Angklung Traditional Music for the New Normal

ANGKLUNG

Traditional Music for the New Normal The bamboo slats vibrated violently releasing a dynamically rhythmic sound. In the middle of the sound of bamboo, the occasional booming bass and electronic melodies alternated with traditional melodies from the land of Priangan. The sound of bamboo and electronics in

tandem built momentum until it reached a moment of silence before finally breaking into a series of tones where it was no

longer possible to distinguish between bamboo and electronic sounds. There the

voices of the past and the present had mingled into one.

Toned bamboo - Faiz Dila /shutterstock.com Such is the EDM concert or electronic dance music which is the result of the

collaboration of the

famous DJ Alffy Rev from Mojokerto and Manshur Praditya, a musician from Bandung who processes angklung into a contemporary music medium. This collaboration is one of many initiatives by Indonesian youth to cultivate the treasures of traditional music by bringing it together with various modern musical expressions, such as those performed by Senyawa Band, V1Mast, Rubah di Selatan, and Astakosala.

Bamboo - Thomas Hadorn Fotografie /shutterstock.com

Angklung story

Angklung is part of a very old musical tradition. Although it is strongly alleged that it had been known long before the major religions entered the archipelago, historical records regarding angklung only appeared around the 12th century AD, namely during the time of the Sunda Kingdom.

The Sundanese at that time used angklung as part of a ritual to honor

Nyai Sri Pohaci or the Goddess of Rice who was believed to give life to humans. Made from black bamboo, angklung was originally played by hitting it. The sound that appears when the bamboo blades collide with each other produces an alluring tone and rhythm. Over time the bamboo slats are arranged in a series that can produce sound by shaking them. This creates a difference between angklung and calung: one is played by shaking while the other by hitting. Even though it was first recorded in the Sundanese tradition, angklung is also found in many archipelago people. The people of Ponorogo in East Java use angklung in Reyog performances, Immortalized in rupiah coins – Andrey Lobach ev / sh ut t e r s t o c k. com as do the people of Banyuwangi. In a slightly different form, in Bali we

also know bamboo gamelan instruments that produce musical compositions with dynamic rhythm that resemble an angklung.

It is likewise the kolintang musical instrument in Minahasa, North Sulawesi, which is made of cempaka wood and not bamboo. Like calung and Balinese gamelan, kolintang is played by hitting. The similarity of the forms of these musical instruments

This musical instrument is used by the Sundanese people when a ceremony is held to bring crops to be presented to Nyai Sri Pohaci. The sound of the angklung accompanies the procession and strengthens the sacred atmosphere that envelopes the entire event. Angklung, in that sense, has become an integral part of a world-view that places the preservation of nature as the foundation of social life.

shows the existence of a very old cultural exchange network in the archipelago. It can even be said that every musical instrument of the

archipelago is the result of intercultural mixing involving enrichment and innovation by every cultural group in various regions.

World Heritage, An Effort Against Forgetting

Due to its uniqueness and cultural values, angklung has long been seen as an important intangible cultural heritage for Indonesia. In the context of cultural

diplomacy, the Indonesian government strives angklung to become part of the world heritage. This effort paid off when in November 2010, angklung was officially registered as a Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Human from UNESCO.

UNESCO’s official web page which accommodates data regarding angklung as a world heritage mentions one unique feature of this musical instrument, namely

In a line to be the tone – Andie Nurhadiyanto /shutterstock.com with regard to the mutual cooperation nature contained in the angklung performance. The web page launches: “Due to the collaborative nature of

angklung music, performing encourages cooperation and mutual respect among the performers, along with discipline, responsibility, concentration, development of imagination and memory, as well as artistic and musical feelings.”

Even though it has been designated as a world heritage, angklung still faces common challenges that are also experienced by all traditional cultural expressions in modern times today. Various forms of modern cultural

expression that are very effective in attracting public attention are slowly becoming a new tradition of Indonesian society. In the midst of such a situation, angklung must compete for public attention with pop music, cinema, video games and various multimedia contents on social media. Meanwhile, the original context of using angklung, namely traditional rituals, is slowly being shifted by the routines of modern life.

To overcome the challenges of modernity, various angklung revitalization efforts have emerged in the lives of young people. One of the most influential is Saung Angklung Udjo in Bandung. The community, which was founded by angklung maestro Udjo Ngalagena, has been managed for generations and has succeeded in attracting public attention to preserve this traditional art. With a museum and various public programs, Saung Angklung Udjo has succeeded in bringing angklung closer to elementary and high school students. Through such initiatives, angklung has found its public again: not only in the community implementing traditional rituals, but also in the context of character education in

schools throughout Indonesia.

Today’s Angklung Challenge

Although various modern cultural expressions that are widespread in the digital age become a challenge for the preservation of angklung, digital technology also provides new opportunities for efforts to advance the angklung ecosystem. The development of communication media has allowed angklung to be more widely known and reach various audience

From Indonesian Bamboo for the world - Akhmad Dody Firmansyah/shutterstock.com

segments that were previously difficult to reach within the framework of traditional

angklung performance. Moreover, various technologies in music production also allow angklung to meet an entirely new audience segment, namely urban youth.

What Manshur Praditya did is the brightest example of contemporary angklung art. A graduate of the Sundanese karawitan school from

Bandung and the Indonesia Institute of Cultures and Arts , majoring in angklung music and bamboo music, he has succeeded in cultivating the treasures of angklung music by combining it with various forms of modern music, such as

rock, pop and electronic dance music. He innovated angklung into an instrument that was played by pressing a pedal connected to a row of angklung. In that way, angklung can be played like a piano.

Manshur’s innovation did not stop at the design of the angklung instrument, but also in the way he presented angklung in the midst of urban life. He collaborated a lot with pop musicians from various genres so that angklung reaches a much wider audience than before. He collaborated with Eka

Gustiwana, Alffy Rev, and Weird Genius, each of which has a wide and varied

fan base. Even thanks to the courage to experiment with angklung and various modern musical instruments, Manshur repeatedly performed in various concerts in Malaysia, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Japan, and India. Through his innovations, angklung is known more widely and favored by many people.

Manshur Praditya is part of a new wave of young people who dare to reinvestigate the inspiration of tradition and create new relevance for today’s traditions. He proves that tradition is an endless source of inspiration and can answer the challenges of today’s creative world. Through excavations like this, we can find a way to create a new normal, a way of life that is more sustainable because it is sourced from local traditions that

have proven to be reliable in guiding our lives from generation to generation.

(Martin Suryajaya, Indonesian).

For souvenirs – Kingfajr/shutterstock.com Before played – Hafedz Musthofa/shutterstock.com