Soepra gamelan has a Western sound<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung<\/p>\n
My Way, which is usually associated with singer Frank Sinatra,
\nsounded quite different when Indonesian tenor Christopher
\nAbimanyu, also known as Abbi, sang it at Istana Muara, Bandung.<\/p>\n
Abbi's voice sounded more harmonious than when he appeared
\nalong with the Twilite Orchestra, also in Bandung, in July last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
That evening was marked by the blend of the sound emanating
\nfrom traditional gamelan, saron and gambang gongs and that coming
\nfrom electric guitars, bass, organ and drums. This combination of
\ntraditional and modern musical instruments accompanied
\nChristopher's voice.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people packed the auditorium that night, mostly
\nfirst-timers, who were mesmerized and applauded loudly. Some even
\nshouted and whistled in excitement.<\/p>\n
More than 60 senior high school students of SMA Kolese Loyola
\nSemarang came to Bandung for the first time to take part in this
\ncharity performance. They raised funds for the SOS Kinderdorf
\norphanage.<\/p>\n
The students brought with them their Soepra gamelan, which,
\nfor the last forty years, at least, has been associated with
\nLoyola when the school puts on a cultural performance.<\/p>\n
Besides Abbi, the performance, titled 2005 Soepra Gamelan
\nCharity Concert and organized by Ananda Budhisuharto, a 1985
\ngraduate of Loyola, was also highlighted by the presence of Addie
\nMS, the conductor of the Twilite Orchestra, and his wife, singer
\nMemes, as well as guitarist Jubing Kristanto.<\/p>\n
Soepra gamelan may be known only to the Loyola community and
\nsome Semarang residents that have been to Loyola's annual
\ncultural night.<\/p>\n
Unique gamelan<\/p>\n
This gamelan is unique in that it is the world's only
\nchromatic gamelan. It contains all the notes in a modern music
\nscale from \"do to ti,\" said Jubing, also a 1985 Loyola graduate.<\/p>\n
Now a noted guitarist, Jubing played solo several songs like
\nDesaku Ayam Den Lapeh, the Mission Impossible theme tune and
\nBecak Fantasi in response to audience requests.<\/p>\n
He said that although he had never taken part in Soepra
\ngamelan music activities while studying at Loyola, nevertheless,
\nhe agreed that it was a fond memory for all Loyola graduates. He
\nrecounted the sound of the gamelan when students played it at
\nrehearsals on hot Semarang afternoons.<\/p>\n
Soepra gamelan is different from the average traditional
\nJavanese gamelan because it contains diatonic notes.<\/p>\n
Generally, a traditional Javanese gamelan can accommodate only
\npelog and salendro notes (on a pentatonic scale); it is therefore
\ndifficult to accompany pop songs.<\/p>\n
Another advantage is that Soepra gamelan can be played
\nalongside modern musical instruments like the guitar, drums, bass
\nand organ. That is why students playing this type of gamelan will
\nnever think that their music is outdated.<\/p>\n
\"The music is unique as we can play any genre of music with
\nthis gamelan,\" said Frances, a third-grader of SMA Loyola. That
\nevening she was the conductor for her school's Soepra gamelan
\nmusic troupe, who were all wearing black-and-red costumes.<\/p>\n
During this charity performance, the gamelan group plus the
\nLoyola choir presented at least 11 different songs such as Manuk
\nDadali from West Java, Gambang Semarang and Loyola College March.<\/p>\n
The gamelan players also enjoyed accompanying Memes, who sang
\nBengawan Solo, and then Memes and Abbi, who sang Selalu Di
\nSampingmu (Always Beside You) together.<\/p>\n
Different to 'campur sari'<\/p>\n
The blend of Soepra gamelan and modern musical instruments may
\nsound like the campur sari musical genre, which also combines
\ngamelan and modern musical instruments.<\/p>\n
Sukisno, 41, a Soepra gamelan instructor and the musical
\narranger for Loyola's Soepra gamelan troupe, said, however,
\nSoepra and campur sari were \"two different things\".<\/p>\n
A complete set of Soepra gamelan instruments saron, gender,
\ngambang, bonang, gongs and kendang -- have been adjusted to play
\ndiatonic notes. In campur sari, the gamelan remains in its pelog
\nand salendro pentatonic notes.<\/p>\n
Another difference, he said, was that Soepra gamelan is played
\nby a large number of gamelan players, about 60, for example,
\nwhile the gamelan for campur sari is played by a much smaller
\nensemble.<\/p>\n
Soepra gamelan also uses several other instruments that are
\nnot usually found in a traditional Javanese gamelan set, said
\nSukisno. One of these instruments is a kemondong gong, which is
\nnormally used with the traditional Javanese gamelan only to
\naccompany coke'an, a genre of traditional Javanese music.<\/p>\n
\"This gong usually serves as a bass instrument,\" he added.
\nAnother additional instrument is bonang peking, which Sukisno
\nhimself has created. This instrument is used when there is no
\nhigh note that can be played in a particular octave.<\/p>\n
The Soepra gamelan used in the charity performance in Bandung,
\nSukisno noted, was already five years old and had not been
\nretuned. The quality of the gamelan depends particularly on the
\nalloy of tin and copper used. Every year, the instructors must
\ncheck the sound of all the gamelan instruments.<\/p>\n
Soepra and Sukarno<\/p>\n
The name \"Soepra\" was given by Indonesia's first president,
\nSoekarno, on July 22, 1965, after he listened to a performance of
\nthe gamelan, which Father Henri Constant van Deinse, SJ, modified
\nfrom a traditional Javanese gamelan, and was played in connection
\nwith the congress of Catholics from all over Indonesia in
\nSenayan, Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Soekarno took the name from that of the first Indonesian
\nCatholic bishop, Mgr A. Soegijopranoto.<\/p>\n
Father Deinse was Dutch and assigned in Loyola between 1955
\nand 1973. When Soekarno offered to give him a reward for
\nmodifying a traditional Javanese gamelan into the Soepra gamelan,
\nthe priest only asked to be naturalized as an Indonesian citizen.<\/p>\n
While assigned at Loyola, Deinse required all Loyola students
\nto play Soepra gamelan as one of their extracurricular
\nactivities. Today, Sukisno said, only about 60 students were
\ninterested because playing Soepra gamelan was no longer a
\ncompulsory subject.<\/p>\n
Still, the students were enthusiastic in their rehearsals, he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Addi MS, who was the sound and technical advisor for the
\nperformance in Bandung, supported efforts to popularize
\ntraditional and modern music in schools. \"Twilite has entered
\nschools to enhance students' musical appreciation. In Loyola,
\nthis has been an established practice. I would feel guilty if I
\ndid not support the initiative,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soepra-gamelan-has-a-western-sound-1447893297",
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