toba community because they act as an intermediary for delivering prayers through gondang music.

If observed from the point of view of music studies, the composition of gondang music is quite unique. Although the notation used can be written with a common scale, the structure of the scale is not the same. When compared to diatonic scales in Western music, which has seven levels, gondang only has five major

diatonic tones, namely do, re, mi, fa, and sol. This scale arrangement can be found in the taganing and garantung musical instruments. The uniqueness of this tone makes the gondang have a unique pentatonic scale structure, and even no similarities can be found with any ethnic music in the world. From a rhythmic point of view, the rhythm and tempo of the gondang music seem to vary greatly depending on the improvisation and aesthetics of the sarune and taganing players who often play in a trance state. This will be very different when compared to other ethnic music rhythms, such as gamelan, which has a very tight rhythmic pattern. Along with the times, it must be acknowledged that the role of Gondang Toba in society has experienced a shift in values when sometimes it is played outside the area of customs and worship. Many young Toba people try to get the gondang out of its cultural boundaries, collaborating with other musical instruments. The

The regeneration of culture - Denison

creative efforts made by these young musicians need to be appreciated, for example combining gondang playing with drums, keyboards, and electric guitars.

However, it should not be seen as something that threatens the extinction of the essence of the music of Gondang Toba, which is basically a ritual expression. View it as a way for the younger generation to preserve, appreciate ancestral heritage, and contribute to introducing it to the outside world. In that way, the younger generation who are not familiar with the music of Gondang Toba will begin to study and participate in preserving ancestral culture. (Denison Wicaksono: Directorate of Film, Music and New Media, Directorate General of Culture, Kemdikbudristek)