Wayang shadow theatre In Bali Part 17

An ensemble of gamelan music always accompanies the performance of Wayang Kulit theatre. Of the 30 existing divergent ensembles, three ensembles are traditionally affiliated with and employed to accompany a

Wayang show. The quartet or at least a pair (pangisep ‘male’ and pangumbang ‘female’ instruments) of the metallophone Gender Wayang music ensemble invariably accompanies the Mahabharata-based Wayang Parwa. When two medium-sized Kendang drums, a unit of cymbal, knobbed Klenang, Kajar and Kempur gong chimes are added to the quartet Gender music, then the ensemble is called the Batel Ramayana. This Batel music accompanies the performance of Wayang Ramayana, Wayang Calonarang and the Wayang Cupak. When the quartet Gender instruments of the Batel ensemble are replaced with several giant bamboo flutes and several instruments such as

the Gumanak and Gentorag bells clusters, the ensemble is called Pagambuhan. This flute-dominated music accompanies the performance of the Wayang Gambuh, which is based on the Panji cycles. Just as the narrative repertoires are associated with different genres of performance, different ensembles are associated with a specific type of Wayang. Consequently, an audience would immediately recognise the specific type of Wayang that is being performed simply by hearing the music. In recent experimental productions, other instruments have been added.

The role of music is crucial in Wayang, because numerous dramatic moods, emotions and movements are properly established only by playing a certain piece with all its cadences, rhythm, melody and tempo. Although there is no room here to exhaustively discuss the important role of music to the Wayang, it is important to understand that certain musical pieces establish a certain dramatic event (such as travel or conflict) or mood (such as sadness or anger) even before any text is spoken.

Discussing how a dalang cues and collaborates with musicians is essential to understanding the process of creativity in performance. Except for the Ragragan interlude, each of the 18 chronological activities (astadasa karma) of the performance is identified by and must match the exact set of musical accompaniment. The musicians must closely follow the dalang’s cues whether to remain or to adjust and/or to change the piece, the rhythm, or the tempo (with appropriate musical cadences) in accordance with dramatic sequence and movements. The dalang cues and guides the orchestra as a conductor and musical director. Specific triggers for this dynamic relationship express themselves through the following: when the dalang raps rhythmically on the puppet box, tabuh cepala; when the puppet performs certain movements, or patterns of movement, during the dramatic narrative; when the dalang sings his lines; and when the dalang performs routine ritualistic actions. A dalang is often frustrated and uncomfortable when working with new musicians who do not share the same artistic approach or training as him.